Mireya Fundora: A Rice Farmer in La Angelina (+photos).

Wearing his rubber boots and a hat worn from time and use, he can be seen walking through a rice field a few meters from his house that is already beginning to ripen.

Mireya Fundora shuns cameras and any attempt at an interview as if it were something ominous. For her, it’s «simple, straightforward work,» she says, and that phrase could never encompass the many tasks this woman undertakes each day.

Wearing her rubber boots and a hat worn from time and use, she can be seen walking through a rice paddy a few meters from her house, where the rice is already beginning to ripen.

The cultivated area, located in La Angelina, has already transformed from a light green to the deep golden hue of the panicles, signaling the arrival of harvest.

It has been three months of ups and downs, intense activity, and more than a few setbacks. For this woman, with over four decades of experience cultivating rice, each stage of production presents a challenge due to the lack of essential supplies.

Planting rice involves a complex process that begins with preparing the land, constructing irrigation canals, and planting by «dotting,» which is simply transplanting the seedlings.

Then, she must monitor the plants’ growth and the development of the panicles, a stage where the application of fertilizer and insecticides is mandatory.

Although the harvest is still several weeks away, Mireya is already starting to locate the necessary sacks. She estimates that she will be able to obtain about 200 quintals from that planted area. In recent days he also mowed in another area a little further away from his home.

The strategic location of her house, on the edge of the main road that connects to the Primero de Enero settlement, makes it a landmark and almost a must-see for dozens of people who travel through the area.

This veteran, who must be around 70 years old (I’ve never dared to ask her), always greets visitors warmly, along with some of her many humorous and distinctly Cuban phrases, and of course, offers freshly brewed coffee, which she previously ground, roasted, and harvested on her own farm.

Her daughter Wilma has become her right hand, inheriting her industriousness. From very early in the morning, they take on countless responsibilities among the many that arise in the fields.

The work on these properties begins at dawn with the milking of the cows. As the sun rises, the cattle are led to the pastures where they remain until midday.

Part of the collected milk is sold at the store and is destined for the children of the village.

Mireya is also known for her generosity and desire to help others. Just two days ago, she sent several bunches of bananas to a community center in Perico. When she learns of someone who is sick, she doesn’t hesitate to help with food and even sends a free-range chicken for the restorative soup.

There are many more stories to be told about this hardworking farmer. She, who is full of witty words and proverbs, falls silent when asked for an interview. And if a camera is pointed at her, she will give an innocent, timid, even pleading look, asking not to be photographed. For her, she reiterates, it is «simply and plainly, to work.»

Photos: By the author

Written by Arnaldo Mirabal