Contramaestre, a city of hard-working, simple and cheerful people, reaches its 110th birthday this February 5th. Many of its inhabitants have put down roots in the land where they were born and have formed large families with renowned surnames that pass from generation to generation, because they came to stay, even from faraway places to form their descendants here. Others have left in search of different horizons, but they always keep in the depths of their hearts the longing and love for their beloved Contramaestre.
What is it about this town that is so contagious?
The city is celebrating, because turning 110 years old does not always happen and that deserves all the possible celebrations. I am sure that with the passing of the years, these moments will be remembered with great pride and those who paint gray hair will transmit to the younger ones each one of their best experiences.
During these days, there has been an intense day of activities dedicated to honor institutions and personalities of the history and culture of Contramaestre.
One of these personalities is Flora Preval Rodríguez, illustrious daughter of this town where she was born in 1946. Here, she completed her primary and secondary studies. She graduated as a Library Technician, a profession she practiced for many years. She also graduated as a philologist from the University of Oriente.
When and where did she begin her working life?
“My working life began in Palma Soriano. I was there for only one year and then in 1975 I moved to the municipal library of Contramaestre, where I worked as a technician”.
We know that for several years you worked in different cultural institutions of the municipality of Contramaestre, such as libraries and the Isidro Iglesias del Rey cultural center.
What did your work there consist of in Contramaestre?
“After eight years of working in the library, I decided to enroll in the Faculty of Arts and Letters at the University of Oriente in the career of Philology and I graduated in nineteen eighty-nine. In the year nineteen ninety-two I began to work as an assistant literary technician at the municipal house of culture Isidro Iglesias Del Rey”.
During those years his contribution to the literary creation of children, adolescents and young people was remarkable.
Could you tell me what were the results?
“I summoned several children from the city to the elementary schools. There were reading circles and literary creation workshops. The workshops were designed to give some minimum elements to the children, to encourage them as creators; they could write poetry, how many …etc., whatever caught the children’s attention. And also reading, because reading is a habit that enriches us, that exalts us and that really, we all need”.
You also attended literary creation workshops and advised amateur writers of the territory, tell me about this experience.
“Of the plans that were carried out, of the recruitment of literary talent, of the amateurs in any of the possible genres. I met with them on the weekends, held workshops and we worked on the basis of the different manifestations that we were proposed to do.
Can you refer to some of those amateurs who became writers and who today cultivate some of those manifestations?
“There were several who went through the workshops, for example: Omar Lora, Eduard Encina, Carlos Miguel Perez, Arnoldo Fernandez also. They brought work to the province and also to the nation. Everything started with the municipality. The municipality contributed that talent to the province”.
Thirty years devoted to fostering the culture of her people say a lot about why Flora Preval is recognized as one of the personalities who have marked the life of Contramaestre in its 110 years of existence.”
What does this represent for you?
“It represents an honor. I feel very recognized, this caught me by surprise, I did not expect it because it is twenty years since I retired.”
Honor to whom honor is due ….A so many and so many Contramaestrians who have given their best to make it possible for this town to remain alive in the memory of their children. Congratulations, Contramaestre!What does this represent for you?
What does this represent for you?
“It represents an honor. I feel very recognized, this caught me by surprise, I did not expect it because it is twenty years since I retired.”
Honor to whom honor is due ….A so many and so many Contramaestrians who have given their best to make it possible for this town to remain alive in the memory of their children. Congratulations, Contramaestre!
