DOCSLIB.ORG

Tulane New Orleans, Lousiana Life in Contemporary Cuba

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Tulane New Orleans, Lousiana Life in Contemporary Cuba Life in Contemporary Cuba by Georgia Kilpatrick updated by Liam R. O’Fallon Editor (1990): L. Curcio-Nagy Editor (1998): Valerie McGinley Marshall Associate Editor (1998): Laura Barbas Rhoden published by the Latin American Curriculum Resource Center The Roger Thayer Stone Center for Latin American Studies Slide packet No. 8 1990; revised 1996, 1998 Tulane New Orleans, Lousiana Life in Contemporary Cuba Cuban History disappeared as coherent cultural group. Because of the decimation of the Indians and Several indigenous groups known gener- the need for labor, the African slave trade ally as the Arawak first inhabited Cuba. They became a fact of Cuban life. The Spanish originally migrated from South America to brought many Africans to Cuba, just as the Cuba and included the Ciboney and the English did to Jamaica, the French to Haiti, Guanahacabib tribes (3500 BC to 1200 CE). and the North Americans to the southern When the first Europeans arrived, the Tainos part of the United States. Cuba’s original inhabited the island (1100 to 1600 CE). It is timber, tobacco, and ranching industries the Taino name for the island - Cuba - that were joined by sugar production in the 16th survives today. and 17th centuries. Slaves provided virtually all of the labor for the sugar plantation. According to historical sources, on October 27, 1492, Christopher Columbus English forces captured Havana in 1762 landed on the southeastern part of the island and held it for eleven months, during which in what is today Holguin province. Cuba soon time some 700 merchant ships entered became an important stopover point for Havana to trade sugar, not only with Europe Spanish fleets as Spain sought to conquer but also with the thirteen North American many other territories in South America. By colonies. In contrast, the Spanish previously 1515 there were at least seven settlements had only 15 merchant ships a year enter on the island; these later became important Havana for trade. The English soon ceded commercial centers. Cuba back to Spain in exchange for trading rights. At the same time, the Haitian sugar The Spanish forced Native Americans to production collapsed when a successful provide them labor, and many died from Haitian independence movement outlawed harsh conditions and from diseases intro- slavery on that island. A wave of white duced by the Europeans. The indigenous French landowners migrated to Cuba, and population in 1512 was estimated to be Cuba became the Caribbean sugar king. 100,000, and by 1540 this figure had dropped to 40,000. A Taino chief, Hatuey, led By 1800 the sugar industry was the a failed rebellion against the Spanish. Chief foundation of the Cuban economy, and slaves Hatuey was captured and burned at the stake were the foundation of the sugar industry. for his participation in the revolt. The story Slaves cut, carried, and boiled cane products, is told that when Hatuey was facing his death and the 19th century saw more slaves im- the Spanish executioners asked him to em- ported than any other period of Cuban his- brace the Christian god so that he could go tory. The slave population, estimated be- to heaven. The chief asked if the Spanish tween 30,000 and 45,000 in 1774, jumped to went there, and when they replied in the 470,000 by 1860. Sporadic, isolated slave affirmative, he said he would be happier rebellions began in 1533 and continued until outside the gates. slavery was abolished in 1886. However, these rebellions never grew into a major Victims of cruelty, disease, overwork, revolt as in the case of Haiti. Legislation and culture shock, by 1570 the Tainos had passed in Spain in 1789 that intended to improve slave conditions was largely ignored. LIFE IN CONTEMPORARY CUBA 1 Growing resentment of Spanish rule over $30 million in Cuba and virtually controlled the colonies characterized the early 19th the island’s economy. century. In many areas this resentment eventually led to armed struggle between In 1895 the Maceo brothers, heroes of royal forces and pro-Independence colonists. the Ten Years’ War, and writer José Martí, led By 1826 all of Latin America had achieved a second independence movement . They independence except Cuba and Puerto Rico. landed on the southern tip of Oriente prov- Cuba’s