Guayos Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Guayos
Town
View of the town. To the left, a former warehouse now converted to a special school
Guayos Location in Cuba
Country	Cuba
Province	Sancti Spíritus
Municipality	Cabaiguán
Named for	Plant with the same name
Elevation	96 m (315 ft)
Population
• Total	15,000
Demonym(s)	Guayense
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
Area code(s)	+53-41-65xxxx

Guayos is a small town located in the Sancti Spíritus area of Cuba. It's also known as a consejo popular, which means "people's council." The town is part of the Cabaiguán municipality.

History of Guayos
Geography of Guayos
Population and People
Education in Guayos
Healthcare Services
Economy and Jobs
Natural Resources
Cultural Heritage - Parrandas Festival
- Floats seen during the Guayos Parrandas celebration
See also

History of Guayos

Los Elevados bridge.

The town of Guayos got its name from special trees called "guayos." These trees grew around the area and were a favorite resting spot for travelers.

Guayos was founded by Captain Miguel Reyes. He was a brave soldier who fought alongside General Antonio Maceo, a very important leader in Cuba's fight for independence. Captain Reyes's daughter, Mercedes Reyes, also made history. She was one of the first women in Cuba to become a Major in the military.

The Central Road and the Railway of Cuba are two major routes that cross the entire island. They connect Guayos to all other provinces and their main cities. This includes Havana, the capital of Cuba, and many other small towns.

The Los Elevados bridge, which means "The High Ones," was built at the same time as the Central Road. This bridge helps the road and railway run smoothly without interruptions. It has become a special symbol of Guayos and of Cuba itself.

Geography of Guayos

Guayos is located right in the middle of Cuba. It's only about 13.6 miles (22 km) from the exact center of the island. The town's coordinates are 22° 2' 59" north and 79° 27' 44" west.

Guayos is about 231 miles (373 km) away from Havana, Cuba's capital city. It's also quite close to its own provincial capital, Sancti Spíritus, being only 8 miles (13 km) away. The town is located at an altitude of 96 meters (315 feet) above sea level. People who live in Guayos are called guayenses.

Population and People

The number of people living in Guayos has been growing steadily since the early 1900s. Today, more than 15,000 people call Guayos home. Many of the residents are descendants of people who came from the Canary Islands in Spain.

In 1919, the population was 2,059. By 1931, it grew to 3,467, then to 3,617 in 1943, and reached 5,509 by 1953.

Education in Guayos

In Guayos, like the rest of Cuba, there are no private schools. All schools are public. Going to school is required until you finish basic secondary education, which is usually around age 15. Students always wear uniforms.

The town has four primary schools for younger children. There is also one basic secondary school for older students. All schools provide free lunch for everyone, including students and teachers.

Besides the schools, Guayos has a public library where anyone can read and learn. Each school also has its own library. The town also has a house museum, which is a special place that manages cultural events. There's also a center for watching movies and live shows.

Healthcare Services

Guayos has a modern cottage hospital and a pharmacy. The old hospital was rebuilt starting in 2003. The hospital staff and volunteers helped with the demolition. During the rebuilding, the hospital moved to temporary facilities for several months.

The new hospital building is very large, covering about 1.68 acres. It offers many new services. These include ultrasound scans, observation rooms, X-Rays, and a gym for physical therapy and rehabilitation.

The pharmacy is located across from the hospital. It sells medicines at very low prices, whether you have a prescription or not.

Economy and Jobs

The main way people in Guayos make a living is through agriculture. Farmers grow a lot of sugarcane and tobacco in the areas around the town.

There used to be a large sugar mill called Remberto Abad Alemán (before 1959, it was called "Las Vegas"). It was located near the Donque river. Raising Cattle also helps the town's economy.

Before 1959, a famous cigar factory called "Tabacos León" was in Guayos. Later, in 1998, another cigar factory opened in town, creating many jobs for the community.

Natural Resources

Near Guayos, you can find the Nieves Morejón quarry. This is where limestone is dug out of the ground. The limestone is then used to make white cement at a nearby factory in Siguaney.

Cultural Heritage - Parrandas Festival

The most exciting cultural event in Guayos is a festival called the Parrandas.

This festival was first celebrated in 1925. The Guayos Parrandas, also known as Changüíes, is a passionate and friendly competition between two parts of the town: La Loma and Cantarranas.

The tradition was brought to Guayos by people from the city of Remedios who came to work in the tobacco fields. What makes the Guayos Parrandas special is that it lasts only 24 hours, from one sunrise to the next. The festival features amazing and artistic floats, huge light displays, and lots of fireworks. There are also lively street parades with rhythmic music called congas.

This celebration has been a tradition for over 50 years. It usually starts with smaller events called changüíses from each district, held over several weekends. The main Parranda day begins at sunrise when the sound of church bells and fireworks wakes up everyone in Guayos. The friendly competition between La Loma (whose symbols are the goat and the color red) and Cantarranas (whose symbols are the frog and the color green) makes the festival even more exciting.

Even though the Parrandas is a very popular tradition, it has faced some challenges. The local government has tried to change how it's celebrated. The smaller changüíses have started to disappear, and the main Parrandas sometimes doesn't happen on a fixed date. However, the people of Guayos work hard to keep their tradition alive because they love it so much.