Cultural Study of Cuba

Continuing with this mini Cuban phase, inspired by the writings of Ernest Hemingway, I know focus on their culture. When I think of Cuban history and culture the first thing that comes to mind is Fidel Castro and their communist revolution. They have always been a rather isolated country, and perhaps even considered an enemy of the United States. But I think that has changed in the past 20 years and now Cuba has once again opened its doors to the world. After all before the revolution happened, Cuba was very friendly with the United States and was actually a hot spot of tourism. 

Despite it's unique history and association with the Soviet Union, Cuba is no doubt a country of Latin America. It was after all established by the Spanish Empire and thus Spanish is it's main language while Catholicism is it's main religion. Therefore it is quite similar to other Latin American cultures when it comes to the food, rhythmic music, the importance of family, and a good sense of humor and liveliness. I especially enjoy Cuban jazz music, the Cuban sandwich, their cigars, their unique colorful buildings, and of course the beautiful actress Anna de Armas. Havana is definitely on my bucket list some day to enjoy a nice tropical vacation. 

Cuban Cuisine

The first thing that comes to mind for me when I think of Cuban food is the tasty Cuban sandwich. It's a rather simple recipe of toasted bread with ham, pork, pickles, and swiss cheese. You can also add lettuce, tomatoes, and sauces for more flavor. Aside from this staple, Cuba has many countless dishes of the classic Latin variation of meat, rice, beans and fried plantains. Arroz con Pollo (rice and chicken) is a popular homecooked meal. They have many other similar dishes and deserts shared throughout Latin America such as empanadas, tres leche cake, flan, arroz con leche, papa rellena and so forth.

One of Cuba's most famous world products today are their cigars, considered the finest in the world. Tobacco is rich in the islands of Cuba, and the practice invented by the Mayans was later adopted by the Spanish Empire to produce and sell this product. Ever since it has become a massive industry for Cuba. Coffee is also popular in Cuba, with their iconic strong espresso known as the Cafe Cubano. They also contributed the popular drinks of Mojito (Rum, sugar, and lime) , and the Cuba Libre (Coke and Rum). 

Cuban Sports

While most of Latin America has football as their number one sport, in Cuba it is actually baseball. They have sent many professional the the American Major Leagues, won the gold medal in 1996 Olympics, and nearly won the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006, finishing 2nd to Japan. In the Olympic games they have performed quite well in the sports of boxing, where their great boxer Teofilo Stevenson won 3 gold medals at the 1972, 1976, and 1980 games. They have also performed quite well at the track and field events with notable gold performances from Dayron Robles (2008 high hurdles), Osleidys Menendez (2004 womens javelin), Anier Garcia (2000 high hurdles), Ivan Pedroso (2000 high jump), Maritza Marten (1992 disc throw), Maria Caridad Colon (1980 womens javelin) and the great Alberto Junatorena who won two gold medals in the 400m and 800m at Montreal in 1976.    

Cuban Music

The music of Cuba has a great fusion of European guitar and African rhythm. They are especially renown for their jazz music, a distinctive African rhythm of piano, congas, trumpet, bongos, claves, maracas, and saxophone. This musical style was actually introduced by American jazz artist Dizzy Gillespie in the 1950s which he dubbed as Afro-Cuban Jazz. The Son Cubano is a popular genre, alongside the habanera, the guaracha, the danzon, rumba, bolero, mambo, and of course salsa. While Reggaeton recently emerged out of Puerto Rico in the 1990s, it is also quite popular in Cuba. Most of their music is quite upbeat and ideal for expression and dancing. Some of the most famous Cuban musicians include Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan, and the Buena Vista Social Club.     

Cuban Literature

The father of Cuban Literature is regarded as Jose Marti who helped establish an identity and voice for the young nation during their struggles for independence in the late 1800s. He was considered a poet, philosopher, essayist, journalist, translator, professor, and publisher of literature. He founded numerous newspapers and is renown as the author of the famous song "Guantanemara". Other famous authors from the 1950s include Nicolas Guillen, Dulce Maria Loynaz, Jose Lezama Lima, and Alejo Carpentier. It should also be noted that the famous American author Ernest Hemingway spent some time living in Cuba throughout the 1940s-1950s and it was there that he was inspired to write some of his most famous novels including Islands in the Stream, The Old Man and the Sea, A moveable Feast, and For Whome the Bell Tolls. 

Cuban Architecture

I think Cuba, perhaps more so the city of Havana, has a very distinctive building style with its colorful facades. It is mostly vintage Spanish Colonial architecture, where the streets are lined with similiar buildings of arched doorways. The buildings are quite colorful with their balconies and overhanging plants it's quite pretty for a rather impoverished nation. It kind of reminds me of the city of New Orleans which also had similar colorful Spanish architecture in it's heritage. One of the most famous buildings in the country is the Havana Cathedral completed in 1777. The Capitol Building of Cuba, completed in 1929 has an impressive classical style with it's massive white dome. The Ministry of the Interior in the Plaza de la Revolucion has an iconic steel mural of Ernesto Che Guevara.   

Movies Set in Cuba

• Godfather Part II (1974): A major part of the plot takes place in Cuba during the months leading up to the 1959 Revolution. Michael Corleone has made a deal to invest in Cuban hotels and casinos with the Jewish mobster Hyman Roth. However Michael backs out of the deal after realizing the country is undergoing a revolution. 
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  Scarface (1980): Once again starring Al Pacino in a crime movie, this time he plays a drug lord who migrates from Cuba to Florida. While the story is mostly set in Florida, his character is driven by his Cuban background and desire to be free of communism.  
  
• Che Part One (2008): Starting Benecio del Toro, this great movie gives a raw account of Fidel Castro's guerilla war in the Sierra Maestra mountains of Cuba. It portrays the rural side of Cuba, where the peasants were actually the key players in supporting the resistance. 
• Papa Hemingway in Cuba (2015): A young journalist from Florida travels to Cuba to meet his lifelong inspiration, Ernest Hemingway during the 1959 revolution. 
• The Cuban (2019): An aging jazz musician with a case of amnesia, finds joy when a nurse plays Cuban jazz music for him. He is reminded of his happier days of love and music playing jazz in Cuba during the 1950s. 
• The Wasp Network (2019): Cuban defectors flee to the United States and cooperate with the United States secret service to infiltrate Castro's regime. The movie was mediocre however had an all star cast of Penelope Cruz, Edgar Ramirez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Wagner Moura, and the beautiful Anna de Armas.