Cuban Culture Research Paper

The culture of Cuba The culture in Cuba in general is mixing of European, African, Amerindian and North American cultures. Cuba in general is a traditional society, which have they own beliefs. Cubans likes to have fun and enjoy their time by playing dominos, or going to the cinema. There is a big and popular Latin American film festival happen each year in Havana. Moreover, there are hundreds of thousands of Cubans emigrant to the United States and Spain and other countries. The government in Cuba dominates almost everything, so the foreign investors and travelers should be conversant of the rules and the government directives to be in safe.
Cuba is a country with a steep hierarchical society (high Powerdistance). This means that centralized power and
institutions probably are there to stay. In other words society is controlled by a few people, high up in the existing power pyramid or they gain and establish central power for a long period through up rise, coups, revolution, etc.
In addition, Cuba has a collectivistic society (low score on Individualism). This means that there are so called in groups and (implicitly) out groups. The current rulers are such an in group. More so like a circle around the power holders. If you do not belong to that circle, you belong to the out group. Plus, every in-group has certain (unwritten) rules that the group-members should follow in exchange for a powerful position, protection and a comfortable life.
Moreover, there is open questioning if one can actually change the current sociopolitical situation in Cuba. In other words people are uncertain if any changes will/can succeed. They are somewhat fatalistic. This is the link to the third cultural dimension: Uncertainty avoidance. The internal need for structure, rules, and stability.

_The media: and publishing in Cuba run under the government assent. There are several cases of the freedom of speech and independent journalists. In addition, there are three main newspapers, two national televisions and several national radio networks. However there are many another private T.V and radio stations.

Number of Television Stations: 58
Number of Television Sets: 2,640,000
Television Sets per 1,000: 236.1
Number of Radio Stations: 225
Number of Radio Receivers: 3,900,000
Radio Receivers per 1,000: 348.7
Number of Individuals with Computers: 120,000
Computers per 1,000: 10.7
Number of Individuals with Internet Access: 60,000
Internet Access per 1,000: 5.4

_Music: The music in Cuba is similar to the other Latin American countries.
For example, salsa and Son is the main musical forms. The roots of musical forms lie in the Cabildos, the African slaves brought to the island.
_Cuisine: The traditional food of Cuba is called (moros y cristiannos) it is rice and black beans. There is additional common dish like Criollo. Coffee in Cuba in a high quality and it import from Africa.
_ Religion: before 1959 the religious people in Cuba were suffer of the government they don’t have opportunities in jobs and education. At 1959 the Cubas religion policy has changed. Therefore, the people are more comfortable with practicing their religion. The Santeria is a large religion majority. It is a blend of Catholicism and traditional Yoruba religions. The African slaves combined between the Catholicism and their traditional religions to create the Santeria.
_Women right: The women in Cuba have as the same right as women in the United States and European countries. There are equality between women and men in Cuba, and the women have the opportunities to work outside of the home.
_ The crimes: The government tries to hide the crimes statistics against the Cubans and the
tourists.
_ Housing: in Cuba the Cubans do not have the right to own the homes they live in, for it own by the government. They like to engage children in outside activity, for example working in the holydays.
_Health and medical facilities: the medical in Cuba in a low professional level. The facilities are poor of the supplies and bed space for the patients. Many medians and medical drugs are unavailable in Cuba.

Reference http://www.pressreference.com/Co-Fa/Cuba.html Cuba, CIA World Factbook.
Wikipedia.org
Human development Reports: Cuba, United Nations Development Program, 2007/2008.
Culture Shock! Cuba (Culture Shock! Country Guides), by Mark Cramer, 1998.