Text|Zhiwen Bo History
Editor|Zhiwen Boshi
Cuba is a country with a long history and a unique culture, it is located in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, the largest island country in the Caribbean and the last territory under Spanish colonial rule.
Influenced by Hispanic, African, indigenous and French cultures, these cultural elements have come together to form a unique Cuban culture, with music, dance, literature, art and traditional handicrafts all distinctively characterized, becoming a cultural treasure that has attracted global attention.
01
The essence and values of Cuban culture
Traditional festivals are an important part of Cuban culture, and in Cuba they are one of the ways people express their emotions, celebrate and unite.
These festivals reflect the importance Cubans place on their culture and love for their homeland. In these traditional festivals, people usually hold various cultural and religious activities, including music, dance, parades, fireworks displays, religious ceremonies, etc.
The event allowed people to better understand the essence and values of Cuban culture, and made Cuba a vibrant and attractive country.
In fact, Christmas is not a particularly important holiday in Cuba, because the country was influenced by communist ideology and the socialist system, and in the past few decades, it has not officially listed Christmas as a national holiday.
However, with the emphasis on folk culture and the advancement of reform and opening up in recent years, more and more Cubans have begun to celebrate Christmas and regard it as an important holiday.
In Cuba, Christmas is usually celebrated on December 25. Although there are no official holidays, some places hold celebrations.
For example, some cities light up Christmas trees and light up the streets, and people give each other gifts. In addition, Cubans also enjoy special foods such as roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and Christmas pudding during Christmas.
Although Christmas may not be celebrated as grandly in Cuba as in other countries, it is still important in the hearts of Cubans, especially for those who are Catholic.
Traditional celebrations usually include the exchange of gifts between family and friends, participation in religious ceremonies, etc., and in Cuba, traditional Christmas gifts are usually given by family and friends, usually small gifts or desserts
People usually buy gifts a few days before Christmas or exchange gifts on Christmas Day. In some families, traditional foods and beverages such as roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, eggnog, etc. are specially prepared for Christmas, and families enjoy these delicacies together to celebrate the festival.
Some Catholic churches in Cuba also hold religious ceremonies such as midnight mass during Christmas. During these ceremonies, people sing hymns, pray, and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
In addition, some communities also hold some traditional Christmas celebrations, such as Christmas parades, fireworks displays, etc. These events provide an opportunity for people to celebrate the holiday together and strengthen their bonds of solidarity.
02
Christmas in Cuba
While Christmas may not be celebrated as grandly as in other countries, people are still able to express their emotions and celebrate the holiday on this special day by giving gifts, sharing food, and participating in religious ceremonies.
Christmas dishes also have unique characteristics, reflecting the multicultural and regional characteristics of Cuba, where people usually enjoy traditional Christmas dishes during the Christmas season, the most popular of which is roast turkey.
Usually, turkey is marinated with spices such as garlic, onion, lemon juice, etc., and then roasted until golden brown. In addition to turkey, there are some other dishes that are also popular, such as roast pork, roast beef, etc. In addition, Cubans also like to taste various desserts during the Christmas season, such as Christmas pudding, cakes, mayonna, etc.
Cubans in different regions also have their own unique Christmas dishes, for example, people in Havana like to make a dessert called "turron" ("marzipan" in Spanish) using raisins, almonds, biscuits and other ingredients. People in eastern Cuba prefer to cook Christmas dishes with seafood, fish and more.
Christmas cuisine is full of multicultural characteristics and regional characteristics, these cuisines are not only a food, but also a cultural expression and inheritance, reflecting the importance and love of Christmas among Cubans.
Easter is also an important holiday in Cuba. As a Catholic-majority country, Cubans attach great importance to Easter, a religious holiday, and also celebrates it in a series of celebrations.
Churches across Cuba hold solemn religious ceremonies, and believers dress up and go to the church to pray and celebrate the resurrection of Christ. In addition, people have family meals at home, enjoy good food, and give each other eggs and gifts.
The dishes also have unique characteristics, and traditionally, roast suckling pig is consumed during this festival. This dish is made by slowly roasting whole suckling pig over a charcoal fire, and it is very popular with a tender taste.
In addition, there are other dishes that are popular, such as roast turkey, roast lamb, etc., and Cubans celebrate this important festival with a series of traditional activities such as dancing, musical performances, parades, etc.
The most famous of these events is the "Kanaval" festival in Santiago, a traditional celebration in which people dance and sing in the streets and showcase Cuban culture and traditions.
One of the Easter traditions is the Easter Mass in churches, a very solemn religious ceremony that attracts large numbers of believers.
The church will be very beautifully decorated, with decorations such as crosses and colored ribbons on the altar. During the ceremony, the priest reads the Bible and tells the story of the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Christ, and the faithful pray and praise.
03
Traditional celebrations
In addition to church ceremonies, Cubans enjoy Easter breakfast together on Easter morning. This is a time for family dinners where the whole family gathers around the table to enjoy food and mingle together.
