AREQUIPA, Peru – Rosalía Abreu was a controversial figure of the wealthy class in Cuba at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. She was also a beautiful, cultured, refined and intelligent woman. She stood out for her philanthropy, generosity and commitment to various social causes.
Recognized among Abreu’s achievements are the financing and equipping of the industrial technical school for women in Boyeros, which still bears her name.
Likewise, his residence in Paris, known as Casa Cuba, functioned as a hostel for Cuban students at the Sorbonne University. He supported numerous social causes, financing schools, hospitals and poorhouses.
Her love for her country was an equally notable trait of Rosalía. After the death in combat of Major General Antonio Maceo, she and her sister Marta de ella sent a generous donation of 100,000 pesos to the Delegation of the Cuban Revolutionary Party in New York to support the libertarian cause of the Island.
Beyond all these facts, the unique Cuban woman is mainly remembered for her love for animals, especially monkeys. That reason made her farm in Santa Catalina and Palatino, on the Hill, popularly known as “The Monkey Farm,” although its official name is “Las Delicias.”
On the estate, Abreu established a notable zoo that became the first known in Cuba during the first decades of the 20th century. The place was home to a surprising variety of animals, which included not only monkeys, such as orangutans and chimpanzees, but also parrots, parrots, peacocks, a brown bear, an elephant, a tiger, among others.
This space became the largest monkey reserve in the world at that time, containing more than 200 primates of 40 different species. This collection served as the basis for important anthropological studies, highlighting the work of Professor Robert Yerkes of Yale University, who in 1924 stated that “Las Delicias” had given rise to the most important anthropological study carried out up to that time.
The influence of “La Finca de los monos” transcended even in the artistic field, as demonstrated by the chapter that the American dancer Isadora Duncan dedicated to this place in her memoirs.
On Abreu’s property, monkeys that showed signs of intelligence were treated almost like humans. They lived inside the house, they were dressed and participated in domestic tasks such as serving the table, opening the door for guests and washing.
According to Jorge Oller in his book Five moments in monkey paradise (2014), one day the custodian of the farm scolded Anumá and the monkey, enraged, bit off two fingers from her left hand. He pulled the guard’s revolver from him to call for help with a shot into the air, but the primate attacked him again and the man defended himself by shooting him. The bullet penetrated the monkey’s body, but did not affect any vital organs, and the veterinarians decided not to remove the projectile at that time.
Two years later, an X-ray showed that the bullet had traveled toward the heart. He decided to extract it. The animal did not resist the anesthesia.
Rosalía had a close relationship with the apes, especially with her favorite pet, Jimmy, a chimpanzee who accompanied her in her daily activities, even traveling in the front seat of the car. However, rumors and criticism arose, fueled by the tabloid press, some even suggesting inappropriate relationships with the apes, which greatly contributed to the space becoming known as “The Monkey Estate.”
Rosalía Abreu died on November 3, 1930. Her animals ended up being transferred to research centers, universities, zoos and North American circuses.
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2024-05-06 08:56:11
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