wealthy plantation owners withheld ince in April and enlisted the help of a group support from Simón Bolívar, who led the of rebels the Spanish referred to as revolt that won independence for many of “Mambises.” This African word means “chil- Spain’s South American colonies. The reason dren of vultures.” The Mambises included for Cuban reluctance to realize independence landowners, blacks, workers, and peasants. was because these South American move- ments often led to the abolition of slavery in Martí wanted Cuba to be free from both the new nations. The extremely lucrative Spanish and U.S. control, saying, “To change Cuban sugar trade was dependent on slave masters is not to be free.” His dream for labor. The wealthy planters wanted to avoid Cuba was self-determination, respect for the any disruption in their economic situation dignity of all people, and truth and justice and any attempt to abolish slavery. These among all. He died in battle in 1895. planters also counted on the United States to help insulate Cuba from the abolitionist However, the battles raged on after movement popular in Europe. The United Martí’s death, and the U.S. observed with States was an important trading partner, great interest. Theodore Roosevelt, then buying 40% of Cuban sugar in 1848, and Secretary of the Navy, urged U.S. interven- slavery still thrived in the U.S. prior to 1860. tion, but President McKinley initially took a wait-and-watch policy. Anti-Spanish feelings In 1868 fighting broke out in Cuba in an were stirred up by the Hearst newspapers’ attempt both to reform the institution of reports of Spanish atrocities against Cubans, slavery and to gain nominal independence and rumors of danger to U.S. citizens led from Spain. This struggle became known as McKinley to send the battleship U.S.S. Maine the Ten Years’ War. By 1878 Spain had to Havana harbor. successfully defeated the pro-independence forces and regained effective control of the On February 15, 1898, the Maine myste- colony. The Ten Years’ War did not accom- riously exploded. There were several theo- plish the abolition of slavery, nor did it suc- ries about the explosion. Although at the ceed in achieving independence for the time Spain was blamed, some felt it was island. It did, however, greatly increase the actually done by the U.S. to force entry into animosity between many of the colonists and the war or by Cubans who sought the same the Spanish Crown. Slavery was eventually goal. McKinley offered to buy Cuba from abolished in 1886. Spain to avoid a confrontation, but Spain refused. The U.S. Congress declared war on After the Ten Years’ War, the Cuban Spain on April 25, 1898. economy became increasingly tied to U.S. investment. The U.S. business interests built Legends abound about San Juan Hill and railroads and large mills and created what Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, but in gen- were called “centrals” or self-contained eral the war was neither glorious nor glamor- sugar cities. By 1895 the U.S. had invested ous. Men died of malaria and yellow fever as 2 LIFE IN CONTEMPORARY CUBA well as in battle. Spain surrendered on July order to avoid total chaos. In the political 17, 1898, but it was a hollow victory for the upheaval that followed Machado’s departure, Cuban independence fighters. They were a young army officer named Fulgencio denied the right to attend the surrender Batista led a coup and instituted a five-man ceremony, and after the war the American ruling junta to govern until elections were flag, not the Cuban flag, flew over the island. held in 1933. From this time forward, The U.S. occupied the territory and Cubans Batista continued to be increasingly involved were asked to sign declarations renouncing in Cuban politics. the King of Spain, pledging allegiance to the United States, and recognizing U.S. su- In 1933 a progressive and nationalistic premacy until a stable government was government came to power. Ramón Grau’s established on the island. Congress passed administration instituted a series of reforms the Platt Amendment stating that the U.S. including an eight-hour workday and limits would “reserve and retain the right of inter- on land purchases by foreigners. It also vention for the preservation of Cuban inde- mandated that Cuban nationals own at least pendence and the maintenance of stable 50% of industry and commerce. However, government.” Under the Platt Amendment the period of political reformism under Grau the U.S. military intervened directly in Cuba was cut short by a U.S.