SONGBIRDS OF TRINIDAD
As the day begins in the colonial Cuban city of Trinidad, it’s a common sight to see men going about their daily routines with birdcages in hand. Many Trinidadian men have companionship in the form of songbirds, sitting in beautifully crafted cages. Among the vibrant colours, festive sounds, friendly residents, and various religions of the city, it’s quite easy for a new visitor to miss this popular regional culture of songbirds and handmade cages.
All images ©Usha Peddamatham
Canaries, blackbirds and other birds fill the city with beautiful songs and melodies, which are a great representation of the nature that surrounds this southern city. The songbirds are kept in spacious, handmade birdcages, precisely constructed with a bamboo-like material along with rustproof wires and plastic. With each cage taking two to three days to complete, the process is also considered a hobby for many residents, especially those without regular work and with plenty of free time.
The end product is always something to admire, with even the cheapest cages, costing around 3 CUC (or $3 at $1 to the CUC), displaying an artisanal professionalism comparable to some of the larger, more complex cages, costing around 10 CUC. The types and designs of birdcages are plentiful. There are your standard six-sided cages, ones with elegant arches, others with smooth carvings engraved into the exterior, ones with built-in traps, and even “apartment” style cages separated into sections for four to six songbirds.
The main purpose of these birdcages is to provide a calm and serene environment for a home and family. As explained by Julio Abrahantes, a 65-year-old retired charter-boat captain, current birdcage hobbyist and bird-trapper, “The tradition is passed down from generation to generation to keep the culture alive”. As such, the songbirds are well fed, given time in the sun, and are even taken along on errands, similar to North Americans with their pet dogs. It’s common to see Trinidadian men walking the streets with a birdcage in hand, only to momentarily hang the bird up on a wall to buy groceries or catch up with friends.
