‘Happy in La Habana’ pays homage to Pharrell in Cuba

OPINION

Watching “Happy in la Habana” for the first time was one of those moments that make me believe life is good and the world still a beautiful place: A group of young Cubans made a cover clip of Pharrell Williams’ “Happy.”

Reenacting the song’s music video has become a YouTube sensation as more happy people pop up from all corners of the world. Actually, a version titled “The Worldwide Compilation” includes fragments from a number of countries.

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Similar to other videos, “Happy in la Habana” shows common people dancing, singing, and displaying spontaneous happiness, something that is not so difficult with such contagious rhythm.

But, this one in particular resonates with me, because I know from experience how hard it’s to be happy in that island.

Being happy in Havana is as contradictory as any other aspect of island life. On one hand, you have repression of the most basic civil liberties, generalized poverty, and total decay of the country’s infrastructure and institutions.

Simple daily errands like putting food in your stomach, clothes on, or making it to work or school can easily become a draining challenge for most Cubans. The lack of a promising future–specially for young people–is one of the most serious disease Cuban society suffers.

Yet, Cubans manage to enjoy life and pursue happiness just like us in “la otra orilla.” They are warm, always surrounded by friends. They enjoy the weather, the beaches, and the wonderful landscape Havana (and other cities) provide. And more importantly, they live in a culture that fosters music and dance. The video exposes this contrast in a way only images can.

For younger Cubans, finding alternatives beyond the rich Cuban musical spectrum is still challenging. American music has always been the staple for them, despite decades of arduous efforts by the regimen to suppress it. Pharrell’s “Happy” plays into this.

I’m not surprised by how creative these guys were in producing the video, but I am taken aback by how slowly Cubans have been able to participate in the global community that the Internet is–in this case through YouTube. It’s very remarkable; I think and hope this is just the tip of the iceberg for the inevitable widespread of information, content, and connectivity at the hands of the Cuban people.

Ultimately, little things like “Happy” and “Happy in la Habana” are what make life bearable for Cubans on the island.

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