-backed coup by in 1906-1909, 1912, and 1917. The will of Batista in 1934, and the years of Grau’s the U.S. government and private investors government became known as the “truncated virtually dictated Cuban policies in the years revolution.” following independence. Under Batista, the Platt Amendment was By the late 1920s, Cuba had a monocul- abrogated and replaced by a reciprocal trade ture economy, that is, the economy was agreement. As part of the broader policies of completely dependent upon the income Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Good Neighbor received from a single product, sugar. Sugar Policy,” the U.S. stated that it would not production was fast becoming a highly intervene militarily in Cuba. Though Batista mechanized industry, and U.S.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Slum Clearance in Havana in an Age of Revolution, 1930-65
    SLEEPING ON THE ASHES: SLUM CLEARANCE IN HAVANA IN AN AGE OF REVOLUTION, 1930-65 by Jesse Lewis Horst Bachelor of Arts, St. Olaf College, 2006 Master of Arts, University of Pittsburgh, 2012 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Pittsburgh 2016 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH DIETRICH SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES This dissertation was presented by Jesse Horst It was defended on July 28, 2016 and approved by Scott Morgenstern, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science Edward Muller, Professor, Department of History Lara Putnam, Professor and Chair, Department of History Co-Chair: George Reid Andrews, Distinguished Professor, Department of History Co-Chair: Alejandro de la Fuente, Robert Woods Bliss Professor of Latin American History and Economics, Department of History, Harvard University ii Copyright © by Jesse Horst 2016 iii SLEEPING ON THE ASHES: SLUM CLEARANCE IN HAVANA IN AN AGE OF REVOLUTION, 1930-65 Jesse Horst, M.A., PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2016 This dissertation examines the relationship between poor, informally housed communities and the state in Havana, Cuba, from 1930 to 1965, before and after the first socialist revolution in the Western Hemisphere. It challenges the notion of a “great divide” between Republic and Revolution by tracing contentious interactions between technocrats, politicians, and financial elites on one hand, and mobilized, mostly-Afro-descended tenants and shantytown residents on the other hand. The dynamics of housing inequality in Havana not only reflected existing socio- racial hierarchies but also produced and reconfigured them in ways that have not been systematically researched.
    [Show full text]
  • Meetings & Incentives
    MOVES PEOPLE TO BUSINESS TRAVEL & MICE Nº 37 EDICIÓN ESPECIAL FERIAS 2016-2017 / SPECIAL EDITION SHOWS 2016-2017 5,80 € BUSCANDO América Meetings & Incentives Edición bilingüe Bilingual edition 8 PRESENTACIÓN INTRODUCTION Buscando América. Un Nuevo Searching for America. A New Mundo de oportunidades 8 World of Opportunities 9 NORTE Y CENTRO NORTH AND CENTRAL Belice 16 Belize 16 Costa Rica 18 Costa Rica 19 El Salvador 22 El Salvador 22 14 Guatemala 24 Guatemala 24 Honduras 28 Honduras 28 México 30 Mexico 30 Nicaragua 36 Nicaragua 36 Panamá 40 Panama 40 CARIBE CARIBEAN Cuba 48 Cuba 48 Jamaica 52 Jamaica 52 Puerto Rico 54 Puerto Rico 54 46 República Dominicana 58 Dominican Republic 58 SUDAMÉRICA SOUTH AMERICA Argentina 64 Argentina 64 Bolivia 70 Bolivia 70 Brasil 72 Brazil 72 62 Chile 78 Chile 78 Colombia 82 Colombia 82 Ecuador 88 Ecuador 88 Paraguay 92 Paraguay 92 Perú 94 Peru 94 Uruguay 98 Uruguay 99 Venezuela 102 Venezuela 102 104 TURISMO RESPONSABLE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM 106 CHECK OUT Un subcontinente cada vez más An increasingly consolidated consolidado en el segmento MICE continent in the MICE segment Txema Txuglà Txema Txuglà MEET IN EDICIÓN ESPECIAL FERIAS 2016-2017 / SPECIAL EDITION SHOWS 2016-2017 EDITORIAL Natalia Ros EDITORA Fernando Sagaseta DIRECTOR Te busco y sí te I search for you encuentro and I find you «Te estoy buscando, América… Te busco y no te encuentro», “ I am searching for you America… I am searching for you but cantaba en los 80 el panameño Rubén Blades, por más señas I can’t find you ”, sang the Panamanian Rubén Blades in the ministro de Turismo de su país entre 2004 y 2009.
