| Nederlands | Children's crossing in Cuba |
| Yaguaramas, 7.V.2005 | Trinidad, 8.V.2005 | Havana, 30.IV.2005 | Havana, 30.IV.2005 |
|
|
|
|
| The diversity in Cuban Children's Signs is enormous. That's mainly because roadsigns in Cuba are a showcase of recycling. Many roadsigns are (or appear to be) imported from other countries. And if you look carefully it becomes clear that several of our examples are trying to hide a previous life below a layer of yellowish paint. In spite of all the variation I was able to group them in a limited number of sign families, all European offspring. | The group on the top row probably stems from France (e.g. Tarbes). Thinking of the Men at Work sign coming from Canada, I first thought the same about the children's sign, but then noticed the legs of the boy. Canadian boys keep their legs warm with long trousers. Cuban (and Spanish and French) children prefer short pants. Spanish girls prefer a pony-tail. Therefore the third example could come from Spain; the first two from France. | |
 |
The modern version of the drawing is - had we expected otherwise? - hideous. There is one peculiarity though: in all countries (e.g. France see left, Italy, Spain) the children swap positions when a new iconized design is introduced. Not so in Havana. | |
| near Sto Domingo, 12.V.2005 | Havana, 30.IV.2005 | near Bayamo, 11.V.2005 | |
 |
 |
 |
| The second group has Spanish roots. It's one of the most common signs in Spain: in team language known as the common beak because of the hair of the girl. Both are in a hurry; the girl left her bookbag between the cereals on the kitchen table. | European roadsigns normally feature a white background. Yellow is used for temporary signs. Because Cuba choose for a yellow (new world) background imported signs require additional work. It's not always easy to find a decent yellow nor qualified people. |
| Havana, 29.IV.2005 | near Baracoa, 17.V.2005 | Jagüey, 4.V.2005 | Camagüey, 11.V.2005 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The third group is also inspired by Spain. It's the modern match-stick version where the person swap took place. The panel from Havana comes straight from Europe, the other finds are local (?) variations: proof that you can gain excellence in bad taste. | But the best bits come last. First an old-fashioned recycled roadsign from the east featuring two women. They remind me of two very old finds from France and one from Madagascar. In that last country the sign indicates a shopping zone, but I don't think that was the case in Baracoa. |
| Baracoa region, 19.V.2005 | La Cobre, 16.V.2005 | ||
 |
 |
This is a warning sign for a pedestrian, not a children's, crossing but it is such a marvellous find that I gladly give it a place. Look at the face, the hair, the hands | |
| Path: Home / Country list / Children in depth / Children's crossing in Cuba | e-mail: | |
| More signs from Cuba: Men at work - Falling rocks |