Blending

Every aspect of Cuban life tells the story of a blended society, starting with the island’s most important crop – sugar. When Christopher Columbus brought sugar cane from the Canary Islands, which had arrived there by way of Africa, India, China and Portugal, he brought with him the symbol of Cuba’s opening to the world. In the 19th century, wealthy Spaniards imported 1 million slaves, from many African cultures, to work on their plantations. The result of two centuries of assimilation? A nation that embodies the richness and influence of a varied culture.  From GREAT MUSEUMS: Great Museums of Havana: Curious About Cuba.