Among the many things to ponder on this, the first day of 2009, is the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution. 50 years ago today Fidel Castro and his band of freedom fighters entered Santiago de Cuba as the dictator Batista fled the country. An extraordinary victory, regardless of your political leanings, that toppled a corrupt and decadent regime and ushered in a hopeful people-centered movement. Although the revolutionary government of Cuba is certainly not above reproach or criticism, it is also not the evil totalitarian regime some posit. Cuba is an extraordinarily complex place, and I won’t even pretend to attempt to deal with those complexities in  a brief blog post. I can say that I have traveled in Cuba on multiple occasions and met, performed with, studied with, learned from, partied with, and worked alongside her people. I saw a country of contradictions, freedoms, hopes, beauty, health, and knowledge. I experienced a country that is nothing like what you may picture in your head – or what you may have been led to believe by media portrayals.

I am not a media conspiracist but  I was once in Havana at the same time as some reporters from Time magazine. I spent time in the same neighborhoods, restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, streets, and museums as they did. I enjoyed myself immensely. I met and talked freely with Cubans of all stripes. I danced with, drank with, and spent considerable time with Cuban citizens. I spoke with police and fisherman, students and professors, tour guides and shopkeepers. The Cubans were open, honest, forthcoming—and extraordinarily hospitable. No on in Cuba ever made the mistake of confusing an American with the policies of the American government. We engaged in frank and open dialogue and also had great fun (Cuban Rum is an entirely different creature than what passes as rum in the US, just sayin). Imagine my surprise when upon my return to the US, I read the ominous account of the Time reporters as they spoke of citizens afraid to speak openly, shadowy government handlers and oppressed citizens disheartened,  dispossessed, and disenfranchised. It was shocking. It was the complete opposite of the Cuba I experienced firsthand at exactly the same time as these reporters. Perhaps you see what you want to see—but I can say I have never been able to look at anything Time magazine writes since then without being extremely skeptical. I have experienced their lies firsthand. Anyway.

On a separate trip, I spent time in Santiago de Cuba, the home of the revolution and the site of the anniversary that is celebrated today. I was part of the first theatre production by a US university since the blockade, and we performed “Death and the Maiden”  in an international arts and music festival. The tale of that theatre production is a tragi-comedy for another post – but as part of that event we toured the historical sites of the revolution. I touched the bullet holes on the Granma, and I have chicken feathers from the Siboney farm tucked away amongst my keepsakes. I feel connected, however distantly, to the hopes and dreams for a better future that those young revolutionaries fought and died to achieve. We need not agree with all that happened afterwards, just as we need not agree with everything that the US government has done in the past 50 years. The post revolutionary society is a discussion for another time. I do agree, however, with the foundation of the revolution and the passion of those who fought for it– the desire for a more equal and just society.

The Plaza de la Revolucion is an impressive public square marked out by street signs  (and yes you can get coffee as well!). On one side is a large impressive ziggurat/tower monument bristling with antennae and listening devices,  on the other a massive sculpture of the iconic Che Guevara image outlined in steel on the side of a building.

One cannot ponder the Cuban revolution and not also ponder the constant efforts of the US to destroy it. It is long past time to end the ridiculous economic blockade of Cuba. Justice demands it.