Miguel Barnet
Encyclopedia
Miguel Barnet is a Cuban writer, novelist and ethnographer. He studied sociology at the University of Havana, under Fernando Ortiz
, the pioneer of Cuban anthropology. Fernando Ortíz's studies of Afro-Cuban cultures influenced many of the themes, both literary and scholarly, of Barnet.
. This literary background can be seen as a precursor to the imaginative element Barnet introduced to anthropological writing.
In college, Barnet went to study anthropology and sociology at the University of Havana
.
Here, against the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution
, Miguel developed a strong relationship with Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortíz
, who would introduce Barnet to an ethnographic model centered on indigenous religion, language and the oral tradition. In rural areas of the island, religious practices of African and Taino
influence such as santería
persevered within the Catholic framework. Ortiz’s view of ethnographic research focusing primarily on indigenous culture mirrored the Cuban political ideology of the time in its rejection of European modes of learning, and emphasis on the socially and economically marginalized class.
He is on a UNESCO
committee.
As either anthropological study or literature, the testimonial narrative tradition established by Barnet’s Biografía de un cimarrón draws its authority from the perceived authenticity of the eyewitness account. Indeed, the protagonist of Barnet’s work, Esteban Montejo, comes to represent not only the collective psychology of Cuba’s former slave class, but also the collective historical conscious of the entire Cuban population. Such authenticity becomes complicated, however, when the bias and motive of the translator—in this case Barnet—is taken into consideration. A staunch supporter of the Revolution, Barnet’s work clearly has political prerogatives in its focus on and recognition of the former slave class.
In the prologue to the work, Barnet explains that "nuestro trabajo no es histórico. La historia aparece porque es la vida de un hombre que pasa por ella," (our work here is not history, history appears in it because it is the life of a man who passes through history) and “sabemos que poner a hablar a un informante es, en cierta medida, hacer literatura. Pero no intentamos creer un documento literario.” (we know that referring to testimonial is, to a certain degree, creating literature. But our intentions are not to create a literary account). In reality, Barnet’s work is a synthesis of history and literature, producing a unique and perhaps more precise representation of Cuban history and culture.
The composer Hans Werner Henze
wrote a work (El Cimarrón
) based on Barnet's work. Henze also set a poem, 'Patria' for his 1973 song-cycle, Voices
.
Fernando Ortiz
Fernando Ortiz Fernández was a Cuban essayist, ethnomusicologist and scholar of Afro-Cuban culture. Ortiz was a prolific polymath dedicated to exploring, recording, and understanding all aspects of indigenous Cuban culture...
, the pioneer of Cuban anthropology. Fernando Ortíz's studies of Afro-Cuban cultures influenced many of the themes, both literary and scholarly, of Barnet.
Early life
Miguel Barnet was born on January 27, 1940 in Havana, Cuba. Though Barnet underwent his early education in the U.S., he maintained a high degree of interest and awareness of Cuban culture. In fact, in his early years he was a regular contributor of poetry and other writings to such Cuban publications as Lunes de Revolución and HoyHoy
Hoy is an island in Orkney, Scotland. With an area of it is the second largest in the archipelago after the Mainland. It is connected by a causeway called The Ayre to South Walls...
. This literary background can be seen as a precursor to the imaginative element Barnet introduced to anthropological writing.
In college, Barnet went to study anthropology and sociology at the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
.
Here, against the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, Miguel developed a strong relationship with Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortíz
Fernando Ortiz
Fernando Ortiz Fernández was a Cuban essayist, ethnomusicologist and scholar of Afro-Cuban culture. Ortiz was a prolific polymath dedicated to exploring, recording, and understanding all aspects of indigenous Cuban culture...
, who would introduce Barnet to an ethnographic model centered on indigenous religion, language and the oral tradition. In rural areas of the island, religious practices of African and Taino
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
influence such as santería
Santería
Santería is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumi, or Lukumi. Its liturgical language, a dialect of Yoruba, is also known as Lucumi....
persevered within the Catholic framework. Ortiz’s view of ethnographic research focusing primarily on indigenous culture mirrored the Cuban political ideology of the time in its rejection of European modes of learning, and emphasis on the socially and economically marginalized class.
He is on a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
committee.
Biografía de un cimarrón
In 1963, Barnet was intrigued by two newspaper articles reporting on Cuban citizens who had lived for more than a century. One article described an ex-slave and santera. The other pertained to Esteban Montejo, a 103-year-old Cuban man of African descent who had lived as a slave in captivity, a fugitive slave in the Las Villas wilderness (el monte), and a soldier in the Cuban War for Independence. A series of interviews with Montejo at the Veteran’s Home followed, during which Barnet’s anthropological methods of inquiry and analysis were of utmost importance. For example, his use of an electronic voice recorder allowed him to more accurately portray the nuances and tones of Montejo’s language as he recorded it in writing. In 1966, Montejo’s story was published in Biografía de un cimarrón.As either anthropological study or literature, the testimonial narrative tradition established by Barnet’s Biografía de un cimarrón draws its authority from the perceived authenticity of the eyewitness account. Indeed, the protagonist of Barnet’s work, Esteban Montejo, comes to represent not only the collective psychology of Cuba’s former slave class, but also the collective historical conscious of the entire Cuban population. Such authenticity becomes complicated, however, when the bias and motive of the translator—in this case Barnet—is taken into consideration. A staunch supporter of the Revolution, Barnet’s work clearly has political prerogatives in its focus on and recognition of the former slave class.
In the prologue to the work, Barnet explains that "nuestro trabajo no es histórico. La historia aparece porque es la vida de un hombre que pasa por ella," (our work here is not history, history appears in it because it is the life of a man who passes through history) and “sabemos que poner a hablar a un informante es, en cierta medida, hacer literatura. Pero no intentamos creer un documento literario.” (we know that referring to testimonial is, to a certain degree, creating literature. But our intentions are not to create a literary account). In reality, Barnet’s work is a synthesis of history and literature, producing a unique and perhaps more precise representation of Cuban history and culture.
The composer Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer of prodigious output best known for "his consistent cultivation of music for the theatre throughout his life"...
wrote a work (El Cimarrón
El Cimarrón (musical work)
El Cimarrón is a composition by the German composer Hans Werner Henze, written when the composer lived in Cuba in 1969-1970. It is subtitled Autobiographie des geflohenen Sklaven Esteban Montejo , and is based around the autobiographical passages recounted by Montejo to Miguel Barnet in 1963...
) based on Barnet's work. Henze also set a poem, 'Patria' for his 1973 song-cycle, Voices
Voices (Henze)
Voices is a musical composition by the German composer Hans Werner Henze.Written between January and June 1973, it is a collection of 22 independent songs which may be performed individually, with alterations to the instrumentation...
.
Novels
- Biografía de un cimarrón (1966)
- Canción de Rachel (1969)
- Gallego (1983)
- La vida real (1986)
- Oficio de ángel (1989)
Poetry
- La piedrafina y el pavorreal (1963)
- Isla de güijes (1964)
- La sagrada familia (1967)
- Orikis y otros poemas (1980)
- Carta de noche (1982)
- Viendo mi vida pasar (antología, 1987)
- Mapa del tiempo (1989)
- Poemas chinos (1993)
- Con pies de gato (antología, 1993)
- Actas del final (2000)
Essays and Ethnographies
- Akeké y la Jutía. Fábulas cubanas
- Cultos Afrocubanos. La Regla de Ocha. La Regla de Palo Monte (1995)
- La fuente viva (1998)