Ethnographic atlas of Cuba

Celebrations, a part of social folklore, are customs, a way of doing what is transmitted, while tradition is the form in which people think and feel what is being transmitted. This, in turn, is embodied in the practice of many habits in each of the aspects of a given society or social group.

Celebrations contain within themselves several traditions, religious beliefs and rites, music, dances, games or contests, foods and beverages related to them, ornamentation, expressions of oral literature, garments, means of transportation and other aspects of the spiritual and material culture of a people. They may be in force or not and have a lay or religious contents. They may be held in urban or rural environments. Thus, they are expressions of traditional culture that are basic for the comprehensive study of social nuclei since they show the main customs, habits and ways of behavior. Several books and papers have been written on this topic in Cuba dealing with celebrations, their origins, motivations and their various elements, but there has not been a full analysis of the phenomenon locating its national importance and significance.

The present work offers the findings of the first study of this type carried out in our country. It was made in a historic moment when, because of changes in the economic, political, ideological and social structure, expressions that were still in existence were beginning to disappear.

This research has allowed a general national vision of celebrations, especially traditional ones. It offers unpublished data on the way the celebrations take place, sets each of them in time and space and clarifies whether or not they are still in force. Also, celebrations that have been revived as a result of research and the desire of the local population are indicated. Three hundred seventy celebrations were revived respecting their traditional roots, while taking into account uses and practices from recent years.

This revitalizing action brought the most significant quantitative and qualitative results to cultural practice after the triumph of the Revolution in 1959. One of the objectives of this study is to revive, with a critical and creative approach, the disappearing traditions in each locality and reaffirm Cuban cultural identity.

Another of the contributions of this work is, undoubtedly, the classification of celebrations, according to their function, ethnic origin, motivations, characteristics and traditional elements identifying them, names, dates, original traits, historic and social evolution and present status.

This classification was based in the religious or lay character of the various celebrations. Seven groups were identified, two religious and five lay. These, in turn, were divided into several subgroups. All the characterization and typologization was obtained through open interviews and questionnaires in all the municipalities in the country. This information was supplemented with bibliographic and documentary studies.

Methodologically, a questionnaire was made for a national sample with specific indications on data processing. This questionnaire could be used in any country in Latin America as a guide for a revival of the traditional expressions under study (mainly celebrations, music and dances). Its purpose is preserving disappearing traditions while integrating present activities.

An evaluation was made of celebrations that have lost their links with the masses and of those having to do with the new realities in the country, with the purpose of revitalizing them so they will not disappear.

The background and influences of Cuban celebrations were clarified through historical analyses. Among the ethnic aspects we considered the areas where the immigrants settled, influences and syncretism and everything that happened in the trans-culturation process that was the origin of the Cuban people.

More than once during the wars of liberation and in other revolutionary moments celebrations and ritual activities turned into expressions of popular discontent. This incidental function they performed was also researched.

US cultural penetration until 1959, that strived to suffocate national culture by imposing elements of a different way of life while repressing the involvement of the masses, was analyzed. Another outstanding aspect was the commercialization stemming from those facts, that would consistently distort the traditional elements of many celebrations. For example, during electoral campaigns, traditional musical instruments were used in the candidates′ propaganda, refrains for that purpose were composed and conga lines took to the street specifically for that purpose.

According to the literature consulted up to now, this study is the only one covering the country as a whole, carried out simultaneously throughout the territory and analyzing, in a period of social transit, details on the topic in the past. It is also based on a comprehensive concept offering their geographic location and whether they are in force or not.

We believe that methodological contributions and their implementation possibilities are among the values of a scientific work. Immediately after this research, a movement began that promoted and researched the traditions in the spiritual culture of the Cuban people, with the involvement of technicians, professors, cultural facilitators and the people as a whole, that had a favorable impact on the communities. The activities, events and institutions established under this movement were many and have made possible the rescue and revival of lost or nearly lost traditions. They have also contributed to a better knowledge of History through the traditions in each locality and have reaffirmed regional and national cultural identity.

Celebrations were classified in several groups and subgroups. Religious celebrations are of Catholic (in the case of patron saints or preceptual dates) or sub-Saharan origin. Haitian religious expressions are also represented (the Bande-Rara and those in honor of the loas).

Among lay celebrations there are peasant parties, with six subgroups, and carnivals, parrandas and charangas, with four subgroups. There are also work celebrations having to do with crops, guilds or trades, for a total of twenty-two subgroups. The various ethnic groups in Cuba have their own celebrations. The last group of lay celebrations includes those for absent citizens and the verbenas, that is, open air festivals held on the eve of a saint′s day, organized by cabildos or preparatory committees.

Among religious celebrations of a Spanish origin, those to the patron saints - the most extended throughout the country - should be highlighted, especially those to Cuba′s patron, Our Lady of Charity in el Cobre, to Saint John, Our Lady of Candelaria and Saint Joseph, among others. There are forty-five very extended precept solemnities, among them: Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year′s Eve, Twelfth Night, and also the Cross and Promise Altars, Saint John festivity and Canarian and Jamaican celebrations. The number of these celebrations is higher in the provinces of Havana, Matanzas, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus and Camaguey.

Religious celebrations of a sub-Saharan origin are classified into nine subgroups, almost all of which prevail nationally. Celebrations having to do with traditional Santeria practices are alive in most of the country with the exception of Sancti Spiritus and Camaguey. Palo Monte, Arara and Santeria crossed with Palo Monte or with spiritualism follow in significance and extension. There are two subgroups of religious celebrations with a Haitian origin. They are found in Camaguey and some locations in the former province of Oriente and they are the Bande-Rara and celebrations in honor of the loas.

Lay peasant celebrations, whether in force or not, are found throughout the country. Guateques are the most extended ones, especially to the east (Las Tunas, Granma, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo). To the west, mainly in Pinar del Rio and Havana, yuka drum celebrations may be highlighted, remnants of which can be found in Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila and Camaguey.

Carnivals are held in all the provinces and parrandas, although originally from Villa Clara, are also held in Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila.

Charangas are held in Bejucal (Havana province), Santiago de las Vegas (Havana City) and Rincon (Boyeros municipality in Havana City).

Aquatic carnivals are held in Moron (Ciego de Avila province) and Caimanera (Guantanamo province) as a result of a revival work carried out in those locations.

There are several subgroups of work celebrations, among them those having to do with crops and with guilds. They are held in almost every province but Cienfuegos, Villa Clara and Camaguey. In Las Tunas, Granma and Holguin only crop celebrations are held.

The celebrations by Canarian immigrants are mostly held in the central region, while those of jamaicans can be found eastward from Camaguey. Haitian celebrations are mostly held in Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo, but there are remnants of their past existence in Havana City, Havana, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus and Granma.

Historically, verbenas have been characteristic festive expressions throughout the country. Many of them had not been held in recent decades, but a considerable number have been revived.

Absent citizen celebrations are mostly held in the central region of the country (Cienfuegos, Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus), but also in Matanzas, Havana, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin and Las Tunas.

Map presentation of traditional celebrations is a source of information for researchers, educators, specialists, cultural facilitators, students and anyone requiring data on their ethnic, social and historical significance. These data can be used for new school books, curricula, exhibits, as well as for divisions into cultural region.

We hope this research will contribute to a more extended knowledge of this traditional activity, so dear to our population, and to improve works in this field.

Dra. Virtudes Feliu Herrera