While reading the "Travelers' Tales of Old Cuba, I noticed that Jenkins description of Cuba had a profound positive image, portraying the country as a place of riches and beauty. The big shock to me was how polite humans can be towards strangers coming into their land. the quote" THe natives freely shared everything with the invaders". The fact that anyone would not only mind some stranger coming into their territory, but also helping them become situated and nurture them is beyond belief. The natives seem to be a loving and caring people to commit to this rare action. This finding also suggests that most probably many people did not visit their lands, and therefore the natives did not feel threatened by the spaniards because they have never really encountered a legitimate threat before hand. Either that or the natives are just unrealistic about basic human behavior.
As I read the excerpt from Maturin M. Ballou titled "The Aborigenes of Cuba; A Slave Ship; Marti the Smuggler, circa 1854" I was reminded of the natural presence of Caribbean countries. When he describes the natives of Cuba as inoffensive, unsuspicious, and hospitable it reminded me of the essence of our people. He described their hospitality as an instinct fostered by nature. The lifestyle that these people lived did not encourage aggressiveness or selfishness, maybe that's why they were easily taken advantage of. Their behavior was noted because it is something appreciated and hard to find as time progresses. When he mentions that their dancing was graceful and their singing melodious it just makes you appreciate the simplicity of the time and the culture.Some writers speak of Cuba with such delicacy and pride that it makes you wonder how the country got such a bad political reputation.
When I first began reading “Travelers Tales of Old Cuba” written by John Jenkins I was very surprised to see how the native Cubans were seen. Jenkins opens the book the quoting Columbus in which he describes them as “loving, tractable, and peaceable: though entirely naked, their manners were decorous and praise-worthy.” I would have to agree with what Emily wrote about the essence of our people and how Ballou describes the natives. I do believe that the native’s hospitability is what led them to be taken advantage of. They did not know any better and did not see the Spaniards as a threat which caused them to be taken advantage of. Something else that stood out to me in the book was in the letter written by Sophia Peabody Hawthorne when she states that there is a “physical comfort to be found in Havana.” She spoke of Cuba in such high regards and appreciated everything she saw in learned while in Cuba. The stories in this book all give different views and show the different parts of Cuba and all of the different stages it has been through. It was interesting to read how Cuba evolved over time.
After reading "Travelers' tale of Old Cuba", the first thing that popped into my mind was the way of life and political system in which Cuba was once governed under, due to the word "Old". Through reading "Travelers' tale of Old Cuba" I got a positive sense and feedback of the island itself and the people that resided there. I liked how the book was from the point of view of the outsider looking in. Many of the visitors gave positive outlooks of Cuba and the great hospitality of the people. John Jenkins spoke of the change of Cuba and the simple things in life that were enjoyed by the people through of the Cuban culture. This novel helped for me to invasion the beautiful side of Cuba, and not for its "bad" and "cruel" political system so to speak. I was very happy to hear of the vibrant caring people that lived there.
When I began to read the part about the Slave Ship, the first things that came to mind were the struggles that have been instilled in my brain since high school. The first thing I thought was that as soon as the slaves reached their final destination they were to be treated in the worst ways possible. But after finishing the reading I realized that yes the slaves were indeed treated in harsh conditions but for the most part it was when they were on the ships. It was specifically mentioned the small rations of food that they were given, the rice along with the water, and also the circumscribed space that they had to travel in since it was many of them on one ship. Then it was explained that these same people although they looked terrible now, would soon be given a chance to shower and have fresh vegetables and fruits to eat. This is where my shock came, because who would’ve thought that the Cuba that is depicted to us today, could once upon a time be so accepting towards slaves. In fact, the descriptions of what happened to the ships were by far worse than that of the treatment of the slaves although I know either should be compared. This reading definitely opened up a new perspective of Cuba for me, and I look forward to visiting one day.
In Hawthorne writing, the chapter "A letter from Cuba 1834" the narrator being a women speaks about her visit to Cuba where at the time slavery still existed. The narrator speaks about Cuba as if it's a good peaceful place. What I thought was very intriguing was that slavery in Cuba 1834 was very common, and being that slavery existed the slaves were treated good. The slaves were given something to eat and also fresh water, as oppose to how they were treated in the ships.
