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When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination http://eprints.soton.ac.uk UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF HUMANITIES School of Modern Languages Jineterismo in Havana: Narrating the Daily Struggles of Afro-Cuban Jineteras by Dina Sebastiana de Sousa E Santos BA, MA, PGCE Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy July 2009 1 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ABSTRACT FACULTY OF HUMANITIES SCHOOL OF MODERN LANGUAGES Doctor of Philosophy JINETERISMO IN HAVANA: NARRATING THE DAILY STRUGGLES OF AFRO- CUBAN JINETERAS By: Dina Sebastiana de Sousa e Santos Jineterismo, frequently used as a synonym of prostitution, became a widely used term in Cuba in the 1990s. Perceived by some as a social problem that needed to be eliminated, and as a liberating economic strategy by others, the term is discussed in major studies on contemporary Cuba and often mentioned by travel writers outside of Cuba. Some scholars define jineterismo as the new female strategy adopted by young women to obtain hard currency, on the other hand, an influential Cuban politician, criticised jineteras, stating that they were immoral and embarrassing to Cuba. This study seeks to understand the meanings and practices of jineterismo from a bottom up perspective. Using ethnography to locate answers about jineterismo, I explore the meanings of the concept based on the views of those that Cuban society labels as jineteras. The central argument put forward in this study is that jineterismo has to be analysed as a diverse set of practices caused by a diverse set of factors, and that it involves a heterogeneous group of individuals. Jineterismo, I argue, ranges from the struggle to obtain hard currency to the practices involved in developing and maintaining romantic relationships with tourists, and is strongly informed by the desire to emigrate abroad. While jineterismo currently appears to be embedded in discourses of prostitution, this thesis highlights the romantic side of jineterismo and brings to the fore young Cuban women’s perceptions of Cuban men and life in Cuba, views that contrast significantly with their positive images of Europeans and the Western world. More importantly, the thesis improves our knowledge of jineterismo by offering a new perspective into the reasons that lead young Cuban women to seek relationships outside Cuba. 2 Contents List of Tables and Illustrations 4 Declaration of Authorship 5 Acknowledgements 6 Chapter 1 Introduction 7 Chapter 2 Historical, Socio-Economic and Political Background of ‘La Lucha’ 47 Chapter 3 Afro-Cuban Women’s Discourses of Love and Conflict 94 Chapter 4 Jineterismo – Examining its Meanings and Practices 138 Chapter 5 The Daily Struggle to Survive 177 . Chapter 6 The Daily Struggle to ‘Consume’ the Outside 218 Chapter 7 Conclusion and Further Considerations 262 Appendices 275 Bibliography 281 3 List of Tables and Illustrations Image 1 El Malecón 8 Table 2.1 Migration Waves 74 Image 2 Map of Havana 34 Image 3 Tropicana Dancer 48 Table 2.2 Tourist Arrivals in Cuba 77 Image 4 The Zonas 94 Table 2.3 Tourist Arrivals by Region 78 Image 5 Zona B 94 Table 2.4 Tourist Arrivals 2000-04 79 Image 6 An Atypical Apartment 95 Image 7 Typical Apartment 96 Image 8 Alamar (Entrance) 98 Figure 5.1 The Ration Card 176 Image 9 Alamar (Road) 98 Figure 5.2 Consumption January 177 Image 10 Wide Roads 98 Figure 5.3 Consumption February 177 Image 11 A Dollar Snack Bar 99 Figure 5.4 Consumption March 178 Image 12 El Agro Matancero 179 Figure 5.5 Tactics across Spaces 200 Image 13 Agro (Vedado) 179 Figure 5.6. Hierarchy of Needs 207 Image 14 Map of Havana 193 Image 15 Fidel y las Antenas 218 Image 16 Entering Havana 227 Image 17 Police in Havana 227 Image 18 Protecting Miramar 228 Image 19 Protecting Havana 228 Image 20 Street Slogans 257 Image 21 Street Slogans 257 4 DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP I, Dina Sebastiana de Sousa E Santos, declare that the thesis entitled Jineterismo in Havana: Narrating the Daily Struggles of Afro-Cuban Jineteras and the work presented in the thesis are both my own, and have been generated by me as the result of my own original research. I confirm that: . this work was done wholly or mainly while in candidature for a research degree at this University; . where any part of this thesis has previously been submitted for a degree or any other qualification at this University or any other institution, this has been clearly stated; . where I have consulted the published work of others, this is always clearly attributed; . where I have quoted from the work of others, the source is always given. With the exception of such quotations, this thesis is entirely my own work; . I have acknowledged all main sources of help; . where the thesis is based on work done by myself jointly with others, I have made clear exactly what was done by others and what I have contributed myself; . none of this work has been published before submission. Signed: ……………………………………………………………………….. Date:……………………………………………………………………………. 