Minor Genre: Proverb 

Text: 

• Spanish: Quien tiene un amigo tiene un central 
• Transliteration: He who has a friend has a sugar mill 
• Free Translation: He who has a friend has riches

Context: When asked about this, my informant told me she has a powerful relationship with this piece because her friends are everything to her. Having migrated from Cuba, she relied on the close relationships she created abroad to thrive. She mentioned that she can count on her close friends for anything, and they were the ones who cared for her the most during the Covid pandemic, for example. She told me she values their friendship because they’re the ones who are with her through the good and bad times; to her, they are worth gold, which the proverb implies. The informant first heard this proverb in her elementary school in Cuba.  She mentioned that the teachers would teach the students certain proverbs and that they were part of their school culture. When asked, she also noted that her parents would say it. My informant mentioned using this proverb when talking about her friends or referencing a third person she sees has a strong relationship with someone. For example, if she saw someone helping their friend, she would say, “Quien tiene un amigo, tiene un central,” because, at that moment, that support is as valuable as having riches. She also mentioned that having a support system outside of Cuba is extremely important for Cuban immigrants, and often that support comes from friends. For example, some of my informant’s closest high school friends who immigrated to Spain spent the first few months living with each other while providing emotional and economic support. 

Analysis: Looking at this piece in its entirety, we can notice that it does not directly compare a friend to riches but to a central or sugar mill. This is valuable to the proverb because, in Cuba, sugar production and exportation were key to the economy. Keeping that in mind, the owners of the central had abundant money and were even considered to be the owners of the small towns established around the central. Essentially, it was the person who had the most money. Again, looking at Cuba, having a friend to be there when you need running water, holding your spot in line for gas, or someone with a working flashlight during a storm blackout can go a long way. After looking at the cultural context, comparing a friend to a sugar mill means that a friend makes you the wealthiest person with their support. As proverbs are intended to offer advice from collective wisdom rather than from an individual, this proverb holds the wisdom of past Cuban generations who understand how valuable it is to have a friend on and outside the island. It serves as a reminder to fellow Cubans and immigrants to value their friendships because even in a country that may lack monetary riches, they can still be rich in their relationships with others. Its structure is also typical of a proverb with a topic and comment structure that relieves personal responsibility from the person saying it. Additionally, this proverb serves as a way of knowing who is in your cultural group because unless you are from Cuba and possibly another Caribbean island that thrived on sugar plantations, you will not understand this proverb.

Minor Genre: Proverb 

Text: 

• Spanish: Vísteme despacio que tengo prisa 
• Transliteration: Dress me slowly because I’m in a hurry
• Free Translation: Dress me slowly, I’m in a hurry 

Context: My informant told me she follows this proverb daily. What it means to her is that in your day-to-day life, human beings are typically in a rush to get many things done, and when doing so, they often make mistakes and need to start the task over. Because of this, it’s better to take the time to do something correctly rather than rush it and have to start over, hence wasting more time. She mentioned being very fast-paced, so she remembers this proverb when she needs to pace herself and be more cautious with her actions to improve the result. My informant heard this piece from her mother during her childhood in Cuba. Her mother constantly told her this because she was a fast-paced child who wanted things done “ayer” or yesterday. She also mentioned that during her adulthood (also in Cuba), it was a very common proverb in her family and friendship circle. My informant mentioned using this proverb often with her granddaughters when they were growing up. She said that her granddaughters used to rush through their homework, and they would not retain the information or do it incorrectly. She would reply with “vísteme despacio que tengo prisa” to remind them that even if it takes more time, it’s better to do things intentionally. She also mentioned that this applies to any time you need to do something — it’s better to do it right so you don’t have to repeat it. She also mentioned that this is like another proverb she knows “lo barato sale caro” or cheap things turn out expensive in the end. 

Analysis: Looking at this proverb, we can see that it contains generational knowledge without claiming personal responsibility. It lets people know that taking the time and effort to do something right the first time will save you time in the long run. Speaking to my informant and learning that this was something her mother used to say to her and later she said to her granddaughters shows that it was traditionally engraved in her customs and vocabulary. This makes her an active bearer because she identifies with traditional proverbs by engaging with her family and community. She is passing on that knowledge to the future generations. She mentioned that it was natural to say it, and that is a common theme amongst proverbs. They are repeated almost identically every single time and become engraved in social culture. In this case, the group that can identify with this proverb is any Spanish speaker, although it may be more relevant in countries where the people are known to be fast-paced. For example, the community had to be fast-paced in Cuba, where my informant is from. They never knew when common inconveniences could happen—for example, having to shower quickly because they did not know when the water would be shut off in the building. This proverb responds to particular social circumstances and serves as good life advice.