The narratives included in this piece impressed upon me the extent to which Cuba, as well as many of its neighboring islands in the Caribbean, acted as an escape for those who wished to escape the restrictions of society. Society, in this sense, meaning European society in all of its structured and lawful incarnations. The pirates that initially looted the island numerous times paved the way for the Mafiosos that would eventually come to Cuba in all of their splendor. Additionally, it is interesting to note that the majority of persons who happened upon the island were immediately impressed by its natural wealth, and sought to immediately appropriate that wealth, while never contributing any of said wealth to the island's inhabitants
The book" Travelers Tales of Old Cuba" was very interesting. The part of the book I found most interesting was the one titled slave ship. The treatment of the slaves on the ships made me feel very sorry for them. But I was shocked to see how they were treated differently after they landed. I also enjoyed how the many of the people who wrote letters wrote great things about how beautiful Cuba is and how rich their culture is. When I think of Cuba the first thing that comes to my mind is the culture and history.
"Travelers' Tales of Old Cuba" offers an interesting perspective on the relationship between Spainards and Cubans. I did not know that Spaniards had issues with Cubans. It was really an eye opener. It actually reminds me of the interaction between Europeans and Native American Indians. Just like the Native american Indians the Cubans had welcomed the Europeans into their land and offered to help them but similar to the Europeans the Spaniards looked at them like savages. As we spoke about in class imperialism is one of the key characteristics that could possibly make up a dictator. For example in the book slaves were on slave ships where they endured very harsh conditions.
From what I read from Jenkins, Travelers Tales of Old Cuba it is now more easily understood why Cuba was seen as a precious place to establish rule and power of. Cuba was abundant in many resources such as hides, vegitables, cofee just to name a few and widely known for its excellent ports such St. Jago, St. Maria where trading to other European nations specifically Spain made it much easier to facilitate. One aspect of the book I especially enjoyed was the fact that they spoke extensivly on the impact of slavery in the island and the cofee estates like that of Don Herero. It is now more readily understood why Cuba is the way it is today and the impact colonialism and the shipment of slaves into the island presentday.
After reading the "Travelers' Tales of Old Cuba," I got a better understanding of Cuba. Not the Cuba that we come to understand and judge now but the Cuba which we anyone really knows about. Its funny how if someone asked me if their were any slaves in Cuba I would say NO because of my lack of knowledge but I now I know. The slaves were treated unfairly and these conditions were seen on the ships. Though they were treated in harsh conditions they were provided with food and water. After reading these couple of pages I gained a better understanding about Cuba and I would like to know why the images of Cuba have changed through the years?
Few places are as fascinating as Cuba, which has drawn travelers ever since it was "discovered" by Columbus in 1492. We can see the interesting facts about slavery and tyranny, this book moves from the pirate days when Havana sheltered treasure ships to the "American era" when it became a major event in history
I loved this piece because it provided the audience with different perspectives. The writers within the book all wrote about Cuba but they all had different stories to tell. Not only does this book speak about the history of Cuba such as the battles between the Spaniards and the amounts of slaves there but it speaks about the everyday life in the country itself. The book starts off speaking about the historical factors so that they rest can be digested in the correct manner. There are many perceptions of Cuba and the truth can only be found within those that have really lived there and I think that this piece has helped me a lot.
The Travelers Tales of Old Cuba brought to light racial dynamics in Cuba. Having previously taken a course on race and gender in Latin America, I had an opinion of the state of racial inequalities in Cuba; I thought there was an excepted balance, not exactly a race-less-ness, but closer than other nations. However,reading Langston Hughes's article on Color Lines in Cuba informed me that there are racial inequalities in Cuba, specifically between whites and blacks. What was interesting was that these inequalities manifested themselves in areas that were heavily influenced by U.S. culture. I wonder, if heavy U.S. influence hadn't occurred would these racial inequalities continue? Without this U.S. influence could a race-less-ness be achieved?
what caught my attention after reading the chapter "slave ship" was how good the slaves were treated in Cuba compared to the way they was on the ships. what good are the slaves to these people if they treat them badly as they did on the slave ships? the way Cuba treated the slaves changed my outlook on them as a whole: not only caring for them but also allowing them to take showers.
Karell Belle Tales of Old Cuba, give readers an understanding of what happened in Cuba, we also got to have a perspective on the racial inequalities that many residents had to deal with during the time. I also found the division between the Spaniards and Cubans interesting because I was not aware of this before reading this work. Cuba during this time period helped to make way for why Cuba is the way it is today due to the impact of colonialism.