    [Show full text]
  • Eric Nadel, Ruthie Foster & Seth Walker
    Havana Behind the Scenes thru Music, Baseball & More Eric Nadel, Ruthie Foster & Seth Walker – Havana 2019 About the Trip In conjunction with Texas RanGers Announcer and lonGtime Cuba Watcher Eric Nadel, CET has teamed up with musicians Ruthie Foster and Seth Walker, who will perform for the first time for Cuban crowds, to put toGether a behind the scenes look at Cuba and the Cuban people. Rich with concerts, jam sessions and private performances with top Cuban musicians, travelers will have the chance to enjoy Cuba alonGside Foster and Walker, who will each perform at Havana’s hottest niGhtspot, the Fabrica de Arte Cubano. About Cuba Educational Travel Cuba Educational Travel (CET) is a leader in cultural travel to Cuba. CET unlocks the best of Cuba by providing access to the country’s top artists, academics, tastemakers, and cultural fiGures. CET’s tailor- made proGrams enable clients to experience Cuba’s vibrant culture and Gain a deeper understandinG of the island, while ensurinG full compliance with all U.S. regulations. CET has been on the frontlines of cultural collaboration, helpinG to brinG Cubans to the U.S. and Americans to Cuba. From YoGa retreats to concerts to dance performances, CET has wide-ranGinG experience and contacts. Recent hiGhliGhts include orGanizinG the Diplo Major Lazer concert in Havana, which drew a crowd of over 500,000 people and brinGinG Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba, the country’s top dance Group, to perform at the Latin Grammys. ERIC NADEL, RUTHIE FOSTER & SETH WALKER – FEBRUARY 6-12, 2019 Wednesday, Feb 6 TBD Arrive to Havana.
    [Show full text]
  • Overview Print Page Close Window
    World Directory of Minorities Americas MRG Directory –> Cuba –> Cuba Overview Print Page Close Window Cuba Overview Environment Peoples History Governance Current state of minorities and indigenous peoples Environment Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. It is located 150 kilometres south of the tip of the US state of Florida and east of the Yucatán Peninsula. On the east, Cuba is separated by the Windward Passage from Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and Dominican Republic. The total land area is 114,524 sq km, which includes the Isla de la Juventud (formerly called Isle of Pines) and other small adjacent islands. Peoples Main languages: Spanish Main religions: Christianity (Roman Catholic, Protestant), syncretic African religions The majority of the population of Cuba is 51% mulatto (mixed white and black), 37% white, 11% black and 1% Chinese (CIA, 2001). However, according to the Official 2002 Cuba Census, 65% of the population is white, 10% black and 25% mulatto. Although there are no distinct indigenous communities still in existence, some mixed but recognizably indigenous Ciboney-Taino-Arawak-descended populations are still considered to have survived in parts of rural Cuba. Furthermore the indigenous element is still in evidence, interwoven as part of the overall population's cultural and genetic heritage. There is no expatriate immigrant population. More than 75 per cent of the population is classified as urban. The revolutionary government, installed in 1959, has generally destroyed the rigid social stratification inherited from Spanish colonial rule. During Spanish colonial rule (and later under US influence) Cuba was a major sugar-producing territory.
