 | |
About Cuba
 |
|
LANGUAGE
|
Spanish is the official language of Cuba and is spoken
throughout the Island. English is spoken by Cubans in many of the
tourist areas such as Varadero, and in the more prestigious hotels
in Havana and other large cities. However, once away from the tourist
areas it is hard to function without some knowledge of Spanish.
Many Cuban business people understand and speak English, but in most
cases foreigners make a greater impact anf find more acceptability
if they address themselves in Spanish to their Cuban interlocutors.
|
RELIGION
|
The Roman Catholic religion was brought to Cuba by the
Spanish colonizers and was practiced by nearly half of the population
prior to the 1959 Revolution. A large number of Cubans also practiced,
and many still do, a form of African worship known as Santería,
believed to have its roots in Nigerian Yoruba animism combined with
elements of Catholic rites.
At present, fewer people practice religion than did prior to 1959.
Catholicism, the largest religion in the country has seen the number
of its followers decrease, witness the empty and deteriorating old
colonial Catholic churches. A growing number of Cubans, however, are
to be found attending Christian Protestant services on Sunday mornings.
Religious practice in Cuba tends to be relatively independent from
institutionalized and structured forms. In recent years the number
of people openly practising some kind of religion has increased, partly
due to the fact that the government has introduced liberalizing reforms
which make religion more accessible, such as the acceptance by the
Fourth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party to admit "believers"
as party members. Further liberalization took place with the 1992
Constitutional reform which, while confirming the non-religious nature
of the State, accepted public exchanges between religious leaders
and representatives of the Government and/or the Communist Party.
At present there are approximately 55 recognized (identified) religious
denominations practiced in Cuba, the more important being: Roman Catholic,
traditional Christian Protestant and Evangelical, such as Methodists,
Baptists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and less traditional ones such
as the Pentecostal. Afro-Cuban cults are also widely practiced, such
as Santería or the Rule of Osha, the Rule of the Mountain Tree
"Palo Monte", the Abakuá Secret Society and other
minor ones.
The Catholic Church is considered the main religion. It is estimated
that approximately 80% of the population was baptized some 30 years
ago, while approximately 45% do so at present.
It is reported that in Cuba there are approximately 250 secular and
ordained Catholic priests and more than 450 nuns, there are also 640
Catholic churches and chapels in use. In addition, according to latest
Cuban Ecumenical Council reports there are 1,143 protestant churches;
413 missions; 832 ministers and 206 students in seminaries. |
|
|
|
|
Excerpted from the book "Doing Business with
Cuba", written by Fred D. Bloch and Prof. Constantino Torres,
Faculty of History, Havana University, and published electronically,
Copyright © 1997.
Page up.
|
| |
| |
