Fernando Ortiz and the Ideological Construction of Cuban Identity: Between Cultural Revaluation and Structural Distortion
Fernando Ortiz and the Ideological Construction of Cuban Identity: Between Cultural Revaluation and Structural Distortion 1. Introduction Fernando Ortiz occupies a central position in Cuban cultural historiography. His work has often been presented as a foundational framework for understanding national identity, particularly regarding the Afro-Cuban component. However, a critical reassessment of his legacy requires a clear distinction between his original scientific contribution and the later ideological use of his thought. This analysis proposes that the core issue does not lie solely in Ortiz’s work, but in the process of reception, simplification, and political exploitation of his discourse within the contemporary Cuban institutional framework. 2. Ortiz’s Contribution: Revaluation of the Marginalized In the Republican period, Afro-descendant culture was frequently perceived as inferior, primitive, or marginal. Ortiz’s work aimed to: systematize Afro-descendant cultural practic...