Famous Residents of Cuba

Whatever your views on Cuba, everyone agreesimages of "Che". In student bedrooms, revolutionary
that the island has been home to some of the mostenclaves and art galleries, Che Guevara is iconic, and
colourful and passionate people in history. Cubahe was one of Cuba's most famous residents. This is
seems to lend itself to free-spirited and wonderfuleven more obvious on holidays to Cuba, where he is
figures, many of whom take holidays to Cuba, finda hero of the revolution. His image is everywhere,
themselves under her spell and decide to stay.not least in famous murals and sculptures in Havana.
The Buena Vista Social ClubOriginally from Argentina, Che was a key figure in the
More of an institution or group than single inhabitant,Cuban revolution under Fidel Castro. He literally wrote
The Buena Vista Social Club is the umbrella name forthe book on guerrilla warfare, rising to command in
a series of Jazz musicians and singers. The namesome of the major battles of the revolution.
itself comes from a club in Havana which was popularCommitted to his Marxist beliefs, he was a fierce
in the 1940s and 1950s with Jazz musicians. Afighter and revolutionary and became a high-ranking
fraternal club where black musicians would go to hanginternational negotiator and political appointee in
out and jam, the venue became a focal point forCastro's government.
Cuban music. Famous artists would gravitate to theThough he spent much of his time in Cuba, his beliefs
club, which gained what would today be called cultlead him to aid other revolutions with anti-capitalist
fame with international black musicians. Many plannedsympathies. He travelled to many countries on state
holidays to Cuba specifically to go to the club andsanctioned and personal missions, eventually being
jam with the band.caught and killed while attempting to foster a
The club was closed down after the revolution as itrevolution in Bolivia. However, his fame and fervour
was seen as a part of Havana's hedonistic lifestyle,were such that he is still hailed as a countercultural
and it wasn't until 1997 when the club's musical stylesymbol worldwide.
was revived. An album recording by producer NickErnest Hemingway
Gold went wrong when some of his musiciansErnest Hemingway was a world famous journalist and
couldn't get to Cuba, so Gold filled in with local artists.writer, and spent almost half his life on holiday,
Most had been members of the club, and the albumworking or living in Cuba. He was involved in the First
took on the flavour of the club and its name as aWorld War, the Spanish Civil War and the Second
title. The musicians themselves gained internationalWorld War, and produced a huge body of short
renown - Juan de Marcos González, Compaystories, longer prose pieces and articles including
Segundo, Rubén González, andclassics such as "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "The Old
Ibrahim Ferrer became known as Los SuperabuelosMan and The Sea" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro".
(or "The Super-Grandfathers"). The album sold moreHemingway created his own writing style that
than five million copies, and the club itself took onbecame influential for a whole series of later
legendary status; so much so that searching for itjournalists and authors. He is one of Cuba's most
while on holiday to Cuba is a wild goose chase - evenfamous inhabitants, and people on holidays to Cuba
residents who lived nearby at the time can't agree onvisit the Hemingway Museum housed in his villa, which
where the club actually was!includes his boat and preserved examples of his
Ernesto "Che" Guevarawriting.
Wherever you are in the world, you can't escape