Within the world of Cuban slave-holding plantations; all enslaved people had to negotiate a life defined by forces beyond their control; and indeed beyond the control of their masters. Slaves on coffee farms survived in ways that allowed them to marry; have children; and maintain and redefine cultural practices that they passed on to their children. Slaves were an important factor in creating a nascent Afro-Cuban culture and identity.In this broad; interdisciplinary study; William Van Norman describes how each type of plantation and the amount of manual labor it required directly influenced the nature of slave life in that community. Slaves on coffee plantations lived in a unique context in comparison to that of their fellow slaves on sugar plantations; one that gave them greater flexibility in cultural and artistic creativity. To gain a deeper understanding of plantation slavery in Cuba; Van Norman explores what life and labor was like for coffee slaves and how it was different from what sugar slaves experienced. Shade-Grown Slavery reconstructs their world and in turn deconstructs the picture we now have of Cuba in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.Ultimately; Shade-Grown Slavery reveals the lives of enslaved Africans on Cuban coffee plantations and shows how they were able to maintain and transform their cultural traditions in spite of slavery.
#495833 in Books University of New Mexico Press 1999-03-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.29 x 1.26 x 6.15l; 1.53 #File Name: 0826320864480 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. can't explain the problemBy CustomerThis is a great travel adventure and one of Douglas Prestons best. Up their with his new one; Lost city of the monkey god. But there is one glearing problem; I read the Kindel version with all the great pictures that Walter took; they add so much to the text and like I do when a Kindel book is really good I order the hard cover to put in my library; but when I received it there were no pictures and no one at knew why or how to get the book with the pictures. They just kept telling me they didn't know how to get it and that they didn't know who could help. really let me down.To bad it would be a geat book.Bill Pace0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. WonderfulBy Michael D. SweeneyWhat else can I say?Of course; I like history; and have enjoyed a travel book here and there; and love the deserts (although my experience is the Mohave; not Arizona/New Mexico).He rides; falls off (and has other hilarious struggles whilst learning how to handle horses on an epic journey); talks to lots of people; and "digresses" into loads and loads of history; from the very recent (small town boom-and-bust; new developments moving in to old ranch land) to prehistoric (although the amateur archaeologist in me cringes every time he collects an arrowhead and takes it with him).And if that isn't exciting you then you aren't the target readership. I was and am and I loved it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. I Loved Reading This Book!By CustomerI loved this book! Not only was it very well written; but it was packed full of interesting facts. And not only facts about Coronado and that time period; but interesting facts throughout the past couple hundred years. There are not many books that I read a second time; but this will be one of them. Only suggestion is that if you want to follow it along; download a map of Coronado's route. Like most books; the included map could be better. I have told just about everyone I know about how great this book is!
