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LOL! This is one of the numerous statements where some Latin Americans would like to prove (to whomever..) how European or how White they are..
Interesting that we don't see the same amount of effort, not even close, to prove how African this or that city or country in LatAm is.
If there's any, then (places in) Cuba would certainly be among the most African ones in that part of the world.
Most all of the Carribbean has an enormous African influence.
Cuba doesn't stand out as being 'more African' than the rest of the area, to me.
I'd say it's more African than Puerto Rico and even the Dominican Republic (some parts anyway), maybe even Trinidad. More African than Barbados, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Not as African as Haiti, as African as Jamaica.
LOL! This is one of the numerous statements where some Latin Americans would like to prove (to whomever..) how European or how White they are..
Interesting that we don't see the same amount of effort, not even close, to prove how African this or that city or country in LatAm is.
If there's any, then (places in) Cuba would certainly be among the most African ones in that part of the world.
Exactly. Who cares how European they are? They are Carribbean, which means for the most part their cities (the people anyway) are not what you would call "European."
Also something that will surprise most is how dark/mixed/black Cuba is. Many white and Lebanese Cubans up and left to Miami, and the mulattos and blacks stayed, due mostly in part of finances and the general view the Castro has been a great racial equalizer for the country.
For a city to be European, you need it to look European in more than its architecture. Lima, Peru looks very European in architecture. The people? Not so much.
If you want Europe, go to Europe. You won't get it in Cuba, despite the (crumbling) architecture. This eurocentrism diminishes the overall charm of a country, which in Cuba's case has an IMMENSE amount of Native and African influence, which has only increased since the Cuban white flight.
Most all of the Carribbean has an enormous African influence.
Cuba doesn't stand out as being 'more African' than the rest of the area, to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucario
I'd say it's more African than Puerto Rico and even the Dominican Republic (some parts anyway), maybe even Trinidad. More African than Barbados, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Not as African as Haiti, as African as Jamaica.
I don't think it's fair to gauge Caribbean countries by how much black influence they have. Some countries had a higher degree of syncretism than others, making said country SEEM less "black," but it is just that there was more cultural exchange and therefore a diffusion of the traditional African culture. Off the top of my head, New Orleans, Louisiana is probably a good example of this. It may seems less African than say, Port Au-Prince, but that is because here was more syncretism in NO than in the Haitian capital.
I don't think it's fair to gauge Caribbean countries by how much black influence they have. Some countries had a higher degree of syncretism than others, making said country SEEM less "black," but it is just that there was more cultural exchange and therefore a diffusion of the traditional African culture. Off the top of my head, New Orleans, Louisiana is probably a good example of this. It may seems less African than say, Port Au-Prince, but that is because here was more syncretism in NO than in the Haitian capital.
I took syncretism into account. I offered a superficial overview, not an anthropological tally. Either one can be done without too much effort. And I do believe that Haiti is still more African, overall, than New Orleans or the Southern Louisiana Francophone Triangle.
I took syncretism into account. I offered a superficial overview, not an anthropological tally. Either one can be done without too much effort. And I do believe that Haiti is still more African, overall, than New Orleans or the Southern Louisiana Francophone Triangle.
If you took syncretism into account, then there is really no way to gauge how "African" a place is or is not. Some African elements would express themselves, and others would not. THe ones that do may be more obvious or less obvious, thus making comparisons unfair.
If you offered a superficial overview, then I am wondering what gauges you used for a region's "African-ness."
Quote:
Originally Posted by OyCrumbler
Cuba was far more European before Castro in terms of demographics (it had a large immigrant population from Europe) and a large middle class, right?
Cuba was much more demographically European pre-Castro, but there was no real middle class. There is an awesome documentary called FIDEL: THE UNTOLD STORY that outlines the catalysts for Castro's rise and his hold on power. Among other things they were:
An extreme gap in wealth
Widespread Corruption/Pandering to foreign (re: American) influences
Rampant Racism
For these reasons, Castro has still been able to hold onto power, especially reason three. He has widespread support among blacks and mulattos because before him, they were quite disadvantaged. They fear that with Castro's regime gone, US influence will increase and racism will again become institutionalized.
Do not be fooled by Cuba's census. That country is now blatantly less white and much more black/mixed since Castro.
It's interesting that some perceive 'most european' to imply the most european-looking people.
When people refer to a 'city' looking european, they generally refer to the architecture, and bones of the city.
In South America, I often hear of cities like Buenos Aires, Cartagena, or Montevideo as looking European. In the Carribbean, it generally seems to be Havana. As opposed to somewhere like Santo Domingo.
I don't know why I haven't heard of Santo Domingo being 'european-like', but it's generally not something I hear in its regards. Havana seems to be one I hear of most in that kind of way.
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