Geography, School of Environment & Development

CUBA FIELDCOURSE 2010

Geography, school of environment & development University of Manchester

Name: ______CONTENTS

Page Introduction, Travel and Accommodation details, Contacting Staff 2 Organisation and General Itinerary 3 Orientation 8 Fieldcourse Themes 9 Doing Urban Research 12 Culture, History and People 16 Cuban Timeline 17 Fidel Castro and Contemporary Histories of Cuba 21 Cuban Five 26 Key Figures in Cuba’s Contemporary Cultural History 27 Living in Cuba: Population, Politics and Economy 30 Politics 31 Economy 32 People 36 Religion 37 Sport 39 Cuban Landmarks 40 Thursday: Historical Office, Havana Veija and Centro Habana: 41 Friday: University, Revolution Square and Vedado 56 Saturday: Outside Havana 65 Sunday: Project Time 71 Monday: Tourism, Playas del Este 72 Tuesday: Tours and Assessment 75 Practical Information 80 Health and Safety Information 81 Safety Advice from Foreign and Commonwealth Office 86 Eating in Havana 91 What should I bring? 92 Insurance Details 93

2 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook INTRODUCTION

This handbook is intended to provide you with most of the basic information that you will need while you are in Cuba. It provides you with an itinerary; details of the assessment of the fieldcourse and some practical information.

Accommodation We will be staying at the Hotel Vedado Calle O e/ 23 y 25, Vedado. Ciudad de La Habana Telephone 00(537) 8364072

Flight Details Outward Journey Wednesday 24h March: Virgin Atlantic (VS63) Gatwick South Terminal (11.45) to Havana Jose Marti (arr 17.40) Note: ensure you are at the check-in desk by 08.30

Return Journey Wednesday 31st March: Virgin Atlantic (VS64) Havana Jose Marti (19.10) to Gatwick, South Terminal (arr 09.25, Thursday 1st April)

Remember: There is a $25CUCs departure tax (per person) to be paid in cash on departure from Cuba.

Staff Contact Details: Students can contact us on 00447770220991 (Gavin) or 00447786335295 (Neil) from Tuesday 23rd March. If you are calling from a Cuban phone (e.g. from the hotel), then dial 119 44 7770220991 (Gavin) or 119447786335295 (Neil).

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 3 ORGANISATION

The following itinerary outlines what we will be doing each day. You will have to organise your time to complete the activities set and to make time for your project work. Make sure that you read the relevant pages of your handbook before setting out each morning. Don’t just wander the streets – make sure that you address the questions that are set, keep notes in fieldwork notebook. Rather than just ‘getting from one location to the next’, use each day to think about how you can develop your tour – try to walk between locations rather than getting taxis and use all the time you have available so that you have a good knowledge of the city.

General Itinerary Wednesday: Flights & Orientation If the flights are on time, we should arrive in Havana in the early evening. In order to get used to the time difference between Cuba and the UK, you need to stay up until at least 10pm.

Thursday: Old Havana Convene in the hotel lobby at 9.00am. Today, you will be spending most of the day in Old and Central Havana. We will walk to Old Havana along the Malécon and you should spend any spare time you have in Old Havana and Centro. 10.30am-12.00 Talk on restoration activities and tour of main sites by Pablo Fornet, Havana Historical Office. Meeting at Pablo’s office (Plan Maestro, Empedrado Street # 151, just in Cathedral Square - yellow, two-storeys, 18th century house known as Casa del Conde Lombillo). Walk back through Central Havana. For activities during the day see Handbook. 6pm Tutorial Meetings.

Friday: Vedado Convene in the hotel lobby at 9.00am. Today will be spent in Vedado. You will need to walk up to the University, Revolution Square, Colon cemetery and then back to Vedado via Calle 23. For activities during the day see Handbook. 6pm Meeting with Staff.

4 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Saturday: Outside Havana All day coach trip out of Havana, leaving from the Hotel at 9 am. Over the course of the day we will examine a variety of physical and social environments outside of the city. These will enable you to put what you see and find in Havana in context, and to get a sense of Cuban life beyond the capital. Details to follow. Make sure that you make good use of your time today – while we are on the coach, we will have an English speaking tour guide so think about the kinds of questions that you might want to ask. You can also use the travel time to discuss what you have found over the previous two days, and to think about how you might incorporate it into the projects.

Sunday: Project Day Today is dedicated to project and tour preparation. You may have access to a translator (Lisa) during the day should you need her services. 6pm Meeting with Staff.

Monday: Tour Preparation and Playas Del Este Morning: Visit to the American Special Interests Section. Assemble in hotel lobby at 10am WITH YOUR PASSPORT. Afternoon coach trip to the coast to examine recent developments in tourism. Timings to follow.

Tuesday: Tours & Assessment Tours will start at 9am and 2pm. You will be required to meet staff after the final tour to negotiate final marks for the tour you are assessing. Reminder, your tour should be:  Three to six sites of interest (carefully chosen)  Length - 1½-2 hours and not more than 3 miles from tour starting point

Wednesday: Free Time & Return You will have Wednesday morning free for final sightseeing and shopping. Please make sure you arrive in plenty of time for departure to the airport.

Brief information about each location is found later in this handbook along with some preliminary questions about each site. These questions should get you started but are not intended to be an exhaustive list.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 5 Each day, we want you to start at 8-9am – when it is relatively cool. Take a long lunch break (from 12-2pm) to avoid the midday sun. We will meet up most evenings to discuss the research you have done during the day.

Aims:  To develop a critical understanding of the geographies of socialist & post-colonial Cuba  To develop an understanding of geographical concepts, ideas and approaches in human geography particularly in socio-cultural, political ecology and economic geography  To encourage critical reflection, independent study and thought about geographical and real-world issues  To introduce a range of research skills in geography and to develop an enquiring, critical and organised approach to specialist research  To develop communication, teamwork, fieldwork and interpersonal skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes: By the end of the fieldcourse, you should be able to:  Display an understanding of theories and ideas in geography that help us to explain the ‘real world’ particularly in the context of Cuba;  Demonstrate a critical awareness of the distinctiveness of places and the ways in which such distinctiveness is constituted

6 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  Design and undertake a piece of original research based on fieldwork undertaken in Cuba  Demonstrate a range of skills including critical thinking, problem posing, analysis, independent learning, team work and communication skills.

Learning Styles: Like all fieldcourses, the fieldcourse to Cuba offers you the opportunity to learn in a ‘real world’ environment. Havana offers a stimulating and exciting environment within which to work. Much of what you see and do will be very different to anything you have experienced before. Cuba is a very ‘different’ place given its continued engagement with socialism, its location relative to the US, recent revolution and relative poverty. There will be lots of opportunities for discussing what you see in Cuba both with us and your colleagues.

One of main aims of this fieldcourse is to encourage you to learn actively and to engage in critical discussion and debate about the place you are in. In other words, we want you to do more than just looking at what is around you. You will need to think about why things are different, what kinds of structures operate to make Cuba different, how is place constituted? You will need to be able to think on your feet and to analyse what you are seeing. You will need to be able to make links to similar (or very different) observations in the academic literature.

Organisation: You will be working in teams during the sessions before we travel and while we are in Cuba. You will need to think about the relative strengths of people in your group and, thereby, devise ways of working effectively as a team. You should have developed a research project before we arrive in Havana. Your project should be based on research questions that emerge from the academic literature. You need to think about similar projects that have been undertaken either in Cuba or in other parts of the world. What were their findings? How did they go about the project? You will need to decide on your methodology. If you speak Spanish, you may want to talk to people in Havana (although see Health and Safety Information). Alternatively, you may want to use more qualitative observational techniques and will need to read about these methods in advance.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 7 The real world doesn’t always necessarily work out and you may need to adapt you project on arrival in Havana. The fieldcourse staff will be there to discuss any ideas you have but this is your project and you need to ensure that your group have undertaken sufficient preparatory work to make appropriate adjustments. The more you read about Havana and Cuba in advance the less you are likely to have to change your project. However, if your reading has been very focussed around one particular topic then you may find that you are not adequately prepared for an alternative.

While we are in Havana, we will meet you most evenings for discussions. Everyone will be expected to participate fully in group discussions. This is your opportunity to explore what other people have seen and how they have analysed what they have seen. You may agree or disagree with these ideas but discussion is a good way to ensure your ideas are clear. Similarly, you should use staff as a resource to explore some issues and discuss your ideas. At the end of the fieldcourse, you will be asked as a group to lead one or two members of staff and one other group on a tour of selected locations within the city. We will not necessarily expect everyone in the ‘team’ to lead the tour – you need to assign roles so that each team member participates fully by working on the area that most clearly reflects their own strengths.

8 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook ORIENTATIONS

Orientation: The Hotel is located in Vedado (close to Nacional de Cuba Hotel on the map). The heart of Vedado is Calle 23 (also known as La Rampa). Vedado is linked to Habana Vieja via the Malecón (Sea wall), a road along the seafront. If you walk from the hotel towards the seafront you will reach the Malecón. Central and Old Havana are to the right while Mirimar is to the left (as you are facing the sea).

Centro Habana: As you walk along the Malecón from Vedado, you will first reach Centro Habana, which extends from Padre Varela (Vedado) to Ave de las Misiones (Old Havana). This area is the commercial area of the city and houses important locations within the city including the Capitolio Building, Parque Central and Museo de la Revolución. As you walk towards Old Havana, turn right and walk towards the Capitolio Building along Paseo de Marti. From here, you can walk into the centre of Havana Vieja via Calle Obispo.

Havana Vieja: This is the area of the city where the influence of Spanish colonialism is most obvious. Many of the buildings date from the 16th century and, although a relatively small area, the neighbourhood is home to 70,000 Cubans.

Plaza de la Revolución: This square is found some way to the north of the hotel and is the area in which Soviet influence is most obvious. It remains the area of government within the city. When you come out of the hotel, walk away from the Malecón towards the University and then along Avenue de la Independencia.

Google Earth is a useful resource for getting a sense of the city before we travel.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 9 FIELDCOURSE THEMES

This fieldcourse explores the socio-cultural, political ecology and economic geographies of Cuba. It provides an opportunity for you to explore issues of post-colonialism, globalisation, socialism and development in the field.

The fieldcourse is centred around a number of themes that inform the visits to different locations within and outside Havana including  Socialism under challenge?  Globalisation or Dislocation?  Cultural Identity and Post-colonial legacies  Social Control in Cuba  Urban ecologies: green Havana?  Environmental histories: legacies of sugar, tobacco, tourism and biotech

Socialism under challenge? Despite the collapse of state socialism in Eastern Europe almost 20 years ago, Cuba nominally remains a socialist country. This fieldcourse will explore the lasting impacts of socialism on Havana in a range of areas including the economy, housing, health and education. We will also look for evidence of the ‘marketisation’ of some aspects of Cuban life since the early 1990s and consider the extent to which this represents real change to the dominant socialist system.

Globalisation or dislocation? For the neoliberal orthodoxy, disengagement from the global economy will inevitably stifle growth. For the Cuban leadership, the global economy is an extremely uneven playing field that holds many dangers for small, developing countries. We will explore these tensions through reflecting on the various dimensions and geographies of Cuba's external relations including: the ongoing US trade embargo; historical links to the Soviet bloc and their virtual collapse since 1989; fluctuating exports of primary

10 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook commodities; imports of oil and manufactured goods; and inward investment in tourism and other growth industries. Exploring these connections allows us to interpret Cuba’s position in the global system with respect to key regional economies such as North America, Latin America and the EU.

Cultural identity and post colonial legacies: Cuba has multiple histories, each of which have left their mark on its people and landscapes, and which give Cuba an identity distinct from its Caribbean neighbours. For example, the are ‘visual’ legacies in Old Havana from the Spanish colonists of the 17th and 18th centuries, US ‘colonists’ whose legacy is found particularly in Vedado and Soviet Influences around Revolution Square. We will examine these ‘visual’ legacies of past colonists and more subtle legacies evident in the social, political, cultural and economic landscapes of Cuba. You will explore the ways in which diverse cultural identities are expressed in Havana and the ways in which the geographical and social location of Cuba have influenced the cultural fusion and identity of the nation and its people.

Social control in Cuba: regulating the body Our bodies are regulated in a number of ways that result in our compliance with social norms, traditions and customs. At times, such regulation is formalised through laws, statutes and regulations but, equally, we regulate our own bodies because of the sanctions of criticism, shame and social exclusion. Such regulation is considered as a form of social control that is perpetuated through discourses that have a normalising and regulatory function. As such, dominant discourses create and disseminate ‘truths’ about the world and about society but often such discourse reflects the uneven power relations within a particular society.

Urban ecologies: green Havana? We normally think of cities as spaces that are separate from nature. Yet urban areas are intimately connected to the environment: cities are constituted through flows of materials (water, food, energy, wastes) while the city’s morphology and infrastructure influence its impact on the environment. Havana is a good place to explore this way of thinking about the contemporary city in ecological terms. While official socialist policy championed rational (environmental) planning over the inefficiencies and failures of the market, there is plenty of evidence in and around Havana that Cuba has not escaped pollution and environmental degradation. Fossil fuel shortages, limited imports and a general lack of purchasing power,

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 11 however, have driven several innovative approaches to transportation, recycling and agriculture within the city, particularly since the ‘special period’ of austerity caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union. Today some of the ‘green’ practices developed in Havana are heralded as models to which other cities might look when planning for a post-oil, carbon- aware future.

Environmental histories: legacies of sugar, tobacco, tourism and biotech Like many tropical economies, Cuban history is punctuated by a series of resource booms as different aspects of its tropical ecology (plants, soils, climate) became valued as commercial resources. The incorporation of Cuba into the world economy from the colonial period onwards– and its partial isolation since the 1950s – has driven several waves of landscape change, each associated with the production of a different tropical commodity: deforestation for timber, the spread of sugar and then tobacco plantations, the development of coastal tourism, and more recently biotechnology. These booms not only transformed the rural hinterlands of the island; the wealth and power they produced also re-configured the urban landscapes of Havana. The fieldcourse will try to interpret the built landscape of Havana as an historical process of ordering and re-ordering natures near and far.

12 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook ‘DOING’ URBAN RESEARCH

Introduction: In Cuba, you are going to spend much of time undertaking urban research using a range of qualitative methods. It is easy to end up simply looking at the landscape and the landmarks of Havana describing what you see without developing any ‘insights’. In order to develop such ‘insights’, you need to think more generally about how geographers do urban research and remember than all your analysis should be theoretically informed that is, you need to do more than ‘look-see’. It is important to develop your ideas by reading and interpreting the literature in a critical way. In your tour, you will need to justify your interpretations and be able to answer questions about ‘methods’ as well as ‘content’.

Qualitative Methods in Human Geography: Although often understated, qualitative methods have a long history in urban research. Through the ethnographic work of the Chicago School in the 1920s and the radical wave in the late 1960s and early 1970s to the most recent post-modern turn in the 1990s, geographers have been sensitive to the ‘making’ of geography – that is, how geographers produce geography.

Qualitative techniques have allowed geographers to draw upon people’s everyday experiences to theorise the city. Or, put another way, non-statistical methods and, in particular, semi-structured interviews, have been used to re-think the way the city is organised and how it is undergoing a series of transitions. This attention to methodological detail has been most clearly noted in the last twenty years. Here, increased intellectual effort has been devoted to the honing of how urban knowledge is produced, by whom, and for what purposes. Involving a range of actors – the socially included and excluded – in the production of their own geographies is one of the aims of contemporary research in and of the city. In order to do research in the city, the researcher needs to be sensitive to a range of qualitative techniques. Here we outline three, giving you a brief insight into how to do urban research. We deliberately move beyond the semi-structured interview, which most of you will be familiar with, and instead want to introduce alternative ways for you to think about the production of geography.

Reading the city: Textual analyses of landscape have a long history in geography. Recent attention in the discipline to textual deconstruction and the importance of language in

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 13 structuring the urban environment has extended our concern to making sense of place through readings of landscapes. Urban geographers have been to the fore of this development. Recently, work has focused on how cities can be ‘read’. This technique involves interpreting the built environment in terms of the values, views, attitudes and power embodied in the physical infrastructure so, Jacobs (1993) talks about the ‘representational city’. She outlines how new ways of thinking about and interpreting the city have accompanied changes in the organisation of cities. This deconstructionist technique - it literally demands we move beyond the superficial and take apart structure and consider meanings - of analysing social relations in a city through its many landscapes is, according to Low (2000), one that binds together anthropologists, ethnographers, geographers and sociologists.

When we are in Cuba, one of the main ways in which we will ask you to think about the city is as a text. In particular, you will be asked to reflect on how buildings, spaces, places and monuments can be ‘read’ in order to develop an understanding of culture, politics, power and geographies of Havana. You will need to think about the multiple and contested ways that we can read the city and to offer informed interpretations of your readings of the landscape.

Consider, for example, some of the ways that cultural geographers ‘read’ the landscape:  Landscape is a clue to culture: Changes in the landscape will equate with changes in culture and vice verse. A major transformation in the cultural look of a landscape is indicative of a major change in culture (beliefs, principles, practices, values etc.).  Cultural landscape equality: As geographers, we can look at all kinds of features of the landscape and no one is necessarily more or less important than another e.g. we are interested in homes, shops as much as iconic buildings – everyday landscapes can tell us a lot about everyday culture.  History and landscape: To read a landscape ‘properly’ a researcher needs to know something of the history of a place  Geographic context: A landscape (natural or built) can only be understood with reference to surrounding places and landscapes.  Landscape obscurity: A landscape does not ‘speak’ to us very clearly – we need to ask the right questions and to look the right way.

14 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  Landscape silences: The silences of landscape (what is absent) can be as important as the texts of a landscape. Silences may be an integral part of culture and reflective of power relations within culture and society.

