Cuban People and the Locals in Havana, Cuba
Amazingly Friendly People
My favorite thing about visiting Cuba each year is not the white sandy beaches, having freshly made mojitos, or dancing to the lively music (although I love all of those things).
What I truly love about Cuba is the amazing people I always seem to meet on my trips.
Despite the hardships of some locals, it always amazes me how friendly, helpful, kind, and also how much fun the majority of Cubans I meet are.
It is always a culture shock of sorts for me as spending time around Cuban people reminds me that sometimes the simple things in life.
Certain things clearly hold value to the local Cubans including their passion for dancing to the samba or eating ‘moros y cristianos’ (translated simply are black beans with yellow rice, a lovely dish I always enjoy), for example.
Put simply, the people are very welcoming and, in my opinion, one of the reasons to visit Cuba.
Diversity
As the biggest country in the Caribbean, Cuba is a melting pot of different cultures and races.
Most Cubans can trace their ancestry to either African slaves or Spanish settlers and, as a result, Cuban culture is a rough mix of the two cultures.
Racism seems to be all but non-existent in this country, with everyone seeming to be widely accepting of all colors and creeds.
In terms of race statistics, roughly a little over half of the population are classified in the last census as white, around one quarter as mulatto (mixed parentage), and ten percent black.
Cuba, one might argue, acts as a great example of how cultural diversity can work in a balanced way in terms of race.
Character
Cubans are a dynamic and complex people and they are famous around the world for their musical prowess.
Many Cuban people can sing or play an instrument with surprising proficiency, as music is a big part of the national identity.
It always amazes me the ability of so many people to dance with such rhythm, style and passion, quite different from watching people in a British nightclub!
Politics has also played an important role in shaping the identity of the Cuban people and this continues to reflect the culture and people.
Under Fidel Castro, Cuba remained a communist country and in the early years of the Castro regime, the country suffered a dark age in terms of cultural expression.
Popular music venues were closed down and the government clamped down on tourism and certain forms of self-expression.
Since Fidel left power, there have been some signs of change, but extremely slowly one might say. In recent years, however, the Cuban government has slowly brought back Cuban music and seems to have embraced tourism.
This is a testament to the power and longevity of Cuban music and the fortitude of its people. Despite difficult times, Cubans continue to be very warm and friendly and are lively and expressive people.
Like any destination in the world, if you go to Cuba without showing any respect to the local people, then your own experience might be a negative one.
Visit the island ready to embrace the people and their culture and you should find that overall, Cuba is a country overflowing with music and culture and its people are warm and hospitable.
Cuban people tend to be a strong-minded culture and when you combine the people, the strong culture, and the amazing physical beauty of the islands, it is easy to see why these islands will be so popular for tourism in the future.
