Hispanic+heritage+essay+JC


 * Hispanic Heritage**

Why do we keep it alive?

Why not keep it alive? Spanish people have brought so many cultures to America. Also spanish people brought their ideas and costume. They also have so many ways of solving real world problems like fixing car, fixing the house, and just a lot more things. Spanish people have different food, religion, and their language.

Did u know that the Spaniards brought Catholicism to Cuba? Two of the main ethnic and cultural trunks of the Cuban nationality are the Spanish and the African ones. Other cultures also coincide in th econfluence (the Caribbean, American, Chinese, and from other parts of Europe). This complex process of cross over and mix have brought as consequence a sui generis religious composition. Cuba is a multiracial society with a population of mainly Spanish and African origins. The largest organized religion is the Roman Catholic Church. Afro-Cuban religions, a blend of native African religions and Roman Catholicism, are widely practiced in Cuba. Although nearly 90 percent of the population was nominally Roman Catholic in pre-revolutionary Cuba, the number of practicing Roman Catholics was probably less than 10 percent. Other estimates suggest that about half of all Cubans were agnostic, that slightly more than 40 percent were Christian, and that less than 2 percent practiced Afro-Cuban religions. Membership in other religions, including Judaism, was limited.Spanish is the principal language of Cuba. Although there are no local dialects, the island’s diverse ethnic groups have influenced speech patterns. Africans, in particular, have greatly enriched the vocabulary and contributed the soft, somewhat nasal accent and rhythmic intonation that distinguish contemporary Cuban speech. Some words are of native Indian origin, and a few of these—such as //hamaca // (“hammock”)—have passed into other languages. Many practitioners of the Santería religion also speak Lucumí, a “secret” Yoruboid language of the Niger-Congo family. ( myon & The Cuban Tradition )

Although Spain and Africa contributed most to Cuban cuisine, the French, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures were also influential. Traditional Cuban dishes generally lack seasonings and sauces. Black beans, stews, and meats are the most popular foods. Root vegetables are most often flavored with //mojo //, a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, onions, garlic, and cumin. Middle and upper class Cubans, including tourists, usually consume a wider variety of foods, if available. The most common meals include those made with pork, chicken, rice, beans, tomatoes, and lettuce. Hot spices are rarely used in Cuban cooking. Fried ( //pollo frito // ) or grilled ( //pollo asado // ) chicken and grilled pork chops aretypically eaten. Beef and seafood are rarely prepared, with the exception of lobster (which is so popular that it is becoming endangered in Cuba). Rabbit ( //conejo // ), when available, is also eaten.Cuba is officially an atheist country (denies the existence of God or a higher being). However, it is estimated that about half of all Cubans are believers of a particular faith. There are three general faiths that religious Cubans tend to follow: Afro-Cuban religions (saint worship), Judaism, and Christianity. For Christians, celebrating Christmas during the second half of the 1900s was often difficult. For years the government, ruled by Fidel Castro, did not encourage the celebration of a Christian holiday. However, the holiday of Christmas has been making a comeback since the end of the 1990s. Those who celebrate Christmas prepare a large meal on Christmas Eve. (Wikipedia.org Cuban cuisine)

The Spanish in Cuba is a Caribbean dialect that shares many characteristics with Dominican and Puerto Rican Spanish, such as the aspiration of s (e.g. in ‘mosca’ they drop the s and pronounce it as ‘mo[h]ca’) and the shortening of words (generally by eliminating a consonant). As Europeans arrived in the area the local cultures were enslaved or extinguished and millions of slaves were brought from Africa. The influence of African languages is noticeable in the vocabulary and the rhythmic intonation. As a result of their strong presence in the Caribbean, English and French have also affected the development of the language. Cuban Spanish is very similar to Canarian Spanish, making the use of archaic Spanish vocabulary quite common. Like Colombian and Costa Rican Spanish, Cubans use the diminutive “ico”. A unique characteristic is the use of compañero/compañera instead of señor/señora. Cuba, like all countries, is influenced by it’s past. The way they communicate can attest to that. Their three official languages are Spanish, Creole, and English—all of whom once inhabited Cuba. In the late 15th century, Spain discovered Cuba and colonized it. It was used as a prime port to repair Spanish boats on their way to the New World. When the Spanish came, they brought their language with. (Ucglobalcuba.wordpress.comthe-Cuban-language).

These are just some of the reasons why we should keep it alive. There are so many other ways that Hispanic people help the US. They can help with voting (if there an American) and so many more things. This is why I think we should keep it alive.

"Hispanic Heritage Month Fun Facts.Collin, Frank. "Login." // MyON® //. Heinemann-Raintree, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015. <[]>
 * Work cited**
 * This is a valuable source because it’s in a book

" //Hispanicheritagemonth //. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2015. 
 * It’s a valuable source because it’s about Hispanic people and they can’t lie about that.

The Cuban Traditions Site." //Welcome to the Cuba Traditions Website //. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2015. .
 * This is a valuable source because it’s about Cuba and I know about its language and its religion.

<span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: 'Open Sans','Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Languages." //<span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: 'Open Sans','Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Encyclopedia Britannica Online //<span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: 'Open Sans','Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 08 May 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/145542/Cuba/54398/Languages>.
 * // It’s a valuable source because it is an encyclopedia and they know everything> //

http://www.pewforum.org/2014/11/13/religion-in-latin-america/ <span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans','Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Collin, Frank. "Login." //<span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans','Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">MyON® //<span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans','Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. Heinemann-Raintree, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015. <[]>

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