A Taste of Cuba - University of Dayton : Homepages

CUBA Kevin Incitti Tiffany Howett Courtney Kase Ashley Burneka Brian Dougan

Cuba: A Brief History Kevin Incitti

Cuba: A Brief History • Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, and is located just 90 miles south of Key West • Original occupants of the island were Arawak Indians, were wiped out by Spanish

Cuba: A Brief History • US gained control of Cuba in the Spanish American War in 1898 • Through the Platt Amendment, Cuba was given Independence • The US had secured for itself the areas of Guantanamo and Bahia Honda, eventually giving up Bahia Honda for expanded control in Guantanamo, where they built a naval base

Cuba: A Brief History • US continuously intervened in Cuban affairs, throughout the early 1900’s • Intervened in the August and February Revolutions, and in elections, until Geraldo Machado was elected President in 1924 • Cuba was economically depressed and in political crisis opposition to Machado was growing • 1933 Fulgencio Batista leads the Sergeants Revolt, overthrowing the established administration

Cuba: A Brief History • Batista appoints Ramon Grau San Martin to power, who institutes sweeping range of social, economic, and political reforms

• Batista then removes Ramon Grau San Martin from power, seizes control • Batista establishes a new constitution in 1940, only to be defeated in the 1944 elections by Grau San Martin

Cuba: A Brief History • Cuba, still under the same regime, but now headed by Carlos Prio Socarras, was overthrown AGAIN, by Batista in 1952.

• In July of 1953, Fidel Castro plans an attack on the Moncada barracks, landing him in prison. • Soon thereafter, Castro is freed from jail, and goes to Mexico to train and organize, he then returns to Cuba.

Cuba: A Brief History • The US begins an arms embargo on the Batista Regime, which in turn, is interpreted as support for Castro • On January 1, 1959 Castro takes power in Cuba

Cuba: A Brief History • Still in power today, Castro consolidated power, seized properties, and has led Cuba through historical events such as – The Bay of Pigs – Cuban Missile Crisis – Fall of one time ally the Soviet Union – The Mariel Boatlift (responsible for the emigration of 125,000 Cubans to Florida) – increased US sanctions

Population Tiffany Howett

Population • 11.3 million • 70% live in urban areas, 30% in rural areas • Majority of population located in large cities of Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and Camaguey • 95% Spanish Speaking • 97% literacy rate

Population • Growth Rate: 34% as of late 2004

• Median Age: Total- 34.8 years Male- 34.2 years Female- 35.5 years

Population • Birth Rate: 12.18 births/ 1000 population (2004 estimate) • Death Rate: averaged 7.17 deaths/ 1000 population • Life Expectancy: – Total- 74.04 years – Male- 74.77 years – Female- 79.44 years

Population • Ethnic Groups: • 51% Mulatto • 37% White • 11% Black • 1% Chinese

Religion Ashley Burneka

Religion • Roman Catholic- 6,205,000 • Jehovah Witnesses-869,462,002 • Jewish-1000 • Other religions represented are- Protestant, Pentecostal, freemasonry and many afro-Cuban religions such as Santeria.

Religion • Due to centuries of slavery many African religions have developed in Cuba • Santeria or Regla de Ocha come from the Yoruba culture in Nigeria. • Practice magic, pray, divination, and sacrifice.

Religion • Abakua is another Afro-Cuban religion which is a secret society for males that is practiced in the western part of Cuba.

Economy Tiffany Howett

Economy • Gross domestic Product (GDP)- based on agriculture, industry, and services- about $32.13 billion on purchasing – 5.5% Agriculture – 27% Industry – 67.6% Services

• Today, most of the economy is run by the government, and is still recovering from the decline of GDP in 1989

Economy • Labor Force: In 2003 the labor force was 4.58, continues to rise – 24% work in Agriculture – 25% work in Industry Sector – 51% work in Services • According the Cuban Government 75% of the labor force is working for the state

Economy • Products: World producer of Sugar Cane – Also reliant on – – – – – – – – –

Tourism Coffee Potatoes Rice Petroleum Tobacco Nickel Steel Livestock

National/Pop Culture Brian Dougan

National/ Popular Culture • Education – – – –

High level of Cuban education 1/42 ratio Literacy 96% 95% ages six-sixteen

• Communication – – – – – –

Ministry of Communications Telecommunications infrastructure 1990’s cellular introduction China’s aid Choteo Print Publications

