Cuban actress Darlyn Morales shared a reel on her Instagram account where she humorously and candidly outlines several situations that Cubans regarded as normal and routine, but which, from an external perspective, seem hard to believe.
The video, which garnered thousands of reactions, addresses three aspects of the Cuban system that the actress herself describes as absurd: the ban on eating seafood on an island, laws that prioritize cattle over people, and the militarization of education from a young age.
The Seafood Paradox
The first point Morales highlights is the seafood paradox. "We're an island surrounded by the sea, darling, and I didn't eat shrimp or lobster until I don't know what age. What happened to all that seafood? Where did it go?" she questions in the video.
She quickly insinuates the answer: "I imagine the government officials couldn't stop eating seafood. Because we Cubans never had any. It was illegal to buy it, illegal to fish it."
The Sacred Cows
The second topic is the issue of cattle. "The subject of cows. That's sacred in Cuba. Not sacred like in India. It's sacred because the cow, my dear, was just for them," Morales says. And she adds, "Imagine that a cow could get you more years in prison than if you harmed a person. And even if you owned the cow, my dear... Who ate that meat?"
Militarized Education
The third absurdity the actress mentions is the subject of Military Preparation, mandatory in Cuban education. "If you skipped it, you could fail the course, right? We were running for a possible attack, crawling on the ground, learning all that, and we were doing it since we were kids," she recalls.
This discipline, known as "Preparation for Defense," or PPD, persists in various educational stages and even includes weapons training and combat drills under the doctrine of the "War of the Entire People," which is upheld and promoted by the dictatorship.
Having lived in Spain for several years now, Darlyn Morales is a regular voice among the young Cuban diaspora who uses humor to navigate the contradictions of the system in which she was raised. She concludes her video with a poignant remark: "As a Cuban, I laugh so I don't cry."
Understanding the Cuban Reality Through Humor
What are some absurdities highlighted by Darlyn Morales about Cuba?
Darlyn Morales points out the absurdity of a seafood ban on an island, laws prioritizing cattle over people, and the militarization of education from a young age.
Why is the subject of Military Preparation considered absurd in Cuba?
The subject is considered absurd because it involves children in military drills and weapons training from a young age, under the doctrine of the "War of the Entire People," which is enforced by the government.
How does Darlyn Morales use humor in her critique of the Cuban system?
Darlyn Morales employs humor to highlight the contradictions and absurdities of the Cuban system, making her critique more relatable and engaging for her audience.