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Neither Surrender nor Blackmail

CUBA. April 12, 2010. - "No-one surrenders here...", the historical phrase by Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida, gave an appropriate tone to the Concert for the Homeland held at Havana’s José Martí Anti-imperialist Tribune on Saturday.

Great son rhythm performer and improviser Cándido Fabré used these words included in the lyrics of the piece Entre balas y canciones (Between Bullets and Songs) by Almeida to mark the spirit of protest of Cuban culture against terrible wrong and lies.

To this world premiere, Fabré added another categorical piece, with a chorus that went "those who are not with Raúl, are not with Fidel" to reaffirm the indissoluble union between artists and their people in defense of their Revolution.

Meanwhile, in Santiago de Cuba, the Original de Manzanillo was singing Que se saquen la espina (They should pull out their thorn), one of the son rhythms recently made popular by this music group, dedicated on Saturday to those who can’t put up with the fact that the Revolution is still alive 50 years after its triumph.

"Cuba is a thorn in the heart of the empire; it hurts them to see us up and fighting", proclaimed one of the interpreters before singing the piece, and a large choir followed the refrains, in which the Cuban nature and musical soundness combined.

These were only two of the so many expressions that demonstrated the verticality of the principles of the Cuban people and its artistic and intellectual movement’s identification with their Revolution and their homeland.

At the Anti-imperialist Tribune, Silvio moved the audience with the strength of his verses, those that have always been next to his Revolution, the same ones that with the blade of a sword have denounced everything offending it. The troubadour asked with sharpness: "If this government has been so bad, where have such good Cuban people have come from?"

The author of Segunda cita said that if essential concepts like "Homeland, Universe, and Life" were respected a little in the world, we would be a lot better off. But SIlvio’s voice was not the only one raised on this occasion. It was joined by melodic stanzas of poets, artists and intellectuals, which drew the island from their art.

The concert For the homeland - for the island in the shape of a large green alligator- was converted into a single song, a note written from the Cuban capital’s José Martí Anti-imperialist Tribune and the 26 de Julio School City of Santiago de Cuba province, where thousands of Cubans sang together the lyrics of the pieces interpreted on a Saturday to remember. (Cubaminrex – Granma Daily)

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