#lagentedecuba

Latin American culture and society is shaped by different aspects of various cultures, religions, and languages that have blended together, beginning with the arrival of the Europeans in the 15th century. Specifically, the mix of Europeans, Africans, and Native peoples (Tainos) created the cultures and people of Cuba. When Cuba fought to become independent from their colonizer, Spain, all of the Cuban people, no matter their race, social class, or age, banded together against their common enemy in the late 19th century. They are inherently influenced by their Spanish roots, but they arguably have stronger African and Taino roots influences in their culture. This can be seen from their food, dance, and general island mindset when in Cuba, along with the mix of races and ethnicities of all Cuban. Cubans with Afro or Native (Taino) roots have been marginalized socially and economically from the beginning of Cuban history, and it has been a fight for them (and still is) for equality. With the transformation to the Castro regime came the ignorance of many social, racial, and economic issues by the government, only worsening these issues.