What Are Some Cultural Differences Between Cuba and the United States?

The cultural differences between Cuba and the United States have been a curiosity for many years. This is to be expected, since not only are the histories of the two countries vastly different, but so are their governments: the differences created by Cuba's dictatorship versus the US's democracy are not to be underestimated.

While it's difficult to speak of any country's culture in broad terms without making generalizations, there are a few truths that can safely be spoken to sum up the major cultural divisions that exist between these two societies. Some of those major differences are listed below, broken down by type.

Religious Differences

• While an estimated 60% of Cuba's population is Roman Catholic, there is another major religion found in Cuba that is virtually invisible in the US. This religion, called Santeria, was brought to Cuba by African slaves and receives some official support from the government.
• In the US, about 79% of the population identifies as Christian (Catholic or Protestant). Cubans, by contrast, only have about a 6% membership in Protestant churches, and a much smaller percentage of non-Christian religions such as Buddhism or Muslim.
• The US, meanwhile, has a much smaller number of people who identify with any African-based religions such as Santeria.
• In Cuba, the church is restricted in some ways by the government, with some rules laid down in terms of how they are allowed to communicate; they are also only allowed to receive state-funded donations. These restrictions don't exist in the US.

Differences in Arts and Entertainment

There are also some differences between the Cuban and United State's culture when it comes to how people entertain and enjoy themselves:

• Dance is an extremely important part of the Cuban culture. While the US has a rich heritage of dance, in Cuba the pastime is an ingrained part of the country's history.
• Cuba has been the source of many popular forms of dance that have since spread throughout the world, such as salsa. Cubans take dancing seriously and consider it one of the most important forms of artistic expression.
• Latin music is an integral part of understanding Cuban culture and it ties closely in with their history; it takes inspiration from Spanish and French styles as well as from its own past.

Political Differences

In so far as politics affect the daily lives of citizens, Cuba and the US have many cultural differences.

• The dictatorship of Cuba affects many areas, ranging from workers' rights to womens' rights, to the limitations put on the press, to the funding allowed to churches and organizations.
• In the US, while there are many issues with some of these factors – for example, women in the US certainly must still fight for equal rights – they are not expressly limited by the government as they are in Cuba.
• The idea of a dictatorship and a single ruler creates a completely different political climate than that of the democracy of the US. Those who do not support the Cuban government experience a great deal less freedom of expression than those who do not support whatever political party is currently in charge in the US presidential office.

These are just some samples of the cultural differences between the United State's and Cuba. Generalizing about a culture, as stated, is always difficult and there may be many more subtle differences between the two countries.