Reviews Mullen's examination (Greenwood Press, 1998, 236p) of Afro-Cuban literature. Notes that this study is "perceptive" and "important" to the field of Afro-Hispanic literary criticism.;
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
Website presents information about African culture in Cuba, including resources on music, dance, festicals, events, authors, teachers, theater, film, conferences, local news and organizations.
Interviews Afro-Costa Rican writer Quince Duncan. Discusses the lack of critics who are familiar with Black literature in Costa Rica; asks Duncan to compare North American and Latin American criticism of his work, asks Duncan about his latest projects and the direction of his work; and compares Duncan's work with that of Alejo Carpentier and Manuel Zapata Olivella. Also touches upon language usage, the theme of literature of combat, and Duncan's future plans.;
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
241 p., The purpose of this research was to identify connections between West African rhythms and Haitian rhythms on the development of syncopation in musical compositions (1791–1900). The specific problems of the study were: to identify West African and Haitian rhythms; to identify characteristics of the music of Cuba, Brazil, and the United States and the development of syncopation that followed (1791–1900); and to determine connections between African and Haitian rhythms and Cuban Habanera, Brazilian Tango/Choro, and American Ragtime.
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
230 p, Book Description: There has been an explosion of interest in Francophone studies, as postcolonial and diaspora literatures more generally have gained recognition both within and outside the academy. Identity, culture and history as well as issues relating to class, race, and colonialism, and the literary production itself have always been central to Caribbean Francophone culture and are matters currently of hot debate. From the growth of the negritude movement, principally associated with poetry, through to the rise of the novel, contributors to this book explore the theoretical, political and philosophical debates that have informed, and continue to inform, the rich and varied tradition of Caribbean Francophone literature. In recent years, the number of Francophone Caribbean women writers has increased significantly and experimental writing has featured more prominently. Contributors explore these and other trends, mainly in the literatures of Guadeloupe and Martinique. In providing the only available overview of this important literature and in positioning it critically, this book makes an invaluable contribution to students and scholars alike. (www.seekbooks.com.au);
The news media showed pictures of the immediate family and family friends. What I found amazing is that it appears that only light-skinned Cubans are trying to escape from their homeland. I saw the Cuban basketball team in the late Olympics. I have also seen pictures of Cubans in a television special one by Harry Belafonte. What I saw were dark-skinned Cubans having the time of their lives. It made me wonder, in light of what I have been told by African people living in Florida, that the light-skinned Cubans are more racist that some southerners. What is really going on in Cuba, and what is this Elian Gonzales issue about? The more I got into thinking this way, the more questions were raised. Why are most of the people trying to escape from Cuba light-skinned? Why are the majority of the athletics in the Olympics dark-skinned? The women's basketball team and the volleyballs teams were the bomb. They were some big, pretty sisters. I also thought of the Haitians. Why are Haitians sent back to Haiti and Cubans allowed to stay in America? They are both supposedly oppressed people. The Haitians are dark and the Cubans, who are trying to escape, light. Is there something more than meets the eye?
