It seems as though MacGyver could learn a thing or two from Cubans. Condoms, which are plentiful in the Caribbean country, are being used for a number of purposes including fermenting wine, fishing and fastening a pony tail — in addition to sex.
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A push for sexual health and government subsidies have made the latex sheaths ubiquitous in Cuba, as well as incredibly cheap. A box of three condoms costs only one Cuban peso, which comes to about $1.30. Add this to the fact that basic household goods are in short supply, and it seems necessity is (ironically) the mother of invention.
“We can’t allow clients to leave upset that we couldn’t do something because we lacked the tools, so instead we look for alternatives,” Sandra Hernandez, a stylist at a Havana hair salon, who uses condoms as hairbands, said to Reuters.
Other cosmetic uses include balloons for children’s birthday parties, polishing agents for car dashboards and makeshift flasks for sneaking rum into nightclubs.
On an even more ingenious level, Cubans are known to tie a number of condoms together and affix bated fishing hooks to them. By keeping them close to the shore but giving them a longer reach, fishermen are able to catch more fish despite being prevented from wandering too far into the waters (strict controls won’t allow them to stray for fear of illegal emigration).
“The aim is to catch the bigger fish,” said Angel Luis Nunez, a fisherman on the capital’s Malecon seafront boulevard.
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Winemakers have also made good use of condoms by stretching them over the necks of bottles instead of aging in oak casks. An erect condom indicates fermentation is taking place as it fills with carbon dioxide; a deflated one means it’s complete.
“It really increases the alcohol percentage and improves the process of fermentation, as well as that of clarification,” Orestes Estevez, who makes his own wine at home, said.
Ironically, however, just because condoms are in good supply, that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily being used for their intended purpose.
The Moments and Vigor brands, which are made in India, Malaysia and Indonesia, are the most commonly available, but they’re not the most desirable.
“Their scent is unforgettable, and not in a good way,” a young woman in Havana said to The Economist.
As a result, she often asks friends or relatives to bring back the Durex variety when they travel abroad.