Ethnographic takes on the city: As part of the turn towards more qualitative techniques, from the-mid 1980s onwards, ethnographic research enjoyed a renaissance in social geography. In a review paper, Peter Jackson (1985: 157) set out how the traditional methods of the ethnographer were being used by others in the social sciences, as a means of understanding the everyday practices of urban residents. Ethnography relies on the analysis of everyday lives of individuals. In order to use this technique to explore change in the organisation of the city, geographers have inserted this attention to the ‘local’ within its broader context. This means, situating the material generated through the observations of interaction, negotiation, dispute etc within changes in the layout of cities, the political- economic context, etc.. So, the question is what techniques should geographers use in order to ‘read’ the city, or to study it ethnographically?

Thinking … In general:  What/whose values are embodied in the contemporary built environment?  How have they changed, and what wider changes in culture, politics, economy and society do they reflect?  Do the same values dominate across Havana, or can we see the built environment differ between blocks or areas? For example, what kinds of cultural and social values are inscribed in the landscapes of Central and Old Havana? Have certain values take precedent over others in the evolution of Havana?  Reading the landscape as a text – what does Havana tell us about Cuba’s colonial past? How can the city of Havana be ‘read’ as text that speaks of Cuba’s turbulent history? What values are inscribed or written into Havana’s different urban landscapes? How have they changed over time?  What does the Havana landscape reveal about the (changing) nature of Cuba's economy?  How can political change be detected in the city today?  Think about the organisation of space within Havana – look at the ways in which public and private space are organised and examine the way Cubans use the space of the city.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 15 People and Places:  How do different groups (economic, social, cultural, ethnic etc.) use the city? How do the different uses of the city overlap? Do they co-exist or are there tensions?  How are various groups of Cubans be seen to be 'making a living' in the different parts of Havana?  How do Cuban bodies ‘perform’ within that landscape – e.g. ritualised walking in the squares of Old Havana and along the Malecon (Centro Habana)? How do people ‘behave’ in particular places – what is appropriate/inappropriate behaviour?  How is place important in consolidating people’s identities? How do people construct places and how do places construct people? In what ways do people and places derive their identities from each other?  How does history impact upon Habanero’s everyday lives?  How is the place different (think about sounds, smells, different parts of the city etc.)?

References: Hubbard, P. (2006) The City (London: Routledge) Jackson P (1985) Urban ethnography. Progress in Human Geography 9: 157-177. Jacobs J (1993) The city unbound: Qualitative approaches to the city. Urban Studies 30: 827- 848. Low S (2000) ‘Introduction: Theorizing the city’ in Low S (ed.) Theorizing the city: The new urban anthropology reader. Rutgers University Press: London.

16 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 17 CULTURE, HISTORY AND PEOPLE

18 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook CUBAN TIMELINE

3500BC First humans arrive in Cuba, followed by the arrival of people from South American in 250BC and Taino Indians in 1250AD 1492 Columbus sights Cuba 1514 First settlements established. Santiago de Cuba named as colonial capital in 1515. Havana established at present site in 1519 1607 Havana declared capital of Cuba 1700 Tobacco becomes the main export from Cuba 1728 University of Havana established 1762 British capture Cuba but trade it for Florida in 1763 1790 Mass importation of African slaves 1800 Sugar becomes the main export 1820 Slave trade effectively abolished 1848 US tries to buy Cuba from Spain (and again tries in 1854) 1868-1878 First war of independence 1895-1898 Second war of independence 1898-1902 Americans land at Santiago de Cuba, US military government in control 1902 Cuba achieves independence 1903 US takes Guantánamo naval base 1906, 1917 US military intervention 1925 First communist party founded August 13, 1926 Fidel Castro is born in Mayari, Cuba 1933 Machado dictatorship overthrown 1952 Batista military coup July 26, 1953 Castro leads attack on Moncada military barracks in Santiago de Cuba. Mission fails, Castro is arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. 1955 Castro released in a general amnesty for political prisoners. He goes into exile in Mexico where he forms 26th of July movement with his brother Raul and Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. December 1956 Castro's rebel movement launches guerrilla war from Cuba's Sierra Maestra mountains 1958 The United States withdraws military aid to the Batista government January 1, 1959 Castro leads a 9,000-strong guerrilla army into Havana, Batista flees. Castro becomes prime minister, brother Raul, becomes deputy and Guevara becomes third in command. Agrarian law reform passed. 1960 All U.S businesses in Cuba are nationalized. U.S. breaks off diplomatic relations with Cuba. US partial trade embargo imposed on Cuba. April 17, 1961 U.S. back failed invasion by Cuban exiles at Bay of Pigs. Castro proclaims Cuba a communist state and begins to strengthen ties with USSR. October 16-28, Cuban Missile crisis 1962

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 19 1963 Second Agrarian Reform law passed 1965 Refounding of Communist Party 1967 Che Guevara killed in Bolivia 1976 Troops sent to aid Angolan pro-communist rebels (withdrawn 1988) The action undermines efforts to normalize U.S.-Cuba relations. 1980 Castro permits 125,000 Cubans to leave the island for US. The flood of refugees - known as the Mariel Boatlift - overwhelms Florida officials. 1991 Soviet military advisers leave Cuba following the collapse of the USSR. 1993 Cubans allowed to hold US dollars 1994 Cuba signs an agreement with the US, in which America agrees to admit 20,000 Cubans a year and Cuba pledges to halt the exodus of refugees. 1995 Direct Foreign Investment allowed. Tourism main money earner. 1996 U.S. trade embargo made permanent in response to Cuba's shooting down of two U.S. aircraft operated by Miami-based Cuban exiles. Helms Burton law passed in USA to extend trade embargo against Cuba to third parties. January 1998 Pope John Paul II makes landmark visit to Cuba. 1999 Elian Gonzalez (age 6) is picked up off the Florida coast (November) after his mother, step- father and others drown when the boat they used to flee Cuba capsises. Elian’s uncle in Miami is given temporary custody before a court case which resulted in his return to his father in Cuba (June 2000). Castro launches law and order crackdown. October 2000 President Clinton signs bill permitting sales of food and medicine to Cuba for the first time since 1962 December 2000 Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Cuba to bolster diplomatic ties and discuss Cuban debt (accumulated 1961-1991) November 2001 US exports food to Cuba to help the country cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Michelle. The aid shipment was the first in more than 40 years. January 2002 Fighters taken prisoner during U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan are brought to Guantánamo Bay for interrogation as al Qaeda suspects January 2002 Russia closes last military base (in Lourdes) in Cuba marking the end of four decades of Russian military presence in Cuba. May 2002 US Under-Secretary of State John Bolton accuses Cuba of trying to develop biological weapons and adds Cuba to Washington's list of "axis of evil" countries. Former President Jimmy Carter makes landmark goodwill visit (first U.S. president to visit since 1928). He tours

20 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook scientific centres, in response to recent U.S. allegations about biological weapons. June 2002 Cuban lawmakers approve reforms to constitution, making the country's socialist system "irrevocable" following a referendum on the issue. March-April 2003 Crackdown on dissidents draws international condemnation. Seventy- five people are jailed for terms of up to 28 years; three men who hijacked a ferry in an attempt to reach Florida were executed by firing squad: four others sentenced to life imprisonment, and one to a 30 year jail term. May 2003 14 Cuban diplomats expelled from the US in retaliation to the above crackdown on dissidents. The Varela Project is delivered to the Cuban National Assembly with more than 11,000 signatures calling for free speech, electoral reforms, and amnesty for 250 political prisoners. October 2003 US President George W Bush announces moves to tighten US travel embargo to Cuba as part of package of measures intended to hasten end of communist rule. October 24. The U.S. Senate votes (59 to 36) in favor of lifting the ban on travel to Cuba. The result is similar to a vote at the House of Representatives last month. This is a major "rebuff" of President Bush's policy towards Cuba. (The travel ban was introduced by President John F. Kennedy in 1963.) February 2004 U.S. President Bush signs Presidential Proclamation 7757, which bans vessels from traveling to Cuban ports from U.S. ports. May 2004 President Bush announces tougher sanctions on Cuba (starting on June 30) including limits on family visits by Cuban-Americans to once every 3 years (reduced from once per year); maintains a $1,200-a-year limit on what Cuban-Americans can send to their families; restricts gift parcels to immediate family members only, and lowers the authorized daily amount for a family visit to $50 (from $164). May 2004 Cuba freezes most U.S. dollar sales until further notice, excluding food, gasoline and personal hygiene products. An estimated 1 million people march through Havana to protest against recently announced U.S. sanctions. Fidel Castro leads the march. June 2004 Due to Cuba’s worst drought in history (affecting 4 million people), a state of alert is declared in 4 provinces: Camaguey, Las Tunas, Holguin and Guantanamo. July 2004 U.S. House of Representatives oppose the Bush administration's recent sanctions on Cuba

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 21 September 2004 Hurricane Ivan sweeps across the tobacco-growing region of SW Cuba (including Pinar del Rio). In anticipation of the Category 5 storm, Cubans had evacuated 1.5 million people. October 2004 Cuba shuts down 118 factories in power crisis. President Castro announces ban on transactions in US dollars, and imposes 10% tax on dollar-peso conversions. December 2004 Cuba begins a military exercise called "Bastion 2004," which includes thousands of troops and civilians. Defense Minister Raul Castro leads the drill. July 2005 Hurricane Dennis causes widespread destruction and leaves 16 people dead. February 2006 Propaganda war in Havana as President Castro unveils a monument which blocks the view of illuminated messages - some of them about human rights - displayed on the US Special Interests Section Building. Castro Hospitalised. July 2006 President Fidel Castro undergoes gastric surgery and temporarily hands over control of the government to his brother, Raul. February 2008 Although elected a member of the Parliament Fidel Castro announces that he will not take up positions of President of the State Council or Commander in Chief. Raul Castro elected to position of President of the State Council and he appoints 78-year-old Machado Ventura, one of the original leaders of Cuba's communist revolution, as first vice- president.

22 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook FIDEL CASTRO & CONTEMPORARY HISTORIES OF CUBA

Fidel Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926 in Oriente province of Cuba, where his family lived on a 23,000-acre plantation having emigrated from Spain. Castro attended two Jesuit (Catholic) schools in Santiago before entering the Colegio Belen, a Jesuit preparatory school in Havana in 1942. In 1945, Castro began studying law at the University of Havana and, having earned a degree, went into practice in 1950 in Havana with two partners. As a lawyer he devoted himself to helping the poor.

In 1952, Castro decided to move into politics by campaigning for a parliamentary seat in the election but when General Batista overthrew the government of President Carlos Prio Socarras in a coup d'état, he also cancelled the election. Castro went to court and charged the dictator with violating the constitution but the court rejected his petition. With no legal recourse left, Castro organized an armed attack by 165 men on the Moncada Barracks in Oriente province on July 26, 1953. That attack, and the one on Bayamo garrison, failed with half the attackers being killed and Castro and his brother Raul being taken prisoner and sentenced to 15 years in prison. They were released in a general amnesty on May 15, 1955.

Having tried unsuccessfully to oppose the military dictatorship by peaceful means, Castro went into exile in Mexico and organized Cuban exiles into another fighting force called the 26th of July Revolutionary Movement. The group of 82 men, including Raul and Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, launched an attack on the north coast of Oriente province on December 2, 1956 but again, the attempt met defeat and only 12 of the original attackers survived. Nevertheless, the 12 retreated to the Sierra Maestra mountains and from their mountain stronghold waged continuous guerrilla warfare against the Batista government. The movement grew and scored victory after victory. A defeated Batista fled Cuba on New Year's Day 1959 as Castro led a 9,000-strong guerrilla army into Havana.

The United States recognized the new government on January 7, 1959. Castro assumed the position of premier in February while his brother, Raul, became his deputy and Che Guevara was appointed to third in command. Soon, however, friction occurred between Castro and the US when the new Cuban government began expropriating American-owned properties for inadequate compensation. In February 1960, Cuba became friendly with the USSR, and made an agreement to buy Russian oil. After Cuba had seized nearly all U.S.-owned

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 23 properties in Cuba and made further agreements with other communist governments, the United States broke diplomatic relations with the Castro government.

Cuba and the US were brought into confrontation on two occasions soon after Castro had taken power. The United States made an unsuccessful attempt to destabilize the Castro government. On April 17, 1961, a force of 1,300 Cuban exiles, supported by the CIA, made an unsuccessful attempt to invade Cuba at a southern coastal area called the Bay of Pigs. The assumption was that the invasion would inspire the Cuban population to rise up and overthrow Castro but it was a miscalculation; the Cuban population supported him. Instead, Castro and his government declared the revolution to be socialist and proceeded to nationalize industry, confiscate property owned by non-Cubans, collectivise agriculture, and enact policies to benefit labourers and peasants. Many of the middle-class fled the country, some establishing a large, active anti-Castro community in Miami, Florida.

In October 1962 the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred when the U.S. government discovered the USSR was setting up long-range ballistic missiles in Cuba which were perceived by the United States as a threat (Cuba is 90 miles off the Florida coastline). President Kennedy instituted a naval blockade of Cuba that lasted until Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles. Since then U.S.- Cuban relations have remained mutually hostile and have recently worsened when, post September 11th, President Bush named Cuba as part of the ‘Axis of Evil’.

24 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook On July 31, 2006, Castro temporarily delegated his duties as President of the Council of state, President of the Council of Ministers, First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party and the post of commander in chief of the armed forces to his brother Raúl Castro as he recovered from surgery due to an "acute intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding". The transfer of duties was announced in a proclamation that transferred to Raul the functions as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, Comandante of the Armed Forces, President of the Council of State and of the Government of the Republic of Cuba. It transferred other functions to José Ramón Balaguer Cabrera, José Ramón Machado Ventura, Esteban Lazo Hernández and Carlos Lage Dávila.

On December 2nd, 2006, Castro was too ill to attend the nationwide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Granma boat landing, which also became his belated 80th birthday celebrations. Castro's non-appearance fueled reports that he has terminal pancreatic cancer and was refusing treatment, but on December 17, 2006 Cuban officials stated that Castro has no terminal illness and will eventually return to his public duties. In February 2007, the Associated Press reported that Acting President Raul Castro had said that Fidel Castro's health was improving and he was taking part in all important issues facing the government. In February 2008, although elected a member of the Parliament Fidel Castro announces that he will not take up positions of President of the State Council or Commander in Chief.

In November 2008, Democrat Barack Obama was elected US president. During his presidential campaign, Obama told Cuba exiles that he would seek direct diplomacy with the Cuban government and although maintaining the embargo that he would lift restrictions on travel and sending money to Cuba. Recent polls have suggested that a majority of Cuban Americans living in Miami now oppose the embargo on Cuba and want the restrictions imposed by President Bush in 2004 lifted. Cuba has welcomed some of Obama’s proposals and Raul Castro has offered to free some political dissidents in exchange for the release of the Cuban Five as a gesture to the incoming president.

Many commentators argue that the current time provides a real opportunity for change in the relationship between Cuba and the US particularly because of the devastating hurricane season, the worldwide economic downturn and a drop in oil prices (which impacts upon the support available to Cuba from Venezuela) and the change in leadership within Cuba itself.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 25 Message from the Commander in Chief

Dear compatriots:

Last Friday, February 15, I promised you that in my next reflection I would deal with an issue of interest to many compatriots. Thus, this now is rather a message.

The moment has come to nominate and elect the State Council, its President, its Vice-Presidents and Secretary.

For many years I have occupied the honorable position of President. On February 15, 1976 the Socialist Constitution was approved with the free, direct and secret vote of over 95% of the people with the right to cast a vote. The first National Assembly was established on December 2nd that same year; this elected the State Council and its presidency. Before that, I had been a Prime Minister for almost 18 years. I always had the necessary prerogatives to carry forward the revolutionary work with the support of the overwhelming majority of the people.

There were those overseas who, aware of my critical health condition, thought that my provisional resignation, on July 31, 2006, to the position of President of the State Council, which I left to First Vice-President Raul Castro Ruz, was final. But Raul, who is also minister of the Armed Forces on account of his own personal merits, and the other comrades of the Party and State leadership were unwilling to consider me out of public life despite my unstable health condition.

It was an uncomfortable situation for me vis-à-vis an adversary which had done everything possible to get rid of me, and I felt reluctant to comply.

Later, in my necessary retreat, I was able to recover the full command of my mind as well as the possibility for much reading and meditation. I had enough physical strength to write for many hours, which I shared with the corresponding rehabilitation and recovery programs. Basic common sense indicated that such activity was within my reach. On the other hand, when referring to my health I was extremely careful to avoid raising expectations since I felt that an adverse ending would bring traumatic news to our people in the midst of the battle. Thus, my first duty was to prepare our people both politically and psychologically for my absence after so many years of struggle. I kept saying that my recovery "was not without risks."

My wishes have always been to discharge my duties to my last breath. That’s all I can offer.

To my dearest compatriots, who have recently honored me so much by electing me a member of the Parliament where so many agreements should be adopted of utmost importance to the destiny of our Revolution, I am saying that I will neither aspire to nor accept, I repeat, I will neither aspire to nor accept the positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief.

In short letters addressed to Randy Alonso, Director of the Round Table National TV Program, --letters which at my request were made public-- I discreetly introduced elements of this message I am writing today, when not even the addressee of such letters was aware of my intention. I trusted Randy, whom I knew very well from his days as a student of Journalism. In those days I met almost on a weekly basis with the main representatives of the University students from the provinces at the library of the large house in Kohly where they lived. Today, the entire country is an immense University.

Following are some paragraphs chosen from the letter addressed to Randy on December 17, 2007:

"I strongly believe that the answers to the current problems facing Cuban society, which has, as an average, a twelfth grade of education, almost a million university graduates, and a real possibility for all its citizens to become educated without their being in any way discriminated against, require more variables for each concrete problem than those contained in a chess game. We cannot ignore one single detail; this is not an easy path to take, if the intelligence of a human being in a revolutionary society is to prevail over instinct.

