Guayos
Encyclopedia
Guayos is a small town
located in the municipality of Cabaiguán
, province of Sancti Spíritus
, Cuba
.
The name of Guayos was given to the town by travelers that were inspired by trees of the same name which surrounded the town. These trees would serve travelers as a place of rest and relaxation.
The Central Road (Carretera Central) and the Railway of Cuba (Ferrocarriles de Cuba
) run along the whole island and connect Guayos with all the other provinces and their capitals, including the capital of the country, as well as with other small towns on the island. The bridge Los Elevados (literally The High) was constructed at the same time as the Central Road under Gerardo Machado
's plans to connect the whole country. Los Elevados, keeps both, the Central Road and the railway running without interruptions and has become a symbol of the town and of national character.
, the capital of Cuba and only 8 miles (13 km) away from its provincial capital, Sancti Spíritus. Guayos has an altitude
of 96 amsl. The people that live in Guayos are called guayenses.
The population in Guayos has been growing since early 20th century. Today the population surpasses 15,000 inhabitants and is mainly composed by descendants of the Spanish Canary Islands
.
s in the town. School attendance is compulsory until end of basic secondary education
(normally at 15) and uniforms are always required. Four primary schools
and one basic secondary school
cover the educational needs of Guayos. All schools have free lunch for the school staff, including students and teachers. The town has a public library
in addition of each school having their own. Guayos also has a house museum, a house of culture, in-charged of managing cultural events in the town and a center for film projections and stage shows.
and a pharmacy
. The demolition of the old cottage hospital started on February 28, 2003 by the hospital's staff and volunteers. The Empresa Constructora de Obras de Arquitectura (ECOA 51) started the rebuilding, this process required the hospital to be moved into mobile facilities for several months. Manuel Wong, president of the hospital, assures that in this time, besides doctor, he became designer, bricklayer, plumber, leader of work and investor. The new building takes up a whole manzana
(1.68 acres) and 2,372 square meters (2836 square yards) of length. The hospital offers new services and features such as ultrasound
, observation rooms, X-Rays, microbiology
, duodenal biliary drainages and a gym
for physical therapy
and rehabilitation.
The pharmacy, located in front of the hospital, sells medication with and without prescription at very affordable prices; ranging from CUP$
0.50 to CUP$
20.
. Sugarcane
and tobacco
are cultivated extensively on the outskirts of the town. In the southwestern region of Guayos, the now destroyed sugar mill Remberto Abad Alemán lies next to the Donqui river. Cattle
also contribute to the economy of the town.
, from which limestone
is extracted for the production of white cement
in the nearby factory of Siguaney. Next to it, a national maximum security prison
is located. On May 2008, the facility faced complaints from prisoners that were not receiving letters. The post office
of Guayos said that they were not delivering letters "because they do not have personnel to deliver the correspondence to the prison".
Celebrated for first time in 1925, the Guayos Parrandas or Changüíes overflows with the passions of its inhabitants in an encounter that every year, in a friendly and festive way, faces the two opposite districts, La Loma and Cantarranas.
This festivity was brought from the city of Remedios by residents of that villa that arrived at Guayos to work in tobacco fertile valleys. With the particularity to last only 24 hours, from one sunrise to the next, the Guayos Parrandas is characterized by majestic and artistic floats, gigantic light artworks, the pyrotechnics as well as the excessive fireworks of all kinds, as well as popular rhythmical street congas.
This celebration, with more than half century of tradition, usually begins with the changüíses from each of the districts, alternating themselves during several weekends until the final Parranda day comes, when at sunrise the guayenses are waked up by the sound of the church bells and the roar of the fireworks. The Guayos Parrandas had become in a rich cultural activity of the town stimulated by the rivalry between the districts of La Loma, whose symbols are the goat and red, and Cantarranas, whose symbols are the frog and green.
With the new political-administrative division in Cuba, Guayos went to be a part of municipality of Cabaiguan, whose Government had tried end this tradition. The changüíes have been disappearing and the Parrandas had fallen in a decay state. Nevertheless the big effort and immense desire of the guayenses to maintain its tradition alive, this festivity is now celebrated only in an inconsistent way and without a fixed date for its celebration. The date is only determined by the Government of the Municipality of Cabaiguán on a whim. While this is a popular tradition everything around it is totally controlled by the Government. work.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
located in the municipality of Cabaiguán
Cabaiguán
Cabaiguán is a municipality in the province of Sancti Spíritus, Cuba. The capital city, also named Cabaiguán, is located within the district of Cabaiguán.It was founded in 1894, and established as a municipality in 1926...
, province of Sancti Spíritus
Sancti Spíritus Province
Sancti Spíritus is one of the provinces of Cuba. Its capital is the identically named Sancti Spíritus. Another major city is Trinidad.The southern coast of the province is flat, but the western portion of Sancti Spíritus province is mountainous. The southeast has numerous mangroves and swamps...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
History
The Central Road (Carretera Central) and the Railway of Cuba (Ferrocarriles de Cuba
Ferrocarriles de Cuba
Ferrocarriles de Cuba or Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Cuba , the only railway operating in the Caribbean islands, provides passenger and freight services for Cuba.-Route Network:...
) run along the whole island and connect Guayos with all the other provinces and their capitals, including the capital of the country, as well as with other small towns on the island. The bridge Los Elevados (literally The High) was constructed at the same time as the Central Road under Gerardo Machado
Gerardo Machado
Gerardo Machado y Morales was President of Cuba and a general of the Cuban War of Independence...
