La Baracoesa

The song La Baracoesa, in which the author expresses his admiration for a girl from Baracoa, was written by Sindo Garay in 1918.

There are various versions of this story but I favour the one told to Maria Court by Estelvina Pineda Luperon, who was herself the inspiration for this song. Sindo, lacking any other instrument, sang accompanied by a saw. In front of the hospital where his son Guarionex was being treated there lived a carpenter, whose wife was seen by Sindo from the hospital door. When he saw this Baracoa beauty he became ecstatic. He said "this woman has inspired me" and immediately wrote the words and music of the song, which he sang to her and later to the public at an event in the district of La Playa.

She has in her soul
An immense treasure
And the waters of the Toa
Are not sweeter than she is

The purest Indian queen
That remains in my Cuba
Is she of the green mountains of Baracoa
Is she of the green mountains of Baracoa

She has in her soul
The eternal purity
With which I would like to mingle
With which I would like to mingle
For the rest of my life

If God gave me a gift
Which I was assured of receiving
I would only want
The woman from Baracoa, the Baracoesa.