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Cuban Culture
Cuban music is the basis for many other Latin American musical styles, such as Salsa. The main musical form is Son. The Caribbean island of Cuba has been influential in the development of multiple musical styles in the 19th and 20th centuries. The roots of most Cuban musical forms lie in the cabildos, a form of social club among African slaves brought to the island. Cabildos preserved African cultural tradition. At the same time, a religion called Santería was developing and had soon spread throughout Cuba, Haiti and other nearby islands. Santería influenced Cuba's music, as percussion is an important part of the religion. By the 20th century, elements of Santería music had appeared in popular and folk forms. Cuban music has its principal roots in Spain and West Africa, but over time has been influenced by diverse genres from different countries. Most important among these are France, the United States, and Jamaica. On the other hand Cuban music has been immensely influential in other countries, contributing not only to the development of jazz and salsa, but also to Argentinian tango, Ghanaian high-life, West African Afrobeat, and Spanish "nuevo flamenco".
Being a very musical nation, Cubans love dancing. Many types of dance have originated in Cuba, for example the salsa dance called "casino". Great theatres stage quality plays, an excellent classic ballet, and a very live musical movement, from salsa to jazz and rock and a merge of salsa and jazz called "timba-jazz". Movie theatres show Latin American and European movies. Cubans also enjoy watching Cuba's four television stations, Cubavision, Tele Rebelde, Canal Educativo (Educative Channel) 1 and 2 (they were created as part of the new "Educational Revolution program, in which TV education is a main point and basis of the program). Sport Fidel Castro's belief in the benefits of sports (he loves and has played baseball) has resulted in Cuba's relative international success (for a population of 11 million) in sporting events such as the Olympic games. Unlike in most of Latin America (but like many nations of the Caribbean and some of Central America), football (soccer) is not a major game in Cuba but is gaining popularity. Baseball is the most commonly played game. Introduced by American dockworkers in Havana in the 19th century, the game has played a role in Cuban independence from Spain. Banned in 1895 by the Spanish, secret games funded José Martí's revolt. Cuban peloteros rank highly internationally and some have migrated to Major League Baseball in the United States. The national team finished second in the first World Baseball Classic against the Japanese national team. Boxing is also rather popular. Every year, Cuba holds the School Sports Games, a competition for school students. The best athletes from age 11 to 16 are invited to be tested for the Schools for Sports Initiation (Spanish acronym: EIDE). EIDE students attend regular classes, receive advanced coaching and take part in higher level competitions. The top graduates from this school enter one of several Schools of Higher Athletic Performance (Spanish acronym: ESPA). Cuisine Food in Cuba is rationed. A ration book called a libreta is supposed to guarantee a range of products from shops, however, there are still massive shortages and even rations are not guaranteed to be delivered timely or at all. See Rationing in Cuba for an explanation on this system. At a casa particular in Viñales, a pig is prepared for a feast. Beef and poultry are scarce. October 2002The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 ended grain imports from that country, which were used to feed cattle and chickens. Since 1991 beef, chicken, milk and eggs became scarce. A lack of fuel for agricultural machinery meant that crops had to be harvested manually, drastically decreasing Cuba's food production capabilities. These problems have improved a little in recent years, but shortages are still common. To supplement their rations, Cubans resort to non-rationed food stores (where prices are nevertheless several times those of the libreta), or to the black market.
One example of traditional Cuban cuisine, or criollo as it is called, is moros y cristianos, "Moors and Christians", rice with black beans. Criollo uses many different seasonings, with some of the most common being onion and garlic. Cassava, rice, beans, eggs, tomatoes, lettuce, chicken, beef and pork are all common ingredients. Cuban Coffee is of high quality and grown mainly for export, the common (non tourist) coffee drunk in Cuba is imported from Africa. Religion
In the 1970s, the relationship between the government and religious institutions (especially the Catholic Church) began to improve. By 1976, the state granted Cuban citizens religious freedom, with some restrictions, and in 1992, the constitution was amended to allow total religious freedom. About 25% of Cubans today are Catholic. Some Catholic traditions were lost, but the church has imported the Mexican Christmas plays (pastorelas) trying to reconnect Cubans to Christianity. Another large religion in Cuba is Santería. Santería is a blend of Catholicism and traditional Yoruba religions. When African slaves first arrived in Cuba during the 1500s, they were taught a few simple prayers and were baptised by the Spanish. The slaves combined this limited form of Catholicism with their traditional religions to create Santería, which survives to this day. There is also a Jewish community in Cuba, primarily made of up descendents of Sephardic Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisiton. In the early 20th century, they were joined by Ashkenazic Jews from Eastern Europe. Though the Jewish community is small, the religion is, like Catholicism, undergoing a revival.
As with much of Latin America, Spanish is spoken in Cuba. Since 1959, men will sometimes be called compañero, and women compañera, both meaning companion. Many words from Cuban Amerindian languages have entered common usage in both Spanish and English, such as the Taíno words canoa, tabaco and huracán. When speaking to the elderly, or to strangers, Cubans speak more formally as a sign of respect. They shake hands upon greeting someone and farewelling them. Men often exchange friendly hugs (abrazos) and it is also common for both men and women to greet friends and family with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Informalities like addressing a stranger with 'mi corazon' (my heart) or 'mi vida' (my life)) are not uncommon. Street impressions One of many Cuban Maquinas, aka Yank tanksThe most striking is the traffic, with a combination of 1940's and 1950's cars (named maquinas or yank tanks), Russian trucks and public transport in the form of buses named camellos after their camel-shape. Some vehicles are gifts from other countries, so one can see buses with a Dutch destination displayed at the front or ambulances with Welsh lettering. As is to be expected in a Socialist country, there are hardly any commercials, but many slogans instead, which can vary from the name 'Fidel' scratched on a floor via a mural saying "Drinking is bad for your health" to a large sign saying "One person is worth a million times more than all the possessions of the richest man in the world". Strikingly, there are few depictions of Fidel Castro in the streets and only a few of Che Guevara. However, statues of José Martí, who is a Cuban hero of before and after the Revolution can be found on almost any square.
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