1 UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and The

Home , Guanabacoa, Regla

UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean Places of Memory for the Slave Route in the Latin Caribbean Site Registration Form

I- IDENTIFICATION: I-1: Entry: 006 I-2: Code: CUB.t.001 I-3: National Code: RE030001 I-4: Present name: Asentamiento poblacional Regla-Guanabacoa I-5: Historic name: Guaicamar Sugar Mill and Indian Village of Guanabacoa. II- GENERAL INFORMATION: II-1: Location: II-1- a: Country: Cuba II-1- b: Province: Ciudad Habana II-1- c: Municipality: Regla and Guanabacoa II-2: Uses: II-2- a: Original use: Population Settlements II-2- b: Present use: Population Settlements II-3: Classification: II-4: Category of Protection: II-5: Function- testimony: Cultural Landscape (See IV-1) World Heritage Landing Port Cultural Route (See IV-2) Masterpiece Slave Market X Population Settlement (See IV-3) Biosphere Reserve Place of confinement Agro-industrial compound (See IV-4) X National Monument Dwelling site Building (See IV-5) Local Monument Site of production Site (See IV-6) Other: Site of resistance II-6: The property is on the National Tentative List: Yes X No Refuge of maroons II-7: Accessibility: II-8: Ownership: Burial place X Accessible State Shipwreck Not easily accessible Private Religious-ceremonial site Inaccessible X Mixed Route Other: X Multipurpose II-8: Level of accessibility: X Free Restricted Exclusive III- INTANGIBLE CULTURAL MANIFESTATIONS ASSOCIATED TO THE PROPERTY: III-1: Characterization of the bearer community: A significant part of the community in both municipalities practices the religious cult to the orichas (santería) and palomonte (rule conga). There are also dozens of temples of the male-only abakuá Societies, existing only in America after the influence of the tribal groups Ibo, Ibibio, Idjo and Ekoi, from the Calabar region. Both the Museum of Regla and the Museum of Guanabacoa treasure examples and artifacts of popular religious beliefs, with a strong African influence, which have merged in syncretism with saints and liturgy of Roman Catholicism. The Festival Wemilere, Festival of African Roots (Memoria Viva Award 1999) is held every year in Guanabacoa, dedicated to a different African country. III-2: Type of intangible heritage manifestation: X Oral traditions and expressions: X Performing arts: X Social uses, rituals and festivities: X Knowledge and uses related to nature and the Universe: X Traditional crafts techniques: III-2-a:Describe the nature, periodicity and predominant characteristics of the manifestations at present: Oral traditions and expressions in santería, palomonte and abakuá are a constant in all aspects related with every-day religious life that show- up in prayers, chants, oracle consultations, sacred stories, etc. Art in general is expressed through the dance schools that rehearse just before the celebration of Carnival, usually held in July and August every year. Temple houses, for example, make celebrations for various reasons: a religious initiation, the anniversary of the temple house, the anniversary of the owner’s religious initiation and saint (oricha) day. There is an obvious knowledge of nature and the universe in the holistic approach of these religious practices, especially in the use of plants and animals for healing purposes. Craft making techniques are also present in the costumes and designs of dance the schools of and in all cult objects.

III-3: Do you consider the property a cultural space?: X Yes No III-3-a: Support your answer: Sailing across Havana harbor in one of the small steamboats is a cultural tradition that means opening up to a new urban space different from that of the former walled town. Oral tradition has it that Regla and Guanabacoa are two sites for pilgrimage, two magical sites where the African spirit is present. The temple houses of Ifá priests, santeros, paleros as well as abakuá temples are networks of religious families that transcend beyond city boundaries and include national and international ties and relations.

1 IV- SPECIFIC INFORMATION: IV-1- Cultural Landscapes: IV-1-a: Location: IV-1-b: Area: IV-1-d: Type: Latitude N: ______IV-1-c: Population: Gardens Longitude W: ______Associative Evolving Relics Live IV-1- e: Eco-Geographic features: Vegetation: Fauna: Soils: Topography: Geology: IV-1- f: Environmental conditions: Temperature: Min:______0C Climate: Med.______0C Solar exposure: Predominant winds: Max. ______0C IV-1- g: Landscape surroundings: Natural: Urban: Agro-productive:

IV-1- h: Natural and Landscape Significance:

IV-1- i: Historic- cultural importance:

IV-2- Cultural Itineraries: IV-2-a: Location:

IV-2-b: Area: IV-2-c: Extension: IV-2-d: Width: IV-2-e: Classification according to: Territorial Framework: Structure: Function: Local Linear Social National Circular Economic Regional Cruciform Political World Radial Military In network Religious Natural Framework: Duration: Cultural Land Extinct( ) Multiple, which? Water Existing( ) Mixed V-2-f: Natural Context:

IV-2-g: Content: Ways of communication:

Other substantial elements:

IV-2-h: importance of the cultural route:

