The La Habana-based and mambo Silvia Garde and her son, hougan Yeser Sipriano, inaugurate Bwa Kayiman—Lakouzémi with an invocation to three orishas (spirits), asking for their guidance and support during the festival. They are called upon to open pathways across time, with Eleguá holding the keys, while Ogún protects against violence and disorder, and Obatalá, as creator of humans, offers guidance and governance. This blessing is intended  to collectively anchor the festival’s intentions in the principles of the lakou, a social institution made by and for the people, where spirituality is grounded in the cultivation of reciprocal care and plurality, and often led by matriarchs. Garde, matriarch of her lakou, opens by inviting those present to renew their commitment to collective liberation and one another, honouring her roots and echoing the historical significance of Bwa Kayiman itself.

The Garde family’s ancestors migrated to Cuba at the start of the last century. Their resilience and commitment to cultural preservation are reflected in their collaboration in Ésery Mondésir’s film Una Sola Sangre (2018), screened on the festival’s second day as a prologue to the kongossa entitled The Many Paths of Return.