A Trip to Cuba

Abstract

The proposal by the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences of a visit to Cuba to make the acquaintance of researchers in anthropological institutions and their materials, the problems they are dealing with and the prospects of their work, as well as to share with them the experience of Soviet anthropology, (a) was very tempting. At the same time, of course, I was greatly interested in familiarizing myself with Cuba, the beautiful Island of Freedom and its rich tropical environment, and with the Cuban people who had begun with high enthusiasm to build a socialist society under the difficult conditions of a constant threat of invasion by the U.S. imperialists. I arrived in Havana on the morning of September 22, 1964, by TU-114 airliner, where I received a friendly welcome from Dr. Eduardo Queralo, head of the Department of External Relations of the National Commission of the Cuban Academy of Sciences. He and all the personnel of the department were very attentive to me and the other scientists who had arrived; they provided every assistance in making our stay in Cuba not only fruitful but pleasant. Much friendly attention was also extended to me by the President of the National Commission of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, Dr. Nunez Jimenez, professor of geography and captain in the Revolutionary Army. As one of his country's outstanding speleologists, Nunez Jimenez has engaged in archeological excavations in caves, and displays an interest in anthropology. He gives much time and effort to organizing anthropological (a) research in Cuba.