“We want a world where people read poetry.”

Original in Spanish by Jessica García

Callejas, a cultural and community project in Trinidad

Callejas has its headquarters under the trees that cover the courtyard of a colonial-style mansion in the center of the Cuban city of Trinidad.

In that same courtyard, named La hiedra y el jazmín (The Ivy and the Jasmine), the presentation of the project begins with the recitation of a poem, accompanied by the sound of a bass drum. Adriana Rivero Martínez recites the poem while she also plays the drum.

The beginning of Callejas

In the shade of its grove, its creators tell us that Callejas was born out of the need to establish a space where genuine creation could take place. Neither Adriana nor Darién come from the publishing world, but they do have a deep love for poetry and their territory. The project publishes and manufactures books to give away using its own resources.

“It arose from the need to rescue, gather, and disseminate the intangible heritage of many writers from the town, distributing it among people and institutions, always judging the criteria of the project and not the money,” reads the formal presentation of the project. The first edition was produced 10 years ago out of the need to compile the work of a great Trinidadian poet, Héctor Miranda Reguera. When they reached the publication of 200 copies, they found it incredible that this was possible. Today, 200 publications are not enough. 

Callejas as an art community

“We are creating a community around poetry, art, and music,” says Adriana Rivero Martínez, one of its creators. Although Cuba is a publishing paradise, there are not many poetry publications, which is why Callejas wants to inspire people to read poetry. That is why they welcome troubadours, artists, and especially poets. While the intention is to support local poets, there has been collaboration with foreign artists. Among them, they have published a complete book by Colombian poet Patricia Ariza.

“We are creating a community around poetry, art, and music”

It is a completely handmade work, in which Adriana and Darién put their hands and time together with the poet in question. To do this, they incorporate Trinidad's manufacturing traditions, including crochet. In some books there is a leaf from a specific tree at the author's request, in others there are games.

Each edition is unique and, as such, requires different resources and work. Currently, they publish 100 copies at the book launch, which takes place in the artist's place of origin, and another 100 copies are distributed at different presentations and festivals around the country. In addition, to cover the shortfall, they have a collection of individual poems, which is also edited by hand and includes poems by various Trinidadian poets. Each presentation is also a unique staging according to the book being presented.

“We want a world where people read poetry, so we give poetry away. We cannot demand what is not given to us.” 

The impacts of the Blockade on arts

 Every activity in Cuba is impacted by the US blockade. Art is no exception. However, artists continue to write and publish. In the case of Callejas, a community has been created around the project, and the necessary resources are being obtained with the help of that community, which helps to bypass the blockade.

“We want a world where people read poetry, so we give poetry away. We cannot demand what is not given to us.”