Today we went to El Museo de la Revolución, a palace that once symbolized colonialism, converted into a museum honoring Cuba's revolution. Within the museum there were grand images of Che Guevara, in fact, there was a whole room dedicated to symbols of him, ranging from photographs to a huge sculpture. Furthermore, there was a clear sense of honor and admiration for Fidel Castro, highlighted in the way that they preserved the Granma, the boat that he sailed into Cuba on, along with tanks and vehicles from the revolution, donned with bullet holes. Overall, it's been really interesting to see the way the citizens of Cuba adore Castro, and everything concerned with his rise, while these things are looked at under a negative light in the US.
The love for Cuba and the revolution are not specific to the museum, it is seen everywhere we have been. On the ride from Cienfuegos to Havana, the mountains were decorated with an array of flowers saying "Viva Fidel", and his face along with patriotic slogans are plastered on walls and billboards where we would have advertisements for Apple or Coca Cola. The country loves him. For these people he represents freedom from oppressive leaders and independence from western influence.
This highlights that everything that we have been taught in textbooks and through our media has been through a western lens. We judge Castro as a nation of people that hated him for his ties to the Soviet Union during the Cold War and who prevailed against several US attempts to destroy him. It is important when having such experiences to be open to different points of view and ready to examine new perspectives.
-Kayla Williams '18
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