The Authenticity of the Work by Samuel Feijóo
Samuel Feijóo surprisingly achieved the re-creation of the rural environment and the spirit of his protagonists in pages that are far from cartoons, showing a real sense of the Cuban identity
Who has not smiled with occurrences of Juan Quinquin en Pueblo Mocho? Precisely the natural intellect and humor that run through the book come from one of the greatest Cuban writers of the Twentieth century, whose 102nd anniversary of birth was celebrated last March 31.
The creative vitality of Samuel Feijoo (1914-1992) spans multiple and complex areas of intellectual development and culture in the Cuban nation. The study of music and folklore, the promotional management, the critical exercise and painting, are also part of the Feijóo’s heritage.
Having an autodidact education, this writer from San Juan de las Yeras, produced a literary work full of intellect and Cuban identity, rich in farmer references, sayings and popular expressions.
All the imaginative caudal of his novels and his concerns about the rural world germinated from an early age, and gained maturity with the years of real publishing activity. Feijóo played an important role around serial publications, not only because of the collaborations that bearer his signature, but also because of the promotion of new publishing projects.
Magazines, like La Correspondencia, Carteles and Bohemia, showed his texts quite often, and some of them are a review of the critical situation of the people in rural areas during the 50s. However, his great contribution in the production of magazines was the creation of Islas (1958-1968) and Signos (1969-1985), the latter remarkably influenced by painting and the most outstanding of the last century.
Though the versatility of Samuel Feijóo deserved the recognition of several entities of knowledge, like the Management for the Department of Folklore Studies and Publications, at the Marta Abreu Central University in Las Villas, there is no doubt that the stamp of his figure has defined his literary legacy, that summarizes more than 20 books of different genres, including poetry and novels. Camarada celeste, Gajo joven, Beth-el, Faz, El girasol sediento and Ser fiel swelled his lyrical production, being loyal to the motivations and language of the countryside he wrote Juan Quinquín en Pueblo Mocho, Tumbaga and Wampampiro Timbereta, where he showed attachment to rural imagery, from sonorous titles and the plots. Juan Quinquín…, perhaps the most widely known of his novels, shows the native characteristic grace and the authenticity of Cubans who live far from the cities.
This story has been adapted for radio, film and television. The film Adventures of Juan Quinquín (1967) by Julio Garcia Espinosa is still marking the filmography in Cuba. Las aventuras del Pueblo Mocho continues being an inspiration for the audiovisual, this time by young filmmakers. The short film Aventuras de Juan Quinquín, directed by Alexander Rodríguez, allowed him to be the winner of one of the prizes in the recent edition of the International Latin-American Film Festival in Havana.
Samuel Feijóo, surprisingly achieved the re-creation of the rural environment and the spirit of his protagonists in pages far from cartoons, with a real sense of the Cuban identity. The revision of works like those by the Maestro could show us other ways of Cuban cultural identity.
Translated by ESTI