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A complicated road from one side of Guanahacabibes’ main way takes you to Agueda Leon Castro’s home.
Like a Mambi but in this century, this 63 years old Cuban woman takes her ax and machete up with an incredible strength, and goes into the woodland quite far from her home, together with her dog Leal and a cigarette in her mouth.
She cuts the firewood and drives the wheelbarrow with the wood to the place where the charcoal furnace is. Nothing stops the sexagenarian woman originally born in Artemisa, Candelaria locality. The countryside exerts a kind of charm on her.
“Although I was born in the village, I spent all my life in Brujito Mountains, Soroa. Despite the efforts representing, the woodland calls and tempts me. I like the countryside, work in the field and farm all I need,” she said.
“I start doing the housework at 5:30 in the morning every day. I take care of my husband, get cook lunch and I say to myself: “well, let’s go to the woodland.” I almost always return at noon, do everything quickly and get back to work, because I have to make good use of the fresh weather, but I sometimes keep on working and I forget my husband,” she said with a wicked smile.
Leon has worked for 20 years making charcoal, as an example inherited by her father. On May, she delivered 30 sacks to the integral forestall enterprise in Guanahacabibes, about 30 percent above her plan. “I made my very best and I did it. You just have to devote yourself and work.
“I had to devote myself to this job when the father of my children died and I had other family situations. My husband is sick and I have to do the job with the help of my son.
Her son Diosmalkis says this is a hard job, but nothing can stop her mother. “I have tried to persuade her many times but there is unfortunately no way to convince her, so I help her. I sometimes cut the wood, others I take the wheelbarrow and carry the wood. I have almost ready both furnaces: hers and mine, and I will light them soon.”
She has an iron will. She is strong and healthy for her job. “I will be here until I feel healthy and with the help of God. Thanks to women like me, our homeland develops, so I urge those young and energetic women to join me.
The life of charcoal workers is beautiful although it seems hard.
At the beginning I thought I would not be able to do it, but here I am, and I will continue. I feel proud to be revolutionary and a country woman. I am a natural farmer, like Polo Montanez.”
