The third edition of the Multiserf 2024 International Commercial Expo concluded a few days ago in the eastern city of Bayamo, where the province of Holguin was represented by the socio-cultural project “Origines. Creation and Tradition”, which was awarded the Prize for the Best Presentation of Products and Services.
Its promoter, Anisley Reyes Martínez, with a degree in Fine Arts and a master’s degree in Educational Sciences, in an interview with Radio Angulo remembered the birth of “Origines”, with the aim of bringing together housewives who recreated traditional techniques in the field of handicrafts.
“It was not an easy task, since the project started during the pandemic period, when the ‘Manuel Dositeo Aguilera’ House of Culture of Holguin relocated the instructing teachers in the different communities to found groups of artistic creation with the aim of massifying culture and that it would be a balm in the tense moment we were living,” the specialist explained.
Origins, creation and tradition from Holguin>
Through visits to their homes, she guided the work of these women, giving them workshops of Appreciation and Creation aimed at obtaining better results from them, as professionals. This made it possible to establish, later on, a creation group -what today is the cultural enterprise “Orígenes”-, based on the knowledge acquired and the Cuban handicraft tradition.
Reyes Martinez describes as successful the development of the project in its almost five years, since today it not only gathers craftswomen from her community, but also covers a large part of the municipality of Holguin. At the same time, “Origines” has helped professionals from other sectors such as education, health and culture to find a space where they can develop their skills in handicrafts, which is also a source of income.
“Since its start, the group has been closely linked to the program of activities of the Culture House and has reached different communities and educational centers through exhibitions and workshops,” says the main promoter of the project.
Origins, creation and tradition from Holguin
“Orígenes” has also put its efforts into other areas of social action, for example, working with children in disadvantaged situations. One of the main results are the workshops taught by the craftswomen themselves on crochet knitting and paper knitting, although their performance in homes for children without family support, the Maternity Homes and, at this moment, they are working with autistic children both in schools and in the Provincial Pediatric Hospital also stand out.
With proven quality in their creations, this project has made a place for itself in important cultural events that take place in the city of Holguin, such as the Romerías de Mayo festival, the Ibero-American Festival and the Holguin Culture Week, although it has transcended the local borders to reach Gibara Culture Week, as well as the renowned Cucalambeana Fiesta, where they obtained recognition from the Provincial Directorate of Culture and the Provincial Center of Culture Houses in Las Tunas. Recently, “Orígenes” participated in the Multiserf 2024 trade fair, an event that had Mexico as guest of honor and gathered in Bayamo, Granma, businessmen, lawyers and new economic actors, from Cuba and 21 countries, for the socialization of experiences through workshops and conferences and the creation of alliances.
With information by Aniel García Santiesteban
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