    [Show full text]
  • Areas and Periods of Culture in the Greater Antilles Irving Rouse
    AREAS AND PERIODS OF CULTURE IN THE GREATER ANTILLES IRVING ROUSE IN PREHISTORIC TIME, the Greater Antilles were culturally distinct, differingnot only from Florida to the north and Yucatan to the west but also, less markedly,from the Lesser Antilles to the east and south (Fig. 1).1 Within this major provinceof culture,it has been customaryto treat each island or group FIG.1. Map of the Caribbeanarea. of islands as a separatearchaeological area, on the assumptionthat each contains its own variant of the Greater Antillean pattern of culture. J. Walter Fewkes proposedsuch an approachin 19152 and worked it out seven years later.3 It has since been adopted, in the case of specific islands, by Harrington,4Rainey,5 and the writer.6 1 Fewkes, 1922, p. 59. 2 Fewkes, 1915, pp. 442-443. 3 Fewkes, 1922, pp. 166-258. 4 Harrington, 1921. 5 Rainey, 1940. 6 Rouse, 1939, 1941. 248 VOL. 7, 1951 CULTURE IN THE GREATERANTILLES 249 Recent work in connectionwith the CaribbeanAnthropological Program of Yale University indicates that this approach is too limited. As the distinction between the two major groups of Indians in the Greater Antilles-the Ciboney and Arawak-has sharpened, it has become apparent that the areas of their respectivecultures differ fundamentally,with only the Ciboney areas correspond- ing to Fewkes'conception of distributionby islands.The Arawak areascut across the islands instead of enclosing them and, moreover,are sharply distinct during only the second of the three periods of Arawak occupation.It is the purpose of the presentarticle to illustratethese points and to suggest explanationsfor them.
    [Show full text]
  • Ernesto 'Che' Guevara: the Existing Literature
    Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara: socialist political economy and economic management in Cuba, 1959-1965 Helen Yaffe London School of Economics and Political Science Doctor of Philosophy 1 UMI Number: U615258 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U615258 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 I, Helen Yaffe, assert that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Helen Yaffe Date: 2 Iritish Library of Political nrjPr v . # ^pc £ i ! Abstract The problem facing the Cuban Revolution after 1959 was how to increase productive capacity and labour productivity, in conditions of underdevelopment and in transition to socialism, without relying on capitalist mechanisms that would undermine the formation of new consciousness and social relations integral to communism. Locating Guevara’s economic analysis at the heart of the research, the thesis examines policies and development strategies formulated to meet this challenge, thereby refuting the mainstream view that his emphasis on consciousness was idealist. Rather, it was intrinsic and instrumental to the economic philosophy and strategy for social change advocated.
    [Show full text]
  • Davis-Brommer-Cuba.Pdf
    Observations of Environmental Change in Cuba LISA DAVIS University of Alabama DAVID M. BROMMER University of Alabama ENRIQUE RODRIQUEZ-LOECHES DIEZ-ARGÜELLES Institute of Tropical Geography/Cuban Society of Geography introduction fied the comparative geographic technique in his comparison of Sub-Saharan Africa Analysis of global processes of change and the Southeastern United States. In the at the regional scale is vitally important following, we discuss observations of on- to not only better predict and prepare for going environmental change occurring in change occurring at the regional scale but the Caribbean nation of Cuba made during also to better understand the drivers of a trip to Cuba in May ≤≠≠∫ and highlight change, as they tend to be spatially and some of the environmental changes that temporally complex. The importance of re- are taking place both in Cuba and the gional analyses to questions of global- Southeastern United States. ization, development, and environmental Why Cuba? At first glance there may change in the Caribbean and the South- appear to be few similarities between the eastern United States has been recognized Southeastern United States and a socialist (Torres ≤≠≠∑), as have the importance of island nation located in the Caribbean, but connecting regional scale changes occur- the two locations have many similarities, ring in the Southeastern United States to including being locations of civil wars in global and transnational processes (Lecce the past, having agricultural histories that and Alderman ≤≠≠∂). Comparative geog- include plantation agriculture of sugar raphy, as a means of analysis, is a use- cane and tobacco, having temperate cli- ful way to explore the economic, social, mates, and their geographic proximity to cultural, and environmental trajectories each other.
