The Study of Racialism

Grasshoppa · Posted: Thu 14 Aug 2008 04:14 Post subject: Cuban phenotypes?

While watching the Olympics, I noticed that most of the Cuban Volleyball players were Afro descendants. And when I say "Afro descendants" I mean most of them looked like what I'd call "reverse puerto ricans" in terms of phenotype in regards to "African looking" versus "European looking." Most were brown skinned, but some with very African features, others with with mixed features.

Are these what folks call "morena"? Those with dark skin, but without broad features? Also, about how much of the population has that look compared to a look that is say, more European looking? I know there is no census on this, but may someone who has been to Cuba can give an estimate of how common that look is in the country.

The mostly Southern European looking but with a hint of "other" is what I consider the more "typical latino look." I know latinos have many looks, but honestly, there is a stereotypical, generic latino look that we all have in our minds.

G-Man · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2590 }

I wouldn't use Olympic teams as an accurate indication of the demographic profile of a country. If we look at the U.S.’s Olympic team we’d swear that black people make up more much more than 12% of the population.

Grasshoppa · Posted: Thu 14 Aug 2008 19:12 Post subject:

fwsweet · Posted: Thu 14 Aug 2008 19:19 Post subject:

G-Man · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2590 }

Based on personal observations, I'd assume that there's a higher percentage of Cubans on the island who have visible African ancestry than there is in Miami. Additionally, there's probably a higher percentage of Cubans in New Jersey than in Miami with visible African ancestry.

onlyhuman77 · Posted: Fri 15 Aug 2008 18:48 Post subject:

MisterLawyer · Posted: Fri 15 Aug 2008 21:03 Post subject:

I was on a empty beach in PR one winter, and me and my companions started talking to the only other person on the beach--a blond haired blue eyed Cuban fellow. The conversation turned to stereotypes that Cubans and Puerto Ricans have about each other. The consensus was that Puerto Ricans think Cubans are all either black or white and Cubans think Puerto Ricans look like indians. Everyone then laughed only slightly uneasily and went their separate ways.

So that is my representative sample of 4 people.

BlackHaze · Regular User Joined: 29 Dec 2004 {Posts: 71 }

I've only met one Cuban and he looked quite African. Based on photos of Cubans I've seen on various forums and social networking sites, I think most look no different than white americans but others looked mulatto or black.

I've met lots of puerto ricans and most of them looked Southern European with a hint of "other", the rest looked like mestizos but I've only met a few that had african features. I read that Puerto Ricans are only about 17% African.

Powell · Guru Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2123 }

Beauty · Experienced User Joined: 02 Jun 2007 {Posts: 100 }

I have visted Cuba. There appears to be many people with white, mixed and black phenotypes. In addition, I saw some individuals with East Asian appearance.

MisterLawyer · Posted: Wed 20 Aug 2008 06:56 Post subject:

onlyhuman77 · Posted: Thu 28 Aug 2008 15:13 Post subject:

[quote="MisterLawyer"]