2 IV-3- Population Settlements: IV-3-a: Location: Latitude N: 23º 06’ Longitude W: 82º 20’ IV-3-b: Area:18 Km2 IV-3-c: Population:140 000 IV-3-d: Date of foundation: 16th cent Description: Regla developed as a quiet town on the other shore of the harbor, with direct and close links with Havana and above all with the sea. The urban layout is drawn on an inner peninsula of Havana harbor, a fact that favored the relationship of the town with the ocean, its highest expression found in the devotion of its inhabitants for the Virgin of Regla, an essential factor in its socio-economic development, as port facilities and associated industries to the space are the main employment sources of the population in the area. On the other hand, Guanabacoa did develop on its own and became a town and later a city very early in the colonial period. It also had a very active commercial and cultural life and its contribution to national culture in terms of personalities is significant. The historic center of the town was declared National Monument by the National Monuments Commission taking into account its many valuable buildings and places, such as the Liceum, the Church, Monastery and School of the Escolapios of the Dominican Order and the Ermita del Potosí. IV-4- Agro-industrial Complex: IV-4-a: Location: Latitude N: ______Longitude W: ______IV-4-b: Area: IV-4-c: Population: IV-4-d: Date of foundation:

Description:

IV-5- Building: IV-5-a: Address: Urban Rural IV-5-b: Type: IV-5-c: Period/Time : IV-5-d: Levels: Civil IV-5-e: Area : IV-5-f: Plot Area: Domestic IV-5-g: Characteristics of construction and materials: Military Roof: Religious Industrial-Productive Walls: Commemorative- Ornamental Public space Woodwork: Construction V-4-h: Description:

IV-6- Sites: IV-6-a: Location: Latitude N: ______Longitude W: ______IV-6-b: Typology: IV-6-c: Area: IV-6-d: Inhabited: Yes No Historic (See IV-6-1) Archaeological (See IV-6-2) Natural (See IV-6-3) IV-6-1: Historic Site: IV-6-2: Archaeological Site: IV-6-3: Natural Site: IV-6-1-a: Associated event: IV-6-2-a: Context: On Land IV-6-3-a: Geomorphology: In Water IV-6-1-b: Associated personality: IV-6-2-b: Researched: Yes No IV-6-3-B: Soils: Dates: ______IV-6-1-c: Date: IV-6-2-c: Findings: IV-6-3-C: Period of formation:

Associated Commemorative constructions ______IV-6-4: Brief Report:

3 V- INFORMATION FOR ASSESSMENT: V- 1: Values: (order by hierarchy) V- 2: Conditions: V- 3: Integrity: 3 Historic 2 Religious Good Not transformed 5 Architectonic Environmental X Fair X Less transformed Archaeological 4 Ethnologic Poor Transformed Natural 1 Community V- 4: Category of Exceptional: Local National Regional World Unique: X ⁯ ⁯ ⁯ Relevant: ⁯ X ⁯ ⁯ Ordinary ⁯ ⁯ X X V- 4- a: Criteria for the category of exceptional: These two large settlements were founded very early during the Spanish conquest of America. Regla (founded on the site of Guaicanamar sugar mill in 1598) and Guanabacoa (founded as Indian village in 1554), begin their socio cultural life in the 16th century and are now part of the great metropolitan area, though they maintain their own personality with human groups with a vey high self esteem and sense of belonging. African influence and religious beliefs are essential elements of their identities. VI- MANAGEMENT OF THE PROPERTY: VI-1: There is a resource management plan ⁯ Yes X No

VI-1-a: Responsible Entity: Local Governments of the Municipalities Regla and Guanabacoa VI-1-b: Funding sources: Local Governments of the Municipalities Regla and Guanabacoa VI-1-c: Threats: The historic center of Guanabacoa is deteriorating very fast, threatening its integrity for lack of resources for restoration and maintenance. On the other hand, Regla is one of the municipalities with the largest number of industries in the country, affecting the environmental conditions of the territory. VI-2-a: The Site has tourist potential X Yes ⁯ No VI-2-b: Description: The strong manifestations of African culture, mostly the religious expressions, have motivated national and foreign visitors to sail across the harbor and see the Sanctuary of Regla, participate in the Festival Wemilere or appreciate the collections treasured in the museums of both municipalities. VI-2-c: Tourist infrastructure: Infrastructure is poor, basically light food and similar gastronomical offers. There are no hotel facilities, though maritime communication with the historic center of Old Havana promotes the flow of visitors to the Sanctuary of Regla and the Christ of Havana in Casablanca. The urban structure and the road network do not allow for the massive transportation of tourists. VI-3: There are transmission programs: X Yes ⁯ No VI-3-a: Community schools include syllabus about the site: X Yes ⁯ No Elementary: ⁯ Number: Secondary: X Number: All VI-3-b: Schools develop the project “Breaking the Silence”: ⁯ Yes X No Elementary: ⁯ Number: Secondary: ⁯ Number: VI-3-c: Other existing forms of transmission: Transmission is carried out mostly from generation to generation within the families. There is also a high sense of belonging in the population of both settlements. Cultural institutions and schools in both towns promote the study of local history. The various social, religious and folk groups also contribute to the process of preserving the cultural heritage and popular festivities. VII- REFERENCES: VII-1- Control of the information: VII-2- Bibliography about the property: Made by: PhD. Jesús Guanche * Acosta Brito, Alberto: Guanabacoa, Ruta del Esclavo: Arch. Nilson Acosta Sincretismo en Regla, * Pino, Amado del: Jueves en la villa, Supervised by: PhD. Miguel Barnet Entity: National Council for Cultural Heritage and Fernando Ortiz Foundation Date: December, 2006 VII-3- Notes: a) This Site Information Form should be completed with the attached Methodology Instructions for implementation. b) The information contained in the FORM should have an attachment in text format. c) Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage will be included in the Register. Therefore, the Form should be filled in starting in the cultural space of the manifestation. However more specific information about its peculiarities can be annexed. VII-4: Comments: