Photo: Juan Pablo Carreras
A legend of Afro-Cuban music, Faustino Oramas Osorio —also known as “El Guayabero”— died Tuesday morning after succumbing to liver cancer. He was 95.
Oramas will always be remembered for his unique music, the offspring of humor and the most authentic form of Cuban son (a merger of the Spanish guitar and African rhythms). But he will be also remembered for his kindness, simplicity and optimism.
The characters of his songs: Marieta, lazy Felix Solano, Casimiro and the famous dog who bites «quietly,» will remain forever in the memory of the Cuban people.
During his last days, it was impressive to see how his songs were sung by everyone in the streets as a tribute to the “King of Double Meaning,” as he was also known.
Thousands of fellow citizens from Holguin, his beloved hometown in eastern Cuba, have gone to La Periquera museum, where he lies at rests for the community to pay their last respects. His burial will take place on Wednesday morning.
Despite the grief for the lost of such a special person, everybody is expected to fulfill one of Guayabero’s most serious wishes. He wanted a funeral full of music instead of tears.
Thus, a number of music groups and artists have come to Holguin. His last trip through the streets of his city will be accompanied by a musical tribute and will be crowned by the final applause by his people.
Perhaps future generations will not find his songs as comical as they are to today’s listeners, but his greatness as an artist will live forever because he live attached to the finest values of his people and his culture, which he always honored.