Cuban Joke

Superman visito a la isla de Cuba un dia.  Al llegar se quito su capa para relajarse.  Se paso una semana visitando los lindos paisajes de Cuba, probando la deliciosa comida Cubana y disfrutando de las primorosas playas.  Al fin de su vacacion Castro se despidio de Superman y le dio las gracias por su visita.  Entonces Superman regreso a su hotel, se puso su capa y se subio al techo del hotel para levantar vuelo y regresar a casa.  Pero al estirarse para despegar derrepente no podia volar! Pujaba y trataba pero no podia levantar vuelo! Derrepente al escuchar mucha comocion miro hacia abajo y a su sorporesa vio 1000 Cubanos agarados de su capa….le gritaban “Tu Puedes Superman! Tu puedes llevanta vuelo y vamonos!!”

On day Superman visited the island of Cuba.  Upon arriving he removed his cape for the sake of relaxation and to not attract attention.  He spent a week visiting famous landmarks, trying the Cuban cuisine, and enjoying the picturesque beaches.  At the end of his vacation Castro wished him farewell and thanked him for his visit.  After this he went back to his hotel, put on his cape, and went up to the rooftop to take flight back for home.  However as he extended his arm in hope of taking off he shockingly noticed he could not get off the ground.  He pushed, and tried, and struggled then suddenly upon hearing great commotion below him he gazed down and noticed something…1000 Cuban clinging to the tip of his cape cheering, “You can do it Superman! You can do it, push hard and lets get out of here!”

Analysis:

Chris heard this joke around the age of fourteen when his Dad was saying it to his other Cuban friend.  He said Cubans normally performed the joke. It is one of those racial jokes that are really only appropriate between Cubans—otherwise, it would be rude and offensive.  Because of the political reference, the joke was usually performed between older people.  They obviously had to know about the current political situation for them to say it.  Chris thought it was a form of comic relief, to poke fun at the bad situation in Cuba.

I agree with Chris’ interpretation.  The joke was first heard about four or five years ago, right about the time when chaos was escalating within Cuba.  People were unhappy with the state of the government, thus we desperately trying to get out of the country.  Hanging on to Superman’s cape is a method of communicating the overall feeling of Cuba’s people at the time.  In the United States, daily news stories were reported of immigration control finding countless boats of Cubans trying to flee to Florida.  Some of Cuba’s citizens felt confused and repressed by the circumstances.  These feeling are characteristic of when jokes of tragedy are created.  Humor comes from the unconscious part of our brain as a way to express some sort of aggression that we feel.  Human beings at times have a difficult time expressing their emotions, but making jokes is seen as an appropriate way to deal with these feelings.

Chris also emphasized how this joke was only to be performed between Cubans.  In order to be politically correct, non-Cubans should not say these kinds of jokes, especially in front of an actual Cuban. This would be similar to a foreigner making a 9/11 joke to an American.  It is socially acceptable to make fun of these issues when one is involved in them, to alleviate feelings of sadness or anxiety, but when someone is purely doing it for a good laugh, it is seen as disrespectful.