    [Show full text]
  • Culture Box of Cuba
    CUBA CONTENIDO CONTENTS Acknowledgments .......................3 Introduction .................................6 Items .............................................8 More Information ........................89 Contents Checklist ......................108 Evaluation.....................................110 AGRADECIMIENTOS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Contributors The Culture Box program was created by the University of New Mexico’s Latin American and Iberian Institute (LAII), with support provided by the LAII’s Title VI National Resource Center grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Contributing authors include Latin Americanist graduate students Adam Flores, Charla Henley, Jennie Grebb, Sarah Leister, Neoshia Roemer, Jacob Sandler, Kalyn Finnell, Lorraine Archibald, Amanda Hooker, Teresa Drenten, Marty Smith, María José Ramos, and Kathryn Peters. LAII project assistant Katrina Dillon created all curriculum materials. Project management, document design, and editorial support were provided by LAII staff person Keira Philipp-Schnurer. Amanda Wolfe, Marie McGhee, and Scott Sandlin generously collected and donated materials to the Culture Box of Cuba. Sponsors All program materials are readily available to educators in New Mexico courtesy of a partnership between the LAII, Instituto Cervantes of Albuquerque, National Hispanic Cultural Center, and Spanish Resource Center of Albuquerque - who, together, oversee the lending process. To learn more about the sponsor organizations, see their respective websites: • Latin American & Iberian Institute at the
    [Show full text]
  • When Racial Inequalities Return: Assessing the Restratification of Cuban Society 60 Years After Revolution
    When Racial Inequalities Return: Assessing the Restratification of Cuban Society 60 Years After Revolution Katrin Hansing Bert Hoffmann ABSTRACT Few political transformations have attacked social inequalities more thoroughly than the 1959 Cuban Revolution. As the survey data in this article show, however, sixty years on, structural inequalities are returning that echo the prerevolutionary socioethnic hierarchies. While official Cuban statistics are mute about social differ- ences along racial lines, the authors were able to conduct a unique, nationwide survey with more than one thousand respondents that shows the contrary. Amid depressed wages in the state-run economy, access to hard currency has become key. However, racialized migration patterns of the past make for highly unequal access to family remittances, and the gradual opening of private business disfavors Afro- Cubans, due to their lack of access to prerevolutionary property and startup capital. Despite the political continuity of Communist Party rule, a restructuring of Cuban society with a profound racial bias is turning back one of the proudest achieve- ments of the revolution. Keywords: Cuba, social inequality, race, socialism, migration, remittances he 1959 Cuban Revolution radically broke with a past in which “class” tended Tto influence and overlap most aspects of social life, including “race,” gender, income, education, and territory. The “centralized, state-sponsored economy, which provided full employment and guaranteed modest income differences, was the great social elevator of the lower strata of society. As a result, by the 1980s Cuba had become one of the most egalitarian societies in the world” (Mesa-Lago and Pérez- López 2005, 71). Katrin Hansing is an associate professor of sociology and anthropology at Baruch College, City University of New York.
