03709_0135: Pedro Barrios

FL-35

STATE DEITORIAL IDENTIFICATION FORM

STATE: FLORIDA

1935 Pedro Barrios (Cuban mulatto) Ybor City Tampa, Florida (Cigar-maker and reader) F. Valdes, writer, FERA Sociological Survey of Ybor City

[Struck: "LIFE HISTORY OF MS.] PEDRO BARRIOS [Struck: "By"] [Struck: "F. Valdes"]

I was born in the Cerro in Havana in 1881. That is to say that I have 54 years.

I was brought to Key West when I had 3 years; and came to Tampa from Key West when I had 13 years.

I learned the trade of cigar-maker from that time; and with the exception of a season I had as reader, I have done nothing (na mas) (1) else but cigars. From four years to this part I have worked two or three months during the year. From there to here, I worked one month in the water line, and now I am loader of bananas when the ships come in.

''My childhood and youth slipped by peacefully. I had a father who loved me very much; and died when I had 21 years; and a mother who was very affectionate with me.

"From then till now, I have done nothing but enjoy myself with baseball and fishing; two of my favorite sports; and I find myself at the age of 54 years "the life very hurried (2) ----- tight (3)." With sufficient years and ability, and "I do not find." (4)

(1) This is an apocope of nada. Nearly everyone in Ybor City uses this form of apocope before the word "mas", as in the above case. Also when asking anyone what is the matter with him, he will invariably answer "na", meaning nothing.

(2) Muy apurada la vida. An expression meaning that he is having a hard time.

(3) Apretada: In trying to further impress what he has said, he adds: "apreteda", meaning that it is difficult. This is a very common form of speech.

(4) This form of shortening the speech is very common. It means "I do not find work".

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"I have very good friends, whom I esteem, and who value me.

"During the time I was a baseball player there was not what there is today. They were "ninths" (novenas) of pure sports between cigarmakers, and there were many players from Havana. Among them was Alfredo Montoto, who helped me considerably. The "Red" of Ybor player, of which Martinez Ybor was president. The "optimo," our "ninth" which was the "San Francisco." Afterwards, I have devoted myself to fishing. I always go on fishing trips every week.

"I was also and am an amateur of ballads. I composed a ballad to the ice-creams "Tropical," and "by the low" (2) I glimpsed ten "canes" (3) but it was a failure as I lacked putting on the tone to the time of the guitar. I did not occupy myself with finishing it. The first part of the ballad was thus:

Ya se acabo el malestar Ya tego lo que queria Pues tomo todos los dias Pues tomo todos los dias El helado Tropical

(Translation) Already my anxiety is at an end Already I have what I desired As I drink every day As I drink every day The ice-cream Tropical.

But I was "twisted," (4) and I neither took the ten "guayos," (5) nor anything. The "stroke of the sabre" (6) gave me no result.

(1) This word is used to mean baseball team.

(2) Por lo bajo. This is an expression very much used in Ybor City. It means "at least."

(3) Canas. This is a saying of Cuban origin, meaning dollars. In a way it is equivalent to the word "bucks". The words "canes" is only one of several ways of calling the dollar; such as; the "sweet potato," the Guayacan (the lignumvitae tree), maracas (Cuban musical instrument).

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(4) Arrollaron. This idiomatic expression is very much employed here, and is equivalent to "foiled". When there is a discussion (and there are many) and one declares himself defeated, he will say: me arrollaste." (You have defeated me).

(5) Guayos. This is another name for the dollar.

(6) El Sablazo. This is an expression equivalent to the idiomatic American word of "touch".

As to the customs here: This was once a small Cuba. "All the world" (1) aided each other, but Tampa "began to cosmopolite itself." (2) The Italians and Americans began entering here, and now it is a mixture. There were the Cubans and Spaniards. The customs were "almost almost" (3) alike to those of Spain. But there were also the typical Cuban customs. You could eat arum (malanga), yam ("name"), sweet potatoes. Everything came from Cuba, and nowadays you cannot eat it.

"In the feasts of Christmas-day, there were many "rhumbitas" (4) on the streets. I remember that we formed rhumbas in the house on Puebla. We were one whole week "rhumbaring." (5) We would come out of the factory and go to the house of Puebla to continue the rhumba, and thus day after day. The hubbub was so great that we even drew out a "cantico." It was thus:

"La casa de Puebla se desploma." (7) (The house of Puebla collapses.)

"Christmas-eve was celebrated with much merriment. The Three Wise Men bring the toys in Cuba on January 6th, but it was never celebrated here in this way. They have always (8) come on Christmas Eve.

(1) Todo el mundo. This is an expression equivalent to "everybody."

(2) Cosmopolitando. This is a misuse of the noun cosmopolite. Here it has been used as a verb.

(3) This is another idiomatic expression very commonly used here, and means "very nearly." (casi casi).

(4) Rumbitas. Dimunitive for rhumbas.

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(5) Rumbiando. This is a verb of the noun "rhumba". It is very much used in Ybor City, but is not used in the sense of a rhumba dance. Practically everyone in Ybor City will say (when the occasion arises) "me fui de rumba," meaning "I went on a spree"; or "me fui a rumbiar": "I went to have a good time."

(6) Cantico. Diminutive for song.

(7) This line is repeated several times with a little shade of tone different every time.

(8) Here he refers to the Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men.)

"They were also accustomed to burning the old year here. The people would get together in many groups, and they would symbolize the old year with a puppet so that the coming new year would be better. As the puppet was being burned, they would say:

"Vete ano malo, a ver si el que viene es mejor".

(Go evil year so that the coming one is better.)

There was a Congo, who on Thursday before "asueto" (Sunday Holiday) would say:

"Manana "viene" (Viernes) el otro se va, y el otro, maravilla "ta" la matra". (Tomorrow Friday, the other goes, and the other, marvelous is the tree.) (1)

Ha meant that "he was going to give it to himself in big".

There is also a custom among the children, and that is when they begin to play jumping the rope, they sing this:

"El patio da mi casa Ea particular. Llueve y se moja Como los demas. Agachate nina Vuelvate a agachar: Que si no te agachas, No Puedes bailar". (1)

The yard of my house Is particular. It rains and is soaked Like the other ones. Squat little girl, Squat again: If you do not squat You cannot dance.

(1) Se la iba a dar en grande. This idiomatic form of speech is very common in Ybor City. The equivalent in English would be "He was going to have a big time".

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