26 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook "My elemental duty is not to cling to positions, much less to stand in the way of younger persons, but rather to contribute my own experience and ideas whose modest value comes from the exceptional era that I had the privilege of living in.

"Like Niemeyer, I believe that one has to be consistent right up to the end."

Letter from January 8, 2008:

"…I am a firm supporter of the united vote (a principle that preserves the unknown merits), which allowed us to avoid the tendency to copy what came to us from countries of the former socialist bloc, including the portrait of the one candidate, as singular as his solidarity towards Cuba. I deeply respect that first attempt at building socialism, thanks to which we were able to continue along the path we had chosen."

And I reiterated in that letter that "…I never forget that ‘all of the world’s glory fits in a kernel of corn."

Therefore, it would be a betrayal to my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer. This I say devoid of all drama.

Fortunately, our Revolution can still count on cadres from the old guard and others who were very young in the early stages of the process. Some were very young, almost children, when they joined the fight on the mountains and later they have given glory to the country with their heroic performance and their internationalist missions. They have the authority and the experience to guarantee the replacement. There is also the intermediate generation which learned together with us the basics of the complex and almost unattainable art of organizing and leading a revolution.

The path will always be difficult and require from everyone’s intelligent effort. I distrust the seemingly easy path of apologetics or its antithesis the self-flagellation. We should always be prepared for the worst variable. The principle of being as prudent in success as steady in adversity cannot be forgotten. The adversary to be defeated is extremely strong; however, we have been able to keep it at bay for half a century.

This is not my farewell to you. My only wish is to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas. I shall continue to write under the heading of ‘Reflections by comrade Fidel.’ It will be just another weapon you can count on. Perhaps my voice will be heard. I shall be careful.

Thanks.

Fidel Castro Ruz

February 18, 2008

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 27 CUBAN FIVE

One of the key issues that you will become aware of while we are in Cuba is the case of the ‘Cuban Five’. The five men (three born in Cuba and two in the US) were arrested in Miami on 12th September 1998. One member of the group, Gerardo Hernández, is accused by the US government of sending information to Cuba that led to two civilian planes being shot down. The remaining four were accused of trying to infiltrate the US Southern Command (one of 10 Combatant Commands in the US Department of Defense) and sending 2000 pages of unclassified information obtained from US military bases to Cuba. The men were indicted by the US government on 26 different counts which include charges of false identification, espionage and conspiracy to commit murder.

The five convicted men claim that they were in Miami to monitor anti-Castro Cuban exile groups that work out of the city and which, they claim, were engaging in terrorist activities against Cuba.

After the arrests, defence lawyers for the Cuban Five asked for a change of venue for the trail (from Miami where there are strong anti-Castro sentiments) but were refused. The jury did not include any Cuban-Americans but 16 of the 160 members of the jury pool ‘knew the victims of the shoot-down or knew trial witnesses who had flown with them’. The trail went on for seven months and jury deliberations last four days. In June 2001, the group were convicted of all 26 counts and in December 2001, the members of the group were sentenced to varying prison terms. Hernández was sentenced to two life terms to be served consecutively, Guerrero and Labañino were given life sentences, Fernando Gonzáles was sentenced to 19 years and René Gonzáles to 15 years.

On August 9th, 2005, a three judge panel of the US Court of Appeals in Atlanta unanimously overturned the convictions and sentences of the Cuban Five and ordered a new trail outside of Miami claiming that the Cuban exile community and publicity around the trail made it prejudicial to the defendants. In October, 2005, however, the ruling for a new trial was reversed by the Circuit Court of Appeal. In June 2008, the same court upheld the convictions of the five but called for resentencing in district court the sentences of Guerrero, Fernando Gonzáles and Labañino. The court affirmed the sentences of Hernández and René Gonzáles.

28 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 29 KEY FIGURES IN CUBA’S CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL HISTORY

JOSE MARTI (1853-1895) José Martí was born on January 28th 1853 and lived in 314 Calle Leonor Pérez - near Havana’s harbour. He developed an interest in politics at an early age and published his first newspaper (La Patria Libre) when he was sixteen years old. His political views came to the attention of the authorities when he wrote a letter critical of a friend who had attended a pro- Spanish rally. The letter was judged to be treasonous and Martí was sentenced to six years hard labour in a stone quarry. At seventeen, he was exiled to Spain for his opposition to colonial rule. While there, he published a pamphlet exposing the horrors of political imprisonment in Cuba, which he himself had experienced. He attended university in Spain, gained a degree in law and became involved in the Cuban independence movement. Upon graduating he moved to Mexico City, where he began his literary career while retaining his strong political views. His objection to a regime installed by a military coup led him to depart for Guatemala before returning to Cuba in 1878 under a general amnesty. Despite his return to Cuba, he continued to conspire against the Spanish authorities and was once again was banished. In exile, Martí went first to Spain and then to New York before moving to Venezuela, where he hoped to settle, but yet another dictatorship forced him to depart. Martí went back to New York where he lived from 1881 to 1895, using his position as a journalist to advance his cause. Martí became a leader of Cuban exiles and returned to Cuba in 1895 to lead rebels in the War of Independence, which he had helped organized. There, he died in one of its first skirmishes. Martí’s death provided the Independence Movement with its first martyr. Martí was not socialist but had a clear vision for Cuba that went beyond independence from Spain. Martí envisioned that Cuba would never be truly free without economic, racial and sexual equality.

Jose Martí is considered one of the great writers of the Hispanic world. He devoted his life to ending colonial rule in Cuba and to preventing the island from falling under the control of any country whose political ideologies were contrary to the principles he held. With those goals, and with the conviction that the freedom of the Caribbean was crucial to Latin American security and to the balance of power in the world, he devoted his talents to the

30 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook forging of a nation. The importance of Martí within Cuban identity cannot be under- estimated. A bust of him stands in front of every primary school in Cuba.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 31 ERNESTO 'CHE' GUEVARA (1928 - 1967) Ernesto 'Che' Guevara was born on 14 June 1928 in Argentina, into a relatively upper-middle class family. His father worked as a construction engineer and Che was the first of five children. Guevara received his primary education at home, from his mother, during which time he read some of the works of Marx, Engels and Freud, which were all available in his father's library. In 1947, Guevara went to Buenos Aires University to study medicine. He was heavily influenced by the long series of squalid political crises in Argentina, which culminated in the 'Left Fascist' dictatorship of Juan Peron. Guevara’s parents were anti- Peronist activists and, although Che showed little interest in student politics whilst at University, he had developed contempt for parliamentary democracy, military politicians, the U.S. dollar and imperialism.

As a student, Guevara travelled extensively in Argentina where he came into contact with the very poor and the remnants of the indigenous Indian tribes. In 1951, he travelled through the Andes into Chile, Peru, Columbia and Venezuela. The diary Che kept during this time has been published as: The Motorcycle Diaries: A Journey Around South America. By the time Guevara returned university to take his final examinations, he had already decided that he did not want to become a middle-class GP. On qualifying in 1953, Guevara went to Bolivia, Guatemala and then in September of 1954, Guevara moved to Mexico City where he met the Castro brothers, then political emigres, and realized that in Fidel he had found the leader he was seeking.

In 1955, Guevara joined other Castro followers exiled in Mexico to be trained in guerrilla warfare by the Spanish Republican Army captain, Alberto Bayo. The training attracted police attention and all the Cubans and Che were arrested. They were released after a month later when they travelled to Cuba on the "yacht" Granma, initating a three-year guerrilla war against the dictator, Fulgencio Batista. Che was initially included for his medical expertise but soon became Commandante of the Revolutionary Army of Barbutos. The revolutionaries succeed in overthrowing the Batista regime in January of 1959.

At the triumph of the Revolution, Guevara became part of the new government of Cuba and was the man chiefly responsible for moving Castro towards communism. Guevara was heavily influenced by Mao and the communism of China rather than Moscow. He believed that the countryside must bring the revolution to the town in predominately peasant countries:

32 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook ‘Man really attains the state of complete humanity when he produces, without being forced by physical need to sell himself as a commodity’. Che organized a number of changes in Cuba law. As Director of the Instituto Nacional de la Reforma Agraria, he administered the new agrarian laws expropriating the large land holders. He also ran the Department of Industries and, in February 1960, Guevara signed a trade pact with the USSR, which freed the Cuban sugar industry from dependence on the US market. He was also appointed President of the National Bank of Cuba.

Castro informally removed Guevara from office in 1965 as their ideas for the future of Cuba became increasingly divergent, as Guevara, for example, advocated nuclear confrontation during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Guevara left Cuba and, for some months, his whereabouts were a secret and his death was widely rumoured. Guevara spent this time in various African countries, notably the Congo, surveying the possibilities of turning the Kinshasa rebellion into a Communist revolution by Cuban-style guerrilla tactics. He returned to Cuba to train volunteers for that project, and took a force of 120 Cubans to the Congo. His men fought well, but the Kinshasa rebels did not, they were useless against the Belgian mercenaries and by autumn 1965 Che had to advise Castro to withdraw Cuban aid.

Che's final revolutionary adventure was in Bolivia but, there, he grossly misjudged the revolutionary potential of that country with disastrous consequences. The revolutionaries had many casualties and were cornered by a Bolivian battalion (which had been trained by US Special Forces in anti-guerrilla warfare) in a gorge on October 8 1967. Guevara was captured by a Bolivian army unit and taken to the nearby town of La Higuera. He refused all attempts at interrogation by CIA and Bolivian officials and the Bolivian president, General Rene Barrientos, ordered Guevara’s execution. On 9 October 1967, six or more shots are fired into Guevara's torso. One version of his reported last words were: ‘Tell Fidel that this failure does not mean the end of the revolution, that it will triumph elsewhere’. After his death, a death mask was made and his hands were cut off to ensure identification and his body was buried in a secret grave. He was 39 years old. In June 1997, a team of Cuban and Argentinean scientists recovered the skeleton, missing both hands, in the town of Vallegrande, Bolivia. The bones have since been ‘repatriated’ to Cuba.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 33 LIVING IN CUBA: Population, Politics and Economy

34 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook POLITICS

Politics:  Chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers General Raul Castro Ruz (President since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Jose Ramon Machado Ventura (since 24 February 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government.  His brother, Fidel, was prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; President from 2 December 1976-24 February 2008;  Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly; note - there is also a Council of State whose members are elected by the National Assembly  Elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 24 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Gen. Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%  The national elections for the 609 members of the National Assembly of People's Power were on 20 January 2008. There was only one candidate for each seat. Next to the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) [Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary] various political parties are illegally active in the country. The most important of these are the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba, the Cuban Socialist Democratic Current, the Democratic Social-Revolutionary Party of Cuba, the Democratic Solidarity Party, the Liberal Party of Cuba and the Social Democratic Co-ordination of Cuba.  The Ministry of Interior is the principal organ of state security and control.

Land:  Area of Cuba 110,860 sq km (largest island in Caribbean)  Land boundaries: total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29km. Naval Base is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 35 ECONOMY

Overview: Until relatively recently, the economy of Cuba was centrally planned whereby the State administered the economy according to policy guidelines laid down by the Communist Party of Cuba. All economic activities (except small scale farming) were controlled by the government and all employees worked for the state. The State guaranteed full employment and state enterprises were not required to make a profit (although this is beginning to change). Today, the state plays the primary role in the domestic economy and controls practically all foreign trade.

In 1995, Havana announced that GDP had declined by 35% during 1989-93 as a result of lost Soviet aid (worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually), domestic inefficiencies and the US embargo in place since 1961. The drop in GDP apparently halted in 1994, when Cuba reported 0.7% growth, followed by increases of 2.5% in 1995 and 7.8% in 1996. Growth slowed again in 1997 and 1998 to 2.5% and 1.2% respectively before recovering in 1999 with a 6.2% increase in GDP and a 5.6% increase in 2000. Much of Cuba's recovery can be attributed to tourism revenues and foreign investment.  Gross Domestic Product: - $51.11 billion (2007 est.); Per Capita: $4,500 (2007 est.)  GDP Growth: 7% (2007 est.)  GDP by sector: agriculture 4.6%, industry: 26.1%, services: 69.3% (2007 est.)  Debt: $16.79 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed to Russia (31 December 2007 est.)  Economic aid – recipient $87.8 million (2005 est.)

36 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies about 100,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela, including some 20,000 medical professionals. In 2007, high metals prices continued to boost Cuban earnings from nickel and cobalt production. Havana continued to invest in the country's energy sector to mitigate electrical blackouts that had plagued the country since 2004.

Wages and taxes: The people of Cuba are not taxed as such but the government set the wage levels. As the economy of Cuba faltered during the 1990s so too did the wages of the Cuban people. By the mid-1990s, many university educated professionals were earning less in real terms than they had at the time of the Revolution (1959). One of the most dramatic increases in salary came in the late 1990s when the police received substantial increases in salary bringing their monthly wage to approximately 700 pesos ($32), above the level of teachers and doctors.

Foreign investment and the legalisation of the US dollar established a dual-economy with stark differences in wealth between those with access to hard currency and those who continue to be paid by the Cuban peso. Living standards for the average Cuban remain at a depressed level compared with 1990. The growth of dollar/CUC economy and dollar/CUC only stores allows the government to access remittances sent to Cubans from relatives abroad (estimated to be $800-$1billion). Similarly, dollars/CUCs allow Cubans to purchase food that is unavailable through the ration book as well as other products such as clothes, consumer durables and other household goods. Access to this hard currency economy has resulted in the emergence of a new social class many of whom ‘display’ their wealth in the public spaces of Mirimar while peso shops remain under utilised or closed in parts of Centro Habana.  Unemployment: 1.9% (2007 est.)

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 37  Labour Force: 4.9million state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2007 est.)  Labour force by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 19.4%, services 60.6% (2005)  Currency: 1 Cuban Peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos. Official exchange rate Cu$1 = US$1 (nonconvertible, official rate, for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar). Cuba has two currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP) and the convertible peso (CUC); in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.

Economic Reforms: The government has undertaken several reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase enterprise efficiency and labour incentives, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services, prioritising of political control makes extensive reforms unlikely. For example:  Liberalized agricultural markets were introduced in October 1994, at which state and private farmers sell above-quota production at unrestricted (market) prices, have broadened legal consumption alternatives and reduced black market prices.  Government efforts to lower subsidies to unprofitable enterprises and to shrink the money supply caused the semi-official exchange rate for the Cuban peso to move from a peak of 120 to the dollar in the summer of 1994 to 21 to the dollar by yearend 1999.  Income taxes and increased regulations introduced since 1996 have sharply reduced the number of legally self-employed from a high of 208,000 in January 1996.

Foreign Investment: In the early 1990s, direct foreign investment in joint ventures and other forms of economic associations with state enterprises became easier and, today, there are over 350 joint ventures operating in Cuba mainly with companies from Spain, Canada, Italy, France, UK and Mexico. These ventures are growing rapidly (from 20 in 1991) and are currently worth approximately $2.6billion to the Cuban economy. They are run on a for- profit basis and are independent of state control except the state has the first option to supply raw materials and to purchase the products. All local employees are hired by the Cuban partners in the venture while their salary is paid in Cuban pesos. The ‘foreign’ partners are

38 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook required to pay staff wages to the Cuban government in US dollars and to pay tax on the profits and the payroll.

In 1995, a number of alternatives to joint ventures were legalised providing new opportunities for foreign investment in Cuba including international economic associations and completely foreign capital firms. As a result, the number of foreign companies operating in Cuba has increased.

Links to the world economy:  Main exports: sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus and coffee worth $3.231 billion (2007 est.); Partners: Netherlands 21.8%, Canada 21.6%, China 18.7% (2006)  Imports include petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals, equipment, chemicals worth $10.86 billion (2007 est.); Partners: Venezuela 26.6%; China 15.6%, Spain 9.8%; Canada 8%; Germany 6.4%, Canada 5.6%, Italy 4.4%, US 4.3%, Brazil 4.2% (2006).  Industries include petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, rum distilleries, sugar refineries. Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2000 est.)  Tourism has been greatly revived in the 1990s as Cuba redirects its economic model from central planning toward a mixed economy.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 39 40 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook PEOPLE

Population:  Population of Cuba: 11,394,043 (July 2007 est.), (Havana 2,200,000- 1997 estimate)  Population growth rate: 0.37% (2001 est.); Age structure: 0 -14 years: 18.8% (male 1,100,672/female 1,042,327) ; 15-64 years: 70.5% (male 4,019,648/female 4,016,429)

65 years and over: 10.7% (male 554,043/female 660,924) (2007 est.)

 Illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border. Net Migration rate -1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

 Ethnic groups: Mulatto 51%, White 37%, Black 11%, Chinese 1%  Religions: Nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to Castro assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented

 Literacy: (age 15 and over can read and write): total population: 99.8%: male: 99.8%, female: 99.8% (2002 census.)

 The average Cuban salary is approximately 350 peso nacional (24 peso nacional equals approximately one peso convertible (CUC)). Each Cuban family gets a basic ration (via ration book called Libreta) that includes rice, beans, cooking oil, salt, sugar and bread.

 Internet users: 240,000. In 2004, the government restricted access to the internet to telephone lines which are paid for in dollars/CUCs. The government argued that, given its limited resources, it needed to ensure that the internet was primarily used for the social good. Private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 41 market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" (2006).

42 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook RELIGION

Santería: Religion in Cuba is a mixture of Catholicism and other, mainly African, faiths that include a number of cult religions. Commonly, these African cult religions are collectively known as Santería, which is made up of fusion of Yoruba cults and Catholicism. In particular, two African cults dominate namely, orisha cults (Regla de Ocha) and divination cult (Regla de Ifá). The uniqueness of the Santería religion in Cuba comes from the way that the orishas became syncretized with Catholic saints.

