Have Fun With The Best Cuban Culture Traditions People

Cuba is best known for its music. The best Cuban music and Cuban musicians have made significant contributions and have influenced much of the music of Latin America. In recent years, Cuban music has become a favorite in the U.S. and throughout the world.

For those who have not experienced Cuba the island, there is a rich cultural heritage that remains in spite of the Castro years. One has only to look at the old architecture, the people, and their recreational interests to get a sense of the long history of influences on this little country with an old soul.

Favorite Cuban pastimes include playing Dominoes, smoking Cuban cigars, drinking Cuban coffee, playing and singing music, and playing baseball.

Cuba, the largest of the Caribbean islands, was first inhabited by Indigenous peoples known as the Taíno and Ciboney. On 27 October 1492, Christopher Columbus sighted the island during his first voyage of discovery and claimed it for Spain. Cuba subsequently became a Spanish colony to be ruled by the Spanish governor in Havana, though in 1762 this city was briefly held by Britain before being returned in exchange for Florida.

A series of rebellions during the 19th century failed to end Spanish rule, but increased tensions between Spain and the United States, resulting in the Spanish-American War, led finally to Spanish withdrawal, and in 1902, Cuba gained formal independence.

American trade dominated Cuba during the first half of the 20th century, aided by US government policy measures assuring influence over the island. In 1959, de facto leader Fulgencio Batista was ousted by revolutionaries (the major group was led by Fidel Castro). Export of armed groups into adjacent countries, wholesale executions, curtailment of civil liberties, and uncompensated confiscations of property led to breaking of relations with the United States (relations with the US).

After revolutionary ranks were purged of executions, exile or disappearance (e.g. Huber Matos, Humberto Sori Marin, Camilo Cienfuegos, Pedro Diaz Lanz, Directorio Revolutionario Estudiantil etc.) the ideological affinities of surviving revolutionary officialdom plus the need to control a restive population frustrated with the nondelivery of a promised democracy (see War Against the Bandits, William Alexander Morgan) lead Cuban leaders to an alliance with the Soviet Union and Castro's transformation of Cuba into a declared socialist republic.

Castro remained in power from 1959 to 2008, first as Prime Minister then from 1976 as President of Cuba. On February 18, 2008 Castro announced he would not accept the nomination of president and would resign from power. Raúl Castro was elected President at the 2008 National Assembly session on February 24.

Wikipedia
Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Maps_of_Cuba

Cubans are also known for their scrumptious pastries and traditional cooking. In recent years, we have been introduced to Mojito's and the best Cuban cuisine
in Miami.

Popular dishes for many Cuban-Americans include: coconut-mango fried shrimp, arroz con pollo, black beans and rice, Cuban sandwiches, platanos, flan. These are only preliminary dishes.

A very important note: Cuban people do not enjoy even these luxury dishes. There are citizens of Cuba that go hungry every night because of Castro's rationing. (A future lens will be available to present the current conditions in Cuba)

This is a fantastic radioblog talk show every week. If you want to know more about current Cuban news, what's going on in Cuba right now, or just want to learn more about the Cuban community join us weekly at The Babalu Radio Hour.