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These two countries were some of the last to end the institution of slavery. This allowed for cultural retention to remain intact within their African populations. 'Africanism' was diluted in other regions since they had more time to do so.
Currently, which of these two countries have more African retention?
These two countries were some of the last to end the institution of slavery. This allowed for cultural retention to remain intact within their African populations.
Your assumption is false
You are assuming that African culture is only retained when there's slavery
Well, in fact even though slavery was "formally" banned in 1886 in Cuba, it can be considered that has never ceased to exist. When the flow from Africa stopped, there came the flow from Jamaica. Those blacks lived-live in the same slave barracks and I don't think their conditions have changed much.
As to African retention, being people moving only in fringe areas of societies, their impact has been minuscule to say the least. Plus, Jamaicans don't preserve any africaness in them except their colour.
Well, in fact even though slavery was "formally" banned in 1886 in Cuba, it can be considered that has never ceased to exist. When the flow from Africa stopped, there came the flow from Jamaica. Those blacks lived-live in the same slave barracks and I don't think their conditions have changed much.
As to African retention, being people moving only in fringe areas of societies, their impact has been minuscule to say the least. Plus, Jamaicans don't preserve any africaness in them except their colour.
Beyond a little point about Cuba helping Jamaica with athletics, the poster you quoted is pretty much wrong about everything related to Jamaica. I have no idea why he keeps speaking about the island. I suspect it's because he has some online battles with posters he believes to be Jamaican.
PS...he dramatically overstated Cuba's help to Jamaica in athletics as well.
Your assumption is false
You are assuming that African culture is only retained when there's slavery
First of all it is hard to determine what aspects of cultures are influenced by African culture, and therefore which is the most African.
Are Jamaicans less African than Cubans, despite the fact that they speak a very Africanized creole dialect which is closely related to those spoken in Cameroon, Nigeria, Liberia and Senegal? Jamaica has many manifestations of African influences in its religious practices such as kumina, pocomania and Revivalist, even though more hidden than is Santeria.
Often we limit African culture to music, dance, and religion, because that is how African culture is most manifested. This being the only space where slaves were able to "hide" their African identities.
But as with every where else Africa is more than music, religion or dance. So it is not obvious as to who is more African.
I only give Brazil a higher score because of what one can see in Salvador, and not necessarily among other black Brazilians. Not only are there many African influences in their religious practices, and in the music and dance, but very Yoruba influenced dialects can be heard in some of the remote settlements and their cooking styles are every reminiscent of what one would see in West Africa.
Jamaicans don't preserve any africaness in them except their colour.
And once again this man speaks of what he knows not about. There is an abundance of African influences in Jamaican culture. Just get to your fist dancehall and listen to the beat. In fact just get to reggaeton which evolved out of dancehall, and query why the appeal? What do those who created reggaeton have win common with those who created dancehall.
The dialect spoken in Jamaica is based off the Pidgin English which developed as a trading language in those regions of West Africa which traded with the British. Its grammatical structure isn't because it is "bad English". This is the case because Africans used 18th C English words within West African grammatical structure, and made other linguistic adjustments. Most important being the tone and intonation, and even facial gestures and the use of the eye for active communication, especially by females.
I've been to both Cuba and Brazil. The culture of Salvador, Bahia in Brazil is heavily influenced by African culture. They have developed their own martial art, Capoeira, their own religion Candomblé (taking elements from other African religions) and even their cuisine relies on African ingredients and traditions, i.e. in order to pay respect to the Orixás, the spirits or deities of the Yoruba religion, they might not use red ingredients on Fridays, since Friday is the day of Oxalá, whose color is white. The tradition is still strong in everyday life. The identity of Salvador is amazing.
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