Design: Gilberto González

You wil know the story about a goat, a billy goat, a neighbor of San Miguel del Padrón, in Havana. This tender animal was given away to the so-called santera (saint worshipper), who supposedly would turn our goat into a delicious stew for her followers, in a religious ceremony.

Our hero goat, as a young animal, used to wander around all the time. The neighbors enjoyed feeding him with whatever food they have: bread and butter, beans, meat and potato chips. He, as well, drank beer and chewed tobacco.

In this way he became a celebrity; especially, for the public transport workers, who protected him in such a high degree that he found shelter to sleep in the workshop.

This special animal soon got involved in the labor struggle of the transport workers. The leaders used him as a political pet against the corrupt elements that got rich by dint of the sweat and efforts of the working class. This all happened before the triumph of the Revolution. After Fidel Castro took the power, everything changed.

In fact, the truth about this story is that this clever animal would go out into the street together with the protesting workers, usually with signs hanging from their sides.

His political activities took him to a sad fate. He was arrested and suffered the abuses of Grau San Martín’s government. He was given a hard beating. He died on September 13, 1944. That day, his star went off. His protectors raised money to embalm him. His body was kept in the bus workshop in San Miguel. It was then moved to the museum in Guanabacoa. The saint worshipping took him as an example for their religious practices, although he had nothing to do with it. They took him finally to the museum in San Miguel del Padrón, where he is still lying.

Perico. (From cubadebate.cu)

Translated by Reinaldo Fernández