Origins: Afro-Cuban cults stem from the arrival of slaves from Yorubaland in West Africa. When slaves arrived in Cuba, they were allowed to retain certain elements of their identity, their music and dancing but were forcibly baptised into the Catholic faith. In order to accommodate their own religions, they twinned Catholic saints with their own Orishas. Unknown to the authorities, about twenty of these ‘twinned pairs’ took root in popular imagination during Cuba’s colonial period.

Traditions: Each orisha has its own attributes, colours and areas of protection. People wear coloured beads to indicate the orisha who is protecting them. Everyone is born under the control and protection of a particular orisha and it is the job of the babalawo (priest) to identify an individual’s orisha. People who are dressed entirely in white (other than the coloured beads of the orishas) are those who have just been ‘made saints’, that is, they have had their orisha identified, in a ceremony performed by the babalawo. This is an expensive ceremony that lasts for several days and includes an animal sacrifice. Once the ceremony has been completed the santo is required to wear white for a year afterwards.

The main orishas in Cuba are:  Changó, orisha of thunder, lightening and fire; Symbols: double headed axe, a sword, a cup and a castle; Colours: red and white Syncretised with: St. Barbara, patron saint of foundries and artillery.  Elegguá, keeper of the ways, trickster and Anima Sola (lonely soul). Colours: red and black; Syncretised with: Christ Child of Atocha

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 43  Yemayá, orisha of the sea; Symbols: sun, moon and anything maritime; Colours: deep blue Syncretised with: Virgen de Regla (patron saint of Havana).  Oshún, orisha of love and laughter, mistress of sweetness. Symbols: mirrors, peacock feathers, rocks from riverbeds; Colours: yellow Syncretised with: Virgen de la Caridad (patron saint of Cuba).  Obatalá, peace and purity. Colours: white; Syncretised with: Virgen de las Mercedes.  Babalú Ayé, comforter and healer of the sick (always accompanied by two dogs). Symbols: Cruches; Colours: light blue; Syncretised with: San Lázaro.

Religion in post-revolution Cuba: In many socialist countries, religions have officially been banned but this has never happened in Cuba following a 1971 Congress on Education and Culture that suggested that religion did not pose a threat to Cuban socialism and that any ban would be doomed to failure. Indeed, Castro was brought up under the strict guidance of the Catholic Christian Brothers and is said today to follow Santería.

After the revolution, Castro and his government inherited what appeared, from the outside, to be a Spanish Catholic society. In reality, however, the Cuban people follow a heterogeneous range of religions. The influence of the Spanish is apparent in Catholicism, but slaves brought African religions and Americans brought Protestantism to the island where there was already a small Jewish community. Yet, it has been the Afro-Cuban cults that have benefited most from the revolution because they already had a strong association with the workers and those that were resisting the establishment. Some have since argued that the state has cynically supported the Afro-Cuban religions to suit its own purposes. In particular, a number of religious symbols have been removed to museums and some feel that these religions have been sanitised and commercialised for tourist consumption with orisha dances being performed in hotels as part of tourist entertainment. Certainly, for many tourists the exoticism of Afro-Cuban cult religions is part of their appeal but perhaps such views reflect ‘our’ desire to see traditional religions and symbols in countries we believe to be less developed than our own.

44 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Religion in Cuba is different to that in many other countries. On the one hand, orishas are not seen in the hierarchical way that Christians view saints or God. Similarly, Cubans quite often adhere to more than one cult. Santería is the most common religion in Cuba and many people adopt at least some elements of it. Nonetheless, Cubans may have shrines to both Orishas and Catholic saints within their homes and will visit both babalawo and priests.

Sport is an important part of post-Revolution Cuba and Cubans themselves have a strong body culture. Like education and health, sport was one of the key elements of the revolution, which was perhaps unsurprising given that Castro was a competent athlete. As a young man, he tried out for a professional baseball team in the US, he played basketball and was voted as sportsman of the year in 1944.

After the revolution, Castro declared his intention to concentrate on national sports and announced that ‘Sport is the right of the people’. He opened the National Institute of Sports and Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) in 1961 and since then Cuba has achieved remarkable international success in sports (given its population is just 11 million people) particularly in boxing and baseball. One of the most famous Cuban boxers was Eligio Sardinas (known as Kid Chocolate) who won two world titles during his ten-year career from 1928-38. His name is still seen around Havana and a sports hall opposite the Capitolio is named after him.

Baseball and boxing have achieved the most success for Cuba and are regular topics of conversation for locals in Havana. Yet, while most sports are played in Cuba (including cricket!) the most popular is baseball (beisbol or pelota) which was introduced to Cuba in 1860. There are two main teams in Havana namely Los Industriales (the blues) and Los Metropolitanos (Los Metros) who both play in the 50,000 seater stadium called El Latino. Unlike their American colleagues, Cuban baseball players are amateur and although highly valued in Cuba and given somewhat better living conditions and food than most sportsmen, about thirty Cuban baseball players have defected to the United States since 1991.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 45 There are extensive sporting facilities in Havana particularly gyms (although many are quite old) which are frequented by many people. Indeed, in Cuba the body is viewed rather differently than in Britain. Vanity is seen as a virtue rather than a vice and bodies are there to be looked after, indulged and enjoyed. Despite the problems and restrictions of the Special Period, the medical profession offer ‘cosmetic surgery’ as readily as other surgery. Any woman in Cuba can have her breasts lifted, stomach flattened or liposuction on demand (there are no waiting lists). Given the quality of the Cuban health system, the country is rapidly developing a medi-turismo industry with people travelling to Cuba for many different kinds of surgery.

46 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook CUBAN LANDMARKS

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 47 THURSDAY: Habana Veija & Centro Habana Four plazas and a Capitolio!

Today, we want you to explore the different geographies of Havana. In particular, we want you to reflect on the changes that you see as you walk through different parts of the city. You will be walking from Vedado down the Malecon through Centro Habana to Old Havana. Each area is quite different and we want you to think about the ways that these areas might be considered as Post Colonial Landscapes. You will spend most of the day in Old and Central Havana. You will need to organise your time to ensure you visit four plazas, two museums and a Capitolio!

Today we will begin with a tour of Old Havana led by the Havana Historical Office. We will walk as a group to Old Havana from the hotel, leaving at 9am prompt. After the tour, walk around Old Havana (make sure you take time to visit: Plaza de Armas and Museo de la Ciudad; Plaza de la Catedral; Plaza Vieja; Plaza de San Francisco de Asis).

Then walk towards Centro Habana (visit Capitolio Nacional, Parque Central, Museum of the Revolution and Pavillón Granma and Chinatown (small area between Reina & Zanja – west of Capitolo).

You need to walk back to Vedado in time for a 6pm meeting with Staff.

As you walk around, think about the questions and try also think about the areas as a whole:  How has history influenced the development of the city?

48 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  Read the section of this booklet on Havana Vieja as a World Heritage Site. What are the priorities in renovating the city? What does this suggest about the politics of renovation and restoration?  What different kinds of economic activity are taking place in Old Havana?  What evidence is there of Cuba’s political economy (is there evidence of privately owned business, what evidence is there of ‘state’ ownership, is there evidence of foreign investment within Old Havana?)  How is space used differently within the different plazas?  How can the Museum of the City be read? What kinds of messages about Cuba/Havana’s colonial history are given out by this museum? Who is the museum for?  How would you interpret the Museum of the Revolution? How is Cuban cultural identity expressed in the museum?  Compare the two museums. Other than the artefacts, how do the museums differ? How is space used differently? How is history read differently in the two museums?

CAPITOLIO BUILDING

History: The Capitolio Building was built on the site of Havana’s first railway station and was originally intended to be a presidential palace when work began in 1912. When US-backed dictator Gerardo Menocal became president, he changed the plans for the building but progress was delayed as the economy of Cuba struggled in the 1920s. Reportedly the fifth largest building in the world, the Capitolio was finally completed in just three years from 1926 to 1929 at a cost of nearly $20 million. The building was designed by Cuban architects and built by North American construction companies, French landscapers and Italian sculptors. The dome is 62m high and topped with a replica of a 16 th century Italian statue of Mercury. Inside, the entryway opens into a large room at the centre of which is the third

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 49 largest statue in the world at 11m tall. Cuban guidebooks suggest that the influences on the design of the building include St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and St. Peter’s in Rome (not the Capital Building in Washington DC). The Capitolio was the seat of the Cuban Congress until 1959 and now houses the Cuban Academy of Sciences and the National Library of Science and Technology. Highway distances between Havana and all sites are measured from this site.

Consider:  When this building was first built, why might the design and (internal/external) details have been chosen?  What does the changing use of the building suggest about Cuban cultural identity?  To what extent does the Capitolio represent the eclectic nature of Cuban culture and identity? How might the interior (as far as you can see) and the exterior of the building be read? In what ways is the building symbolic of the history of Cuba?  To what extent is the building an icon of Havana?

CENTRO HABANA

Centro Habana was previously the most fashionable part of Havana and housed its main commercial centre (the streets of San Rafael and Neptuno which were once Havana’s most expensive commercial streets). The road running between Central and Old Havana is Paseo de Martí (also called Paseo del Prado) built between 1770 and the mid-1830s. This wide street was intended to rival the boulevards of many European cities such as Paris and Madrid. Nonetheless, the Central area of Havana does not draw in tourists like Old Havana and does not have World Heritage Status so has not been earmarked for restoration. Many of its buildings are in very poor state of repair (some collapse every year – take care!) and the streets contain large potholes. The residents have some of the worst housing conditions in the city with frequent power cuts and many households living without water.

Consider:  What kinds of values underpin the restoration of the city?  What debates might underlie decision making about restoration and renovation?

50 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  How might different groups within the city contest the decisions that have been made about restoration?  What evidence is there of Cuba’s changing political economy within the streets of Central Havana?  How can Cuba’s turbulent history be read from the streets of Central Havana? What does this area of the city tell us about Cuba’s cultural identity?

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 51 CHINATOWN (BARRIO CHINO)

History: Havana’s Chinatown comprises a few blocks around Calle Zanja. Its entrance is marked by a large Chinese arch and it contains a number of Chinese restaurants and other stores. Although the area is relatively small, the Chinese have had a significant impact on Havana’s cultural identity. The first Chinese labourers (coolies) were brought to Havana in 1847 by a British company. The first shipment comprised 300 men who were brought to work in the city on eight year contracts. 206 survived the journey from China and established what would become the largest Chinese community in Latin America as entrepreneurs and immigrants were attracted to Havana.

The first Chinese restaurant opened on Calle Zanja in 1858 and, in time, a number of Chinese theatres would also be established in the area. Chinatown, however, was heavily affected by the nationalisation of private businesses in 1959. After the Revolution, many of the Chinese community left Havana although a number of associations remain trying to protect the traditions of the Cuban-Chinese community. Today, the Chinese are noted as the ‘third’ major influence on contemporary Cuba’s cultural identity (along with the Spanish and African elements).

Consider:  How is Havana’s Chinatown different to other Chinatown’s you have been to? What are the notable features of this Chinatown that could be attributed to the influence of Cuba?  What ‘evidence’ is there that the Chinese have had an important influence on Cuban identity both within Chinatown and within Havana more generally?  How have Chinese associations tried to protect the traditions of the Cuban-Chinese community?

EL CRISTO DE LA HABANA

This is the large statue of Christ that is visible as you look across the Bay of Havana from Avenida del Puerto. It is a fifty foot marble statue of a ‘Cuban Christ’ with Mesitzo features

52 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook representing the mixture of races and cultures in Cuba. It was placed on the hillside in December 1958 (just before the Revolution). Also on the Eastern side of the bay are the towns of Regla and Guanabacoa, which are home to Afro-Cuban syncretic cults. Regla is home to one of Cuba’s most important and revered saints and the Church (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla) located near the ferry terminus is still visited by many Cubans today. In her African incarnation, the Virgen de Regla is Yemayá, orisha of the oceans. It is unsurprising, therefore, that as a coastal port, Havana declared the virgin as its patron saint in 1714. In many churches, you will see statues of this saint – a black virgin carrying a white child and dressed in the blue of Yemayá. See also: Religion in Cuba

HABANA VIEJA (OLD HAVANA):

Layout: When cities were built by the Spanish in the New World, their layout was governed from Spain by the Law of the Indies. Under these regulations, cities were intended to be laid out in a grid around a single central square. This square was to house the main public, civic and religious buildings including the Church, governors palace and so on. While the layout of Havana roughly conforms to this legislation, the rules were loosely interpreted. Instead of one main square, Havana has several including the Plaza des Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza Veija.

By 1584, Old Havana had four main streets: Calle Oficios, Calle Mercades, Calle Real (now Muralla) and what is now part of Calle Cuba. The first street to be paved was Calle Empedrado in 1821 at a time when Havana was growing rapidly (from approximately 100,000 in habitants in 1800 to 250,000 by 1900). The increased population of the city forced the local government to introduce planning laws in 1818 and in 1862, which regulated land use and building for new suburban districts. New development had to be laid out in a grid plan and the width of streets was increased from 6m to 14 meters in the suburbs (compare, for example, streets in Old Havana with those in Centro Habana and Vedado which were largely developed after the introduction of planning laws). The roads in Old (and Central) Havana have names whereas those in Vedado are numbered. Many of the street names have been used to commemorate particular events and people. After the revolution, a number of streets were renamed as part of a process of memorialisation – in effect, the

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 53 government were (re)creating a sense of imagined community around a new history of Cuba that was based around historical events and people who stood in opposition to colonialism and occupation.

Architecture within Old Havana: Early Cuban architecture was heavily influenced by the architecture of Spain. You will notice that many of the colonial houses in the city conform to a basic style: large wooden doors leading into a one-storey house built around an open central courtyard (see, for example, the restaurants La Mina (Plaza de Armas) or El Patio (Plaza de Catedral)). Over time, the numbers of storeys within these buildings increased and many buildings became more baroque in style. Most of Old Havana’s buildings date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and many of the most extravagant residences have been converted into Museums or Restaurants). Some good examples of Havana’s colonial architecture can be found along Calle Oficios.

Public and Private Space within the city: As you walk around Havana, think about the differences between public and private space. At a very simple level, you can think, for example, about ‘homes’ as private spaces and commercial spaces as public spaces but in Havana many of these clear distinctions have become blurred in recent years. The ‘Special Period’ has been accompanied by a decline in commercial activity and a deterioration of food services. Since 1995, the government have allowed small private restaurants to operate in the living rooms of local people and these ‘home restaurants’ (paladares)1 have become the main gathering places for the people of Havana while many of the restaurants in Old Havana are quiet in the evening. As a result private spaces have increasingly replaced public spaces as meeting places for locals. This is one example of a way in which previously private space is now becoming public.

Consider:

1 To limit competition with the state-run restaurants, paladares are limited to 12 seats and to meals consisting of pork, chicken or fish.

54 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  As you look at these places, you need to think about how public and private spaces are constructed differently. What are the characteristics of public and private spaces? How have these distinctions become blurred?  Think about other more typical spaces, such as the plazas of Havana, and think about how this space is used. Compare the ways in which different public spaces ‘used’ differently (function, activities, performance etc) – for example, compare Revolution Square with Plaza de Catedral?

Visit Plaza des Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza Veija and consider:  Compare and contrast the ways in which space is used within the plazas. Consider the ways in Cubans and others (tourists) use the spaces in different ways (and for different purposes – leisure, work etc). Think about the activities occur within the squares and think about ideas of performativity within the squares.  Consider what ideas and values have underpinned restoration within these plazas.  In what ways do tourists ‘consume’ Cuba in tourist areas like Plaza de Armas? To what extent is this Cuba ‘real’ and to what extent is it imagined or reinvented?  How can you ‘read’ evidence of Cuba’s political economy within each of the squares?

Habana Vieja: UNESCO World Heritage Site: Castro’s policy of directing economic resources toward rural areas resulted in the deterioration of Havana, particularly the old city, but restoration efforts began in the 1980s. In 1982, Havana Vieja and the adjacent fortress were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Although debate continues about the appropriateness of the relatively small area delineated by UNESCO, the World Heritage Status of the area has had a significant impact in terms of the preservation of the buildings within Old Havana. Two government bodies share responsibility for aspects of the old city: namely, The National Centre for Conservation, Restoration and Museum Studies (CENCREM) and the City’s Historian’s Department of Architecture. In 1987, the Grupo para el Desarrollo Integral de la Capital (Centre for the Integral Development of the City: see Mirimar) was established to create a singular vision of the city.

Habagüanex: Eusebio Leal, the city’s historian, has played a major role in preservation activities within Havana. In 1994,

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 55 Leal created Habagüanex, a joint venture-for-profit-firm owned by the City Historian Office, the management body of the project responsible for the architectural conservation and restoration of Old Havana. Today, Habagüanex is probably the most powerful state agency within Old Havana providing ‘a cultural historic product focused mainly on Old Havana’. It operates by generating hard currency (CUCs) through tourism and related services in Habana Vieja and then uses these funds for historic preservation and the development of community projects. Habagüanex owns many of the restaurants and bars within the historic part of the city including El Patio, La Mina, Hostal Valencia, Hanoi and others.

In its own words, Habagüanex seeks to ‘develop tourism in Old Havana with greater diversity and cultural identity to satisfy the needs, tastes and preferences of [its] clients. It is [their] aspiration to provide the best tourism product in Havana, dynamically and efficiently organised, distinguished by quality and originality, by an atmosphere characterised by security, hospitality and essentially Cuban nature…We believe that this combination will satisfy the demands and expectations of clients, to ensure that Old Havana is a comprehensively planned tourist resort’.

