The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-18
QUEER CUSTOMS OF
The CUBAN CAPITAL
PECULIAR BUT VERY PIC
TUREsoUE PRACTICES.
They Mark Havana as a Metropolis
Combining Many Phases of Euro
pean, South American and Island
Life--The Matter of Politeness as
Viewed from the American Stand
point.


tihct metropolis combining many
phases of European, South American
and island life. The people Of Cuba
are much-mixed people. largely CT
spanish extraction, yet not all Span
iards. The Cuban himself has become
distinct type, and has his own GUS
toms, habits, superstitions and beliefs
The same is true of the Canary island
ers, San Domingans and people from
various parts of South and Central
America; they are all of Spanish an
tecedents, yet there is such an ad-
mixture of Indian and negro in their
makeup that they, too, form distinct
types. Cuba has more than 500, 900
negroes who speak the Spanish tongue,
and who are as benighted as when they
or their ancestors arrived from Africa,
besides another 100 600 or 100000 who
are more advanced. 1t is not, therefore.
to be wondered at that the customs
and habits of this people are in many
particulars different from ours; they
are not only very foreign folk, but
they are a badly mixed-up people, with
ignorance and it's attendant supersti-
tions rife among them, all except a
comparatively small and select circle of
the upper class, AMI even these have
customs quite unlike those of the
United States in many details.
AS TO POTITENEss.
1t has been generally stated that the
Cubans are a wonderfully courteous
and polite people. But careful study Of
| their characteristics leads me to the
conclusion that no class among them
eXcels a like class oC our own people
In the courtesies of life. If it be
claimed that they are more expressive
in making their politeness known, II
must be granted, but the essence OF
the act is in no sense superior to true
American politeness. An introduction
to a well-educated Cuban or Spaniari,
by some one whom he knows is suf-
ficient to prompt from him, with ex-
| treme manifestation of cordiality, the
| tender of his house, as If it were given
| away for all time. mi casa esta nu-
| mero,' such-and-such a street. "esta
la disposition de usted," which,
| translated freely, means that his house
is at such -and-such number, and is
placed at your disposition. 1t sounds
very hospitable, and seems to express
more than we are in the habit of offer
ing; at the same time it means no
more than our invitation for stranger,
authoritatively introduced, to call at
| our residence at his pleasure.
Like extravagant forms of politeness
of Cuban Introduction and social cor
| respondence exist. An introduction
| calls from a gentleman to a lady the
remark: "A los pies de usted senora,"
| or "senorita," which means, If taken
| literally: AT your feet, madam" or
| miss" The response is expressed by
| "Beso a usted la mano", or "I kiss
| your hand" OF course, neither act i'm
| Piled in the salutation follows, nor
| is there more of courtesy or politeness
contained in either expression than in
the usual forms of polite salutation in
| vogue in other countries.
Polite notes are ended with initials
to cover the form in custom in the
country. rs. S. Q. B. S. NJ, very
commonly observed, means, literally,
Il serve you in that / kiss your hand"
If it is intended to more completely
humble ones self the initials used are
the same, except that "P." takes the
place of the M" and then the senti-
ment is that 'I serve you by kissing
your feet" The superficial observer
are among the politest in the world
that they want to kiss your hand, your
feet, give you their house and all they
possess; but as a matter of fact IL
| simply implies that they "gush" a
trifle more than we do, even though
their salutation be intensely sincere.
Although 1 have tried to be a close
observer of the habits of the people, I
/ hl
which Cuban or Spanard excels the
American gentleman in his demeanor
toward his equal and toward the gent
Ter sex.
FUNERAL CUSTOMS.
| An odd custom that prevails when
death occurs in a family among the
better class is the sending out of a
| funeral invitation of pretentious mag
| nitude, These are usually of quarto
| form, six by eight or seven by ten
inches and four-paged. bordered heav-
| lily, perhaps an inch, in black and in
closed in an envelope of like pretentions
| and border the inscription within be-
| ing the more curious feature of the
| announcement. One which / have be-
| fore me is a sample of the better class
| of such documents. 1t is nine inches
| long by six wide and consists Of four
| pages. The first and fourth are heay-
| lily bordered in a rich and glossy black
with dull edging on either side of the
| glossy strip and a narrow black line
| as an inner establishment, the inside
| pages being blank. This invitation Is
| folded once and inclosed in a large
| envelope of like adornment The in
| scription is on the first page and quite
elaborate. First, there is cross, below
which are the letters "E. P. D."-"En
Paz Descanso," meaning REST in
Peace" Below this is the announce
ment in Spanish, and following an
nouncement are the names of the
widow, three sons, several nephews and
| nephews-in-law, a brother, half a
dozen friends and the family physician,
| the name of the latter always ending
the list. If there have been three or
| four or half dozen doctors in the case
the names of all appear. Translated the
invitation reads as follows: Don so-and-
so has fallen, after having received
| the last sacrament, and for the pur-
poses Of the funeral, which will take
place this afternoon at 4.30 o'clock,
those who subscribe-the widow, sons,
| brother, nephews, nephews- law,
doctor and friends-supplicate pour
| presence to render assistance at the
house OF the dead, from there to ac-
| company the remains to the Colon
| cemetery. where the last giving OF the
| hand will take place, for which favor
| is given everlasting gratitude"
| At the cemetery representative of
| the family extends the hand of thank
fulness in their behalf to all who have
attended the funeral, and the ceremony