Tuesday, 20 September 2011 11:30
Havana's San Cristóbal.
Havana's San Cristóbal. That's how we in Havana know it, but certainly not all know why we call it so, which incidentally is about to turn 492 years old.
There are several versions as to how we acquired this name, but I will focus on the most accepted (and logical as well).
San Cristóbal is based on the Catholic religion, their patron saint of ferries, shipmen and other maritime occupations. And what better name could be used than that of the town's founder? Starting in 1519, this town's bay became the best port colony between Europe and America, between the so-called Old and New Worlds.
Launching into the harsh waters that distance us from a mainland (and vice versa) was a challenge that required a blessed devotee such as Columbus, and not just for sailors, but also, soldiers, monks, merchants and other travelers. Columbus' legend says he could not remedy the name "bad death," which catches us in mortal sin and takes us straight to Hell if we fail to repent in time. In the pantheon of African religions, the affinities of San Cristóbal and Aggayú Solá, a major Orisha, leader of longshoremen, travelers and shippers, were syncretized.
Now, for the "name" Havana. Some researchers say that Havana comes from the corruption of the Haitian word "savanna," as Haiti ruled the plains. The City Historian Euseblo Leal's thesis —which is the widely accepted —is that part of the country's western region, a large plain that had a significant influence and presence upon the Cuban capital's actual territory, was governed by the Habaguanex chief, where Havana was derived.
And these are the theories that attempt to unravel the genesis of this attractive, beautiful, mysterious city's name or names, a Havana famous for living passionately, accepted in the hearts of the thousands of visitors.
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