In the first year of its operation, Habagüanex generated US$4 million towards regeneration costs, which included the preservation of buildings and a range of social programmes including the establishment of kindergartens, schools, services for the elderly and other community centres. No doubt there are some tensions in the activities of Habagüanex that seeks on the one hand to preserve and develop Havana as a tourist site while also seeking to address a number of social problems within the old city including unemployment, crime, poor levels of education etc.. Given the high costs of any regeneration activities, it is perhaps unsurprising that restoration activities in Havana were initially confined to a few streets, plazas as well as certain individual buildings. For example, restoration focussed on a series of ‘development axes’ centring on the streets of Oficios and Mercaderes and Obispo and O’Reilly as well as the Plazas of Catedral, Armas, Cristo and Vieja.

Until the 1980s, the predominant policy in historic preservation was passive: focussing on the restoration of individual buildings and the opening-up of the old centre through the retention of open space created when buildings were demolished. There was, nonetheless, considerable debate about the ‘old’ and the ‘new’. On the one hand, state agencies argued for strict and ‘faithful’ compliance with the formal and decorative features of the past

56 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook including the use of traditional materials and skilled craftsmen. On the other hand, by the late 1980s, some were arguing that ‘preservation’ should make use of the skills of young architects in the city who sought to bring an innovative approach to interior design and who wanted to fill the empty lots of the Old City with new structures that blended harmoniously with their settings. Evidence of their work can be seen in Plaza Vieja. In reality, much of the restoration work within Havana has sought assurances from the past when Cuba was in a better economic position and, as a result, some argue that current restoration efforts suffer from ‘heritage-site syndrome and narcissism of historic preservation’ such that the past has become ‘mummified and fetishized’ in the architecture of the city (Scarpaci et al, 2002). They argue that historic landscapes have been acritically reproduced and although many are historically ‘accurate’, the new restored and perfected Havana is not one which registers with the collective memory of modern day Haberanos. One example of this ‘heritage site syndrome’ is planned for Ministry of Education in that planners are considering demolishing the current building and replacing it with a replica of the Santo Domingo Convent. It is hardly surprising that Havana has become an important location for the film industry!

Since the beginning of the ‘Special Period’, resources for preservation and regeneration have been scarce. One of the main challenges for planners in Old Havana today is to explore ways of creating a multi-functional space in the Old City as commercial activity declines and the area becomes increasingly quiet in the evenings.

Today, Habagüanex funds are largely being directed towards social programmes for the residents of Old Havana. The main programmes currently under way are the restoration of the Malecón (first fourteen blocks) and the San Isidro neighbourhood (a red-light district in the south of Old Havana).

As you walk around these areas consider:  There has been much debate about the process of restoration. In particular, some have argued that restoration of Old Havana should be about using craftsmen and traditional techniques while others have argued that the city should be invigorated with new buildings where older ones have collapsed or been demolished. Is there evidence of this? Are there problems with either policy?  In what ways might history be being reinterpreted through the restoration programme?

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 57  How do the ‘development axes’ (centring on the streets of Oficios and Mercaderes and Obispo and O’Reilly as well as the Plazas of Catedral, Armas, Cristo and Vieja) compare to the areas in the immediate vicinity that have not yet been restored?  In what ways is Old Havana becoming ‘a comprehensively planned tourist resort’?  What evidence is there of the existence of (or need for) Habagüanex’s social programme?  What evidence is there of an increasing ‘marketisation’ of Cuba’s economy in Old Havana?

58 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook MALECON

History: The Malecón (meaning seawall) was planned towards the end of the nineteenth century and was intended to protect Havana from the Caribbean weather particularly, from the hurricanes that hit during autumn and winter. It came to fruition in 1901 when Cuba was under American administration and the neighbourhood of Vedado was expanding with the arrival of new wealth. The seawall was initially built from Old Havana as far as the monument to the US Maine in Vedado but was extended in the 1950s to Mirimar as the suburbs of the city expanded. The Malecón now refers to the whole of the seafront area along Avenida de Maceo. It is an important public space within the city and acts as a meeting place as well as a place of entertainment.

From the outset, the Malecón was a popular place to own property despite the perennial dangers from storms and floods. Although many of the buildings along this road are now in a poor state of repair, it is clear from the facades that this stretch of road (particularly from Old Havana to Hotel Deauville) was once of impressive architecture. The Malecón is currently being restored.

Make sure you visit: The Monument to the US Maine and US Interests Section (both located close to Vedado).

Consider:  The Malecón is an important area of public space within the city of Havana and is used as a meeting place, entertainment centre and so on. How does this public space differ from other spaces within the city? Who is using the Malecón? How does use differ at different times of the day?  Why has it become an important focal point for the people of Havana both on a practical level and as part of the imagined history of Havana?  By comparing this ‘public space’ with other public spaces within the city, what observations can you make about the ways in which public spaces are developed and used?

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 59  Some blocks of the Malecón are currently being restored. Why might it be seen as important to preserve and restore this stretch?

60 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook MUSEUM OF THE REVOLUTION

The Museum of the Revolution is housed in what was once Havana’s presidential palace. The Museum is note-worthy, not least, because it is one of very few ‘symbols’ of the revolution. Unlike many other revolutionary governments, buildings have not been seen as important ideological symbols in Cuba and there are few monuments to the revolution itself (look, for example, at Revolution Square). In part, this may be a product of a law prohibiting the erection of monuments or naming of streets to anyone who is living (including Castro - The only monument to Castro in Havana is located on the corner of Calle 12 and 23 in Vedado).

Consider:  Why is the museum the main ‘memorialisation’ of the Cuban revolution? In what other ways is the revolution memorialised? What other events/people are memorialised within Havana? Why?  How is the revolution represented in the museum? How might you ‘read’ the museum and its exhibits? Consider the choice of location of the museum. What symbolism does this building have? What is the main focus of the exhibits inside the building?  What sort of interpretation of this museum might you offer? How is it different to other museums in Havana and in other parts of the world?

Compare this museum with the Museum de la Cuidad you visited in the morning:  How would you ‘read’ the two museums in different ways?  Who are the museums aimed at? How are the displays constructed differently?  What ideals of the state are expressed through the museums?

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 61 PLAZA DE ARMAS

Originally known as Plaza de la Iglesia, this square became known as Plaza de Armas after it was taken over as a parade ground for the army. Many of the buildings and features that you see in the square today were developed in the eighteenth century as the square became the bureaucratic and military focus of Havana. The plaza is typical of the squares of Old Havana, except for its lack of a church (although there was originally a Church in the square - built in 1555). The west of the square is dominated by the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales completed in 1791 and the residence of the Spanish governors until independence, then home to the republic’s presidents until the Presidential Palace was constructed (now the Museum de la Cuidad) while on the East side of the square is the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the oldest surviving colonial fortress in the Americas. On the south side of the square are a number of twentieth century buildings, which are now museums but it was here that US embassy was originally located. The buildings surround a garden in the centre of which a statue of Carlos Manuel de Cépedes was constructed in 1955. Cépedes became a hero of the first War of Independence when he launched an uprising at his plantation after he called for the abolition of slavery and set his slaves free.

In the nineteenth century, Plaza de Armas was an essential meeting place for elite Haberano society. In the twentieth century, as the American embassy was built, the area around Plaza des Armas became the financial centre of Havana with the National Bank of Cuba, the National Bank of Canada and the National City Bank of New York locating along Calle Obispo and the Loma del Comercio (trading centre) opening for business in Plaza de San Francisco. Today, Plaza de Armas is largely tourist area containing a number of restaurants including La Mina (which is a Habaguanex restaurant). In Plaza de Armas and Plaza de la Catedral, you will probably see mulatas dressed in nineteenth century costume. Look also at the questions about the four plazas under Old Havana.

62 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Museum de la Cuidad: you should spend a short time in the Museum de la Cuidad. Like a number of other buildings in Havana, this has gone through various incarnations as a residence of Spanish governor general, presidents of the republic and now the museum of the city. Compare this museum with the Museum of the Revolution. The content is rather different with the former exhibiting relics of Cuba’s pre-revolutionary history and the latter focussing on the events of the 1950s.  How do the changes in use of this building reflect changes within Cuba more generally?  The Museum de la Cuidad preserves certain aspects of about Cuba’s history. What are the key themes within the museum and what does the museum say to us about Cuban cultural identity? What kind of relationship does contemporary Cuba have with its colonial past?  Who is the main audience for the museum? How does this affect the ways in which the museum and its artefacts are presented?

PLAZA DE LA CATEDRAL

Plaza de la Catedral was the last square to be laid out in Old Havana. It is on the site of the Plazuela de la Ciénaga (Little Square of the Swamp) and, despite being subject to flooding at a time when water-borne diseases caused considerable mortality, it was an important recreational location within Old Havana in years

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 63 gone-by. In the seventeenth century, a royal proclamation prevented building within the square in order to preserve the square for the common good but buildings gradually appeared throughout the eighteenth century and, when the square had been dried out, it became an exclusive location for rich Haberanos to build their homes (see, for example, the restaurant El Patio).

In 1788 work began on The Catedral de San Cristóbal, with its two unequal towers, which now dominates the square. It was built by the Jesuits and once apparently held the remains of Christopher Columbus although historians suggest that the remains were actually those of the explorer’s son Diego, Governor of the Indies.

Consider:  In many ways, this square is the ‘centre’ of tourism within Havana. Think about the ways in which tourist consume Cuban culture and the ways in which services have been developed to cater for such demand. To what extent are these aspects of Cuban culture ‘real’ and to what extent are they imagined – the image of the Caribbean, constructed outside of Cuba?  Look also at the questions about the four plazas under Old Havana.

PLAZA DE SAN FRANCISCO DE ASIS

Plaza de San Francisco is the second oldest plaza in the city with a square having existed here before the first Franciscan convent was built here in 1591. Yet the history of this square extends further since it was in the area between Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza des Armas that the indigenous people of Havana are believed to have settled. In many ways, this square is typical of those found in Europe with its central fountain and church built in 1719. Nonetheless, this plaza feels more open than many of the others in the city because it faces the sea and the dock where cruise ships dock. Given its location, the Plaza has traditionally been the heart of Havana’s commercial life, surrounded by many warehouses and the original location of the city’s market.

64 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook The Church within the square has a rich history having been requisitioned by British colonists in 1762 and becoming a very fashionable Church with Havana’s elite in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Today, perhaps the most symbolic aspect of the Church are the twin chairs used by Fidel Castro and the Pope during his visit to Cuba in 1998.  Go to the top of tower and look at the different parts of Havana.  Look also at the questions about the four plazas under Old Havana.  What evidence can you see of ‘globalisation’ within the square?

PLAZA VIEJA

Plaza Vieja is bounded by Calle Mercaderes, San Ignacio, Brasil and Muralla. It has gone through many different incarnations since it was first laid out in 1584. Originally, the square was intended to be entirely residential in response to the loss of Plaza des Armas to the military but its centre had a number of different functions. The space was used for public entertainment (processions, bullfighting, masked balls etc.), for executions and, in 1772, the first café in Havana was opened in this square. In 1835, the square housed the open market after it was moved from Plaza San Francisco at the request of the monks. The arrival of the market was subject to much protest from the wealthy residents of the square who had chosen to live in the square because of its close proximity to the commercial centre of the city but its suitable distance from the noise of the port.

Many of these colonial mansions remain despite the changing fortunes of the square. When the market was closed, it was replaced first with an amphitheatre and, in 1952, the square was raised to a metre about street level when the authorities built an underground car-park. The car-park was demolished in 1995 by order of Eusebio Leal, the city’s historian, when the restoration of Havana got underway. Today, many of the houses in Plaza Vieja have been converted into compact units in order to address the housing problem within Old Havana.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 65 Consider:  In some ways, the restoration of this square could be seen as a re-imagining of Havana’s past that places ‘history’ above concerns about today’s residents, and which is not ‘true’ to the square’s past. To what extent do you agree?  In restoring the square, how has a balance been struck between the demands of UNESCO (that is, the world outside), tourists and locals? Look also at the questions about the four plazas under Old Havana

66 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook FRIDAY University, Revolution Square & Vedado

Convene in the hotel lobby at 9am. Today, you will need to organise yourselves so that you go to the University of Havana and Revolution Square.  While you are in Revolution Square, make sure you go up the José Marti Memorial (Entrance Fee CUC$5) from which you will get a good view of the City of Havana.  You should also visit the main cemetery of Havana (Necrópolis Cristóbal Colón). There is an entrance fee of CUC$1.  Walk along Calle 23and spend some time in this area of the city. It is quite different to the areas around the hotel. As you walk back, you will notice a number of symbols of past American influence not least on Calle 23 on the corner of 12 is a peso shop known as Té-sé (10 cents), which was previously Woolworths as marked out in mosaic on the threshold. REMEMBER: 6pm meeting with Staff

As you walk around, you need to reflect on the issues raised yesterday and on:  How does the city change as you walk to the University and then to the Plaza de la Revolución?  How a sense of place is constructed through the urban landscape. How do areas of the city differ and why? Is it simply architecture or is there something more complex going on? What kinds of cultural and social values are inscribed in the different parts of Havana?  How might national identity be read in Havana? In what ways can we read the landscape and its representations in order to read people’s cultural identities?  What kinds of economic activities characterise this part of the city?

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 67 COLON CEMETERY

Havana’s large cemetery was built in 1868 in a location that was, at that time, far from the edge of the city. It was completed in time for the burials of those killed in the first War of Independence and the victims of Havana’s cholera epidemic. Indeed, the first person to be buried in the graveyard was its architect Calixto de la Loira. Today, there are approximately one million people buried here.

The cemetery is laid out in a grid-iron pattern and maps are available at the entrance. If you wander from the main sections of the graveyard, you see some of the most striking evidence of Cuba’s different religious cults including Santeria. There are a number of graves that are worth looking at including:  Maximo Gomez (built in 1905) – located close to the entrance on the right (there is a bronze face in a circular medallion).  Tomb of La Milagrosa where Amelia Goyri is buried (located at corner of Calles 1 and F and marked by a marble statue of woman holding a large cross with a baby in her arms). Amelia died on May 3rd 1901 during the eighth month of her pregnancy. Her baby was buried at her feet but upon exhumation, the child was found in her arms and subsequently this grave has become a focus for the people of Havana who are looking for intercession in a number of personal tragedies.  Edwardo Chibás (located on Calle 8 between Calles E and F) was a radio journalist. During the 1940s and early 1950s, he campaigned against political corruption and as a personal protest he committed suicide and died during one of his radio broadcasts in 1951. At his burial, a young Castro made his first public speech.  Bacardí family monument (with bats around its railings)  There is a bronze plaque (on corner of Calles 23 and 12 – one block from the cemetery entrance) marking the place from which Castro proclaimed the socialist nature of the Cuban Revolution on April 16th 1961.

Consider:  How might the Cemetery be read as a reflection of Cuban life? (Look at the particular memorials, think about religion etc.). How is the cemetery different to those in the UK? Why?

68 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  Why has this location become symbolically important within contemporary Cuba? How does this compare with similar states?  How is space used within the cemetery?

PLAZA DE LA REVOLUCION

History: This space was selected as the potential civic centre for Havana in the 1930s. Today it is described as ‘the most unappealing, bleakest deserts of space imaginable’ and as a place with no appeal for tourists yet it is one of Havana’s most iconic (if disappointing) locations. The square was originally planned as a ‘monumental space’ and was intended to be four times its current size but building was delayed and eventually scaled down. Building of the Plaza Cívica (later to be renamed) began in 1952 and continued through much of the 1950s. When Batista fled in 1959, the square had taken shape with a statue of José Martí as its focal point. It was renovated in 1996.

The design of the plaza and the area around it was influenced by CIAM (Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne2), and particularly the work of Le Corbusier. For many Cubans, the Ministry of Justice building (behind the José Martí memorial – now Castro’s office) and the José Martí memorial depict the authoritarian and hierarchical view held by the developers of the square. The design of the square is seen by some as too obvious and imposing. The majority of the buildings that make up Plaza de la Revolución

2 This was an influential group that sought to divert architecture away from academic preoccupations. The organisation had a major influence on architecture and town planning from 1930-34 and from 1950-55. Designs often followed a particular model including:  Five principal roads (as used by Le Corbusier in India)  The presence of a hegemonic political-administrative centre  The separation of social functions (residential areas, government complexes & industrial zones)  Wide green areas and the layout of housing in strips and isolated clusters

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 69 are government ministry buildings. The most famous building in the square is the Ministerio del Interior building (MININT) on the front of which is the famous black metal outline of Che Guevara and his words ‘Hasta la Victoria Siempre’. Che has an iconic status in Cuba and yet the building on which his image is found is one of the most feared buildings in Cuba. The Ministry of the Interior is part of Cuba’s internal security system that monitors the activities of the Cuban people. Cubans fear that their conversations may be listened to and are fearful of making any critical comment about Castro or the activities of the state. You will see cars of the staff of MININT around the city – they are noticeable because of their green number plates.

Also around the square:  Next to the Ministerio del Interior building, on the east side of the square, is the Ministerio del Communicacions.  To the west side (on the corner) is the Teatro Nacional (opened in 1960) and opposite is the National Library.  Two blocks North is the Museo de Historia del Deportivo, the Museum of Cuban sports.  Castro’s office in the long building behind the memorial to José Martí. This building was previously the Ministry of Justice.  José Martí Monument: A 138.5m high monument and accompanying 17m marble statue.

The Square is the main location from which Fidel Castro makes speeches to the massive crowds. The timing of his speeches are rarely made public in advance, instead, announcements are made on the streets of Havana. ‘Todos hasta la plaza’ is the call for the people of Havana to make their way to the Plaza de la Revolución. Although to some extent the Protestodromo, outside the US Special Interests Section, has become a new focus for protest against anti-imperialism, Revolution Square remains a focal point for Cubans and has been the location of some important events including the location where the Pope said Mass when he came to Cuba in 1998. Make sure you visit: José Martí Museum & Tower.

Consider Revolution Square:  What kinds of readings might you make of this particular landscape?

