US in Cuba
Vol.1, Issue 1 (Summer '13)
​We began our day with a visit to the Catholic Church. Religion is deeply embedded in the lives of Cubans, so it was interesting to see how people incorporated their beliefs in their everyday lives. We went to many places of worship, and each place had it's own unique history tied to Cuban history. All religions were unified in the sense that there seemed to be an unspoken agreement to respect each other's beliefs. No one protested another's religion or belief system. It seemed that everyone was free to worship who they wanted without judgment from another.
Our last stop was to the Cintio Vitier Community Project, a project of artistic formation covering all ages and several artistic branches, with a particular approach to remind the African inheritance in Cuban culture. We painted, we laughed, and we watched the children from the community center perform an adaptation of the Orishas. It was Mother's Day, and this day is just as important to Cubans as it is to Americans. Mothers are seen as the central figure of the family.
