MASTER THESIS Research Master African Studies 2015-2017 Leiden University/African Studies Center
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Photo Jay Garrido Jay Photo (E)motion of saudade The embodiment of solidarity in the Cuban medical cooperation in Mozambique MIRIAM ADELINA OCADIZ ARRIAGA MASTER THESIS Research Master African Studies 2015-2017 Leiden University/African Studies Center First supervisor: Dr. Mayke Kaag Second supervisor: Dr. Kei Otsuki E)motion of saudade. The embodiment of solidarity in the Cuban medical cooperation in Mozambique Miriam A. Ocadiz Arriaga Master Thesis Research Master African Studies 2015-2017 Leiden University/African Studies Center First supervisor: Dr. Mayke Kaag Second supervisor: Dr. Kei Otsuki To my little brother, and to all those who have realized that love is the essence of life, it’s what build bridges through the walls, it´s what shorten abysmal distances, it´s what restore the broken souls, it´s what cures the incurable, it´s what outwits the death Photo Alina Macias Rangel Macias Alina Photo To my little brother, and to all those who have realized that love is the essence of life, it’s what build bridges through the walls, it´s what shorten abysmal distances, it´s what restore the broken souls, it´s what cures the incurable, it´s what outwits the death Copyrights photo; Alina Macias Rangel Index (or the schedule of a journey) Acknowledgments 9 Abstract 13 Preface 15 List of Acronyms 16 1 Introduction. Two ports 17 Human faces 17 Cuban medical cooperation in Mozambique 20 Research question & rationale 23 Order of the thesis 24 2 Methodology. Mapping Nostalgia 27 Methods and methodology 28 Mozambique 30 Cuba 34 Reflection and ethical considerations 36 (Un)Limitations 39 3 Macro perspectives and background. The South also exists 41 The Global South 42 South-South relations and cooperation 44 A transatlantic South 47 An island 50 A corner 53 A bridge 57 4 Approaches of mobility, solidarity and embodiment. A moving encounter 59 Movement, mobility and migration 61 Educational mobility: those who returned to stay 64 Labour mobility: those who left to return 69 Long term mobility: those who left to restart 72 Solidarity 74 Embodiment 78 Embodying solidarity 79 5. The healthcare setting. Transatlantic healing 87 The medical environment 87 Medicine for the soul 89 Curing across fragmentation 91 The Cuban way 92 Facing the revolutionary doctors 94 Cubans know how to dance 97 Learning new steps 100 The corpus of interaction 102 Ache for Luisito! 105 6. Sociocultural factors. Daily (dis)encounters 109 A human net 110 Facing the South 112 The color of the South 116 (Último?...) The coins of the South 124 The shapes of the South 129 The (multiple) stories of the South 133 7. Conclusion. Arrivals and departures are parallel paths 141 The day Fefe died 142 Retelling the journey(s) 144 (De)constructing solidarity 146 Constructing (new) horizons 149 Epilogue. (E)motion of saudade 151 Appendix 1: Photos and photographers 155 Appendix 2 Maps 157 Bibliography 159 Acknowledgment First of all, this thesis could not have been possible without the help of professor Mayke Kaag. Your academic guidance was essential in each step of this project. I´m extremely grateful to have had you as my supervisor, thank you for your professionality, your wise and critical advice, and especially for your personal support that gave me the strength to believe I can always do my best. I also want to thank the ASC for giving me the opportunity to study a Master degree and the freedom to pursue my own topic. Especially to Azeb Amha who helped me to get a scholarship. You are a great adviser and your academic work and support to the students is truly remarkable. I don’t know where I would be without the opportunity you offered me. Also, to professor Ton Dietz, who was always there to support the ASC community and personally helped to settle my visit to Mozambique. And of course Ella for always making the long hours at the library much lighter. I want to thank professor Daniela Merolla, who guided me from my bachelor to the master. I really appreciate (and miss) your contagious excitement for Acknowledgment African languages and culture than inspired me to keep learning. And professor Kei Otsuki, for your important feedback that helped me to take into consideration 9 different perspectives. But this thesis is also a product of friendship and for that I cannot stop thanking Erikita, for being one of my first and most significant friend in the Netherlands, and the one who actually guided me to “discover” African Studies. You have no idea how much you have helped me to cope with this country and how you always make me feel better, feel somehow at home. Josie, for being so kind and