While reading the "Travelers' Tales of Old Cuba, I noticed that Jenkins description of Cuba had a profound positive image, portraying the country as a place of riches and beauty. The big shock to me was how polite humans can be towards strangers coming into their land. the quote" THe natives freely shared everything with the invaders". The fact that anyone would not only mind some stranger coming into their territory, but also helping them become situated and nurture them is beyond belief. The natives seem to be a loving and caring people to commit to this rare action. This finding also suggests that most probably many people did not visit their lands, and therefore the natives did not feel threatened by the spaniards because they have never really encountered a legitimate threat before hand. Either that or the natives are just unrealistic about basic human behavior.
ReplyDeleteAs I read the excerpt from Maturin M. Ballou titled "The Aborigenes of Cuba; A Slave Ship; Marti the Smuggler, circa 1854" I was reminded of the natural presence of Caribbean countries. When he describes the natives of Cuba as inoffensive, unsuspicious, and hospitable it reminded me of the essence of our people. He described their hospitality as an instinct fostered by nature. The lifestyle that these people lived did not encourage aggressiveness or selfishness, maybe that's why they were easily taken advantage of. Their behavior was noted because it is something appreciated and hard to find as time progresses. When he mentions that their dancing was graceful and their singing melodious it just makes you appreciate the simplicity of the time and the culture.Some writers speak of Cuba with such delicacy and pride that it makes you wonder how the country got such a bad political reputation.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first began reading “Travelers Tales of Old Cuba” written by John Jenkins I was very surprised to see how the native Cubans were seen. Jenkins opens the book the quoting Columbus in which he describes them as “loving, tractable, and peaceable: though entirely naked, their manners were decorous and praise-worthy.” I would have to agree with what Emily wrote about the essence of our people and how Ballou describes the natives. I do believe that the native’s hospitability is what led them to be taken advantage of. They did not know any better and did not see the Spaniards as a threat which caused them to be taken advantage of. Something else that stood out to me in the book was in the letter written by Sophia Peabody Hawthorne when she states that there is a “physical comfort to be found in Havana.” She spoke of Cuba in such high regards and appreciated everything she saw in learned while in Cuba. The stories in this book all give different views and show the different parts of Cuba and all of the different stages it has been through. It was interesting to read how Cuba evolved over time.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading "Travelers' tale of Old Cuba", the first thing that popped into my mind was the way of life and political system in which Cuba was once governed under, due to the word "Old". Through reading "Travelers' tale of Old Cuba" I got a positive sense and feedback of the island itself and the people that resided there. I liked how the book was from the point of view of the outsider looking in. Many of the visitors gave positive outlooks of Cuba and the great hospitality of the people. John Jenkins spoke of the change of Cuba and the simple things in life that were enjoyed by the people through of the Cuban culture. This novel helped for me to invasion the beautiful side of Cuba, and not for its "bad" and "cruel" political system so to speak. I was very happy to hear of the vibrant caring people that lived there.
ReplyDeleteWhen I began to read the part about the Slave Ship, the first things that came to mind were the struggles that have been instilled in my brain since high school. The first thing I thought was that as soon as the slaves reached their final destination they were to be treated in the worst ways possible. But after finishing the reading I realized that yes the slaves were indeed treated in harsh conditions but for the most part it was when they were on the ships. It was specifically mentioned the small rations of food that they were given, the rice along with the water, and also the circumscribed space that they had to travel in since it was many of them on one ship. Then it was explained that these same people although they looked terrible now, would soon be given a chance to shower and have fresh vegetables and fruits to eat. This is where my shock came, because who would’ve thought that the Cuba that is depicted to us today, could once upon a time be so accepting towards slaves. In fact, the descriptions of what happened to the ships were by far worse than that of the treatment of the slaves although I know either should be compared. This reading definitely opened up a new perspective of Cuba for me, and I look forward to visiting one day.
ReplyDeleteIn Hawthorne writing, the chapter "A letter from Cuba 1834" the narrator being a women speaks about her visit to Cuba where at the time slavery still existed. The narrator speaks about Cuba as if it's a good peaceful place. What I thought was very intriguing was that slavery in Cuba 1834 was very common, and being that slavery existed the slaves were treated good. The slaves were given something to eat and also fresh water, as oppose to how they were treated in the ships.
