Race and identity developed rapidly in Cuba after the “discovery” by the Spanish. From 1492 to approximately 1774, there would be a hierarchical development, which would drastically shape the lives of those on the island.
On October 28, 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Cuba and claimed it for Spain. At this time there are rough estimates, which state there were from 50,000 to 300,000 indigenous people living on the island. However, European diseases such as smallpox, typhus, and influenza decimated this population. In fact, by 1544 there were only 7,000 living in Cuba. Of these, 660 were Spanish, 800 were slaves, and the remaining 5,500 were all that remained of Cuba’s indigenous people. These would assimilate into the Spanish culture and become part of the Casta system.
Substantial racial categories would come with the development of slavery on the island. In 1713, the Spanish began slave trading with the South Sea Company of London. From the arrival of the Spanish through the 1700s, the main industry of Cuba would be tobacco and leather. Neither of these required a large enslaved population. However, in late 1700s, the wealthy population of Cuba began to develop sugar plantations. With these came the need for a large enslaved workforce.
In 1791, on the French colony of Saint Domingue, there was a slave revolt, which ground its sugar industry to a halt. The result was a substantial increase of sugar mills in Cuba. By 1827, there were over 1,000 sugar mills across the island and with them came an insatiable demand for a steady workforce. In response, the Spanish turned to Africa slavery. In 1774, Africans and mulattos only represented 68,000 of the 170,000 living on Cuba. This increased dramatically over the next few decades. From 1816 to 1820, over 100,000 enslaved Africans were legally imported to the island. Many more were smuggled illegally. In this time, plantation owners preferred African, male slaves to female. The common perception held that women were less productive and a liability during pregnancy. They also felt it was cheaper to buy enslaved males than to raise enslaved children. This provides some understanding for the large number of enslaved individuals entering Cuba during this era.
By this time, narrow racial classes had developed. As in most European colonies, those born in the “homeland” were atop the social stratification, in this case those born in Spain. In Cuba, they were followed by the Criollos. These were people of pure or mostly pure blood born in a Spanish colony. These were often the rich cattle ranchers, sugar planters, and tobacco farmers. Next in the social hierarchy was the small landowner, these were composed of less pure Spanish blood. In this class was also the skilled workers and tradesmen. The next class was composed of Europeans and free blacks, which worked for wages. The final stratification came with the slaves. These neither owned land or received pay. They represent the bottom of the social and racial hierarchy in Cuban society.
In Cuba, racial and societal categories were narrow and developed as a result of changing economy. From its “discovery” in 1492 until the mid 1800s, Cuba underwent dramatic shifts in its racial hierarchy. In the end, those of Spanish decent occupied the top of the social stratification. Those of less pure blood developed along the middle of the hierarchy, leaving those of African decent at the bottom of the hierarchical barrel. These racial categories would impact and tell the story of the Cuba for generations to come.
Sources:
Riverend Julio. Tobacco Plantations in Cuba. (10/6/2011). Retrieved from http://www.cubaheritage.org/articles.asp?lID=1&artID=57
Staten, Clifford L. (2003). The History of Cuba. (pp. 11-31). Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group
