Barrio Chino, Habana by Sean Alexander Geraghty
Ip, Sociedad Min Chih Tang, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Ip is 80 years old, she arrived to Cuba from Canton (nowadays Guangzhou), China, when she was in her 20's with her father. She is a member of the Min Chih Tang society, one of the most important institutions in Habana’s Chinatown. Members enjoy various activities such as playing mahjong, watching Chinese movies and receive breakfast and lunch everyday. Yearly membership costs around 12 Cuban pesos (0.5 USD). Today there are 12 active Chinese societies in Habana preserving what is left of Chinese culture. Most societies are also running restaurants in the same buildings in order to be able to sustain themselves.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyMirta, Alianza Socialista China de Cuba, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Mirta is the president of the Alianza Socialista China de Cuba. She was the first woman to take on this role in the society. Before her, such role used to be reserved exclusively for pure Chinese men. At the time, being accepted as a woman and as a descendant holding this position was very difficult. However after years of dedication to the community, she eventually became one of the leading figures of Barrio Chino.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyCarlos, At his home in Calle Zanja, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Carlos was born in Cuba to a Chinese mother from Canton and a Chinese descent father.
Carlos is one of the few Cubans to have travelled to China, more than once. The first time was with his mother, 20 years after she moved to Cuba, to meet his relatives there. He fondly remembers his time in China and recalls how impressed he was by the speed of change in the country. Carlos devoted much of this time performing the Lion Dance in Cuba and recently wrote a book about this ancient tradition. Despite Carlos’ heritage and love for Chinese culture, he still feels completely Cuban.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyRosario, at her home in Calle Cuchillo, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Rosario is the president of the Chang Weng Chung Tong Society. Her father was Chinese and her mother was Chinese-Cuban. Rosario’s father was trading Chinese porcelain in the house where she is now living. After the Revolution he migrated to New York in search for a better life. He regularly sent money to his family in Cuba for several years, until they never heard from him again.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyAlfredo, Chang Weng Chung Tong Society, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Alfredo is a Chinese-Cuban paper mâché artist, painter and biologist. He has never been to China and yet most of his art practice revolves around Chinese iconography. Throughout his work he tries to recreate a visual representation of China and its culture. He is seating next to one of his painting called "Soñando China" which could translate into "Dreaming about China"
Sean Alexander GeraghtyAlberto, Escuela Cubana de Wushu, Habana, Cuba, 2019
The Escuela Cubana de Wushu was founded by Chinese-Cuban master Roberto Vargas Lee.
He dedicated his entire life to preserve and promote Chinese culture in Cuba through martial arts. Nowadays many Cubans like Alberto come every morning to practice the ancient martial art of Wushu. The school prides itself for being open to anyone who wants to study as well as for having many gold decorated students, who participated in international competitions.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyFelipe Alfonso and his wife Nélida, at their house in Calle Lealtad, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Felipe is a Chinese-Cuban paediatric allergist as well as a specialist in Traditional Chinese Medicine. He transmitted his knowledge on Traditional Chinese Medicine to the community through many publications and by participating in various tv and radio programs. He has never been to China and says that it is very difficult for anyone from Cuba to go there. Felipe does not know how much a flight ticket to China costs, but he thinks that with his salary would be impossible to save in order to buy one.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyAnselmo, Sociedad Lung Kong, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Anselmo is a Chinese-Cuban member of the Lung Kong Society. He comes every day to the society for breakfast and lunch. After eating together some members like playing mahjong, a traditional Chinese board game. Before the Revolution of 1959 the role of societies such as this one was primarily to defend the rights of the once discriminated Chinese community. Later on, their role shifted to solely preserve Chinese culture in Cuba and as recreational spaces for ageing residents of the community. The Lung Kong Society, as other societies, still keeps alive many traditions such as celebrating Chinese New Year, the Lion Dance and worshipping ancestral spirits according to Chinese belief.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyMargarita - Restaurant Flor De Loto, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Margarita was born in Cuba to a Chinese father and a Cuban mother. She is sitting next to the portrait of her late father. He came to Cuba in 1934 with his brother to escape the civil war in his own country and to sustain financially his family in China. While in Cuba he married again but kept ties with his Chinese family. Margarita is still in contact with her step sister in Guangzhou, China.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyMarlon, Escuela Cubana de Wushu, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Marlon is one of the most decorated students of the Escuela Cubana de Wushu. Thanks to his practice he had the chance to travel to various countries for international competitions. Sport can facilitate diplomatic relationships between countries and gives athletes the opportunity to travel more easily.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyEssa, Sociedad Lung Kong, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Essa is a member of the Lung Kong Society and is one of the approximately 150 pure Chinese left in Cuba. Some of the oldest members like her still speak their native Cantonese among themselves. With the help of a Chinese friend from the community, Essa managed to go back to China many years after she moved to Cuba. She only found out once in China that all her relatives had passed away. She never had the chance to communicate with them while in Cuba.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyRolando - Min Chih Tang Society, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Rolando is the President of the Min Chih Tang Society. He is 85 years old and has been living for more than 60 years in Cuba. Although China is still his homeland, he feels more Cuban than Chinese as his life and friends are in Cuba.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyGraciela, Sociedad Lung Kong, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Graciela is the president of the Lung Kong Society. Her parents, both Chinese, met and married in Cuba. Her main objectives as president of the society are to improve relationships with other Lung Kong Societies in the world and to continue transmitting Chinese culture to all members and future generations.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyAntonio, Periodico Kwong Wah Po, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Antonio was born in Cuba to a Chinese father and a Cuban mother. He worked for the
Kwong Wah Po Newspaper, a local publication covering mainly news from Habana's Chinatown in Chinese and Spanish. The last issue of the newspaper was on February 2018. The newspaper has closed since then due to high running costs of the 18th century American printing machines, approximately 300 USD for every issues. Antonio hopes that the newspaper will open again thanks to the new initiatives around the rehabilitation of the Barrio Chino. He has never been to China but still has hopes to go one day to know more about his father history.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyCementerio Chino de la Habana, Cuba, 2019
This is the grave of Graciela's late father. Every year, during Qingming Festival, members of the community come to pray for their ancestors, clean their graves and offer them fruit, incense, flowers and other gifts.
Sean Alexander GeraghtyRene, Escuela Cubana de Wushu, Habana, Cuba, 2019
Rene is posing with a "Jian", a modern version of the traditional sword used to perform Wushu routines. Chinese immigration to Cuba was predominantly male, this further facilitated the mix of Chinese people with Cubans of all heritages, creating a unique multi layered identity. Kids like Rene are the faces of the new generation of Chinese Cubans.
Sean Alexander Geraghty‘’Barrio Chino, Habana” is an ongoing project that aims to document the remaining fragments of the once glorious Chinatown in Habana, Cuba. In its prime, during the 50’s, it was the largest Chinatown in Latin America. This community has a long history, dating back to the 19th century, when thousands of Chinese were brought to Cuba as substitutes for African slaves. A second wave of immigration in the 20thcentury, saw the arrival of free men in search for a better life.
In both waves, immigration to Cuba was predominantly male. This facilitated the mix of Chinese people with Cubans of all heritages, creating a unique multi layered identity.
After the 1959 Revolution in Cuba, the growth of the community stopped abruptly. Many Chinese fled the country once the Communist Government took power.
Today there are approximately 150 Chinese born in China left on the island. Although the ageing community is slowly disappearing, its few remaining residents and descendants are fighting every day to keep it alive. Most of them have never been to China. This opens many questions on the meaning of national identity and its relation to citizenship.
by Sean Alexander Geraghty
Bio
Born in Nice, France, Sean lives and works in London.