ReplyDeleteThe narratives included in this piece impressed upon me the extent to which Cuba, as well as many of its neighboring islands in the Caribbean, acted as an escape for those who wished to escape the restrictions of society. Society, in this sense, meaning European society in all of its structured and lawful incarnations. The pirates that initially looted the island numerous times paved the way for the Mafiosos that would eventually come to Cuba in all of their splendor. Additionally, it is interesting to note that the majority of persons who happened upon the island were immediately impressed by its natural wealth, and sought to immediately appropriate that wealth, while never contributing any of said wealth to the island's inhabitants
ReplyDeleteThe book" Travelers Tales of Old Cuba" was very interesting. The part of the book I found most interesting was the one titled slave ship. The treatment of the slaves on the ships made me feel very sorry for them. But I was shocked to see how they were treated differently after they landed. I also enjoyed how the many of the people who wrote letters wrote great things about how beautiful Cuba is and how rich their culture is. When I think of Cuba the first thing that comes to my mind is the culture and history.
ReplyDelete"Travelers' Tales of Old Cuba" offers an interesting perspective on the relationship between Spainards and Cubans. I did not know that Spaniards had issues with Cubans. It was really an eye opener. It actually reminds me of the interaction between Europeans and Native American Indians. Just like the Native american Indians the Cubans had welcomed the Europeans into their land and offered to help them but similar to the Europeans the Spaniards looked at them like savages. As we spoke about in class imperialism is one of the key characteristics that could possibly make up a dictator. For example in the book slaves were on slave ships where they endured very harsh conditions.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I read from Jenkins, Travelers Tales of Old Cuba it is now more easily understood why Cuba was seen as a precious place to establish rule and power of. Cuba was abundant in many resources such as hides, vegitables, cofee just to name a few and widely known for its excellent ports such St. Jago, St. Maria where trading to other European nations specifically Spain made it much easier to facilitate. One aspect of the book I especially enjoyed was the fact that they spoke extensivly on the impact of slavery in the island and the cofee estates like that of Don Herero. It is now more readily understood why Cuba is the way it is today and the impact colonialism and the shipment of slaves into the island presentday.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the "Travelers' Tales of Old Cuba," I got a better understanding of Cuba. Not the Cuba that we come to understand and judge now but the Cuba which we anyone really knows about. Its funny how if someone asked me if their were any slaves in Cuba I would say NO because of my lack of knowledge but I now I know. The slaves were treated unfairly and these conditions were seen on the ships. Though they were treated in harsh conditions they were provided with food and water. After reading these couple of pages I gained a better understanding about Cuba and I would like to know why the images of Cuba have changed through the years?
ReplyDeleteFew places are as fascinating as Cuba, which has drawn travelers ever since it was "discovered" by Columbus in 1492. We can see the interesting facts about slavery and tyranny, this book moves from the pirate days when Havana sheltered treasure ships to the "American era" when it became a major event in history
ReplyDeleteI loved this piece because it provided the audience with different perspectives. The writers within the book all wrote about Cuba but they all had different stories to tell. Not only does this book speak about the history of Cuba such as the battles between the Spaniards and the amounts of slaves there but it speaks about the everyday life in the country itself. The book starts off speaking about the historical factors so that they rest can be digested in the correct manner. There are many perceptions of Cuba and the truth can only be found within those that have really lived there and I think that this piece has helped me a lot.
ReplyDeleteThe Travelers Tales of Old Cuba brought to light racial dynamics in Cuba. Having previously taken a course on race and gender in Latin America, I had an opinion of the state of racial inequalities in Cuba; I thought there was an excepted balance, not exactly a race-less-ness, but closer than other nations. However,reading Langston Hughes's article on Color Lines in Cuba informed me that there are racial inequalities in Cuba, specifically between whites and blacks. What was interesting was that these inequalities manifested themselves in areas that were heavily influenced by U.S. culture. I wonder, if heavy U.S. influence hadn't occurred would these racial inequalities continue? Without this U.S. influence could a race-less-ness be achieved?
ReplyDeletewhat caught my attention after reading the chapter "slave ship" was how good the slaves were treated in Cuba compared to the way they was on the ships. what good are the slaves to these people if they treat them badly as they did on the slave ships? the way Cuba treated the slaves changed my outlook on them as a whole: not only caring for them but also allowing them to take showers.
ReplyDeleteKarell Belle
ReplyDeleteTales of Old Cuba, give readers an understanding of what happened in Cuba, we also got to have a perspective on the racial inequalities that many residents had to deal with during the time. I also found the division between the Spaniards and Cubans interesting because I was not aware of this before reading this work. Cuba during this time period helped to make way for why Cuba is the way it is today due to the impact of colonialism.