Nené and his Conga

Nené was a humble man; carpenter who never left work. His house and his heart were wide open to his friends and Afro-Cuban culture.

He retraced the province and the country with his conga, an almost symphony orchestra with forty musicians who made the earth shake while the people “ran” the Santiago after them. The surprised Havana residents can attest to that, brave people when it comes to attacking; surprised one night by that ghost conga that in the middle of the carnival was going to dance to them at the top house, leaving them perplexed and moving their feet.

Nené was also Santiago: Every year his “picket” accompanied the Los Guaracheros de San Andrés troupe in a fight with the others, where winning was a matter of honor. And each time he walked authoritatively, brandishing his scepter in front of the central platform, while his conga released provocative songs and a devilish sound.

He who cultivates so much joy never dies and Nené was one of those men.

Every time a drum resounds and a good rumba is found, when in July the people of Sancti Spiritus once again crowd behind their troupes, Nené will return – from where she has gone – to lead her conga again.