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Story Behind the Anthem: Cuba

 

Story Behind the Anthem

Cuban Flag

The Cuban national anthem was written by Pedro “Perucho” Figueredo, a general in the Ten Year War, in the dawn of August 14, 1867. The music was composed by Manuel Muñoz Cedeño on May 8, 1868. It is known as Himno de Bayamo or La Bayamesa because it was first performed during the Battle of Bayamo on October 18, 1868.

Three days later when the Cubans took the city of Bayamo from the Spaniards, the triumphant people surrounded Perucho and asked him for the lyrics to the anthem. With a pencil and paper he took from his pocket as he sat on his horse, he wrote them down. Copies were passed around, and the crowd sang the anthem for the very first time.

In 1870, Perucho was taken prisoner by the Spanish and condemned to death. As he stood to be executed by the firing squad, he shouted the words from his anthem: Morir por la Patria es vivir (To die for the country is to live).

The national anthem was officially adopted in 1940. It consists of six verses, but only the first two are sung.

About Cindy Tovar

Born in Flushing, Queens to Colombian parents, Cindy has always loved reading and writing. For this reason, she entered Montclair State University to pursue an English degree, but instead fell in love with and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology. During her time at Montclair State, Cindy joined the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) on campus. She immediately felt comfortable surrounded by peers that shared both love and pride for the Latino culture, something she had never experienced before. She ultimately became president of LASO. Since then, Cindy has earned her M.S. Ed. in Early Childhood Special Education from Bank Street College, and works as a bilingual Special Education preschool teacher in Brooklyn. Despite feeling exhausted by the time she reaches her New Jersey home, she still uses her spare time to write. Joining the Being Latino family is one of the best things that has happened to Cindy because it fulfills her in two ways: She can write to her heart’s content while reaching an engaging audience, and it helps her stay connected to her Latino culture. You can find more of Cindy’s writing on her personal blogs: Dagny’s Dichotomy, and Cindy’s Chronicles.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be understood to be shared by Being Latino, Inc.

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