From Havana to Calle Ocho:
Cuban and Cuban American
Image and Myth in the U.S.
Dr. William Martínez
Cuba at the “Beginning”: 1492
• A definition of Paradise
• “Paradise” lost.
European Christian beliefs
• “Paradise found”
Spanish Messianic beliefs
Columbus’ letter to Isabel
Cuba as a “New” Paradise
The image of Cuba after the
Spanish American War
• Image of Identity
“The Foreigner comes here to find what is not
permitted in his country.” Poca Cosa, 1915
“By all means and any means the American
visiting Cuba should get acquainted with its
women.” Basil Wood. When it’s Cocktail
Time in Cuba, 1928
• “Anyone can find…friendly and peaceful
natives, guitars and songs, beaches and
mountains, a great deal of sun and as much
moon as possible. In short al the pleasures
of the primitive and colonial…”(emphasis
mine) Carteles, 1947.
• When the Cuban goes shopping he invariably
specifies “Americano, por favor,” even when
buying such things as wines and laces, which are
European Specialties… Of course, this
tremendous admiration for everything American
works to the advantage of the tourist, who finds
himself very much at home the moment he sets
foot in Havana, where he is received and
welcomed everywhere.” Mexico and Cuba on
Your Own, 1954.
Cuba as an “Other”
• The exotic nature of Cuba
• Cuba and the U.S. during Prohibition
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Maximum pleasure for the most minimum of risk.
The sensual (sexual) nature of the exotic
“A paradise on earth.” Anaiïs Nin
“Going to heaven without having to die” National
Airlines slogan
Cuba: 1930-1950
• The Americanization of Cuba
• Tourism designed for the comfort of
Americans
– “It’s one of the most picturesque and unusual
cities in the world--in spite of its nearness to
us.” Norval Richardson, Ambassador to Cuba,
1934
• Cuba defined in North American Terms
• “Cuba, so near and so friendly is a storehouse of
inexhaustible sun and gaiety for the Americans…
It might be said that nature has purposely placed
this Holiday Isle of the Tropics at the door of the
great American nation for the pleasure, repose and
enjoyment of its inhabitants.” Add for Cuba in the
U.S. 1939.
Batista and Cuba
• Fulgencio Batista Presidency(1940-1944)
• The Americanization of Cuban Education
– Schools open specifically to accommodate U.S.
interests (ex. Havana Business Academy, The
Havana Business University)
• The Transition of Power
“Cuba is the model of stability and democracy
in all Latin America” FDR
The Coup of 1952
• March 10, 1952
– Batista takes over after dissatisfied w/ elections
• The U.S. Reaction-- Apparent indifference
• Cuban Reaction--Distrust of U.S.
• “The fact that Cuba, deprives of its public freedoms and
under the sway of military dictatorship has to arouse the
democratic public opinion of the U.S…a desire to
condemn the situation. Never was the present time
more right, since the U.S. is constantly calling the free
world to oppose and resist the aggression of the Soviet
totalitarianism, and little could be said of these
preachings if some of the peoples appeared to suffer, in
their internal life, an oppression and indignity of a
nature similar to that they are requested to fight.”
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Eliseo Riera Gomez to Attorney General of
U.S. 1/20/53
Cuba in America: Desi Arnaz
• “I Love Lucy” The U.S. confronts “Cuban
Pete”
Who is the “I” in “I love Lucy”?
a. Desi Arnaz
b. Ricky Ricardo
c. The American Public
d. CBS
Fidel Castro: The 1959 Coup
• Cuba’s new reputation
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“The red light district of the Caribbean”
“The Vegas of Latin America”
“The brothel of the New World.”
“The gangster island”
Cubans after the Revolution:
Miami here we come--1960-1980
• The Peter Pan Program
• The Cuban Refugee Program
– Cuban Settlements in Miami
– The Beginnings of Calle Ocho
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“Next year in a free Cuba”
The Bay of Pigs incident
A second Exile (Camarioaca)
Freedom Flights (1965-1972)
The U.S. Reaction to Cuban
Exiles
• 1963-- 27,000 Cubans in Miami, mostly
professionals
• 1966-- 1500-2000 new refugees each week
• “Little Havana” La Sagüesera (Southwest)
• 1966--Cuban Adjustment Act
• 1970--1/2 Million Cubans in U.S. and
121,000 Born in U.S. of Cuban decent
A New Idea of Paradise
• The “transient” nature of the refugees
• “Miami up to its armpits in Cubans” Miami
Herald editorial, 1969
• Little Havana a re-definition of Cubanness
Cuban Music
Cuban Food
The age of Guayaberas
Older Cubans eat, drink and sleep in Spanish
A New Idea of Paradise
• “Little Havana is a Golden Cage, an
artificial paradise, the neighborhood of
dreams and the dream of Cubans to stay
Cuban.”
Gustavo Pérez Firmat Next Year in Cuba
New Cuban refugees 1973-1979
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1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
12,579
13,670
8,488
4,515
4,548
4,108
2,644
The 1.5 Generation: Cuban
Americans 1980-2000
• “We are Cubans like our parents but American by
Accident.”
• The not-quite-american-but-too-young-to-beanything-else generation
• By 1980 60% of Cubans own a home
– 1/3 of business in Miami Cuban owned
– 90% of new residential/commercial construction
controlled by Cubans
– 800,000+ born in U.S. of Cuban decent
A New Generation: Mariel Boat
Lift
• April 1980--6 Cubans crash into Peruvian
Embassy
• Two days later more than 10,000 invade the
embassy grounds
• Castro declares “anyone wanting to leave
Cuba, can do so” by the Mariel Port.
• Cuban Americans send boats to pick up
relatives who are new refugees
• Castro’s response to Mariel
– Empty the prisons and hospitals
• By Mid May, 1980, 3000 Cubans are fleeing Mariel
daily.
• By early June, 5000-6000 leave the island daily
• Castro closes Mariel Port on Sept 25. By then, more
than 125,000 Cubans have left the island.
U.S. Response to Mariel Boat
Lift
• Coast Guard starts to turn away boats
• Sets up Tent Cities to process incoming
immigrants
• Federal Government creates laws affecting
“The boat people.”
• In Music
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Celia Cruz
Willi Chirino
Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
Clouds
Arturo Sandoval
• Other famous Cuban Americans
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Cristina Saralegui--TV Show hostess
Andy García--Movie Actor
Luis Azaceta--Artist
Hilda Perera--Children’s books writer
Luis Santeiro--Playwright