Ramón "Mongo" Rives Amador, the King of Sucu-Suco, Dies in His Native Isla de la Juventud

January 23, 2022

Ramón Rives Amador, popularly known as Mongo Rives, passed away on Friday, January 21 at the age of 92. The distinguished musician, creator of sucu-suco, has moved on to another dimension in the history of music and Cuban culture. He, who earned the well-deserved title of King of Sucu-suco, has said goodbye to his people who loved him, respected him, and admired him not only in Isla de la Juventud, the same island that always kept him there, among songs and popular folk verses, but throughout all of Cuba and the world.

Who doesn't remember Mongo's contagious performances of "I Want to Dance with María Elena"; "Give Me the Pig's Tail"; "Pretty Little Pineapple"; "Catalina, My Neighbor"; "The Goat Was Left Without Clothes" and "Santa Fe, Beloved Town," which he brought to countless country parties in fields and villages, with his instruments, many of them crafted by his own hands, where birthdays were celebrated or the happy end of a harvest was marked. For this, and for his defense of our culture, he was deservedly awarded the National Prize for Community Culture.

Yes, because what always characterized him was his attachment to his native land, especially to the countryside, where you could see him working with his own hands, where he found the most incredible stories and motifs to later transform them into poetry and songs, which he then shared with grace and professionalism throughout the Pinar region and beyond. An entire island danced and laughed with Mongo Rives.

In a note from the Cuban Institute of Music, it is also highlighted that Mongo, who during his intense and successful musical career dignifiedly represented the most authentic aspects of our cultural traditions and proudly and humbly defended his deep popular roots, also managed to earn, through his Cuban spirit and steadfast commitment to his people, other recognitions, such as the Distinction for National Culture and a replica of Máximo Gómez's machete.

With his special talent for music, the note states, the singular musician began from a very early age promoting this contagious rhythm, sucu-suco, and founded his Quintet, which he called Tumbita Criolla, with which he made his debut in late 1945. For more than 40 years the artist shared his art from his original condition as an amateur artist and recorded in 2002 his first studio album: "Mongo Rives and his Tumbita Criolla. This is Sucu Suco!" with the Cuban record label Bis Music.

In his modest home there was always a school where, as long as he was able, he taught the youngest people from Pinar the secrets of that authentic genre where different melodies are sung. Today Mongo Rives' Creole lute might seem silent, but it is not, nor will it ever be.