El Mejunje

El Mejunje

Facade and theatre room
Location within Cuba
General information
Town or city Calle Marta Abreu / Juan Bruno Zayas y Alemán, Santa Clara
Country  Cuba
Coordinates 22°24′24″N 79°58′02″W / 22.406677°N 79.967227°W / 22.406677; -79.967227Coordinates: 22°24′24″N 79°58′02″W / 22.406677°N 79.967227°W / 22.406677; -79.967227
Completed 26 January 1985

El Mejunje (Spanish for The Mixture), also known as El Mejunje de Silverio after the surname of his founder and director, Ramón Silverio,[1][2] is a Cuban cultural center and space[3] located in the city of Santa Clara. It lies on the central Calle Marta Abreu, near the corner with Calle Juan Bruno Zayas, close to the Parque Vidal and La Caridad Theatre, next to the Saint Claire of Assisi Cathedral.

History

Created as a simple gathering of bohemians and intellectuals, the centre grew as multifaceted and unconventional cultural space. It was installed in the ruins of an old hotel and started its activities in 1985.[4] People related to the centre are colloquially known as Mejunjeros.[2][5]

Cultural activities

The "Mejunje" is an LGBT cultural centre, involved into several social campaigns, as the ones on HIV/AIDS prevention, againist homophobia and social discrimination.[6] As for the meaning of its name and the purposes of its founder, El Mejunje is not a simple gay club: it is conceived as an open space shared by everyone independently of sexual orientation, to promote social integration.[1] The activities of the centre include a theatre, a café, an art gallery in the second roof and a little music venue[7] in which are held concerts of various musical genres, spacing from rock'n roll to Cuban folk music.[1]

The activities include also social and cultural initiatives to interest both children and elderlies, film screenings, and the Gay Saturday disco every Saturday night.[1][8]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 (Spanish) An interview to Ramón Silverio (BBC Mundo)
  2. 1 2 (Spanish) Article about Ramón Silverio and "El Mejunje"
  3. ↑ "El Mejunje: Cuba's gay oasis in Santa Clara" (on cubaabsolutely.com)
  4. ↑ (Spanish) History of El Mejunje (EcuRed)
  5. ↑ "Mejunje, a Space like Life Itself in the Heart of Cuba" (The Havana Reporter)
  6. ↑ "El Mejunje: Ramón Silverio; passion & an alternative vision"
  7. ↑ (Spanish) Services of El Mejunje (EcuRed)
  8. ↑ Article on Toronto Star

External links

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