but also to gender issues is that Nancy declares “I
do not know of any work where such woman is
reflected or at least historical experience of
slavery or even the violation of civil rights or
women’s sexuality is analyzed”. Nancy wrote
"Amo a Mi Amo" as an acknowledgement of
"Mujer Negra", both of them focusing on the
struggles of black women but being more influenced
by the feminine psychology in the later poem.
"Amo a Mi Amo" acts as a complex view of the
female sexuality and rape culture; this poem
explores the sexual relationship of a slave and her
master. The woman at first describes her love for
her ‘perfect’ master of blue eyes, but as the poem
goes on the tone of it changes to one of resentment
and discomfort in this relationship leading her to
murder her master. This poem is also essential
because it addresses the sentimentalism and
fragility of the black woman, which is a side of the
black woman that is difficult to encounter in the
works of literature. While the female theme is
influential in her works, Nancy Morejon also
broadly explores the subject of black culture and
Afro Cuban identity, an example of it being the
poems "Negro and Los Ojos de Elegua."
"Negro" is a description of a black male that is
criticized for his appearance and origins, seen as
part of the devil’s work, all of this while watching
him die at the gallows. The subject of this poem
tries to scrutinize the perception of the black man
as a threat to society and the fear of African spirits
coming from the Palo religion (palos de monte).
The subject of religion and spirits is also seen in
"Los Ojos de Elegua", where Nancy describes the
apparition of Elegua to her and how he manifests
himself as a warrior of a fiery chest. Elegua is an
Orisha, a representation of God worshiped by
Afro Antillean religions such as Santeria, Candombie
and Oyotunji, which are important parts of the
Afro Cuban tradition and culture. This poem also
mentions Olofi, another Orisha from the Afro
Antillean beliefs.
It is important to mention these kinds of characters
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and themes because of the influence that they
have within the Afro Cuban culture and how the
rest of the world perceives them. Nancy Morejon
acts as a spokesperson of this cultural tradition
through her works and her personality, representing it
into her interviews, visual representations of her
literature and other mediums.
The cultural and gender perspective of Nancy
Morejon has cleared the path for me to understand
more about the complexity of black race and
womanhood, but it has been very simple for me to
correlate what Nancy writes with the culture of
Panama as well. Panama is also a country where
there is an abundant population of Afro descendants
with similar beliefs, sentiments and traditions. The
work of Nancy, while being inspired by Afro Cuban
identity and the love for her country, can also be
relatable to the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The influence of Afro Antillean folk is palpable in
areas of Panama such as Colon and Bocas del Toro
and even in the city of Panama where thousands of
Cubans reside. In Panama, the use of poetics as a
cultural and gender liberator is difficult to find, but
there are still authors that strive for that freedom of
character and gender, such as Consuelo Tomas
with her poem El Negro en el Cabaret and Bertalicia
Peralta with La Unica Mujer. Both of these poems,
while being different from Nancy’s style, keep the
same themes of womanhood and blackness.
Exploring gender and cultural themes of a specific
culture, such as the Afro Cuban culture, has proven
to be very challenging to synthesize into a short
essay. Even after I narrowed it down to only one
author, I feel as if my words and interpretations do
not do justice to what Nancy Morejon wished to
convey in her literary works and her life as a
Revolutionary writer.
Nancy Morejon has proven herself to be a voice of
the Black Revolutionary Cuba, interested in developing a
social purpose that could be transmitted through
her poems, just like her mentor Nicolas Guillen did
in his works. Nancy has stated that “The originality
that can be perceived in my poetry derives, I think,