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Forging a Regional Speleology: Publications, Friendship, and Identity in Cuban and Venezuelan Cave Science and Exploration

2019; University of Texas Press; Volume: 18; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/lag.2019.0034

1548-5811

María Alejandra Pérez,

Urbanism, Landscape, and Tourism Studies

This paper examines the regional geographies of speleology—the science of caves—in Cuba and Venezuela since 1967. Both countries are among the few in Latin America that forged a speleology of national scope with international impact. In particular, three aspects are considered: 1) the vision and creation of Latin America's own regional speleology federation in 1983; 2) the only Venezuelan speleological expedition beyond its borders, in 1995 in Holguín, Cuba; and 3) the role of the Boletín de la Sociedad Venezolana de Espeleología (BSVE). Of these three, the third is the most consequential. Cuban speleologists make up the single largest international contribution to the BSVE. Interviews with five of these authors reveal the impact and importance that the BSVE had in promoting Cuban speleology beyond its borders. Identified as serious, scientifically rigorous, and valuable because it was published in Spanish, the BSVE not only promoted speleology, but also helped forge friendships among speleologists in both countries. Despite the highly physical and experiential qualities of speleological practice, regionally between Cuba and Venezuela these geographies of speleology are quite personal and textual, and offer an intriguing window into Latin American field science that challenged dominant Cold War geopolitical categories.