Recitation #7: ¿El Color No Importa? (all)From Survival of the Fittest to Survival through La Lucha

Prof. RolandThe Caribbean in

Post-Colonial PerspectiveANTH 1115

Remember the Maine?

Warship explodes in 1898 U.S. enters Cuba’s decade’s long War for Independence Treaty of Paris (btwn Spn and US) transfers Cuba (etc) to U.S.

sphere 1902 Platt Amendment makes Cuba a U.S. protectorate

Cubans frustrated Patriot José Martí’s warnings

Cultural Clashes in the Neo-Colony

L. Am. Cultural Evolutionism

Anglo-Am. Social Darwinism

• Hierarchically ranked cultures can be made equal

• Racial Democracy▫ "El color no importa"▫ Ideal that all racial

groups are politically, economically, socially equal

• Races are separate and should never mix

• Segregation/"Separate but Equal"▫ Today's U.S. from Boas

Cultural Relativism Cultures are equal and

should be understood on their own terms

Cuba as U.S. Neo-Colony▫ Puppet presidents

support U.S. interests Gen. Fulgencio

Batista props/downs administrations

Platt Amendment abrogated under Batista in 1934

1940 Constitution is a point of pride

Batista's Coup of 1952

▫Fidel Castro on the ballot for Senate

Revolutionary Beginnings

• July 26, 1953, Fidel Castro and followers try to overthrow Batista

• January 1, 1959 Batista flees beginning the Cuban Revolution

Questions/Comments?

From Lukewarm to Ice-Cold:U.S. and the Revolutionaries

• Fidel begins nationalizing U.S. properties▫Labeled communist

• U.S. imposes sanctions

• "Chess match until 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion

• May 1961 Cuba aligns with USSR▫Revolution declared

socialist

Socialism v. Communism

•Forging a New Society of Hombres Nuevos▫Sacrifice for the revolution▫Morally incorruptible▫Utopic

•Cultura and the Remnants of Race▫Knowing social rules/how to act▫Generosity▫Cycles of giving/receiving▫Conversation▫Colored tinge

Living through La Lucha in post-Soviet Cuba•1980s fall of the USSR

•Widespread hardship

•Saving socialism with $$

•Luchando to survive

•Tourism revisits race

Questions/Comments?

Cuba Today and Tomorrow

President Raúl Castro (2008) Increasing reforms

President Barack Obama (2008) Nominal changes to U.S. policy

End of Esperar?

Questions/Comments?