CAMAGÜEY - If there is a place where the history of humanity can be told from its origins to the challenges of the present, it is Africa. And within its immensity, South Africa stands as a country of contrasts, resilience, beauty, and living memory.

 Its music and dance have not been a spectacle but a bridge at the Casino Campestre. A bridge that takes us to the ancestral rhythms of the Xhosa, Zulu, and Sotho peoples, who have told their story through drums and song, because before books existed, oral narratives that wove community already existed. A bridge that brings us closer to the vibrant energy of gumboot dance, born in the gold and diamond mines where Black workers transformed the sound of their boots into a form of communication and resistance.

 But South Africa is not just the past. It is the echo of Mandela's struggle, the poetry of Antjie Krog, the strength of Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, the narrative power of J.M. Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer. It is the joy of its kwaito, the urban rhythm that was born in the slums and is today a symbol of identity. It is the nation that defeated apartheid, but still carries open wounds: inequality, poverty, and the violence that still plagues many communities.

That is why an event like this Book Fair needs to turn its gaze toward South Africa, toward Africa. Because it is the land where humanity began, and yet it is a continent that the world often prefers to look at from afar. Because its literature, art, and culture are as vast as its savannas, yet they still face barriers to recognition on the global stage.

 This opening was, without a doubt, an invitation to discover, to question, to listen to the heartbeat of a country that has shown that history can be changed, but that also reminds us that much remains to be done.

THE HEARTBEAT OF SOUTH AFRICA AT THE BOOK FAIR

 At the Camagüey Book Fair, the African country's literary presence was limited. Despite this, cultural elements were discernible in various artistic manifestations and projects exhibited at the event.

One of the connection points was the Carsueños doll project, directed by Carmen Soto. This collective presented the Tainna doll, made using various artisanal techniques. They also made volumetric tapestries with South African silhouettes, using materials such as sackcloth, buttons, flowers, and techniques such as fur-weaving with threads that imitate natural hair. In her creations, Carsueños reflects distinctive elements of traditional South African women's clothing, including turbans, accessories, and the characteristic neck-tuning necklaces. This work involved a thorough study of South African culture, which Carmen recognizes as an opportunity for a knowledge exchange that enriches the artisans and the public visiting the exhibition installed in the Children's Pavilion.

 The opening show, "Raíces," directed by Jesús Ruedas, also incorporated references to South African culture. It began with Nancy Avilés, the Cuban Vedette of Haitian Culture, who performed "A ti zo," a song by imprisoned women that calls out to the warrior, a legacy of her Haitian grandmother, Eva Lubens. She staged it with the group Bonito Patuá, complete with choreography, but this time only she appeared on stage. As is customary, the national anthems of Cuba and the guest country were performed to reinforce the symbolic character.

 One of the highlights was the performance of the popular "Jerusalema" by Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode by the Luis Casas Romero Professional School dance students, with choreography that surprised and delighted the audience.

 Also, the Desandann vocal choir offered a moving version of "Wan tha tha," while the Confluencias Duo presented "Nelson Mandela, His Two Loves" by Pablo Milanés, in homage to the iconic South African figure. Additionally, the Voces Duo evoked the musical legacy of Miriam Makeba with one of her best-known songs, "Pata Pata," for a direct connection to her musical tradition.

 Although titles by South African authors have not arrived, according to Osmany Brito, a specialist in the Sales Department of the Provincial Book Center, to offer a broader approach to their literature, the text "Fidel and Mandela" is available. A Close Friendship, published by Ocean Sur and curated by Cuban author Pedro de la Hoz. Available at the Casa de las Américas newsstand, this book explores the historical ties between Cuba and South Africa through the relationship between two of their most iconic leaders.

 Events like the Camagüey Book Fair are an opportunity to break these silences and rediscover a vibrant and powerful culture. To better understand South Africa, and Africa in general, it is essential to read its authors, listen to its music, watch its films, and learn its history from a unique perspective, not just through a Western lens.

 Too often, education and the media speak of "Africa" as if it were a single entity, failing to recognize the diversity of its 54 countries. This error dilutes cultural nuances and traps realities like South Africa's in a generalized imaginary. This is where the Fair plays a fundamental role: looking beyond stereotypes and bringing us closer to the cultural richness that this country and this continent have to offer.

 Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez