The 107th birthday anniversary of the bongo player Arturo Latamblet Veranes was remembered in the space “La Casa hacia afuera”, a community gathering promoted by the Patio de Adela and Caverchelo.comb in coordination with the Casa del Changüí, of Guantanamo, an institution that treasures the stories of the promoters of the rhythm of the region declared the Cuban Intangible Heritage.
The remembrance to the founder and leader of the first the Changüí Guantánamo group, began with the researcher Ramón Gómez Blanco’s speech on the life and work of the artist who was born on October 25, 1912 in a family that bears authentic traditions, and that played the changüí rhythm at the most important scenarios of Cuba and the world accompanied by his brothers Reyes Latamblet (Chito), among other renowned changüiseros.
During his life, he was a longshoreman in the old Santa Cecilia sugar mill, however he dedicated most of his life to the promotion of the Guantanamo culture as a dancer and hood of the Blanco y Negro troupe of the legendary Negro Fino, as well as a percussionist of the well-known bands as Rarezas del 53 and Los Siete del Jazz.
“La Casa hacia afuera space” invited members of the grassroots committee of the Loma del Chivo Historians Association, Latamblet’s relatives, neighbors, who enjoyed of the performance of the Las Flores del Changüí, the Aché Orisha group, amateur musician Abel Jones, dance partner Sarah Carpintruz and José Tudela, heirs of Arturo's mark.
The professional group Changüí Guantanamo closed the activity after the delivery of a acknowledgment to Marcos Jackson Mena, from Angel Mancebo, director of the Casa del Changüí, who recognized this Guantanamo as a genuine and faithful promoter of culture in the community.
For his work in favor of the identity traditions of the Guantanamo City, Jackson Mena received in September 2019 the Barrio Award, the highest award given by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR).