Culture and traditions Cuba

 Traditions and customs

Cuban traditions are very different to that of our own. Dance, music, rum and cigars are central to Cuban lifestyle. Cubans are very warm people who love contact, so don't be surprised if they hold you by the shoulder whilst talking to you. Kissing and calling each other "my beloved" is completely normal and casual. However, you may notice that many Cuban men are still very macho. For Cuban men, whistling at or approaching a woman on the street is a sign of appreciation and not of disrespect.

 To read, see, listen

guide Cuba (Lonely Planet Country Guide) by Conner Gorry Havana: City Guide (Lonely Planet) by Brendan Sainsbury The Rough Guide to Cuba (Rough Guide Travel Guides) by Fiona McAuslan
books Novels, essays, short stories, travel tales:
"Before Night Falls" by Reinaldo Arenas (a Cuban poet and writer
"Trip to Havana" by Reinaldo Arenas
"La Habana para un infante difunto" by Guillermo Cabrera Infante
"Three Trapped Tigers " by Guillermo Cabrera Infante
"Cuban Rhapsody" by Eduardo Manet
"The Island of the Green Lizard" by Eduardo Manet

movies

"Strawberry and Chocolate" by Tomas Gutierrez Alea et Juan Carlos Tabio (1993)
"Calle 54" by Fernando Trueba.(2000)
"Blanco y negro" by Fernando Trueba (2003)
"Buena vista social club" by Wim Wenders (1998)
"Cuba Feliz" by Karim Dridi (1999)
"Suite Havana" by Fernando Perez (2003)
"Soy Cuba" by Mikhail Kalatozof. 2003
"Cuba Son" by Yves Billon.2003

"Musica Cubana" by Germal Kral (juin 2005)

a mix of Cuban and Brazilian music
"Habana Blues" by Benito Zambrano. 2006
"Havana Hip Hop Underground" by Yves Billon.  (documentary)2006
"Adieu Cuba" by Andy Garcia.2006

"Step Forward" by the Afro Cuban All Stars
"Bebo rides again" by Juan Pablo Torres (tromboniste)
"Safe at home" by Juan Pablo Torres
"Trombone man" by Juan Pablo Torres
"Como pica" by Juan Pablo Torres
"Echu Minga" by Miguel Anga Diaz

Listen to the following groups:
- Sierra Maestra
- Buena vista social Club
- Maraca
- Afro Cuban All Stars
- Casa de la Trova
- Omara Portuondo
- Orquesta Aragon
- Celia Cruz
- Rubén Gonzales
- Compay Segundo
- Ibrahim Ferrer
- Bebo Valdes

The "son", salsa's ancestor country, has been brought back to life by the remarkable Wim Wenders film "Buena Vista Social Club". Here you can discover old musicians and singers, Compay Segundo, Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer who, through the release of the film, have been able to develop an international career.

In the 40s, "the rhythm barbarian", Benny Moré, was king of the Havana cabarets. He is nowadays considered the greatest Cuban singer of all times. The after-Revolution is devoted to composers, such as Pablo Milanez and Silvio Rodriguez. Today, among a crowd of excellent singers and musicians, keep the names of Adalberto Alvarez, Isaac Delgado, Chucho Valdez, los Van Van, NG la Banda and the Charanga Havanera in mind.