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| Holding the US and Cuban flags together https://fronteranews.com/news/latam/cuba-may-finally-rejoin-global-economy-can-close-deal/ |
As the notion of the normalization of the relations between the U.S. and Cuba begin to progress further along, there has been a host of questions that have arisen, including about how allowing tourists into the country will impact the nation. Currently, the U.S. State Department only allows tourism to Cuba under the following circumstances: family visits; official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; journalistic activity; professional research and professional meetings; educational activities; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials; and certain authorized export transactions.
Cuba, after decades of isolation from a more global economy, has seen rampant poverty and otherwise difficult conditions. Thus, the idea of introducing tourism may inject money into the country to stimulate economic developmen. However, on the reverse side, some fear that introducing tourism into Cuba may lead to desecration of Cuban national monuments, and other cultural disrespect by Western tourists. Regardless, the perspective that tourism gives to the discussion of what the normalization of relations between the two countries will mean both on a micro and macro scale provides a lens into the interactions of culture and tourism in previously seperated nations.
In Cuba there has been a lot of tourism due to the new President and changes of laws in Cuba. As social media has become more popular, so has the uprise in tourism and media attention for Cuba. Cuba is becoming a popular destination for people across the world to visit, which is something new that the people of Cuba are having to adjust to. Many famous celebrities have recently visited Cuba including the Kardashian family, Gisele Bundchen, Karl Lagerfeld, and Vin Diesel. The Kardashians had their annual family vacation to Cuba, which brought a lot of publicity to the area since it is a very popular reality show. Another big event that occurred was the Chanel 2016 Cruise Collection runway show by Karl Lagerfeld. Controversy behind the glamorous vacations and events occurring in Cuba is that it is not portraying the true lifestyle that the Cuban people live. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) in response to the Kardashian family vacation said, “but playing a role in making Cuba a fun, no-worries destination is nothing but a cruel trick on the Cuban people. The Kardashians are taking lots of selfies in Havana, but are they taking stock of the reality on the streets they walk on?” The issue is that tourists who visit the country do not understand the culture and history that the Cuban people have gone through. The people of Cuba are having a difficult time accepting that the lifestyle they struggle to live in is being seen as glamourous because of the people who travel to Cuba for vacations.
One image that brought particular controversy was an Instagram post of Khloe Kardashian under a monument to Fidel Castro. She posed against a quote cheering for revolution, wearing heels and a silk scarf, under the dictator’s name. Instead of responding to the backlash, she posted another glamorized snapshot, this time of Cuban cars, with the caption “My goal is to expand my mind”. The Kardashians, whose grandparents were survivors of the Armenian Genocide, had shown no sympathy to the Cuban people, instead glamorizing their trip.
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| Khloe Kardashian under Fidel Castro's name in Cuba http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/khloe-kardashian-causes-controversy-on-instagam-after-posing-under-fidel-castro-monument-a3241426.html |
Music and tourism have been constantly interacting and influencing each other over time, reflecting a reciprocal and developing relationship between the U.S. and Cuba. Early on, the Cuban government, a secular body, was anti-traditional music that involved themes of religion. However, a western conception of and desire for cuban music to be traditional, authentic and separate from the changing tides of time and modernization led to developments in the spheres of both music and tourism. The Cuban government began to capitalize on this American desire in the 1980s with increased tourism. Cubans, in the music world as well as the government, adhered to these forces because they brought money to the economy. The popularity of trovas, public outdoor spaces for live music, began to increase, serving American exocitized notions of what Cuba was, which were also informed by a broader need for authenticity in music and tourism, industries that thrive on the genuine nature of their products and experiences. Cuban street musicians used this to their advantage, helping to “take tourists back in time,” and deliver these unique and genuine experiences, despite a monetary influence relating to tourism holding sway in the background. However, the history of Cuban music goes beyond street performers catering to tourist fantasies. It is also a tradition that has never been as isolated as the West paints it to be. Multiple influences, stemming from African, American, and Spanish styles, merged together to form a uniquely Cuban sound. The rise of Afro-Cuban Jazz reflects these tides of globalization and integration despite relative political isolation. This genre emerged in the mid-twentieth century, led by innovators such as Mario Bauza, who worked with American Jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie, introducing Cuban percussion to American music while adopting sounds of American Jazz into Cuban music. This musical diversity and interaction highlights the complexity of relations between people, culture, and nations that surpass the rigid ideological conflicts that are so often pushed to the forefront. Like the conversations between musicians themselves, the relation between these two countries must be seen as a two-way interaction rather than a Western reform of an “isolated” culture through tourism. We must look at cuba as a nation affected by world influences just like any other countries, in order to normalize relations, as an inaccurate fantastical portrayal will only serve to perpetuate misunderstanding. Hopefully, with the influx of tourism brought by the recently indoctrinated normalization, the dynamic nature of Cuban music will become clearer to tourists, and cultural understanding will begin to take root.
Sources Cited
Afro-Cuban Jazz. (2016). Retrieved October 19, 2016, from http://www.allmusic.com/
http://www.allmusic.com/style/afro-cuban-jazz-ma0000012262
D'Zurilla, Christine. "Kardashians' Havana Visit Is Part of 'a Cruel Trick on the Cuban People,' Congresswoman Says." Los Angeles Times. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-kardashians-visit-cuba-20160505-snap-htmlstory.html
Gibson, C., & Connell, J. (2005). Music and tourism: On the road again. Clevedon: Channel View Publications.
Khloe Kardashian causes controversy on Instagam after ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2016, from http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/khloe-kardashian-causes-controversy-on-instagam-after-posing-under-fidel-castro-monument-a3241426.html
D'Zurilla, Christine. "Kardashians' Havana Visit Is Part of 'a Cruel Trick on the Cuban People,' Congresswoman Says." Los Angeles Times. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-kardashians-visit-cuba-20160505-snap-htmlstory.html
Rodriguez, Andrea, and Michael Weissenstein. "U.S. Culture Already Influences Cuba as Political Ties Resume." The Seattle Times. 13 Aug. 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/us-culture-already-influences-cuba-as-political-ties-resume
I think that focusing on Cuban culture in the 21st century was really interesting. I would like to hear more about how Cuban culture was influenced by the international community during the embargo.
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