Baracoa, Cuba
This is El Pelú sculpted by Ramon Dominque Gainza.
El Pelú was a native of Coruña, Spain named Francisco Rodríguez. There is very little known about him other than at some point in his life he ended up in Baracoa, Cuba. He apparently wandered the streets preaching until sometime around 1896 when his sermons became offensive and the town council expelled him.
Legend has it that while standing on the wharf, waiting for the boat that would send him into exile, he said “In Baracoa many good plans will be made, many good ideas will be generated, but all of them will wear away, nothing will be achieved”, this became the famous Curse of the Pelú.
The sculpture was done by Ramon Dominquez Gainza, a Baracoa native, born in 1943. Gainza is considered the grandfather of Baracoan sculpture. His work normally focuses on the native Taíno peoples.
He has exhibited throughout Cuba and Europe.