Diálogo Volume 5 Number 1 Article 3 2001 Afro-Cubans in Cuban Society Félix Masud-Piloto Wayne Smith Pablo A. Fernandez Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo Part of the Latin American Languages and Societies Commons Recommended Citation Masud-Piloto, Félix; Smith, Wayne; and Fernandez, Pablo A. (2001) "Afro-Cubans in Cuban Society," Diálogo: Vol. 5 : No. 1 , Article 3. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo/vol5/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Latino Research at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in Diálogo by an authorized editor of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Afro-Cubans in Cuban Society Cover Page Footnote This article is from an earlier iteration of Diálogo which had the subtitle "A Bilingual Journal." The publication is now titled "Diálogo: An Interdisciplinary Studies Journal." This article is available in Diálogo: https://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo/vol5/iss1/3 A fro -C u b an s in C u b a n S o c i e t y Photo by Nestor Hernandez health, housing, and employment to 5. Santería has profound roots in the benefit all Cubans. These reforms Afro-Cuban experience. This merits PREFACE greatly benefited most Afro-Cubans, respect and understanding, not by Félix Masud-Piloto who reciprocated with enthusiastic rejection and isolation. Dialogue with support for and strong loyalty to the the Catholic hierarchy would be of On September 16-17, 1999, the Center new regime. The predominantly white great importance as most practitioners for International Policy, the Cuban leadership also placed Africa at the of Santería are also baptized Catholics. Exchange Program of Johns Hopkins center of its foreign policy by supporting University and Havana's Fundación national liberation movements in the Fernando Ortiz jointly hosted a The Past: 1886-1959 continent and recognizing Africa as the conference in Washington, D.C. entitled Like their brothers and sisters in the patrimonial heritage of most Cubans. Afro-Cubans in Cuban Society: Past, United States, Blacks were brought to Despite the changes brought on by the Present and Future. In addition to the Cuba from Africa as slaves. For almost Revolution, however, most participants productive discussions generated by the four centuries, they struggled to in the Johns Hopkins conference agreed conference, its most significant survive, to be free and to hold to their that Cuban society still has a long way achievement was bringing together a cultural and ethnic heritage. Santería to go before claiming a truly egalitarian group of respected and knowledgeable and other African-derived religions society. Following are excerpts from intellectuals from Cuba and the U.S. for were key forces. They enabled the their presentations and discussions. a frank and respectful discussion about Blacks to maintain a certain cultural and race and the role of Afro-Cubans in social cohesion during the years of Cuban society. The conference can be slavery despite the deliberate efforts of considered a landmark event, since the slaveowners to scatter families and discussions of race have often been SUM M ARY OF A ethnic groups and to erase their ethnic considered taboo in both Cuba and the traditions. In his presentation, Pedro Cuban community in the U.S. SYMPOSIUM Pablo Rodriguez reminded the audience by Wayne Smith that especially into the nineteenth During the final phase of Cuba's long century, not all Blacks were slaves. On struggle for independence from Spain the contrary, an increasing number A fro -C u b a n s in C u b a n S ociety : (1868 to 1898), Antonio Maceo, the were freemen and they strove mightily Afro-Cuban general, and José Martí, the Past, Present and Future. to raise not only their own station in life movement's political leader, continued but also the possibilities for their race. Hosted by: Center for International the rebellion begun by their enslaved There were setbacks to be sure, most African bothers and sisters back in the Policy, The Cuban Exchange Program, notably the massacres of Aponte in 16th century. (See Dialogando with John Hopkins University and Havana's 1812 and La Escalera in 1844. Over Fannie Rushing.) Both men believed so Fundación Fernando Ortiz the century, free Blacks helped prepare strongly in an egalitarian society, that the way. Perhaps the most important they made it the guiding principle of Conference participants were in was Antonio Maceo, who played a the Cuban Revolutionary Party. For agreement on a number of points: fundamental role in mobilizing Afro- them, the new Cuban society would be: Cubans against slavery and Spanish "a just and open republic, united in 1. Although Afro-Cubans had made up colonialism. Emancipation came in 1886 territory, in rights, in work and cordiality the bulk of the Liberation Army's as an outgrowth of the wars of constructed