's plans to connect the whole country. Los Elevados, keeps both, the Central Road and the railway running without interruptions and has become a symbol of the town and of national character.
Geography
The town is located in the central region of Cuba, only 13.6 miles (22 km) away from the exact geographic center of the island. Guayos' coordinates are 22° 2' 59" north, 79° 27' 44" west, the town is only 231 m (373 km) away from HavanaHavana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, the capital of Cuba and only 8 miles (13 km) away from its provincial capital, Sancti Spíritus. Guayos has an altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
of 96 amsl. The people that live in Guayos are called guayenses.
Demographics
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
.
| Census | 1953 | 1943 | 1931 | 1919 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,509 | 3,617 | 3,467 | 2,059 |
Education
As stated in the Cuban Constitution, there are no private schoolPrivate school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s in the town. School attendance is compulsory until end of basic secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
(normally at 15) and uniforms are always required. Four primary schools
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and one basic secondary school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
cover the educational needs of Guayos. All schools have free lunch for the school staff, including students and teachers. The town has a public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
in addition of each school having their own. Guayos also has a house museum, a house of culture, in-charged of managing cultural events in the town and a center for film projections and stage shows.
Healthcare
Guayos has a renovated cottage hospitalCottage Hospital
The original concept of a cottage hospital was a small rural hospital having up to 25 beds. One advantage of such a hospital in villages was the familiarity the local physician might have with their patient that may affect their treatment...
and a pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. The demolition of the old cottage hospital started on February 28, 2003 by the hospital's staff and volunteers. The Empresa Constructora de Obras de Arquitectura (ECOA 51) started the rebuilding, this process required the hospital to be moved into mobile facilities for several months. Manuel Wong, president of the hospital, assures that in this time, besides doctor, he became designer, bricklayer, plumber, leader of work and investor. The new building takes up a whole manzana
Manzana (unit)
A manzana is a Central American unit of area:* 1 Manzana = 1.68 acres* 1 Manzana = 10,000 sq. Varas-External links:* http://www.sizes.com/units/manzana.htm* http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictM.html#manzana...
(1.68 acres) and 2,372 square meters (2836 square yards) of length. The hospital offers new services and features such as ultrasound
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is thus not separated from "normal" sound based on differences in physical properties, only the fact that humans cannot hear it. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is...
, observation rooms, X-Rays, microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
, duodenal biliary drainages and a gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
for physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
and rehabilitation.
The pharmacy, located in front of the hospital, sells medication with and without prescription at very affordable prices; ranging from CUP$
Cuban peso
The peso is one of two official currencies in use in Cuba, the other being the convertible peso...
0.50 to CUP$
Cuban peso
The peso is one of two official currencies in use in Cuba, the other being the convertible peso...
20.
Economy
Guayos' economy is based mainly on agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
are cultivated extensively on the outskirts of the town. In the southwestern region of Guayos, the now destroyed sugar mill Remberto Abad Alemán lies next to the Donqui river. Cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
also contribute to the economy of the town.
Natural resources
On the outskirts of Guayos is found the Nieves Morejón quarryQuarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
, from which limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
is extracted for the production of white cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
in the nearby factory of Siguaney. Next to it, a national maximum security prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
is located. On May 2008, the facility faced complaints from prisoners that were not receiving letters. The post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
of Guayos said that they were not delivering letters "because they do not have personnel to deliver the correspondence to the prison".
Cultural heritage - Parrandas
The greatest expression of traditional culture in Guayos is embodied in a festival called the Parrandas.Celebrated for first time in 1925, the Guayos Parrandas or Changüíes overflows with the passions of its inhabitants in an encounter that every year, in a friendly and festive way, faces the two opposite districts, La Loma and Cantarranas.
This festivity was brought from the city of Remedios by residents of that villa that arrived at Guayos to work in tobacco fertile valleys. With the particularity to last only 24 hours, from one sunrise to the next, the Guayos Parrandas is characterized by majestic and artistic floats, gigantic light artworks, the pyrotechnics as well as the excessive fireworks of all kinds, as well as popular rhythmical street congas.
This celebration, with more than half century of tradition, usually begins with the changüíses from each of the districts, alternating themselves during several weekends until the final Parranda day comes, when at sunrise the guayenses are waked up by the sound of the church bells and the roar of the fireworks. The Guayos Parrandas had become in a rich cultural activity of the town stimulated by the rivalry between the districts of La Loma, whose symbols are the goat and red, and Cantarranas, whose symbols are the frog and green.
With the new political-administrative division in Cuba, Guayos went to be a part of municipality of Cabaiguan, whose Government had tried end this tradition. The changüíes have been disappearing and the Parrandas had fallen in a decay state. Nevertheless the big effort and immense desire of the guayenses to maintain its tradition alive, this festivity is now celebrated only in an inconsistent way and without a fixed date for its celebration. The date is only determined by the Government of the Municipality of Cabaiguán on a whim. While this is a popular tradition everything around it is totally controlled by the Government. work.
Notable residents
- Tomas Alvarez de los Rios - Journalist and writer of 'Farfán'
- Fayad Jamis - Author and painter
- Rafeal Garriga - Author, journalist, and lawyer
- Luis Alberto Acosta - Journalist
- Crucelia Hernandez - Poet and composer
- Kimany Ramos - Poet
- Isbel Gonzales - Author