National/Popular Culture • Music – – – –

Afro-Cuban Bolero Classical Habanera

– – – –

Jazz Mambo Rumba Salsa

• Sports – Baseball – Boxing

– Cockfighting – Dominoes

National/Popular Culture • Festivities – Carnivals – New Years Day – Los Quince

– Three Kings Day – Noche Buena

• Community Life – Bodegas – Botanicas – Crime

– Divorce – Cigar Making – Guajiros

A Taste of Cuba: Food, Customs, and Material Life Courtney Kase

Customs • Everyday life (greetings) – Kissing and hugging • Carnival • The Conga • commemorates the days of Corpus Christi and the Epiphany

• “Primero de Enero or Dia de Ano” (New Year’s) • Los quince

Cuban Cuisine • Simple in concept, complex in flavor • Influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures • Although an island, fish is rarely used in cooking; meat is favored food especially beef • Staples in diet include: rice, beans, and vegetables

• Popular vegetables such as yucca (potato-like vegetable) and sweet potatoes • Cucumber abundant vegetable

Ajiaco: Cuba’s National Dish

Fried Plantains

Cuban Cuisine •

Breakfast • tostada and cafe con leche •

•

tostada is a portion of Cuban bread which is buttered then toasted on a grill. The cafe con leche is a combination of strong, espresso coffee with warm milk. Dunk bread into drink

Lunch • empanadas, chicken or meat turnovers, or Cuban sandwiches •

sandwich could be a media noche (midnight sandwich), consisting of a slice of pork, ham, and swiss cheese and then topped with pickles and mustard on sweetened egg bread.

Cuban Cuisine • Snack • Cuban bakeries famous for their finger foods, such as pastelitos, croquetas, bocaditos, and empanadas. Pastelitos are small flaky turnovers in various shapes filled with meat, cheese, guava, or a combination of guava and cream cheese. Bocaditos are small bite size sandwiches layered with a ham spread. • Dinner • Consists of a meat, chicken, or fish dish as the entree accompanied by white rice, black beans, and maduros, sweet fried plantains. • Followed by dessert of the typical flan, a Cuban caramel-flavored custard, and another shot of cafe cubano.

Cuban Cuisine • Holidays – small pig, marinated with salt, garlic, and sour orange juice, and then roasted over an open fire, and slowly cooked for several hours. – Served with congri, a white rice and black bean mixture also known as Moors and Christians, boniato in a garlic dressing, and maduros.

• U.S. influenced foods: • Hamburger “frita”

Drink • Rum – “Rum and Coke” known as “Cuba Libre” – Consumed at most meals – “Mojito” • Cuban rum, seltzer water, sugar, lime, and mint leaves

Material Life • Major industries • Tobacco and coffee competed with sugar since 19th century • Tourism most promising new activity for earning of hard currency • Reintroduction of animal traction for agriculture • Nickel is abundant mineral resource

Language Ashley Burneka

Language • Spanish is the official language of Cuba. • There are not various different dialects across nation. • English is spoken in many of the larger cities and tourist areas. Especially around Havana.

Language • Creole is also spoken in many eastern provinces of the island because of Haitian immigrants who fled to Cuba at the end of the Haitian revolution • Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union many students were taught Russian and German as second languages • After the collapse everything quickly switched to English, such as the classes taught in school and universities

Government/Social Order Brian Dougan

Government/ Social Order • • • •

Republic of Cuba Communist State Capital: Havana Administrative divisions – 14 Provinces

• Legal System – 3 Branches (Executive,Legislative,Judicial)

Government/Social Order • Political parties-Cuban Communist Party • Leader: Fidel Castro • Diplomatic Representation – In US-None – From US-None

• Independence – December 10, 1898-from Spain – May 20, 1902-form United States

Conclusion • Cuban people have dealt with a remarkably unstable history full of revolutions • Their economy struggles, and they are making a strong push to increase tourism • Fidel Castro’s power has been a mainstay for the last 50 years • Being in the US we mainly hear of the poor conditions in Cuba, rarely about their deep rooted culture, traditions, and celebrations

• While the living conditions in Cuba are poor for many, the people are strong and will continue to move forward

Questions?