My full name is Lino Ángel Molina. I am from Guanacaste, from Cañas. I was born in the year 1944; grew up there until reaching 25 years of age. At that time we had an uncle visiting who was working with the banana company. In the year 1969 he came to spend the holidays. He came often to visit and he said, let’s go there, to the Zone. He called it the Banana Zone. Diay, I said, it’s ok. I will go with you; and I came here. It was the year 1969.
I came to Finca 2-4, here in Palmar. After some three months I was transferred here to Finca 10. Diay, I stayed here, as they say, to make the three months trial. Diay, I stayed and made a record of 15 years working for the Bananera.
Where we lived was called San Juan de Cañas. Back then I was single, still living with my parents and working in agriculture. We had a visit from a man from Santa Cruz who played marimba. He said: I am going to make a marimba, and he did. There I learned to play marimba. I learned to play marimba with my other brothers. Back then marimba was played at school parties. I learned to play marimba and how to make one too.
I came here, to Palmar and there I had a marimbilla. But one day I came to thinking, I can build a marimba. Diay, I playfully got myself to do one and then another one and the second time it was better. Let’s say I could already play marimba, and I had seen that man back then manufacture one. Anyone can make a marimba but the thing is tuning the marimba. To make it sound, that requires Science. Removing from the center and removing from the side; and tuning it with one made of bamboo, and making it sound so good, so that the ensemble with the tabla and the jícara, it sounds well.
Oh, yes, a vast majority of the people came from Guanacaste. You should have seen how many people from Guanacaste were living back then here in Palmar.