Workshops

Workshops Offered

At the university, academic specialists will provide lectures and give presentations on different aspects of Afro-Cuban culture, such as: the arrival of Africans in Cuba, the emergence of a plantation economy based on slavery, participation of Afro-Cubans in Cuba’s wars of independence, emancipation of slaves and the creation of religious cabildos, Afro-Cuban religions, influences in art, music and literature, construction of ethnic. national and racial identity in modern Cuba. We include workshops on Afro-Cuban music and dance with university instructors and with members of the religious societies in Palmira.

In Palmira, members of the religious societies will offer workshops and hands-on opportunities to participate in activities such as: the construction of altars (thrones) for the Santa Bárbara festival, preparation of ritual foods, and orisha dances and drumming ceremonies. In addition, they will explain related topics like: the ritual and medicinal use of herbs, the creation of ritual clothes and jewelry, the history of the religious societies, and prominent historical figures associated with the town. In addition, we’ll visit the municipal museum in Palmira and the botanical garden in Palmira with members of the community.

Many of the activities will be in Spanish, but English translators will be on hand.

This is a people-to-people trip covered under general license as per 31 CFR §515.565(b) the United States Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Civitas Global Educational Services is a licensed provider of people-to-people travel. (License No. CT-2014-312375-1)