caring. I´m so happy that we got to spend so much time together, even if it was at the library. I cannot wait to see where life bring us, but I’m quite sure we will always be there for each other. I also want to thank all those wonderful friends and talented people I have found throughout this master. Rob, for all your energy and charisma inside and outside the classroom. Isabella, for your enthusiasm and warmness you made this studies much more fun. I´m glad you decided to switch programs and share with me those wonderful evenings in Leiden. Joosje, schatje, you always made me feel better and happier. It was so nice to have tea and chat after our lessons. Your humanizing quality to every situation is truly amazing. Juul, my smart and sweet friend, I’m happy you joined our class, making the dynamics smoother and more interesting. I can´t wait to celebrate your thesis as well! Agustina, mi querida compañera, thank you so much for your infinite positivity that you spread wherever you go. You are so talented and free, that I couldn’t have chosen a better Latina to join this program. Matthew, my dear friend, thank you so much for all the academic/creative/crazy talks we had while eating pizza in your room, and the endless voice messages. Thank you for all the fun and honest moments you have shared with me across different countries, and I promise you we still have a long way to go. Georgita, your intelligence, joyfulness and flawless English accent is a real blessing in my life. Thank you for always supporting me through my messy papers and letting me glimpse all the wonderful qualities that you have. And I also want to thank Mahlet, Loes and Mia for your company during the last semester, especially in those hard days at the library. I´m sure you will have a great experience in your fieldwork and with your thesis. I´ll make sure I´m there to support you as you did with me. As well, I´m grateful for the people I encountered in Mozambique. Tess, thank you for all the gossiping, the laughs and the amazing moments together around Mozambique. You are such a happy and wise person, I really admire you and even if Trump would say our friendship is fake, I´ll find a way to visit you. Jay- el, for spread your Philippine charm and positivity all around Maputo. En mijn Nedelanders: Jesper, Marij, Fenna, Carmen, Johanna and Saskia. Who would say some of the finest Dutch people could be found in Maputo? Thank you so much for all the beautiful memories you gave me dancing Kizomba, eating and traveling around the Mozambican highways. Voor alles, hartelijk bedankt! Thank you to Chloé, for being such a cheerful and original person, always ready for the next dance. And Nagia, the coolest housemate in all Oegstgeest, Acknowledgment thanks for reminding me that life is much more than work and turning my stress into a celebration. Quero expressar minha infinita gratidão à Inocência, minha querida amiga. Agradeço por todas as coisas que você me ensinou. Sua amizade me marcou de uma maneira muito profunda e espero um dia, poder retribuí-la. Angélica, 10 a melhor moçambicana! Obrigada pela amizade verdadeira e sincera. Foi ótimo visitar o Xipamanine, comprar capulanas e comermos juntas, enquanto conversávamos sobre o futuro. Espero que exista mais dias como esses, pela frente. Quero agradecer também a Amade, meu padrinho, que me recebeu e acolheu em Maputo e também, me mostrou todas as maravilhas dessa cidade incrível. Felicio, por ter sido um ótimo guia durante minha adaptação ao campus e ter me recebido de maneira acolhedora, desde o início. Professor Patrício Langa, pelo acolhimento na Universidade Eduardo Mondlane e pelo apoio à este projeto. E aos meus amigos brasileiros, Iana, Baiano, Maysa, Marcelo, Ridalvo, Marina, Bea, Joana, Murilo, Ronaldo, Amanda, Camila, Irce e Laís. Minha estada em Moçambique não teria sido tão incrível e mágica sem a energia de vocês. Agradeço muito pelas aulas de Português, combinadas ao samba e ao funk. Muito obrigada por me ensinar sobre a grandiosidade desse país tão diverso e por terem me acolhido como a parceira latino americana de vocês. Não posso esperar para revê-los. En cuanto a los hispanohablantes, antes que nada, quiero agradecer a la comunidad cubana en Mozambique que me apoyaron con sus testimonios. Su profesionalidad y carisma son realmente impresionantes y deseo mucho éxito y felicidad a cada uno de ustedes. Gracias por su confianza. También debo mencionar a Juliet, Manuel y sobre todo a Juan Manuel por su apoyo personal y profesional para esta tesis. Y en Cuba, esa isla hermosa, quiero agradecer a Manuel por ser tan paciente conmigo y haberme guiado como un hermano. Sin tu ayuda no podría haber realizado mi trabajo de campo en Cuba y por ello siempre te estaré agradecida.