with all and for the good of struggle for independence, the more independence. José Marti's call for a all." Unfortunately, both Maceo and egalitarian society promised by José society in which there would be no Marti died during the war, and with Marti was not realized. Their efforts Blacks or whites but simply Cubans their death came the postponement of to participate fully in the political kindled hopes for a truly egalitarian an egalitarian Cuban society. process were cut short by the society; Blacks flocked to Maceo's and massacre of 1912. Marti's banners during the last war of When independence finally arrived in independence, 1895-98, and made up 1898, it failed to thoroughly transform 2. Although the Cuban Revolution had, the bulk of the Army of Liberation. Cuban society. Except for the abolition after 1959, done much to reduce After independence, in the 1900s, many of slavery, the new republic almost kept racial discrimination and bring about of them formed a Colored Independence intact the race-based social stratification a more just society, as of 1999, much Party (Partido Independiente de Color) of its colonial masters, and although remains to be done. Indeed, because and took other steps to participate in Cuba was spared from the ravages of of the present economic crisis, racism the political process as equals. But "legal" or "official" segregation, racism is on the rise in Cuba and Blacks are tragically, Marti had been killed in the and discrimination against Afro-Cubans disadvantaged in a number of ways. first battle of the war. And as Aline Heig were widespread in the new republic. pointed out, his thesis that all were As a result, segregation in social clubs, 3. The Cuban government needs to do simply Cubans was often used by white private schools, housing, and other private much more to address the problem. leaders who followed him to marginalize institutions was "socially acceptable" from Perhaps the best way to begin would the issue of race, or even to suggest be to openly acknowledge its 1898 to 1958. that the problem did not exist, and take existence and initiate a national no measures to address it. The Cuban Revolution of 1959 ushered dialogue as to how best to solve it. in a new era for race relations. The Meanwhile, whites tended to see Revolutionary Government outlawed 4. The Afro-Cuban majority would not efforts by Blacks to participate in the all forms of racism and discrimination. accept the return of the white political process as unwanted and They enacted legislation for social economic elites to rule the country. That dangerous. Ominous talk of a coming reforms in the areas of education, option cannot even be on the table. Black rebellion. This building white explained as a matter of cultural or Rigoberto Lopez agreed and noted that resentment and reaction led to the educational lag. Forty years after the one could not understand anything massacre of 1912, when the Cuban army triumph of the revolution, however, about the past forty years in Cuba slaughtered thousands of Blacks, that explanation has worn thin. without factoring in the all-pervasive especially in the Oriente province, U.S. embargo. It had made progress supposedly to put down a rebellion. It Still, by the end of the eighties Blacks difficult on many fronts. It still does. was a traumatic blow. Although there had made significant gains. An Further, all agreed that the last thing were some advances in the years after increasing percentage had become Afro-Cubans wanted to see was the 1912, Blacks remained second-class professionals, rising to the top in the return of the white elitist exiles citizens until the triumph of the Cuban military and winning great prestige in thinking they were going to turn the Revolution in 1959. Robin Moore traced sports, the arts, music, dance, the clock back and rule over the island as the evolution of Afro-Cuban music as a cinema, and poetry. Santería, while at they had before the revolution. That reflection of the acceptance (or first treated as a folkloric expression by was totally unacceptable. rejection) of Afro-Cubans by the society the Cuban government, had come to be around them. During most of the fully accepted as a religion. The way Interestingly, panelists representing nineteenth century and certainly in the seemed open for new gains in the Afro-Cubans living abroad emphasized centuries before, i.e., in the heyday of years that were to follow. Though their continuing identification with the slavery, Afro-Cuban music was virtually underrepresented in the senior organs of community still on the island. They still banned. Carnivals were wholly the party-state-government triad, feel themselves to be a part of it and segregated until emancipation, and the Blacks had grounds for optimism that consider the goals and problems of Afro-Cuban musical groups, the progress could be made there as well.