Elderly, Treasures of the Holguin City

Holguin, the City of Parks, holds the soul of the city in its elderly residents. Who are also its most vulnerable treasures. They are a generation forged in duality: they grew up with the Revolution, worked hard in times of plenty and scarcity, and now face the twilight of their lives in a reality that tests their dignity daily.

Moreover the line at the post office in San José Park is a silent ritual for these seniors waiting to collect their pensions. It is an orderly queue of gray hair. All seeking the money that is rightfully theirs, insufficient to cover more than a week’s needs in a market where prices are often exorbitant.

The question is, how do these elderly people survive?

Futhermore the answer is that, being Cuban, they find ways to make ends meet. Some sell coffee; others, after retiring, return to their workplaces. And those who are lucky, those who benefit, receive help from their families, from those who love them.

Faced with this scarcity, Cuban ingenuity resurfaces. Recipes are shared, ideas are repurposed, alternatives are sought in herbal medicine. Or people wait with faith for something to happen. But the light is sometimes dim due to the lack of resources. Their resilience is measured by their ability to survive ailments with a smile and a “nothing’s wrong here” attitude.

The elderly in Holguin are not passive victims. They are fighters.

They are the grandfathers who take care of their grandchildren while their parents work or emigrate. They are the grandmothers who, with trembling hands, sew on a button or cook a plate of rice and beans that nourishes the family. So they are the grandmothers who unite the family despite the distance. Also they are the elderly people who offer you a smile despite having had a busy day.

For the many senior citizens in Holguin, time isn’t measured in hours, but in routines, small victories, and serene waiting. They are the city’s timeless treasures.

By: Arlenis Betancourt Yañez

Radio Angulo
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