An Attempt to Erase: Colonial Histories and Contemporary Indigenous Identities in Cuba
Date
2024
Authors
Giroux, Hannah
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Publisher
University of Victoria
Abstract
This study seeks to investigate the complex history of Indigenous peoples in Cuba, exploring how this legacy influences modern perceptions of Indigenous identity. Since the 1970s there has been a growing movement among Taíno peoples, particularly among the Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban diaspora in North America, to reclaim their Indigenous heritage and assert their existence, challenging the long held myth of a post-Columbus Indigenous extinction in the Caribbean. Within Cuba, this movement has taken shape, but its manifestation is multifaceted and influenced by unique socio-political dynamics and concepts of identity. Despite the presence of Taíno ancestry in Cuba's population and culture, the acknowledgment of Indigenous identity has faced challenges amidst a narrative of extinction and ideals of the Revolution, which prioritize Cuban identity over other racial or ethnic distinctions. Drawing from my experiences during the 2023 Cuba Ethnographic Field School and a review of the available literature, I aim to elucidate the intricate interplay between colonial historical production and contemporary Indigenous identities in Cuba. In addition, this research aims to think critically about the complex dynamics of Indigenous tourism occurring alongside cultural revitalization in the Cuban context.
Description
Keywords
Taíno, Cuba, Indigenous, colonialism, historiography, tourism