70 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  How does Revolution Square ‘work’? How is space organised? How can ‘power’ be read from the landscape? How does this kind of public space differ from others (e.g. the Squares in Old Havana, Parks in Centro Habana)?  It has been argued that, despite the iconic images of both Jose Marti and Che Guevara in Plaza de la Revolución, that the square has a symbolic value that does not rely on any monuments, indeed, the square is actually quite an empty space. Why is this space so iconic? What are the temporalities of the space (how is the space used differently at different times?)  Reflect on the memorialisation of the Revolution. In what ways is Plaza de la Revolución a symbol of Revolution in Cuba? How might you read this and other monuments of Cuba? How do places like Revolution Square act as signification systems in constructing particular meanings or myths about Cuba? How might Revolution Square be symbolically important within wider debates? Are there other spaces in Cuba that are symbolically important within wider debates?  Consider where the square is located and its relationship to the areas around it. How might you interpret this?

Consider José Martí:  How do you read the monument to José Martí? What does it say about the relationship between José Martí and the Cuban people?  The statue of José Martí is reputedly based on a design for a whiskey advertisement that appeared at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. Does this affect its reading?

From the top of the monument:  From the top of the José Marti Memorial, think about the differences between Havana and other cities you know. What ‘signs’ can you see of the history of Cuba and of its socialist agenda?  Look at the different uses of space within the city. What kinds of influences do you note on residential and commercial spaces within the city?  To what extent are the models of CIAM and Le Corbusier evident in the area?  Note the evidence of urban agriculture within the city.

General Issues:

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 71  How are the notions of ‘square/plaza’ and ‘public space’ different in this area to other parts of the city?

UNITED STATES INTERESTS SECTION

At the point where the Malecón meets Linea, there is a large and heavily policed building which houses the US Interests Section within the Swiss Embassy. Given the continued strain in political relations between Havana and Washington, the US has no embassy in Cuba and is instead served by its Special Interests Section. You will probably be asked to walk on the other side of the road from the building and will not be allowed to take any photographs. It is worth having a look at the nearby billboard. It is the largest billboard in Havana and continuously displays anti-US propaganda.

In front of the building, there is a square with facilities for speeches. This square (officially named Tribuna Abierta Anti-Imperialista) was built in 1999 during the Elian Gonzalez ‘episode’. During the Gonzalez episode, the Cuban authorities built a statue of a small boy in the arms of Jose Marti at the end of the square. As the child points at Havana’s most overt symbol of imperialism, this could be seen as a very visual representation of the continued and renewed tensions between the United States and Cuba.

Consider:  What do the USS Maine memorial and the US Special Interests Section tell us about the relationship between Cuba and the United States?

UNIVERSITY OF HAVANA

The Universidad of Havana (or La Colina) was founded by Dominican monks in 1728 and, like many universities, it remained a religious institution until 1842 when it was secularised. Today, the university has approximately 30000 students (including 2000 overseas students) and employs about 1700 lecturers in social sciences, humanities, natural sciences and maths.

72 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Architecture: From the street (Calle L), the entrance to the university is clearly marked by a large central stairway and statue. Walk up these steps and into the campus where most of the buildings were constructed between 1908 and 1932 (like much of the rest of Vedado). The central square (Plaza Ignacio Agramonte) contains a number of statues and other monuments including a tank captured by the rebels in 1958. Off the central plaza are the library and a number of museums including the museum of natural history and an anthropological museum. As you walk out of the campus, towards Revolution Square, you will pass the university’s 10,000 seat stadium, Estadio Universitario Juan Abrahantes where students play football and baseball.

Consider:  How is the University of Havana different to the University of Manchester?  In some ways, the University of Havana has similar architecture to the University of Manchester. How do such institutions create a ‘space of learning’ through their architecture?  In comparison with the UK, what evidence can you ‘see’ that this university is located within a (post) socialist state?  How might the University be ‘read’ as a symbol of national/cultural identity? (Think about the ways in which the university might be seen from ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ of Cuba and about the memorialisation of ‘history’ within the campus).

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 73 US MAINE

This monument was dedicated to the American soldiers that were killed in the explosion of the USS Maine. The monument remains standing despite the increasing tensions between the US and Cuba although the eagle that sat on the top of the monument has been removed because it was seen as too overt a symbol of US imperialism (or, as the Americans suggest it was removed during a tropical storm). It is one of relatively few locations in Havana that you may see some graffiti.

VEDADO

History: Vedado is one of Havana’s newer neighbourhoods. It developed when American influence on the island was at its peak, after, the Spanish-American War. At this time, the United States governed Cuba and many US businesses invested in Havana. Vedado was in its prime in the 1920s and 1930s when American tourists flocked to the island attracted by its relative proximity (it was easily accessible by ferry from Miami and no visa was required) and the availability of alcohol at a time when the US was enforcing prohibition. During the Batista era, American mafia bosses invested heavily in Vedado and capitalised on US restrictions to develop a thriving tourist industry based around alcohol, 24 hour gambling and prostitution.

From the 1920s to the 1940s, growth in the city accompanied by a boom in building ensured that Vedado became Havana’s prime commercial and (middle class) residential area. Many of Havana’s most famous landmarks (such as the University of Havana, the Hotel Nacional and the first skyscraper, the López Serrano building on Linea and 11) were built at this time and often in a new architectural style. Although many middle class families moved to Mirimar in the 1950s, Vedado remained the centre of commercial and social life with many cinemas, casinos, hotels

74 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook and restaurants. It was in Vedado that the infamous influence of the mafia was strongest and associated with hotels Capri, Nacional and Riviera.

The organisation of both streets and buildings in Vedado (and Mirimar to the west) was carefully planned. The influence of American occupants in the city was apparent. As in many US cities at the turn of the century, ‘unhealthy living’ (in both moral and social terms) was seen to be a product of overcrowded and industrial living conditions. As a result, when this area was developed, the wide streets were lined with trees and planning regulations made open spaces mandatory as part of the overall landscaping of the area. A minimum of one- third of each plot was required to be left unbuilt with fifteen feet of garden being retained between the building and the street. Many of these spaces and Vedado’s parks have since been built upon but you will notice that this area is more open than other parts of Havana.

Things to see in Vedado:  The only monument to Castro in Havana is located on the corner of Calle 12 and 23 in Vedado. This monument commemorates the 1961 Havana Declaration (when the revolution was publicly declared to be socialist).  Parque John Lennon: unofficially known as Parque John Lennon for years but officially renamed in December 2000 when Castro unveiled a slightly Cuban looking statue of John Lennon (17th & 6th).

Consider:  What kinds of economic activites are located in Vedado? Who are they targeted at/used by? How does this differ to Havana Vieja/Centro Habana?  What evidence is there of an increasing ‘marketisation’ of Cuba’s economy in Vedado? How does this compare to Old Havana? Why might there be differences between the two areas?  How have American values been inscribed onto the landscape of Vedado?  How would you read the economic landscape of Vedado?

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 75 SATURDAY Outside Havana

Our purpose today is to put the experiences of Havana into a broader context by travelling to a number of different locations outside of the capital. These locations will provide either an alternate perspective on Havana and its regional context, or a snapshot of non-urban landscapes and livelihoods, enabling you to think about the relations between the city, its suburbs and hinterlands.

As we drive out of Havana, compare the different suburbs. Mirimar is the first suburb to the West of Havana and was built from the 1920s onwards. Consider the cultural and economic landscape of this area and compare it to Old Havana and Vedado. Over the course of the day, consider the following:  What are the differences economically, socially and culturally in the landscapes outside of Havana, compared to those of the city?  What evidence is there of how the land has been used in the past, and the ways in which it is used now?  Is there evidence of tourism (and ecotourism) within these areas?  What evidence is there of the importance of tobacco and rum in terms of Cuba’s economy?  What evidence do you see of change in the area? (e.g. production techniques, manufacturing, sales?)  Reflect on the smaller towns we pass through, how does life in these urban areas differ to that of Havana? What kinds of disparities exist between the urban and rural areas of Cuba? How would you read the economic and cultural landscapes of rural Cuba?

The itinerary may be subject to change. We expect, however, to see some or all of the following areas.

76 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook MIRIMAR

The influence of American wealth is clearly visible in the suburb of Mirimar, which was designed in a similar way to the American garden city. In the early years of the revolution, the wealthy white residents of this suburb were one of the first groups of people to leave Cuba. The large houses were mainly turned into multiple dwellings with many becoming home to students or being used as re-education centres intended to retrain locals (e.g. prostitutes) in certain professions. Some were reassigned to exemplary party workers.

Today, while some of the houses are in a state of disrepair, this area still has a feeling of wealth compared with other areas of Havana. Some of the large houses are now embassies, while others are headquarters for mixed Cuban/foreign enterprises. This areas houses many of Cuba’s wealthier foreign workers (mainly to the West of the Almendares) and some services have developed to meet their needs including two private dollar hospitals (for foreigners only), international schools and shops including Le Select (Qunita Avenida) and a large supermaret on the corner of 70 and Tercera.

Maquete de la Habana (Calle 28 between 1st and 3rd Avenue) is a simple, large-scale model of Havana at a scale of 1:1000. It covers 144m2 equivalent to 144km2 of the city. The Maquete has been created by photographing and measuring every building in Havana before one of the nine modellers then builds it and adds it to the model. The model is colour coded with colonial buildings (16th to 19th century) coloured in reddish-brown, buildings from 1900 to 1958 are coloured yellowish-brown and anything built post-revolution is coloured cream. Projects, monuments and cemeteries are coloured white. The model shows that most of Havana’s buildings were built in the 20th century with considerable building expected in the future (including projects (white buildings) such as hotels and commercial centres proposed by foreign investors).

The model is housed in the building of the Centre for Integral Development of the City (see Havana: World Heritage Site). Their role is to monitor the conservation and urbanisation of Havana. Every time a new building is proposed, a model is built and inserted in the Maquete to assess its likely impact on the environment. The group has an advisory role only and has had some success in toning down offices and buildings that would dominate certain

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 77 neighbourhoods but the power of hard currency means that some buildings are approved despite their concerns. REGLA

Regla is one of Havana’s 15 municipalities. It is an industrial port town known as the centre for Afro-Cuban religions. 20th century installations surround the town including the 65ha Belot oil refinery that belonged to Esso, Shell and Texaco.

PINAR DEL RIO

This area is the third largest province in Cuba (population about 60,000) and lies to the West of Havana. This area is much less developed than the Eastern parts of Cuba and the standard of living in this area in generally quite low. Most of the population farm the land (plains of Eastern Pinar del Rio are planted in sugar cane, the Vinales Valley is a tobacco growing area, there are rice fields in the south and cattle ranching is common in the foothills of the mountains). This area is being developed as an area of Ecotourism.

TOBACCO

Pinar del Rio is the source of 80% of Cuba’s tobacco. The first tobacco factory opened in 1760 and since then it has remained as the region’s main industry. Today, private farms account for the majority of the crop and some technological advances have changed production methods (including irrigation). Nonetheless, harvesting is still largely done by hand. When the leaves have been harvested, they are left to dry in special huts (Vegas) which you will see as we drive around the area. Once dried, the leaves are transported to the cigar factories, many of which are now located in Havana (e.g. Real Fåbrica de Tabacos la Corona near the Capitolo in Centro Habana).

78 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook The government is keen to increase tobacco production and has encouraged growth in the industry by turning state farms into co-operatives and by giving land to farming families.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 79 SUGAR

Sugar is one of the continuities of Cuban culture and society: sugar cane was introduced to the island by the Spanish and has been grown continuously since 1511. In the details of its organisation and production, however, sugar captures many of the political and economic changes that characterise Cuban history. Cuba is one of several Caribbean ‘sugar islands’ – other significant ones are Barbados, Jamaica, Santo Domingo and the Dominican Republic – where sugar has been cultivated to feed demand from temperate regions. Other significant sugar growing areas in the western hemisphere include Florida and Brazil.

Sugar cane is a tropical plantation crop. Its origins lie in SE Asia, although it was already being cultivated in the Mediterranean by the 8th century AD, from where it crossed the Atlantic to the New World with Spanish and Portuguese exploration. The fast-growing plant harnesses sunlight, moisture and soil nutrients to produce a carbohydrate (sucrose) that can be extracted by cutting the plant and crushing the stems in a sugar mill (you will find this cane juice available to drink in some markets where it is known as guarapo: it can be a health hazard, however, because of the conditions under which it is hand-squeezed). To make sugar, the cane juice is heated to drive off the water, leaving a crystalline residue. Sugar is a classic weight-loss industry, in that the volume of the finished product is much smaller – and the value much greater – than the raw sugar cane that enters the mill: the valuable part attains a remarkable geographical mobility (it crosses oceans, enters human bodies) while the waste component takes a much shorter, more mundane journey (it is dumped, or becomes local animal feed). In some parts of the world, however, the crushed stems and leaves of the sugar cane (known as bagasse) take on a new life as they are used to produce ethanol/biofuel or are burned as fuel in power stations. The value-per-unit weight of sugar can be further enhanced by upgrading it into alcohol: the rum industry in Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean, for example, is an example of downstream diversification that effectively makes Cuban sugar travel more easily across space (into supermarkets in Asia, for example).

Getting Cuban sugar to travel – i.e. making it competitive as an export crop - has been one of the enduring challenges for the island. For the first 200 years of Spanish rule the sugar produced in Cuba was used primarily for domestic consumption: although efforts were made at the end of the 16th century to export sugar to Spain, investment in Cuban sugar mills lagged

80 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook those by the French and British in other parts of the Caribbean. The brief period of British rule in Havana (1762) transformed the island’s sugar industry, however: by loosening Spanish control over the trade in sugar and expanding markets beyond Spain, by introducing the island to new technologies (that increased the quality and productivity of sugar milling, some via French plantation owners fleeing slave revolts in Santo Domingo), and by linking Cuba to the British-controlled slave trade, the area of land in sugar plantations grew rapidly after 1762.

Cuba became one of the world’s largest sugar exporters in the 19th century as a result of major transformations inside and outside Cuba. Beyond the island’s shores, soaring demand for sugar in Europe buoyed demand. Average sugar intake in Europe rose strikingly from the late 19th century onwards, as demonstrated by Sidney Mintz in his remarkable book ‘Sweetness and Power’: an essential fuel for industrialisation, sugar maintained the productivity of the urban proletariat (where do you think the British passion for a tea-break and a biscuit comes from?). Within Cuba, the demography and culture of the island was transformed by the importation of hundreds of thousands of African slaves. It was in this period that much of the island’s deforestation occurred, as land was cleared for new plantations and cattle and tobacco farms were converted to sugar. The application of steam power – to haul sugar cane and to power the mills – further intensified sugar production and deforestation: the first railways in Latin America and the Caribbean were installed on Cuban plantations in the 1830s.

The geography of mechanisation during the 19th century sugar boom was uneven: much of the growth was concentrated on large plantations in the west of the country (owned and controlled by the peninsulares – whites born in Spain), while smaller plantations in the East (owned by criollos – locally born whites) still had to rely on relatively expensive slave imports. The simultaneous growth and crisis of these two components of the Cuban sugar industry gave rise to Wars of Independence in 1868 and 1895, and led to US intervention in 1898. By the end of the 19th century, American interests had become dominant in the capital- intensive sugar mills and plantations. Further mechanisation and centralisation followed, often in association with large American food manufacturers - like the chocolate-maker Hershey and the rum-maker Bacardi – who had backwardly-integrated into sugar production. High levels of American investment and control was enabled by the Platt Amendment (1902) and the Reciprocity Treaty (1903) which formalised Cuba’s status as a neo-colony of the US:

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 81 the Reciprocity Treaty, for example, established Cuba as a supplier of raw sugar to the US in exchange for American manufactured goods.

On the eve of the revolution over half the sugar mills in Cuba were foreign-owned. Despite the revolution’s critique of sugar dependency and the neglect of other components of the economy, sugar quickly became a mainstay and symbol of the revolution: mills were nationalised, sugar was promoted, and boosting the annual sugar harvest – known as zafra – became a primary economic goal and a yardstick of economic success. Soviet patronage – and the relatively high prices it paid for Cuban sugar – in this period masked falling productivity and the exhaustion of soil conditions. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, significant problems in the sugar sector were exposed. Although the last fifteen years have seen a number of efforts to improve productivity and efficiency in the sugar sector, the area under sugar has shrunk considerably. Diversification away from sugar is seen in both agriculture and the economy more generally, with a significant increase in tourist revenue since the mid-1990s.

The Ministry of Sugar Industries (MINAZ) runs all sugar and related operations in Cuba. The agricultural segment of the sugar industry is composed of private and state farms while the industrial segment consists of 156 mills, 16 sugar refineries and 13 distilleries producing rum.

82 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 83 SUNDAY Project Time

You have time to develop your projects and spend time visiting areas that may be important for your research. REMEMBER: 6pm meeting with Staff

Places you may want to visit:  Mirimar – you will have seen Mirimar as we drove through the area yesterday but you may want to look around in more detail today.  Eastern Forts  ExpoCuba & Parque Lenin area

84 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook MONDAY US Special Interests Section and Playas del Este

You may want to get up early and do some tour preparation today. Later in the morning we will be given a talk and a chance for Q&A at the US Special Interests section (on the Malecon in Vedado). Form up in the lobby at 10am with your passport. Think about the questions you may want to ask during the briefing, In the afternoon we will go to Playas del Este, where we will examine the role of international tourism as an economic development strategy.

PLAYAS DEL ESTE

Playas del Este are the nearest beaches to Havana and, unlike some of the larger tourist resorts like Varadero (the large tourist resort to the East of Havana), are used by Cubans as well as tourists. This stretch of coastline is made up to two main beaches that are divided into five sections: to the west of the River Itabo (nearest to Havana) are Tarará 3, El Mégano and Santa María del Mar and to the Eastern side are Boca Ciega and Guanabo.

