Amidst the energy chaos and fuel crisis plaguing Cuba, many residents are being forced to improvise cooking solutions with scarce resources just to get by.
Two recently surfaced Facebook videos, posted by users Hermes Yasell-CubaFace and Julia Roque Hernández, showcase one of the most inventive yet risky solutions currently being used: a sawdust stove designed for cooking without electricity, gas, or even charcoal.
In the footage shared by Hermes Yasell, a Cuban woman named Miladys, living in Havana, demonstrates step-by-step how she constructed her stove, which she affectionately calls “El Futututo.”
She explains that she has to assemble it every evening after returning from work, precisely when the power outages are most noticeable. “It’s been over a month without water in my house, and now with no gas or electricity, I have no choice but to invent,” Miladys remarks as she constructs the makeshift device.
Although ingenious, the system highlights the extreme poverty faced by Cuban households. To create it, you need a metal can with a round hole at the bottom, through which a metal tube is inserted.
Inside the empty space of the can, sawdust is packed tightly so that it can burn slowly. The can must be placed on some iron structure to lift it off the ground because the fire is ignited from below.
With caution to avoid burns, the tube is gradually removed to allow oxygen to flow, causing the sawdust to ignite. Once the flames rise, the stove is ready for cooking.
According to Miladys, this type of fire can last for several hours, allowing for maximum use of minimal resources. However, the process demands patience, skill, and, most importantly, resignation to the lack of safe alternatives.
Meanwhile, in Julia Roque Hernández’s video, the combustion system is shown in greater detail, illustrating the flame’s intensity and the invention’s effectiveness, though it only accommodates cooking with one burner at a time.
These videos have gone viral on social media, depicting the harsh reality faced by the Cuban people, who are compelled to resort to survival tactics due to the regime’s inefficiency in providing basic services.
While the government continues to cite “technical issues” or “fuel shortages” as excuses for the blackouts and gas scarcity, Cubans once again demonstrate their resilience and creativity, albeit at the cost of their own safety and well-being.
The sawdust stove, a symbol of ingenuity and necessity, has become another testament to the daily deterioration in Cuba, where survival is a constant struggle against darkness, hunger, and a lack of essential resources.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis and Survival Tactics
Why are Cubans resorting to makeshift stoves?
Cubans are using makeshift stoves due to the severe energy crisis and fuel shortages, which have left many without reliable access to gas or electricity for cooking.
How does the sawdust stove work?
The sawdust stove operates by packing sawdust tightly into a metal can with a metal tube inserted through a hole at the bottom. When the tube is removed, oxygen flows in, igniting the sawdust to cook food.
What challenges do Cubans face with this cooking method?
This cooking method requires careful handling to avoid burns and demands patience due to its slow process. It's also a sign of the lack of safer and more reliable cooking alternatives under the current regime.