CUBAN TRANSITIONS

Part of our tour included a trip to el Cemetario del Cristóbal Colón (also referred to as Colon Cemetery). Our tour guide of the cemetery was an animated Cuban with an interesting English accent who was delighted to take us to various points of interest in the cemetery. As previously commented on, this experience in itself was a somewhat unusual tourist destination. However, Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C. is also a tourist destination, where, for example, the Kennedys’ grave site is a popular point of interest.

Cubans gather around Amelia's tomb

A unique aspect of this particular cemetery was a trip to the grave of Amelia Goire de la Hoz la Milagrosa, the Miracle Worker. We were given the story behind the legend: As a young woman, Amelia fell in love with a man, Jose Vincent Adot in Old Havana. After a classic case of forbidden love, the two were eventually wed at the beginning of the twentieth century. Amelia quickly became pregnant. Unfortunately, the couple’s happiness did not last as Amelia suffered a stroke in 1903. Neither her nor the baby survived. She was buried with the child between her legs. The story goes that her husband, heartbroken, would visit the tomb everyday. He supposedly knocked three times on the knocker on the grave, leaving flowers arounds her tomb, and asking her for guidance. Several years after the death, the tomb was exhumed (for renovations and to be moved). When they opened the tomb, the child was found in the woman’s arms, not at her feet! A miracle!

Today, thousands come to Amelia’s grave, asking for her advice. On top of the tomb is her statue holding her child. Next to the tomb are hundreds of plaques thanking Amelia for her help and her miracles. The custom is to come to the tomb, knock three times on the metal ring to awaken Amelia, touch the child (or some part of the statue) and then move to the other side, never turning your back on her statue. People bring small monetary offerings and fresh flowers to place on the grave as well.

"Thank you for saving my daughter"

The interesting part of our tour was the lack of respect and belief from both our tour guide for the cemetery and our tour guide for the entire trip. Our tour guide, Joel, told me after that none of it was true. He asked me if I understood what had happened? That she must have actually been buried alive. Why were our tour guides so quick to dismiss la Milagrosa? Were they catering to us as American tourists? As academics? As youth? The various plaques around the tomb came from all over the world and were in many different languages. It was clearly not something for only Cubans.

Plaques thanking Amelia for her miracles

Further shattering the experience was the enormous amount of disrespect surrounding our visit. We were fortunate enough to see a group of Cubans who had come with flowers to pray to Amelia. As we watched their fascinating procession, our tour guide continued to shout to all of us only feet away. We were then encouraged to take part in the procession around the tomb, after having rushed out a group who traveled to the cemetery, intentionally picking up flowers to bring.

The legend behind Amelia La Milagrosa is fascinating, although somewhat unbelievable. However, the most unbelievable part for me was the lack of respect from the tour guides in what I perceived to be an (arrogant) attempt to come off as above such stories.

"My eternal gratitude for helping me to accomplish something that seemed impossible"