Photos by Irina Pino

Photo Feature by Irina Pino

HAVANA TIMES – The Pioneers’ Palaces originated in the USSR in the last century, in former mansions of the Russian aristocracy that had been nationalized by the Soviet government. Later, modern facilities were built.

Their main purpose was for children from primary and secondary schools, respectively, to take part in extracurricular activities aimed at their artistic and professional development. After the dissolution of the Soviet republics and the collapse of the socialist bloc, these palaces ceased to exist.

As everyone knows, our government was not to be left behind and copied the model, establishing them throughout Cuba and naming them after heroes, of course.

I remember when my son was in primary school, he was assigned to the culinary specialty, which involved preparing different dishes. There were other activities such as choir, music, drawing, and so on. They also held overnight campouts—without tents—and the children had to bring sheets and pillows from home to sleep on the floor. They would stay at the palace from Friday to Saturday, although sometimes we had to go fetch them up on Friday night.

In my view, it was a huge waste of time because they learned nothing. There was never any serious effort to teach any of those specialties.

Here are some photographs I took at the former “Presence of Lenin” Pioneers’ Palace, located on 5th Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets in Miramar, Havana. The residence occupies half a city block and has an extensive garden, where you can still see children’s playground equipment that has been unused for years.

In the images, you can see the filth in both entrance corridors. In one of them there are pieces of cardboard, most likely used by homeless people who sneak in at night to sleep, or perhaps by couples willing to risk having sex amid such squalor. Through a crack in the door, I managed to photograph a sculpture of Lenin and some deteriorated photographs that can barely be made out.

See more photo features here on Havana Times.