Guantanamo.- The 18th edition of the Rumba Route, Timbalaye 2026, commenced in Guantánamo Province with a discussion centered on Miguel Barnet’s book “Biography of a Runaway Slave.” This event, held in the central José Martí Park, was led by a researcher who also serves as the vice president of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) in the province.
During the gathering, organized by the Provincial Center of Houses of Culture in Guantánamo, artisan María Cristina Velázquez Leyva, along with art instructors Oneyda Leyva Carcasés and Olvis Morgan Thaureaux, and researcher-musician Ramón Gómez Blanco, received the title of “Living Cultural Heritage.” Ury Rodríguez Urgellés, president of the UNEAC branch in the province, presented this recognition.
The opening day of Timbalaye 2026 featured performances by the “Al Paso” Children’s Dance Academy. The event, which continues until August 29, includes a workshop on Congo dances led by art instructor and researcher Daniela Guilarte Matos at the Rubén López Sabariego Cultural Center.
Additionally, folkloric groups such as “Renacer Cossiá,” “Danza Conga,” and “Visión,” along with the traditional melodies of the Rumberos ensemble from Guaso and the community of Loma del Chivo, contributed to the vibrant atmosphere of the Cimarronaje edition of the Rumba Route.
