“”He who has money smokes cigars But who has no money smokes paper."

A good Cuban cigar closes the door to the vulgarities of the world.".

• 3500 B.C.First humans arrive in Cuba

• Taino Native Americans arrive form the west

La Cultura

• Cuba many roots, those including African and Russian aside from Spain creating a culture comprised of diverse and aesthetic views.

THE TAINOCREATING THE FOUNDATION FOR CUBAN HISTORY

The Taino can be characterized as politically advanced,culturally distinct,and focused on the arts.

El arte distintivo

• In the 1600’s, Spain colonized in Cuban, establishing their dominance in the Caribbean

• In 1868,Cuban began their series of revolutions against Spain

• With the help of the United States,Cuba became powerful enough to defend their independence.

• By the early 1900’s Cuba still had strong influence of the U.S. in their nation.They began to rule themselves soon after this,leading the way for a series of corrupt presidents and dictators.

• Religions: Roman Catholic - 85%; other (Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria) - 15%.

• Ethnic Groups: Mixed race (black/white) - 51%; white - 37%; black - 11%; Chinese - 1%.

Prominent Language –Spanish

Capital-Havana

Area:110,860 sq. km.

Population:11,263,429 ( 2003 estimate

Dictatorship

• The people of Cuba live by the dictation of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Running a socialist country, he is the antithesis of the United States approach to democracy.

La Historia Económica• From the early 1950’s Cuban had been dependent upon the financial support of the Soviet

Union. Although the U.S. was their lead trade partner,with over 70 percent of trade coming from them, the Soviet Union accounted for over 6 billion of their national funds.

• In the early 1990’s the Soviet Union had disassembled causing economic panic in Cuba.Agricultural and industrial production came to halt.They were significantly inferior to other Latin American countries at the time. TO adjust they had a period of austerity, leaving only room for most people to have their necessities.Reforms to the economy came a few years after that

La Economía ahora• Commerce-Currently Cuba’s main exports include, tobacco, shellfish,medical

products, and crops.Their main export though is sugar.

• Agriculturally, Cuba is currently struggling.Production output has dramatically declined over the years.Cuban farms all belong to the state government.

• Tourism is a main source of income for Cuba. The luxurious attractions and elegant beaches make it a large tourist spot.

Industry

Gastronomía

• The typical Cuban cuisine is an incorporation of a multitude of cultures including Spanish,Asian, and African influences.

CocktailsCuba’s finest

• Cuba is known for it’s variety of exquisite alcoholic beverages and cocktail’s including the famous Cuban libre.

La Vida Nocturna

Havana nights never end in Cuba. It is safe to say that the club scene is booming every day here in this tropical atmosphere. Constant live performances by bands, actors and dancers add to what is already paradise. As in many countries, wealth in Cuba will take you very far in the night scene, but there is nothing lacking for those who are not wealthy.

Luxurious Cuba

Ajiaco Criollo

• 1 to 2 pounds beef cut in small squares

• 2 potatoes • 3 malangas

• 3 ripe plantains • 1 sweet potato or yam • 1 can tomato puree

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon onion powder • salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cube beef boullion, broken up • 1 cube (or equivalent powdered)

ham boullion • 1/4 cup of vegetable oil

Che Guevara

• Che Guevara grew up under the influence of Marxism and Freud’s writing, becoming intrigued by rebellious views against parliament society.After becoming a doctor he led other aspirations as he came within contact with Fidel Castro in Mexico.Guevara and Castro formed an alliance under similar political views.In 1956, he became Commandente of the Cuban revolution advocating the use of guerilla warfare.

Mario RomañachA King of contemporary architecture

Fernando RodriguezA sculpture of genius

A work completely composed of kitchen utensils. Notice how the circular objects extending from the center form a shape.His works would commonly consist of household items, garbage, loose metal, or anything he could find. His variety and abstruseness of his many mediums is what distinguished him as an artist

Fernando’s sculptures often emphasized the many imperfections of his society foreshadowed by a central idea that he held throughout his work. This particular sculpture emphasizes his intense dislike for economic ideals imposed by the government. The “gilded that are being exerting from the animal’s”symbolize

Another collection of works by Fernando contained more consistent elements throughout the pieces. This particular collection, portrayed humans linked together in some indemnifying way.