9781422279809

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A Unique Mix T odo mezclado —”all mixed.” That’s the way the poet Nicolás Guillén described the profound interconnection of blacks and whites in his native Cuba. But todo mezcla- do might well describe Cuban culture more broadly. Over the course of five centuries, peoples, customs, and influences from the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia became all mixed in Cuba. The result is a unique and vibrant blend. The Taíno and the Spanish Before the arrival of Europeans, much of Cuba—the largest island in the Caribbean—was occupied by an indigenous peo- ple called the Taíno. The Taíno hunted, fished, and cultivated crops such as cassava, beans, and corn. They lived in villages ruled by chieftains known as a caciques. It’s estimated that

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