On route to the beaches, you will pass by a number of sites including:  Pan American Games complex built in 1991. This complex is a source of great pride for Cubans not just because it was the location of the Pan American games but also because it was built at considerable financial expense when Cuba was experiencing considerable economic hardship. Cuban athletes achieved remarkable success at these games.  Large dormitory city of Alamar: this enormous housing complex is home to about 100,000 commuters and was built largely by volunteers. Originally, this was intended to be the first of a number of such complexes as officials intended to refocus the city towards the Eastern shores but financial constraints restricted future developments.

3 Tarará is the nearest beach to Havana and is located close to a small village and hospital. This beach used to be frequented by Russians living in Cuba and the hospital was used to treat children who had been affected by the Chernobyl disaster.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 85 TOURISM

The international tourist industry is one of the few industries not to have suffered during the economic crises of the early 1980s although it did suffer after September 11th 2001. Today, it is seen as a key sector and is prioritised as part of the Cuban economic readjustment programme. In 2003, 1.9million visitors came to Cuba, a 12% increase on the previous year’s total and plans have been made for further hotel construction, nautical and theme parks.

History of Tourism to Cuba: Prior to 1959, tourism was a major industry within Cuba providing numerous jobs as well as hard currency. In the early years of the Revolution, international tourism largely disappeared from the island as a result of the US Embargo and a sense that tourism was too closely associated with the evils of capitalism – most notably, prostitution, organised crime, gambling and drugs. At this time, much of the pre-1959 tourist infrastructure was left for Cuban citizens (and some socialist visitors) but there was no additional investment within the sector. As a result, there were few foreign tourists arriving in Cuba and those who did come were largely sympathisers who came on working trips. Cubans were encouraged to be wary of visitors and were largely unaware of the world beyond their shores.

From the mid-1970s onwards, as the number of tourists worldwide increased, so Cuba once again began to see the arrival of some foreign visitors. In 1974, just 8400 tourists came to Cuba from capitalist countries. By 1987, this figure had risen to 217 900 and in 1990 was 340 300. In 1976, the Cuban government began to recognise the potential economic benefits of increased tourism and established INTUR (Instituto Nacional de Turismo) to develop national and international tourism. Today, visitors mainly come from Canada (approximately 75000 visitors pa), Germany (60000), Mexico (35000) and Spain (34000). Despite these figures, the growth of the tourist industry is restricted by the continued US embargo.

86 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Increasingly, the Cuban tourist industry has achieved some success in attracting foreign investment from countries other than the US – particularly Spain and Germany. Under laws introduced in 1982, joint ventures in tourism can be set up so long as foreign ownership does not exceed 49%. Joint ventures are encouraged by the development favourable terms to the investor rumoured to include:  Free lease on land where project is constructed  Exemption on tariffs on imported goods  Tax free repatriation of profits  Guaranteed ownership rights for 25 years, renegotiable for up to 50 years

Tourism has some direct benefits for the host country including:  Improvements in the balance of payments (through tourist receipts)  Generation of government revenues (taxes on airport, hotels, sales tax)  Creation of income and employment  Promotion of economic growth and development.

Canada

Germany Italy Spain France

Mexico United States

(Source: Scarpaci et al, 2002: 294) In 1990, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba had to explore new ways of attracting foreign currency into its stagnant economy. In 1993, the legalisation of the US

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 87 dollar resulted in a significant growth in tourism and an informal service sector developed to cater to the needs of tourists.

88 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook TUESDAY Tours & Assessment

Tours will begin at 9am and 2pm. You will be required to lead one tour (in your group) and to participate in and peer assess another.

ASSESSMENT

The assessment for the fieldcourse is made up of two elements.  Individual essay completed before we go to Havana (40%)  Tour of Havana assessed by peers and staff (60%)

Tour Practical requirements The main assessment task while we are in Havana will be to prepare and lead a tour of the city. Your tour should meet the following criteria:  Three to six sites of interest (carefully chosen)  Length - 1½-2 hours and not more than 3 miles from tour starting point  Tours will start at 9am and 2pm  Each tour party will consist of 5 tour guides leading 5 students and at least one member of staff  Your tour must be theoretically informed - not just descriptive  All group members must have a clear role  Preparation should begin in Manchester and be on-going throughout the fieldcourse.

What makes an excellent tour?

By the end of this tour, you should:  Have worked as team and led a group of students and staff on an unobtrusive and sensitive tour of up to six sites in Havana (1½-2 hours, up to 3 miles)  Have stated clearly defined aims and outcomes that are grounded in the relevant academic literature

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 89  Demonstrated a logical and coherent argument that links your sites together in a way that displays insight and originality as well an ability to analyse evidence and apply conceptual ideas from the literature to work undertaken in the field  Have maintained interest throughout by conducting your tour in a lively and stimulating manner supported by audience participation, resources and documentation

FIRST (70% or more): An outstanding tour has very well defined aims and outcomes that are very well grounded in the relevant literature. The tour maintains interest throughout and is conducted in a very lively and stimulating manner. It includes a logical and coherent argument throughout and displays deep insight and considerable originality. The tour may include high levels of audience participation and be supported by a range of resources and documentation. The commentary will be analytical, displaying a sophisticated and exceptional understanding of the literature and an ability to apply conceptual ideas to work undertaken in the field. It will be delivered in an unobtrusive and sensitive manner. The tour will be exceptionally well presented with a strong introduction and conclusion. It will take in a range of carefully selected and highly appropriate sites within the city of Havana and show clear evidence of very extensive teamwork.

UPPER SECOND (60-69%): A very good tour with well defined aims and outcomes that are well grounded in the relevant literature. The tour maintains interest throughout most of the duration and is conducted in a lively and stimulating manner. It includes a logical and coherent argument throughout and displays insight and originality. The tour may include quite high levels of audience participation and be supported by some resources and documentation. The commentary will be analytical, displaying a very good understanding of the literature and an ability to apply some conceptual ideas to work undertaken in the field. It will be delivered in an unobtrusive and sensitive manner. The tour will be very well presented with a good introduction and conclusion. It will take in a range of carefully selected and very appropriate sites within the city of Havana and show clear evidence of teamwork.

LOWER SECOND (50-59%): A good tour with quite well defined aims and outcomes that are grounded in the relevant literature. The tour generally maintains audience interest and is

90 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook conducted in quite a lively and stimulating manner. It includes an argument throughout and displays some insight and originality. The tour may include some level of audience participation and may be supported by limited resources and documentation. The commentary will demonstrate some analysis, display good understanding of the literature and an ability to apply limited conceptual ideas to work undertaken in the field. It will be delivered in an unobtrusive and sensitive manner. The tour will be quite well presented with an introduction and conclusion. It will take in a range of appropriate sites within the city of Havana and show some evidence of teamwork.

THIRD (40-49%): A tour with some aims and outcomes that are linked to the relevant literature. The tour stimulates some audience interest. It is structured and may display some insight and/or originality in places. The tour may include limited level of audience participation and/or resources and documentation. The commentary will demonstrate some limited analysis, display a basic understanding of the literature and an ability to apply simple conceptual ideas to work undertaken in the field. It will be delivered in an unobtrusive and sensitive manner. The tour will be adequately presented with a simple introduction and conclusion. It will take in a range of quite appropriate sites within the city of Havana and show some evidence of teamwork.

PEER ASSESSMENT: You will be asked to peer assess a tour. This will require your group to meet up once you have been on a tour and prepare a feedback sheet about that tour. It is probably best to discuss the tour in detail before you decide on a mark. You should consider the strengths of the tour you have taken and then to consider how it could have been improved. Think about these in the context of the marking criteria (on the feedback form). Make sure you agree on the comments prepared for the feedback sheet – these comments should be constructive and suggest how you think any improvements could have been made (not just listing the areas that could be improved). You will then be asked to meet with the member of staff who went on the tour to discuss and negotiate a final mark and agreed feedback for the group.

This process is intended to help develop your understanding of the marking process and the interpretation of the marking criteria.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 91 UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER CUBA TOUR MARKING AND FEEDBACK SHEET

Name of Students leading tour:

Intended Learning Outcomes:  Have worked as team and led a group of students and staff on an unobtrusive and sensitive tour of up to six sites in Havana (1½-2 hours, up to 3 miles)  Have stated clearly defined aims and outcomes that are grounded in the relevant literature  Demonstrated a logical and coherent argument that links your sites together in a way that displays insight and originality as well an ability to analyse evidence and apply conceptual ideas from the literature to work undertaken in the field  Have maintained interest throughout by conducting your tour in a lively and stimulating manner supported by audience participation, resources and documentation

See the annotated marking criteria overleaf for guidance on how your mark was derived

Specific comments and ways to improve your performance:

Assessment: 1 2i 2ii 3 Fail Grade: Tutor:

Agreed Mark: Date:

92 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook FORMATIVE GUIDANCE HIGH FIRST FIRST UPPER SECOND LOWER SECOND THIRD FAIL >33- >76% 70-75% 60-69% 50-59% 40-49%

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING – how you show your grasp of the material and use it to during the tour Highly stimulating tour that is Stimulating tour that is well grounded Very good tour that is well grounded in A good tour that is grounded in the A tour that is linked to the literature. A simple tour that is poorly exceptionally well grounded in the in the relevant literature. The the relevant literature. The relevant literature. The commentary The commentary demonstrates some linked to the literature. The relevant literature. The commentary is commentary is analytical, displaying a commentary is analytical, displaying a demonstrates some analysis and limited analysis and displays a basic commentary demonstrates analytical, displaying a sophisticated sophisticated and deep understanding very good understanding of the displays good understanding of the understanding of the literature and an little analysis or and exceptional understanding of the of the literature and an ability to apply literature and an ability to apply some literature and an ability to apply limited ability to apply simple conceptual ideas understanding of the literature and an ability to apply conceptual ideas to work undertaken in conceptual ideas to work undertaken in conceptual ideas to work undertaken in to work undertaken in the field. Some literature. .Little conceptual ideas to work undertaken in the field. Very good understanding of the field. Well argued. Displays some the field. Well argued with occasional argument with limited signs of insight, knowledge of relevant the field. Outstanding understanding material. Well argued. Displays deep insight, logic and originality. Signs of signs of insight, logic, originality and logic, originality and independence of material. Factual and of material. Very well argued with a insight, logic and originality. Signs of independent thinking. independence of thought. thought. conceptual inadequacies. mastery of facts and concepts. Displays independent thinking. Limited evidence of an deep insight, logic and originality. ability to apply any Clear evidence of independent conceptual ideas to work thinking. undertaken in the field. Little argument , insight, logic, originality or independence of thought.

STRUCTURE – how you put your argument together though introducing it, developing it and coming to a conclusion Very well structured tour. Very well structured tour. Very well Well structured tour with clear aims A good tour with quite well defined An adequate tour with some aims and A poor tour with ill defined Exceptionally well defined aims and defined aims and outcomes. Fully and outcomes. Introduction sets out the aims and outcomes. Some obvious outcomes. There is a simple aims and outcomes. outcomes. Introduction shows insight introduced. Makes a clear, logical and issues. Sound arguments made, which structure with an introduction and introduction and conclusion with some Arguments very weak. into the scope of the issues. Includes a coherent argument with a conclusion are developed and detailed. Concludes conclusion. Fair argument showing basic development of argument and a Poorly structured. logical and coherent argument which reflects the understanding. logically based on the material some development and detail. little detail. throughout and displays deep insight discussed. and considerable originality. Conclusion reflects deep understanding.

USE OF SOURCES – how you have used written and other sources to find out about this subject Clear evidence of a very extensive Signs of extensive independent study. Signs of independent study. Clear A few references to relevant literature. Some references to basic literature. Few references and only to independent study and research in Clear references to relevant literature references to relevant literature. basic texts. Cuba. Extensive references to relevant literature.

STYLE AND PRESENTATION- how well your present your tour, involve the participants and use supporting materials The tour maintains interest throughout The tour maintains interest throughout The tour generally maintains audience The tour maintains some audience The tour stimulates limited audience The tour stimulates very and is conducted in a very lively and most of the duration and is conducted interest and is conducted in quite a interest and has elements which are interest and participation. It may little audience interest. The stimulating manner. It may include in a lively and stimulating manner. It lively and stimulating manner. The lively and stimulating. The tour may include some simple resources and/or tour may include no or very very high levels of audience may include quite high levels of tour may include some level of include limited level of audience documentation. It will be delivered in limited level of audience participation and be supported by a audience participation and be supported audience participation and may be participation and may be supported by an unobtrusive and sensitive manner. participation and/or range of resources and documentation. by some resources and documentation. supported by limited resources and resources and/or documentation. It The tour will be presented in a resources and It is exceptionally well presented and It is very well presented and delivered documentation. It will be delivered in will be delivered in an unobtrusive and adequate manner taking in a range of documentation. It will be is delivered in an unobtrusive and in an unobtrusive and sensitive manner. an unobtrusive and sensitive manner. sensitive manner. The tour will be sites within the city of Havana. It will delivered in an unobtrusive sensitive manner. It will take in a It will take in a range of carefully The tour will be quite well presented adequately presented with a simple show some limited evidence of basic and sensitive manner. The range of carefully selected and highly selected and very appropriate sites with an introduction and conclusion. It introduction and conclusion. It will teamwork. tour will be poorly appropriate sites within the city of within the city of Havana and show will take in a range of appropriate sites take in a range of quite appropriate presented. It will take in a Havana and show clear evidence of clear evidence of teamwork. within the city of Havana and show sites within the city of Havana and range of sites within the city very extensive teamwork. some evidence of teamwork. show limited evidence of teamwork. of Havana and show little evidence of teamwork.

94 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook PRACTICAL INFORMATION

See also: http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/geography/undergraduate/fieldwork/cuba/index.htm

Telephoning England: You can telephone home from Cuba on a triband mobile phone. Alternatively, you can buy a telephone card and phone from a ‘blue card phone’ run by Etesca (there is one on Calle 23). You can buy the card and phone from a phone box in a Communication Centre located on Obispo. The hotel may have cards. To call, dial 119 then 44 and your telephone number (less first 0) E.g. 119-44-161 for Manchester. Note that telephoning England is very expensive and if you make calls from the telephones in the rooms in the hotel costs mount very quickly.

Money: There are two currencies in circulation in Cuba: the peso and the convertible peso (CUC). You can normally exchange sterling or Euros. Travellers Cheques can be exchanges so long as they are not issued by American Express or an American bank. Cash and Travellers Cheques can be changed in hotels and exchange houses (in Havana, these are known as CADECA Casa de Cambio).

Electricity: Most of the sockets in hotels are of the American two pin, flat type although there are some round pin sockets. The normal voltage is 110v although some hotels have 220v. 96 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION

Health  Many medicines are unavailable in Cuba so you should bring any prescription drugs you take regularly. A copy of the prescription and a letter from your doctor explaining your condition can be helpful at customs. Make sure you carry essential medication with you while out in the field. You should have a dental and medical check before departing for Cuba.  If you feel unwell or require medical attention, your first contact should be Neil or Gavin. If you are out in the field they can be contacted by mobile on 00447770220991 (Gavin) or 00447786335295 (Neil).

Other numbers you may require are: (Note Operators are likely to speak Spanish) 115 – Fire Department, 113 – Directory Inquires 116 – Police, 185 – Ambulance Please be familiar with these numbers and keep a paper copy of them with you at all times. Police in Cuba: Policía Nacional Revolucionaria is on Picota between Leonor Perez and San Isidro (near Estacion Central de Ferrocarril).

Medical Problems:  Hospital Nacional Hermanos Ameijeiras, San Lázaro No 701 at Padre Varel (off Malecon in Vedado)  Pharmacy: San Rafael No 108 (Behind Hotel Inglaterra, Near to Capitolo Building)  If you visit a doctor in Cuba, keep receipts for fees or medicine. You will need these for any insurance claim on your return.

British Embassy Contact Details: Address: Calle 34 No. 702/4 entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar Telephone: (53) (7) 204 1771, Fax: (53) (7) 204 8104 Consular / Management Email:[email protected] (Chancery/Consular/Visa/Management)

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 97 Office Hours: Mon-Fri: 0800-1530; Website: www.britishembassy.gov.uk/cuba; British Council [email protected]

Air travel To help reduce the risk of DVT while flying long haul:  Avoid crossing your legs while seated; Carry out foot and leg exercises while seated; Stand up and stretch your arms and legs from time to time; Walk around whenever possible; Wear loose fitting clothes  Keep hydrated by drinking enough water Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks Theft from luggage during baggage handling, both on arrival and departure is common. You should remove all valuables and lock suitcases. Pack all your luggage yourself and do not carry items that do not belong to you. Cuban law allows for the death penalty and courts hand out severe penalties for all drugs related offences. A departure tax (per person) of 25CUCs has to be paid on departure from Cuba.

Medical Conditions  Students attending the field course with a pre existing medical condition should attend University Occupational Health Department where they will be assessed for medical fitness to participate in the trip. A ‘Fitness for Field Trip’ certificate will be issued to the student member and a copy will be sent to the fieldtrip leader. This will include advice on medical fitness and may include any additional medical information if considered appropriate e.g. epilepsy, diabetes. This will only be included with the student member’s informed consent. However, if consent is withheld it will be necessary to give serious consideration as to whether it is possible to issue a fitness certificate.  You should bring documentation with any medication.

Travelling around Havana You will be issued with a map of Havana. Ensure at least one person in your group has a guide book. Carry University ID card at all times. Also:  You must not hire a vehicle while on the field course.  Only use licensed taxis or buses. Do not use three-wheel coco-taxis  Pavements uneven and potholes are common - take care especially when it is dark.

98 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  Be aware that cars drive on the right hand side of the road.

