Very close affective and cultural reasons validate the importance of the Casa de &Aáfrica Museum located on Obrapía street no. 157, in the historic center of the Cuban capital. An institution that has valuable collections of various artistic manifestations, on the history and natural and sociocultural characteristics of the nations of the continent that was not only the cradle of Homo sapiens, but also of a good part of our ancestors, in more recent times.
Inaugurated on January 6, 1986, it is the only one with these characteristics in Cuba, although there is an institution dedicated to the slavery route, related to that land, in the city of Matanzas. Its coffers and exhibition rooms hold more than two thousand pieces, including some considered magnificent monuments or sculptures, carved in wood, even very fine and small pieces of ivory. Installed in an old colonial dwelling house, owned by a tobacco trade magnate, the museum includes in its offer programs collections dedicated to the wise Fernando Ortiz, a highly relevant researcher of the role of African culture as one of the shaping aspects of the Cuban culture, as well as collections dedicated to the mosaic of nations that today make up the continent, their religious creeds and the multiple spiritual links with the way of acting and thinking of our compatriots.
It is a center that is greatly appreciated because, in addition to allowing us to contact one of the regions of the world where we come from, it informs us about the history and greatness of Africa itself. This is very little disclosed information about the reality that this continent founded important empires south of the Sahara in ancient times, created the so-called famous madrasahs or universities, and its network of trade routes was very active in the world.
Thus, the knowledge that all are countries born under simple tribal structures spreads further. There are many commonplaces about Africa and among them those referring to the unfair subject of the infamous slavery, the richness of its religious creeds and its sonorous musicality. It is clear that these issues must continue to interest us.
But Mother Africa was and is much more, something that the treasures of this museum begin by showing us to surprise us and make us feel proud. In addition, the institution radiates to the city and its visitors the offer of courses, events, and workshops given by specialists in African and Afro-Cuban issues and, for this, it has the Afro-American Social and Cultural Anthropology Scientific Workshop named Entre Cubanos, which is held annually to commemorate the anniversary of its foundation.
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