“It was 1956 and in this town two people, born in Palma Soriano, got married and made up a family. He, a young and handsome man who was married for the third time and already had three children, worked for the bakers’ union here. His name was Gerardo García Leyva. She, Silvia Esther Despaigne Vicet, a pretty young mulatto woman of humble formation but of an extraordinary simplicity and elegance that distinguished her among so many girls. From this union three children were born: Graciela, Leticia and Raul, a family that has multiplied over the years. Father Gerardo, who will be 95 years old next October, proudly and clearly says that in addition to the six children he had, there are now thirteen grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. A large brood. But what distinguishes this family from so many others in Contramaestre?
Undoubtedly it is the union, the formation they have had, the values bequeathed by their parents that have been transmitted from generation to generation, the satisfaction of sharing the most difficult moments but also the most joyful ones, the respect and harmony that characterizes them. Hearing it in the voice of daughters Graciela and Leticia, gives us the certainty of it:
“My family is very united, we help each other a lot . apart from the fact that we have our professions we always help in what is the artistic part of the municipality. We are formed with many values, because my father is a man who has always been guided by his revolutionary principles, founder of the Communist Party of Cuba, just like my mother; and the children have also maintained that value. My son is a party militant and I am a party militant and we have always been characterized by being very responsible, simple, honest people. This is the formation we have always been given and we try to keep it. We get together on several occasions during the year; always on birthdays, for example my father’s, my mother’s, at the end of the year. A party at my house is something like that. We have had the possibility of having friends who have participated with us in parties, in birthdays and they say that it is a very nice thing because my family is very happy, we all dance, sing and have a great time”.
” I am the eldest daughter of Silvia and Gerardo, a very consolidated marriage, who have formed a wonderful family to which I feel proud to belong because they have instilled very positive values in us; the same values that we have instilled in our children. I am proud of the education and formation I have given them as a mother. We are very united, we are a large family but where there are no problems, where there are no arguments, we are very happy, we like to get together and celebrate family birthdays. I am proud of the education and formation I have given her as a mother. We are very united, we are a large family but where there are no problems, where there are no arguments, we are very happy, we like to get together and celebrate family birthdays. My father always told us that the basis of a relationship is respect and we have always kept that in mind, based on respect”.
The International Day of Families is celebrated on May 15, a date that was proclaimed in 1994 by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of the role of the family in the education and formation of children from early childhood, as well as to promote family ties and union, taking into account that the family is the fundamental nucleus of society.
When a couple decides to form a family, they must think that they are the trunks of a tree that will branch out and each of these branches must carry the sap that they will instill so that the offspring will flourish and that is what Gerardo and Silvia have done for more than 60 years in the formation of this large family and they are proud of their descendants, of this unity, of this joy that characterizes them where many, in addition to their profession, have been inclined towards the arts.
“They are all a revolutionary family formed by me there in my house which I call “Rancho Grande”. That’s where this great family was formed, which is the greatest treasure we have. We are friends from all over the world. Here we play dominoes and sing songs. I composed the song “A Contramaestre”, “Se sufre pero se goza”, “Grito de Baire”, “Abajo el bloqueo”. Now I will be ninety-five years old on October 3 and the grandchildren come and, you know, there is a rumbón. That’s how it is every year. Every time I have a birthday, all my family and friends come and we have a very, very good time.
“In the marriage we had three children: two girls and a boy. We have known how to treat them so that they can be useful to society. The greatest pride that one feels are those moments, the family, the children, there is no need for more people, we have everything there: the musician, the dancer, the laughter, the story and everything there we have already formed.”
The International Day of Families is an emblematic date to highlight the value of the family. Congratulations to all the families of the world and especially to the García-Despaigne de Contramaestre family, for having achieved that its members are integrated in a healthy and complete way to society, for achieving a stable coexistence where respect and dignity prevail. Congratulations for forming good men and women.
