"Above all, Cuba is its people. surely, you will find remarkable its lush landscape and tropical climate, its striking features as a living museum of architecture and vintage cars, and its rich history and sensual rhythms. But all that would be nothing, nada, just an aftermath of an imaginary neutron bomb, were it not for the very special sum of all its parts - from the magic to the mundane - embodied in about 11 million souls."
"Beyond their genetic good fortune, they now rank high among nations in their health, education, and welfare. They radiate pride in self and family and country. Their individual and collective friendliness and joy is infectious and it is one of the most remarkable facets of Cuba to be discovered and savored." read more |
Cubans distinctly embody pride and joy |
CultureThe culture of Cuba reflects the island's influences from various cultures, primarily European (Spanish), Taino, and African. This is evident in the direct and dynamic yet open and witty humorous idiosyncrasy of most Cubans. However, during the period of the republic (1901–1959) Cuban culture was also heavily influenced by the USA. This was evident in music, sports, architecture, finances, among others. In some aspects many Cubans saw Cuban culture more closely related to American than Mexican or other neighboring Latin American nations. During the revolutionary period (1959-) as Cuba was surprisingly and abruptly declared a communist state; Cuba was internally isolated and exposed to a Russian presence. However, this presence only contributed to the dictatorial formation, nature, and structuring of the new Stalinist Cuban regime but left very little, if any, cultural contribution.
Unarguably one of the most distinctive parts of Cuban culture is Cuban music... . Cuban literature includes some of the most well-known names of the islands, such as writer and independence hero José Martí in the late 19th century. More contemporary Cuban authors include Daína Chaviano, Pedro Juan Gutiérrez, Antonio Orlando Rodríguez, Zoé Valdés and Leonardo Padura. The Spanish language is spoken by virtually all Cubans on the island itself. Cuban Spanish is characterized by the reduction of several consonants, a feature that it shares with other dialects. Source: Wikipedia |
Perhaps the greatest etiquette concern is about what you say. Open criticism of the government or of Fidel or Raúl Castro is a major taboo. Don't do it -- especially in open public places. The police, community revolutionary brigades, and reprisals for vocal dissent are an ongoing legacy of Cuba's political reality. One effect of this is that while Cubans you meet will often be very open and expressive with you, they tend to immediately clam up the minute another Cuban unknown to them enters the equation. Greetings:
Shaking hands is common for both men and women. Men and women who are friends may hug and kiss on the cheek. Being formal and not using first names at first is appropriate. Personal Space Personal space is a little closer that than in the US. - around one to one and a half feet. Touching is common among friends. |
Birthdays
In Cuba the birthday is a very large celebration. It is not just centered around the family and the friends of the child. Coworkers of the parents, neighbors and others are invited even if they do not have any children to invite. It usually involves a piñata for children
Carnivals In the summer, Santiago de Cuba celebrates the island's best carnival. It includes rumba music, conga processions, fanciful floats, and wild costumes. Carnaval de Santiago |
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Children
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"Another payoff from those years of ballet training: Cubans walk with extraordinary dignity and grace. In addition, most Cubans complete high school and some 25% receive some university education. In Cuba, almost any citizen you encounter on the streets can respond in complete sentences and even paragraphs."
by Reichard Feinberg excerpt from 10 Takeaways from Cuba, World Post, 2015 |
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Lectors in Cigar Factories
In the absence of printing presses, reading aloud to an audience was once the only effective way to communicate the written word to a large number of people.
read more from Havana journal |
Havana has bronze statue honoring a street person
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