    [Show full text]
  • Cmeabroad.Ourcuba.Com Five Fab Days in Cuba
    CMEabroad.OurCuba.com 1-310-451-3358 Five Fab Days in Cuba Day 1 – Monday :: Arrival and hello Cuba Arrival at Havana’s José Martí International Airport. Collect your bags and go through customs. You’re welcomed at the airport lobby by your Cuba Explorer Tours guide and professional bus chauffeur Meet your tour organizer Jim Ryerson Private transfer to your hotel located in Havana Private check-in with assistance from your guide Free time to settle in and rest up at your hotel This evening you’ll enjoy a group welcome dinner with your Cuban guide and Jim Ryerson at Mediterraneo Havana, (included) Your tour organizer will suggest places for music and dancing for those who wish to go out Day 2 – Tuesday :: Exploring Old Havana Breakfast in hotel Followed by a walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll visit four of the five historic plazas that make Havana unique in the western hemisphere. It contains the largest collection of remaining colonial-era architecture. This is a private tour led by your Cuba Explorer Tours guide You're gonna love Cuba Copyright © 1997-2021. All rights reserved. Like us on facebook CMEabroad.OurCuba.com 1-310-451-3358 Cathedral Square, the most beautiful and private 18th century colonial plaza on the island. Named after the masterpiece of Cuban baroque architecture: the Catedral de San Cristóbal de la Habana built by the Jesuit order Square of Arms, an ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers, surrounded by impressive buildings such as: Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, former seat of colonial government.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Exchange to Cuba Tuesday, October 25 Through Tuesday, November 1, 2016
    Cultural Exchange to Cuba Tuesday, October 25 through Tuesday, November 1, 2016 Join the Newark Museum on a fascinating 7 day/6 night trip to Cuba. The island remains a mystery to all but the most adventurous Americans. The Newark Museum is once again collaborating with Cuba Cultural Travel, a US based tour company. The emphasis of the trip will be cultural interaction with the Cuban people. Cuba has a rich and varied heritage dating back to colonial times. We will be hosted by a variety of local scholars and artists who will offer in-depth commentary on art, history, architecture and religion. Our expert guides will give us a privileged “behind the scenes view” seldom granted to American visitors. The vibrant contemporary art scene will play a prominent role in our itinerary and we plan on meeting artists, visiting studios, museums, galleries and art schools. Representing the Newark Museum on this trip is our own Chief Curator and Curator of Decorative Arts, Ulysses Grant Dietz. We know that he will add a depth of knowledge and insight and fun and will enhance your experience. Havana offers a treasure trove of architectural styles that few cities can match. From Colonialism to Modernism, the city has benefited from the fact many neighborhoods have remained unchanged for generations. Music is omnipresent in Havana and our schedule will satisfy all tastes. From Latin Jazz to the sounds of the Buena Vista Social Club, music is never far away as you walk the streets of Old Havana. We invite you to join us and take advantage of this unique opportunity to explore Cuba before the inevitable changes take place.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduced Amphibians and Reptiles in the Cuban Archipelago
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology 10(3):985–1012. Submitted: 3 December 2014; Accepted: 14 October 2015; Published: 16 December 2015. INTRODUCED AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN THE CUBAN ARCHIPELAGO 1,5 2 3 RAFAEL BORROTO-PÁEZ , ROBERTO ALONSO BOSCH , BORIS A. FABRES , AND OSMANY 4 ALVAREZ GARCÍA 1Sociedad Cubana de Zoología, Carretera de Varona km 3.5, Boyeros, La Habana, Cuba 2Museo de Historia Natural ”Felipe Poey.” Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba 3Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC), Green Cove Springs, Florida, USA 4Centro de Investigaciones de Mejoramiento Animal de la Ganadería Tropical, MINAGRI, Cotorro, La Habana, Cuba 5Corresponding author, email: [email protected] Abstract.—The number of introductions and resulting established populations of amphibians and reptiles in Caribbean islands is alarming. Through an extensive review of information on Cuban herpetofauna, including protected area management plans, we present the first comprehensive inventory of introduced amphibians and reptiles in the Cuban archipelago. We classify species as Invasive, Established Non-invasive, Not Established, and Transported. We document the arrival of 26 species, five amphibians and 21 reptiles, in more than 35 different introduction events. Of the 26 species, we identify 11 species (42.3%), one amphibian and 10 reptiles, as established, with nine of them being invasive: Lithobates catesbeianus, Caiman crocodilus, Hemidactylus mabouia, H. angulatus, H. frenatus, Gonatodes albogularis, Sphaerodactylus argus, Gymnophthalmus underwoodi, and Indotyphlops braminus. We present the introduced range of each of the 26 species in the Cuban archipelago as well as the other Caribbean islands and document historical records, the population sources, dispersal pathways, introduction events, current status of distribution, and impacts.
    [Show full text]