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Carnival, Feast Days, and House Parties: Cuban Celebrations in Louisiana after 1960 By Tomás Montoya González with contributions by T. Ariana Hall Translations by Lori N. Tyler and T. Ariana Hall Also See - Music and Dance in South Louisiana's Cuban Community Acculturation to Life in Louisiana Religious Celebrations Christmas Eve is a private, family gathering within the home with all kinds of food and drink. In socialist Cuba, Christmas Eve escaped being marked as a religious holiday and, despite some difficulties, was able to survive in the atheist environment. Despite not being an official holiday in socialist Cuba, Christmas day celebrations had such a strong impact on the cultural psyche, that it was not strange or contradictory that Cubans from the 1980s and 1990s resumed Christmas day celebrations in the United States. It makes sense that this very family-oriented holiday could not be deconstructed as easily by the socialist government as could other holidays of a more historical or political nature. The official celebration of Christmas day was reinstated in Cuba after Pope John Paul II's visit in 1998. An important religious holiday for the Cuban community in Louisiana is the feast day for La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre (Our Lady of Charity). Despite its religious significance, celebrations of the Feast Day for La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre on September 8th have survived in socialist Cuba since 1959. Some consider these to be the biggest Cuban celebrations in the Louisiana Cuban community because of the large number of participants and the symbolic importance for the community. La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre is the patron saint of Cuba. She is a mixed race virgin figurine that was found in waters off of Eastern Cuba, and she protects issues to do with love, fertility, childbirth, and material prosperity. The mass for her feast day is celebrated at churches in and outside of Cuba, with songs, and sermons dedicated to her and dedicated to the well-being of Cuba. Inside St. Teresa of Avila Church, or Santa Teresita as some call it, at 1404 Erato St. in New Orleans, Louisiana, is an image of La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre. Historically, Fathers Teodoro Agudo and E. Miguel have held special masses for La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre on September 8. There are also special masses for la Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre at other Catholic Churches across the state, like St. Anthony of Padua and St. Jude Churches in New Orleans, and St. George Church in Baton Rouge. Although these masses have particular importance for the 1960s group, members of the other two migratory groups also attend. These Spanish-language masses are important social events that strengthen the congregation and preserve Cuban cultural traditions.
Vivian Nieto says that out of all the Cuban holidays "the biggest holiday that Cubans celebrate is for [La Virgen de] la Caridad." This day of religious and community veneration is one of the most widespread Cuban festivities. There is another level of symbolism for this Cuban holy day, especially for Afro-Cubans and younger Cubans who migrated in the 1980s and 1990s. La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre syncretizes with veneration of the Yoruban deity Oshún, giving a dual function to the September 8th celebrations. Geovanis Palacios affirms that in Cuba "when people do initiation ceremonies for Oshún, some people put up images of La Caridad del Cobre…but it has nothing to do with Catholicism." Oshún is a goddess from the Yoruban culture, venerated by the slaves who arrived in Cuba during the Spanish colonial period from sub-Saharan West Africa. Oshún is considered the keeper of money, corals, and love. In the homes of Cubans who emigrated post 1980, it is common to see Afro-Cuban religious objects like devotion altars to Baba-lú-Ayé, Oshún (who syncretizes with la Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre), Obatalá and other deities from the Yoruba pantheon. For example, Cuban musician José de Páez has an altar to Baba-lú-Ayé in his living room.
Many post-1980s immigrants also use Afro-Cuban religious garb as a type of personal adornment. The religious and aesthetic connotations reinforce and protect their cultural identity and well-being. NEXT - Patriotic Celebrations |
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