Accommodation  At reception try to avoid letting other people hearing your name and room number  Do not allow people into your room unless you know who they are  Make sure your windows and door are locked even when you are in the room  If you hear a disturbance, stay in your room and phone for help  Do not swim in the hotel swimming pool alone  Do not drink alcohol while swimming  Ensure valuables are stored safely (preferably in a locked safe)

Diarrhoea  If you eat something you shouldn’t have, the most likely symptom will be diarrhoea. If so, drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. If you feel up to eating, stick to plain foods – rice and bread. Products like Immodium will alleviate some of the symptoms of diarrhoea but will do nothing about the cause so they are normally best avoided unless we are going on a long trip (e.g. the flight home!) If you are ill, please let us know.

Food  Make sure that you only eat food that has been well cooked. If in doubt, leave it!  Do not eat food that seems to have been reheated or which may have been left to cool for some time. Avoid uncooked food that may have been washed in tap water (such as salads). Having said that, the food is part of the experience so try it!!!

Water  You must not drink the tap water. You can buy bottled water (make sure the seal has not been broken) from lots of places around Havana. It will probably cost you about $1 per bottle (but you can find it cheaper).  Avoid eating food that may have been washed in tap water (e.g. salads) and avoid ice.  You should also wash you teeth with bottled water.  Make sure that you drink plenty of water each day so that you do not suffer from dehydration. Always carry a bottle of water with you as you walk around.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 99  Avoid drinking alcohol – particularly during the heat of the day.  Take water with you onto the plane. During the flights, avoid alcohol, drink lots of water and take some exercise.

100 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Heat It will be hot! Take care in the sun. Even on days that do not appear to be very hot – the sun may burn you. Make sure you wear and carry with you a high factor sun cream. Avoid being out in the sun from 12-2pm and walking around in the hottest part of the day.  Drink lots of non-alcoholic fluids.  If you get headaches, feel lethargic or giddy after some time in the sun – sit in the shade and drink lots of water. You may find it useful to add salt to your food since the salt requirements of your body will increase in the heat. Wear a hat and keep covered up.

Mosquitoes  Try to cover up in the evenings – particularly around dusk to reduce the likelihood of being bitten. Use a mosquito repellent spray – especially in the evenings.  Though most of the more serious tropical diseases are rare in Cuba, viral meningitis and dengue fever do occasionally break out both in Havana and in other provinces of Cuba. For dengue fever, use mosquito repellent and suitable clothing to avoid being bitten. Hepatitis A is common, particularly in the summer

Interviewing the public and carrying out questionnaires  Be aware of any delicate issues involved with discussions or interviews.  Ensure that the public and property owners understand what you are doing  Do not underestimate the importance of body language  Talk yourself out of problems; placate rather than provoke. Do not be enticed into an argument. Avoid an aggressive stance. Crossed arms or hands on hips may challenge and confront. Conduct interviews at neutral locations or public spaces.  Always conduct interviews in a group with at least one other person present.  Do not stand in places where you will be causing an obstruction.  Cuba is a one-party state. There is a high level of social control and a strong police presence. There are widespread restrictions on freedom of speech, association and assembly for Cuban nationals. Political demonstrations or gatherings not sanctioned by the government may be broken up and should be avoided.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 101  Remember that Cubans understand their political situation far better than you do. Don’t generate political discussions in bars, hotel lobbies or other public places where you might embarrass someone without even realising.  Avoid military zones and other restricted areas that are not always well sign-posted. Be particularly careful when taking photographs or video film.

Working and socialising in Cuba In December 2006, a British tourist was stabbed in Havana. The non-fatal stabbing took place as the victim was being mugged in the early evening in the Vedado area of Havana.  Do not go out alone. Make sure you have a map of the city with you. Avoid quiet, poorly lit streets after dark. There have been some attacks on tourists in Centro Havana at night. Do not walk through this area at night.  Walk with confidence and purpose. Try not to look as if you are not sure where you are going. Avoid areas known to be ‘unpleasant’  Behave inconspicuously and not provocatively. Dress modestly and avoid showing off possessions and cash. Do not carry large sums of money.  Ensure that group activity does not distract from traffic hazards.  Be aware that pavements are uneven and potholes are common in Havana.  Be aware that cars drive on the right hand side  Beware of pickpockets and bag-snatchers, especially in the area of Old Havana, on buses/trains, at major tourist sites and in nightclubs. Don’t flaunt expensive possessions.  You should carry a copy of your passport and not the original, which should be locked away with other valuables (preferably in a safe). On 19 February 2008 Fidel Castro announced his retirement and his brother Raúl Castro was elected to the Presidency by the Cuban National Assembly on 24 February 2008. The political situation remains calm at present but you should take extra care and avoid political gatherings.

Visit to the beach  Only use the approved part of the beach. Take safety advice, and aim to swim where there is a Lifeguard on patrol. Check safety information, warning signs and flags. NEVER swim where a sign says not to, or when a Red flag is flying.

102 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook  Spot any dangers by checking out the beach when you arrive. Be aware of physical hazards such as rocks, piers, groynes and breakwaters. Be aware of currents and waves – look for undertow currents and dangerous rip currents.  Do not go out of your depth  Do not swim alone

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 103 SAFETY ADVICE FROM FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Correct at 13 th March 2010 You should check the website before we travel: http://www.fco.gov.uk/

Travel Summary

 Crime, in the form of opportunist theft, is increasing in Cuba. See the Crime section of this Travel Advice.

 We advise against using mopeds or three-wheel Coco-Taxis when travelling around Cuba.

 A tax of 25 Convertible Pesos (CUCs) per person is payable on departure from Cuba.

 Dengue Fever is endemic to Latin America and the Caribbean.

 There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

 Most visits to Cuba are trouble free. 45 British nationals required consular assistance in Cuba in the period 1 April 2008 – 31 March 2009. During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (47 cases).

 We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.

Safety and security

Terrorism There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

Crime is on the increase. Theft from luggage during baggage handling, both on arrival and departure, is common. You should remove all valuables, lock suitcases and consider having them shrink-wrapped before check-in.

You should take precautions if you are in Centro Havana at night. You should take a taxi to

104 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook your accommodation rather than walk, even if your accommodation is only a few blocks away.

There are a small number of bogus tour agents/taxis operating at the airports and around Old Havana. You should not travel with anyone other than your recognised tour operator. If you need to take a taxi, ensure it is a registered one and not a private vehicle.

Car-related crime and mugging incidents are increasing, not only in Havana but also in Santiago and other areas less frequented by tourists. There have been attacks on foreigners using hire cars after staged punctures and by bogus hitch-hikers. Do not pick people up; if you get a puncture in a lonely spot, drive on to a town before stopping.

Beware of pickpockets and bag-snatchers, especially in Old Havana, on buses/trains, at major tourist sites and in nightclubs. Don’t carry large amounts of cash when away from your hotel; avoid wearing ostentatious/expensive jewellery; leave travellers' cheques, credit cards, passports and other important documents in a safe deposit or similar at your hotel. You should carry a copy of your passport and lock the original away with other valuables.

Beware of thefts from rooms, particularly in private guest houses (‘casas particulares’).

Political Situation

Cuba is a one-party state. There is a high level of social control and a strong police presence. There are widespread restrictions on freedom of speech, association and assembly for Cuban nationals. Political demonstrations or gatherings not sanctioned by the government may be broken up. You should avoid demonstrations or large public gatherings.

The political situation remains calm at present.

Local Travel Road Travel

A valid UK Driving Licence is required to drive and/or rent a car in Cuba. If you decide to rent a car in Cuba, you should ensure that the insurance which is provided with the car includes local third party insurance cover. All drivers and passengers of motorcycles and scooters are required by law to wear a crash helmet.

In view of serious accidents that have involved tourists, you should not use mopeds or three wheel Coco-Taxis for travel around Cuba.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 105 Driving standards are variable. Many vehicles, including public transport, suffer from lack of maintenance and roads are poorly lit and sign-posted. Beware of cyclists, potholes and cars that stop without warning to pick up hitch-hikers.

You should avoid driving at night, when animals, unlit vehicles and other hazards are a real danger.

The Cuban police are cracking down on drink driving.

If you have a traffic accident where someone is killed or injured, the police investigation may take several months during which time the driver will normally not be allowed to leave Cuba. There is no guarantee that criminal compensation payments will be made. If convicted of killing someone in a road traffic accident, the standard punishment is at least two years in jail. If you do have a serious accident, you should contact the British Embassy as soon as possible.

Air Travel

You must pay an airport departure tax of 25 Convertible Pesos (CUCs) per person when leaving Cuba. This must be paid in local currency.

You should consider using baggage plastic-wrapping facilities when travelling to and from Cuba as there have been instances of theft from luggage, even if locked, at Cuban airports on arrival and departure.

In 2007 the Cuban authorities averted attempts by Cuban asylum seekers to leave the country by hijacking an internal passenger aircraft. The Cuban authorities are known to restrict the amount of fuel on aircraft on internal flights to prevent hijacks.

There are concerns about standards of maintenance of public transport and we recommend against internal air travel unless on flights recommended by or operated on behalf of recognised international tour operators.

Local laws and customs

Cuba is increasingly being used as a transit country for drugs destined for Europe. Cuban courts are handing out severe penalties (in excess of twenty years) for drugs-related offences. Pack all luggage yourself and don’t carry any items that do not belong to you.

106 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Cuba prohibits the import of all meat products. The import of fruit is also banned. If you arrive in Cuba with any meat or fruit it will be confiscated and destroyed.

Avoid military zones and other restricted areas. Be particularly careful when taking photographs or video film. Note that these areas are not always well signposted.

The Cuban authorities take a serious view of any breach of their immigration rules. In some cases those who overstay are detained by Immigration on departure and held in custody until reports are received on their activities whilst in the country.

Homosexuality is legal in Cuba. However, there are few places where gays can socialise openly and same-sex couples - particularly if one partner is Cuban - should be careful about public displays of affection, which can lead to unwelcome attention from the police and local authorities.

Entry requirements Visas All British nationals require a visa to enter Cuba. You should ensure that you get the correct visa for the purpose of your visit. As well as tourist visas, there are other visa categories for different types of visitors.

Dual nationals should contact the Cuban Embassy in London for for advice on entry requirements before travelling.

Passport validity

Your passport must be valid for six months after departure from Cuba.

Customs Regulations

Electrical items with heavy power consumption such as travel irons and kettles may be confiscated upon entry to Cuba. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are also subject to import requirements and may be confiscated. Such confiscated items are normally returned upon departure. .

Health The medical facilities in Havana are better than those available elsewhere in Cuba, but it is sometimes necessary to medically evacuate those who require urgent specialist care. This can be very expensive so you should ensure that your medical insurance covers you for this. If you require medical treatment you will be expected to pay in hard currency; a basic hospital stay can cost as much as £200 per day plus medical expenses.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 107 Many medicines are unavailable in Cuba so you should bring any prescription drugs you take regularly. A copy of the prescription and a letter from your doctor explaining your condition can be helpful at customs.

Hepatitis A is common to Cuba, particularly in the summer. You should be aware that treatment is not readily available. Viral meningitis occasionally breaks out both in Havana and in other provinces of Cuba.

There have been reports of outbreaks of dengue fever and haemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Cuba. Dengue fever is common to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. The Cuban authorities are taking steps to control the mosquito that transmits dengue fever to humans and are advising people to wash their hands frequently to prevent the spread of conjunctivitis.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 6,200 adults aged 15 or over in Cuba were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Cuba and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.

Natural disasters

The hurricane season in Cuba normally runs from June to November.

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike hit Cuba in August and September 2008. They caused considerable damage in many parts of the country, but particularly in the Provinces of Holguin (including the resort of Guardalavaca), Pinar del Rio (including the town of Vinales), and Isla de Juventud.

Early warnings are common but in the aftermath of a hurricane power, communications and water supplies can be disrupted for an extended period. Even in holiday resorts, utility services cannot be constantly guaranteed. In the event of extreme weather conditions flights to and from Cuba could be delayed or cancelled.

108 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook General Insurance We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. This should cover medical evacuation by air ambulance. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.

You should keep a copy of the photo page of your passport separate from your passport in case your documents are stolen.

Travelling with babies

Baby food, disposable nappies, and other baby supplies are only sometimes available in Havana and normally unavailable in the rest of Cuba; if you are bringing a baby it is best to come self-sufficient.

Cuba operates a dual currency system. Visitors use the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), as opposed to the Cuban Peso (CUP) used by locals.

You should check with your bank before you travel to confirm that your debit/credit/ATM cards will work and will be accepted in Cuba. If your bank cannot confirm this then you should bring suitable Sterling or Euro alternatives, preferably in the form of travellers’ cheques. You should also note that we have heard reports of banks offering incorrect advice. You should be aware that there are virtually no ATMs available for drawing cash against Cirrus or Switch cards in Cuba. You should be aware that Scottish and Northern Irish bank notes/coins cannot be exchanged in Cuba.

US Dollars are no longer accepted as payment in Cuba, and you will be charged 10% commission to exchange them. Credit card transactions, including withdrawals from ATMs, are subject to local commission charges of between 11%-13%.

American Express travellers' cheques are no longer accepted in Cuba. Travellers' cheques and/or credit cards drawn on all other American banks are also not accepted in Cuba.

You are advised not to change money anywhere other than at the airport Cadecas, hotel exchange bureaux or banks, due to the prevalence of forged currency. Individuals offering exchange facilities to avoid queues should be avoided, and where possible small denomination bills should be requested.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 109 EATING IN HAVANA

There are some convertible peso shop supermarkets locally including one below the Edicifico Focsa (Calle 17 at Calle N). It is open Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 9am-1pm. Also Mercado Agropecuario (Calle 19 and B) and Supermercado Meridian (in Galerías de Paseo across the street from Meliá Cohiba).

There is a pastry shop close to the hotel which may be useful for snacks (it also sells sandwiches, coffee and drinks). It is called Pain de Paris (Calle 25, No 164 near the intersection with O).

Ice cream is available from Coppelia (Calle 23 at Calle L).

If you want to try eating in Paladares, some of those in Vedado are listed below. A number of paladares have closed down in recent times (so these may not all be there now!) and some need reservations.  Paladar Amor (Calle 23 #759 e/Calle B y Calle C –third floor restaurant).  Paladar Decameron (Linea #753 between Paseo & Calle 2)  Paladar El Huron Azul (Humboldt, #153 at Calle P)  Paladars Gringo Viejo (Calle 21 #454 Entre E y F, Vedado. Tel: 832-6150)  Paladar La Ultima Instancia (Calle D, #557 between Calle 23 and 25)  Paladar Los Amigos (Calle M, #253 at Calle 19 near Hotel Victoria)  Paladar Los Helechos de Trinidad (Calle 25 #361 between Calle K and L)  Paladar Los Tres Mosqueteros (Calle 23, #607 between Calle E and F)  Paladar Yiyo’s (Calle L, #256, between Calle 17 and 19, Apt 202 second floor)

110 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

Make sure that you bring the following with you: Basic Medications & Toiletries Aspirin/Paracetemol Antihistamine (Piriton etc) if you suffer from allergies Immodium (or similar) for diarrhoea Rehydration Salts Insect Repellent (and cream for bites) High factor sunscreen & aftersun Lip Balm (preferably with a high SPF) Plasters etc. Toiletries including shampoo, soap, toothpaste, tampax etc.

Documents Passport Tickets and visas (Tourist Cards) will be issued at the airport Copies of prescriptions etc.

Clothing Hat – to protect you from the Sun (to cover neck and forehead) Comfortable Shoes – you will be doing lots of walking (not flip-flops) Loose, long sleeve top (to cover sunburn) Sunglasses

Academic related Notebooks, Folders and resources, Pens, pencils and Paper

Beach towel

Ensure all sharp objects and liquids are packed in your suitcase and not in your hand luggage.

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 111 INSURANCE DETAILS

Insurance Company: ACE European Group Limited Policy Holder: The University of Manchester Policy Number: 55UK475527

Emergency Contact Numbers: From the UK 020 7173 7796 From outside the UK +44 20 7173 7796

When contacting ACE business class assistance please have as much as possible of the following information available:  the policy number (above)  your name and/or the name of any sick or injured person  your telephone, fax, email contact details  your exact location  the nature of the emergency

What do I do in the event of a claim? In the event of any incident, whether or not it may lead to a claim, advice and support can be obtained by contacting the emergency assistance helpline. Please note however that the helpline cannot assist in making a claim under the policy, for which you will need to contact the Insurance Office. Theft or unexplained loss of property must be reported to the local police as soon as practicable after the loss has been discovered and a crime or incident number obtained. You should also record when and where the loss was reported and, where possible, the name and/or number of the officer to whom the loss is reported.

Except for the replacement of lost personal belongings needed to continue the trip, expenditure should not be incurred on any item covered by the insurance policy without contacting the emergency assistance helpline first (or as soon as practicable if contact cannot be made in advance).

112 Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook Claim forms are available on request from the University Insurance Office.

John Owens Building - Room MLG.006 The University of Manchester Oxford Road tel: 0161-275 2243 Manchester fax: 0161-275 2961 M13 9PL e-mail: [email protected]

WHAT IS COVERED? A summary of the cover is provided below: Cover Benefit Excess / Limitations Limits No excess unless indicated otherwise Free emergency assistance and advice unlimited Medical and repatriation expenses unlimited Cover not available in the UK or in the traveller's country of domicile Search and rescue expenses £20,000 Personal belongings £2,000 Excess: 25% for individual items or pairs or sets of items worth over £1,000 Electronic business equipment (defined £1,500 Excess: first £100 of each claim as University equipment) Other business equipment £1,500 Excess: first £100 of each claim Money £2,000 Excess: 25% of losses over £1,000 Cancellation / curtailment / delay etc. £10,000 Personal liability £5,000,000 Legal expenses £50,000 Emergency evacuation expenses £50,000

Full details can be found at: http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/insurance/study-abroad-travel-insurance-leaflet.pdf

Cuba Fieldcourse Handbook 113