Santiago, Cuba September 8, 2003

Today was the festival of Oshun or Our Lady of La Caridad del Cobre, goddess of love, gold, and the river. The city of Santiago is covered with plush green hills and trees and Santiago's air ...hot and humid and scented with honey and cinnamon, Oshun's favorite. The bus I rode on was air conditioned and cold. I sat on the bus glancing out the window and watching all the Cuban people walk up the hill towards the cathedral where Oshun's altar is located. Oh how I wanted to join them in their pilgrimage of sweat and joviality. Cubans were dressed in yellow or red a sign of devotion to Oshun. The uphill road was aligned with vendors selling pieces of copper, yellow candles, and large bundles of sunflowers. The bus driver pulled over so that I and others could purchase a bundle of sunflowers, Cuanto cuesta? I asked the vendor. "Un dolar" he replied. There I sat with a moist bundle of freshly cut sunflowers on my lap and a piece of copper cradled in the palm of my hand.
When we finally reached the top of the hill where the cathedral was located. There were hundreds of Cuban people lined up outside the cathedral. The altar was upstairs. The other tourists were reluctant to be among the crowds and crowds of people, but not me, I had to get to the top to see the altar, to give my sunflowers to Oshun. I'm not very tall, but I was going to get to top no matter what. Hundreds and hundreds of people flocked up the narrow spiraling staircase with bouquets of flowers, sweating and pushing each other. I blended in, melting with the crowd, my sunflowers tucked under my arm, and my video camera in the other. "Cuidado, Cuidado" I shouted as the people feverishly rushed up the stairs. Finally, I reached the top, and there it was, this towering statue of La Caridad del Cobre encased in glass. Her hands stretched out staring over the different shades of brown people. There had to be about three feet of flowers stacked all around the altar. People were praying with their eyes closed shut and hands folded, asking for love and blessings in their lives. I placed my bundle of sunflowers on the altar out of respect and bid her farewell.