Discussion 4: Jose Martí Monument

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  I think that the Jose Martí monument is definitely worth visiting on our trip to Cuba. I think it is worth visiting because of the historical significance of the figure of Jose Martí. He has been an inspiration to many people in Cuba and throughout Latin America. I believe it would be important to go to this monument because he played a big part in the independence from Spain in the late 1800’s. He had a huge impact culturally because of his art and his poetry and that inspired a lot of people to make art and to include him in their art. It has social importance because it highlights the struggles that Cuba has had over the last couple centuries. I think that it shows the spirit of the Cuban people because of his intellectual diversity that included art, poetry, and nationalism. I think that these characteristics from Jose Martí have transferred into the people of Cuba. Cuba doesn’t have a huge or long history like other countries such as England or Italy. That makes this monument very important because this figure played a huge part in the making of the country of Cuba. This could be compared to a statue or monument of George Washington for the United States. It has political relevance to the people of Cuba because of the independence and the movement that Jose Martí stood for. He had also died in war fighting for this cause. 

I also think it is worth a visit because of the influence and power that monuments and statues tend to hold. They are often very nice to look at and to experience first hand, and I think it would be enjoyable to see in real life. I also like the spectacle of it. It's a big tall monument with nothing else around it, at least nothing too close to it. No big buildings right next to it, only statues and the monument itself is on a slightly elevated mound compared to everything else. Similar to the Washington monument, however a different shape and not quite as tall. Something I learned about the monument that I thought was designed well and with meaning, is that there are three sides or wings to the monument all representing different things. “The three sections represent the past, present, and future of Cuba, encapsulating the nation's journey and aspirations.”(Rehan, 2023) Another neat detail that I learned is that it is the tallest structure in all of Havana standing at 138.5 meters tall (Memorial a Jose Martí, n.d). I think that this was absolutely done on purpose to preserve and portray the importance of the message that the monument signifies. This is also similar to the Washington monument because I believe that is the tallest structure in Washington D.C. 


Discussion Questions:

Have you visited some places in either the U.S or other countries that are similar to the monument of Jose Marti? What were they and did you appreciate the history of them?


From your perspective, do you agree that monuments like this tend to have power and meaning? Or are they ineffective in portraying their message and fall flat? 


Rehan, Mahmood. “Cuba National Monument: Exploring the Magnificent José Martí Memorial.” National Pedia - Read Everything National, 19 Aug. 2023, nationalopedia.com/cuba-national-monument-exploring-the-magnificent-jose-marti-memorial/. 

“Memorial a José Martí: Vedado, Havana: Attractions.” Lonely Planet, www.lonelyplanet.com/cuba/havana/vedado/attractions/memorial-a-jose-marti/a/poi-sig/370245/1341263. Accessed 1 Jan. 2024. íí

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