In Havana it is said that the saints do not go down to dance in Palmira, but to fight, due to the strong loudness of the wood drum or hemp, exclusive of this town, according Marilín Águila, specialist at the town´s Municipal Museum who has been working here for more than 30 years and who has witnessed the work made by this region, in order to legitimize its religious culture. 

In Cuba the drums to be used for religious purposes are the batá drums, which are much more smooth, and were even recorded by Don Fernando Ortiz like suitable for such rituals. Palmira is an exception, that is what distinguishes us, and constitutes another endorsement in our eagerness to propose our religious societies as "Heritage of the Nation".

Palmira is a small town located ten kilometers from Cienfuegos, is an outstanding place in the most popualr traditions of our country. It has been said that during the local sugar boom, slavery was brought to these lands, because there were several sugar mills.

We can say that since early 20th century our town could open these places and societies for these rituals and cults, even in moments when black Cubans were forbidden to use their ancestral rituals, said Marilín.

The procession of Santa Bárbara has been made in the town for more than a hundred years. It is important to point out that our population accepts her as patron, although the first image to be placed at the local church was a Virgen del Rosario. Here is a town that pays a grate tribute to Changó on December 4th, and even small children dress in red and white, the people from Palmira worship the miracles of this saint".

The town is also known by its societies El Cristo, which has Ifá cults, and San Roque, which venerates Elegguá. Ana Rosa Delgado is in this last society. She has been the president for more that 40 years and now she transmits the legacy of her grandmother to her son Guillermo Armenteros:

We pleaded for good behavior and nobility among people and we respected the catholic and yoruba beleives.

At El Cristo there is a family leadership tradition as well. It is currently lead by Felipe Capote Sevilla and alludes to the vality of its predictions and secrets. On the other hand, in Santa Barbara the kinship bonds have ended, however the religious family continues with the myths.  The efforts made in Palmira to validate the myths and rituals from the yoruba tradition and to propose them as a Cuban heritage are legitimate.

Translated by: Osmany Ortiz González (Azurina)