Breakfast dishes usually include eggs, cheese, biscuits, sweets, etc., and some families bake traditional Easter bread, which is very cute in different shapes, such as birds and bunnies.
In addition, Cubans perform some traditional celebrations such as dances, musical performances, parades, etc. The most famous of these is the "Kanabal" festival in Santiago.
The festival is usually celebrated over several days, with people dressed in fancy costumes, dancing and singing, showcasing Cuba's unique culture and traditions.
The rich traditions, from religious ceremonies to family meals and traditional celebrations, demonstrate the importance and love that the Cuban people attach to this important holiday, as well as Cuban culture and traditions.
There are also some unique Easter traditions, the most representative of which is the dance "Jump the Devil", a very interesting traditional dance that originated in the Mata Enzas region of Cuba.
It has now become one of the important events throughout Cuba's Easter festival, where people dress up as various images of devils and monsters, then dance and perform in the streets and squares.
These people dance by jumping a line known as the "Sacred Way," symbolizing the transcendence of demonic and evil forces toward new birth and resurrection.
In this dance, music is a very important element, usually accompanied by a band of drums, trumpets, bells and other instruments. The dancers will sway their bodies to the rhythm of the music while making screams and roars that impress.
In addition to "Jump the Devil", there are other traditional Easter events in Cuba, such as the "Raphael Day" in Havana.
Named after the Angel of San Raphael, the festival is a fun-filled and joyful event where people dress up in colorful costumes and dance and perform in the streets.
In addition to religious ceremonies and family dinners, there are also unique cultural and traditional events such as the "Jump the Devil" dance and the "Raphael Festival", which showcase Cuba's rich culture and unique folklore.
One of Cuba's most important holidays and one of the most celebrated nationwide, Independence Day celebrations in Cuba usually begin on July 25 and last until August 12.
During this time, people participate in a variety of celebrations, including military parades, parades, concerts, dance performances, etc., and July 25 is Cuba's national day, which is also a day to commemorate the outbreak of the Cuban War of Independence.
04
Military parades and flag-raising ceremonies
On this day, military parades and flag-raising ceremonies are held across the country, while the national anthem is sung and slogans are chanted in the square to express their love and love for the motherland.
In addition to formal celebrations, Independence Day dinners and parties are held among families and friends, where food and drinks are enjoyed to celebrate the Motherland's Independence Day.
In Cuba, the celebration of Independence Day is not only an important day to commemorate the independence of the country, but also an important opportunity to showcase the Cuban culture and national spirit.
People will show the unique charm of Cuba's music, dance, culture and art in the celebration, so that more people can understand and feel the charm and pride of Cuba.
The event is a way for the Cuban people to express their love and respect for their homeland and an important opportunity to showcase Cuban culture and national spirit. On this special day, the Cuban people will come together to celebrate the independence and freedom of their homeland.
To celebrate Cuba's independence from Spanish colonial rule, at the end of the 19th century, the War of Independence against Spanish colonial rule broke out in Cuba, which culminated in independence on May 20, 1902, after a long struggle.
On this special day, the Cuban people hold various commemorative events to commemorate those heroes who gave their lives for the independence of their country, as well as to celebrate the independence and freedom of their homeland.
Cuba's War of Independence was an important event in Cuban history and part of the Latin American independence movement. The victory in the war of independence was not only for the Cuban people, but also for the people of Latin America as a whole in their struggle for independence and freedom.
Thus, the event is not only a celebration of a country, but a symbol of the struggle of the entire Latin American people for independence and freedom, and Cuba's Independence Day is a national holiday.
People hold various parades and celebrations to show their love and unity for their homeland, and parades are a very important part of the celebration of Independence Day.
The parades are usually composed of students, workers, peasants, retired elderly and other people from all walks of life, dressed in bright clothing, holding national flags and various slogans, and chanting slogans to show the unity and patriotism of the Cuban people. The procession marches along the main street, attracting a large crowd of spectators.
In addition to parades, Cuba's Independence Day has other celebrations such as concerts, dance performances, fireworks displays, etc. People gather in parks, squares, stadiums and other places to celebrate this important holiday and to show the joy and unity of the Cuban people.
The author believes that Cuba's Independence Day is a holiday full of love and unity, and an important moment for the Cuban people to express their love and loyalty to their motherland. Through various celebrations, people can feel the warmth and vitality of the Cuban people more deeply, showing the unique charm of Cuban culture.
Cite:
Cuban Culture and Traditional Festivals, Luo Huiying, China Foreign Cultural Exchange Press, 2009.
Cuban Festival Culture, Yan Pengcheng, Guangxi Normal University Press, 2012.
A Cultural Journey to Cuba, Chen Xueming, Hainan Publishing House, 2016.
Cuban Folk Culture and Traditional Festivals, Zhou Hailong, Central China Normal University Press, 2015.