While hitchhiking the west coast of Cuba I received information about this village that had recently been devastated by a hurricane. I packed my things and quickly left to capture the village in reconstruction.
The old retired school bus makes the transfer to Guasasa every 3 days. On board men and woman working class, smoking cigars and sucking on the old dust from the gravel road. Me and my companion stand out as the odd ones out. Arriving late in the afternoon and setting up camp at the local beach, we are greeted by the group of older man that take care of the village. They mean no harm but come to check on us as the sun sets. Soon after sunrise we receive a visitor that ends up becoming our local tour guide. Jose Luiz is an 18 year old army official.
In times where happiness is associated with material possession this place shows me otherwise. Free range is not just an expensive egg, it is all this people know, kids runs freely with pigs, hens, goats and all sorts of farm animals, and while the internet does not get to this end of the world, pigeons seems to be doing a good job delivering information.
While back in the “developed” world every 3 year old already has a smartphone this village has a unique room dedicated to the only TV around, where kids get together for some jolly cartoon fun while under the gaze of revolutionary heroes posters.
I believe Guasasa summed up the Cuba experience, the beauty of simplicity and natural communal cooperative lifestyle.
