By Nelson Manneh
The Cuban community in The Gambia has marked Cuba’s National Culture Day, celebrating the country’s history, music and cultural identity while highlighting its historical ties with Africa and The Gambia.
The Cuban Embassy and the Cuban Medical Brigade in The Gambia held the event in Banjul on 20 October, bringing together Cuban nationals and Gambian professionals to commemorate the birth of Cuba’s national anthem.
Cuba celebrates National Culture Day every year on 20 October. The date marks an important moment in the country’s struggle for independence from Spanish colonial rule.
On 20 October 1868, Cuban independence fighters captured the city of Bayamo from Spanish forces during the Ten Years’ War. During the celebrations, the Cuban lawyer and independence fighter Pedro “Perucho” Figueredo wrote the lyrics of a march known as La Bayamesa. The song was performed publicly for the first time by people gathered in the city and later became Cuba’s national anthem.
Speaking at the event, Cuba’s ambassador to The Gambia, Carmelina Ramírez Rodríguez, said Cuban culture reflected the country’s history and the resilience of its people.
“From music and dance to literature, theatre, fine arts, and visual arts, every cultural expression reflects the history and resilience of our people, contributing to social cohesion and a sense of belonging among Cubans,” Rodríguez said.
She said Cuban identity went beyond the place where a person was born.
“Cubanidad, the essence of being Cuban, transcends the narrow, literal definition of simply having been born in Cuba,” she said.
The ambassador recalled the events of 20 October 1868, when Figueredo presented La Bayamesa and people in Bayamo sang the anthem for the first time.
The song, she said, called on Cubans to rise against colonial rule.
“158 years have passed since that defining moment,” Rodríguez said.
She also highlighted the importance of culture in Cuba’s social development and its role in preserving the country’s identity.
This year’s celebrations, she said, also form part of activities leading up to the centenary of Fidel Castro, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution. Rodríguez noted that Castro viewed culture as central to human emancipation and famously said that “culture is the first thing that must be saved”.
The gathering in Banjul also provided an opportunity to highlight the historical links between Cuba and Africa.
Rodríguez said the two countries shared deep connections rooted partly in the transatlantic slave trade, during which more than a million enslaved Africans were forcibly taken to Cuba.
“From that point on, Africans played a decisive role in the formation of our national identity,” she said.
“Over the centuries, we have forged a strong, reciprocal relationship; we have inherited everything from our African ancestors, from our very genes to their spirit of resistance and fraternity.”
The ambassador said African heritage had helped shape Cuban identity and contributed to the country’s traditions and history.
She added that culture remained important to preserving freedom, sovereignty and a sense of belonging, even during difficult economic times.
“Despite difficult times and daily economic challenges, the Cuban people have not lost their joy, nor have they ceased to be hospitable. They remain deeply connected to their roots,” Rodríguez said.
“Because no matter where we are in the world, the Cuban essence — la cubanía — is never lost; it runs in our blood.”