The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-01-25
CUBA LIBRE:
CUBA DIRTY


oa questions of the day are engaging attention OF
which the Cuban rural population and peasants live and the earuY
oomc ncmouts of Havana these classes together constituting
tuords tIcc-ourths Of the million and hall inhabitants of
the island republic Both of these topics very ably presented at
the national conference of Charity and Correction held in the
city Maazas the first by the eminent DR. Ramon NJ Alfonso, who
has spent the regions OF Cuba the second by Dr. Diego
Iamayo, director OF the Iamalo dspcnsay OF Havana
During his travels Cuba and his residence in that fair
island the writer himself had opportunities to observe the life led by
what be truly called the of that uopc land As he pene
the interior astonhcd the enlightened
2oh century little palm huts and novels which the reprodu
ton OF the wsams in which the primitive Indians OF Cuba lived when
Columbus discovered the island than years What
stranger there whole villages Of these hus for example that
outlying districts Of the principal Cuban
cities and Of Havana the "Campesno countrymans hove
makes its appearance.
Like many things that distinctly picturesque is extremely
filthy and unwhoesome The Cuban palm hut may be divided into
three classes The hrSt fashioned wholly out OF the stately royal
and other palms the second has boards for its walls the third
a'e '"s VIII SUM 49, a. s p d;l f
stone All are only OF one story little more than the hight OF an aV
cage adult with peaked and antng roof Each hut occupies
prXnae rectangular space feet deep by 80 to AZ long
and situated the center OF small plot OF ground scarcely larger
The interior divided into three sleeping at eXrem
i kitchen the other and in between kind OF narrow passage
way used as ao ana dining room open III summer Dt closed III
winter by what called that is the bark OF the royal palm In
hill cmnence close brook with fairly constant supply
OF
the building presents animated AS the day
dawns the picturesque guagros peasants OF the neghborood each
er the site chosen singing in their nasal wang and making fright
noise joyful anticipation of the sucuent meal Of sucking pigs
which number of royal palms, which grow
hight OF 80 feet eed and stripped of their bark The
trunks posts beams and ae while lighter branches and
reeds resembling bamboo add strength the framework Strips OF
bark together the fiber
plant and firmly fastened round the framework form the four walls
Of the When this is completed the atcng and covering
OF the roof begun This consists in tightly binding together
LOT palm bark and leaves and firmly attaching them to the rameWor
the roof As for light this generally through the door win
dows being rarely made these huts This primitive form OF struc
may sometimes be varied by the use OF boards Tor the outer walls
and the outskirts OF large towns and cities even by tiles for the
roofing Where plaster used for the walls network OF poles and
fored branches is first laid on the ground this then hed IN with
masses OF moened ayey earth stamped into compactne by the
naked feet OF the combined peasant aborers then treated
ea coats OF lime IS lifted INTO place and fastened TO two OF the corner
posts When the walls completed the OF the construction
ceeds before The interior OF the Cuban palm hut as simple as
the exterior Lats OF hard wood fastened together and the inter
ces filled with palm bark order make the inner doors OF the
ing the door, which left the daytime and closed at night
The hearth chimney OF the kitchen is built the of the
the posts and the hight Of about three feet above the
ooTi they are bound together Th pam Poads ana the INSIDE
provsed made OF the metal parts OF WORKOUT Cuban pow
pieces Of machetes and various iron objects
The furniture of Cuban rural dwellings OF the simplest kind
be The bed placed against the wall in corner OF the
cepingroom is nothing more than sawhorse with
by there kind Of rude heavy chest
trunk in which clean linen and the best clothes are kept Here and
there rough aboues low agbacked chairs OF cedar with
OF sheepskn leather lin instances mirror be seen
On the walls there always cheap pictures OF saints with wreats Of
faded artificial flowers round them religion or perhaps would be
better fanacm sad alliance with destuon but nowhere
the book that ups ene and reehes the SOUL the
dining ROOM the furnishings appear even more udmlehay one
there is sawhorse with board that table;
branch of the atee followed form washing
basin when such luxury exists near by It, resting on the rake used
for carrying to the brook usght tub fashioned out Of
the wide trunk of the barrgona full of not clear water
while to complete the settings OF this abiding place OF wrhedneSs
there trough used for soaking stones for grinding
kind of bench perhaps chairs and here and there erhern jars
Inc family the cuban peasant Wheter wte or cooed usual
Y large and conjecture the results of confined
the palm hut Sunlight and air do purify
and the vated atmosphere he bates The walls retain
dmpness dangerous defect climate where the nights always
cool The roof of leaves and bark his head INSULT
cen protection against the elements especially during the rainy
when torena flood the rural regions Rats
constantly work gnawng and buowng holes part of the
hut thus necesatng nessan repairs Closets modern plumb
and drainage unknown and the excremens of human beings
The frequent blowing and digging of the peasants plot still fur
he increase such pestena conditions Nor does he receive su