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Cuba boasts diverse popular festivities where Cubans` joy is present as signature feature of their idiosyncrasy. Among the most preferred festivities we can highlight carnivals, patronal and country parties, parrandas, charangas and other celebrations of singular character having African antecedents.
These parties of popular tradition were generally involved in its origins with the festivities calendar devoted to the Catholic Church saints and its derivations in the popular religiosity.
The properly called ‘'fiestas patronales'' (patronal parties) started in Cuba since the time of the Spanish crown presence in the island. They always consisted on a procession followed by a party, verbena, guateque o fair, according to the situation. The most relevant festivities were devoted to our Señora de la Caridad del Cobre, Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria and San Juan Bautista.
The Romerías have always showed singular features and among the most notable, it's worthy to mention those held in Holguín under the name of ‘'Romerías de Mayo'', being popular parties of multiple cultural expression and color, revived along the last years.
Carnivals are considered one of the most popular and massive celebrations. They are Cuban traditional parties having seeds in the parties celebrated by Hispanics and their descendants.
According to the old tradition in the peninsula, carnivals possess peculiar elements such as costumes, coaches, comparsas and charangas, among others.
With its diverse designations: Carnivals, Romerías and Charangas, etc, these popular festivities are enhanced with modern times, keeping the best of the tradition.
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