5 Acknowledgements I would like to dedicate this thesis to my parents for their encouragement and unconditional support. Witnessing their commitment to complete their degrees after their six daughters were born was truly inspiring, and I thank them for giving us an exciting, but intellectually-stimulating childhood. Saudades mamá…Acorda e melhora pf. In addition, I must thank my son, Denzhel, for being amazingly independent. I was able to write and rewrite this thesis and read extensively, while he wrote his ‘PhD Stories’ on his laptop. I am indebted to him for allowing my books to take over the space that he should have occupied during all those years of research, which were the first years of his life. Thank you Boris, my Cuban husband, for babysitting in Havana and putting up with my obsession with Cuba! My appreciation to my five beloved sisters for being there for me, finalmente acabei de escrever a tese! This thesis is dedicated also to my grandmother Antonia, the typically feisty woman, who smiled and laughed until the very end, despite losing most of her hearing during the colonial wars. This thesis would not have been possible without the tireless and admiring support of many academics. I am deeply indebted to the kind, knowledgeable, and very humble, Doctor Heidi Armbruster. Heidi accompanied me on this journey gracefully, always offering me precise and constructive feedback. Whenever I decided that I could not cope with the workload (work, family and PhD), an email from Heidi would appear in my inbox, encouraging me to keep focused and reassuring me that I was on the right track. Each time I felt that I had no more blood to give, Heidi would remind me to go back to my data, ‘listen to your interviews, pick up the patterns, the phrases…’ Slowly, I compiled enough information to write this PhD. Therefore, this thesis is warmly dedicated to you. Special thanks to Professor Jo Labanyi for being the first academic that believed in this project and allowing me to experiment with ideas in the early phases of this thesis. I would like to express deepest appreciation to Professor Clare Mar Molinero, my supervisor, for taking over from Jo and reading my work until the early hours in the morning. Furthermore, I thank you immensely for helping me cover proofreading costs. Many thanks Professor Liz Dore for giving me feedback on Chapter 3. Other people that I must thank are David Fleming for proofreading the thesis and Dr Cassandra Ellerbe- Dueck, who kindly helped me to prepare for my viva. During the Mock Viva, Cassandra and Heidi asked me challenging and interesting questions; the exercise was extremely useful. Last, but definitely not least, I thank all the Cuban participants who ‘adopted’ me and my international family and especially for allowing me to gain an insight into their fascinating world. 6 Chapter 1: Introduction 26 de Julio: Victoria de las ideas (26th of July: Victory of Ideas) (Cuban slogan) 1.1. Introduction A day in July 2007: the streets of Vedado, one of the most prosperous neighbourhoods in central Havana, are filled with people. Policemen stand in the corners of the main tourist hotels while numerous Cubans queue for buses in Calle L.1 On the other side of the road, opposite the Habana Libre hotel, hundreds of Cubans queue outside Coppelia, an ice- cream rank on the same street, while pedestrians try to cram into taxis that already have quite a few passengers inside. Tourists are sightseeing taking photographs of the city and walking around. I notice that the ‘typical’ tourists are immediately visible to the majority. With their backpacks, sandals, light clothes and pale skins, tourists stand out from the crowd. In one of the dollar restaurants2 a couple is seated having a drink; she appears to be a young Afro-Cuban woman and he could be a Western tourist. They do not talk much and do not show openly any sign of affection towards each other.