The answer might lie in the question of branding and re-branding.
But how did the cigar -- a manifestation of capitalism -- come to symbolize Cuba, a communist nation? Some scholars have suggested that the tradition of Cubanidad, or a quintessential Cuban identity, has continuing influence because of the rise of tourism.
Both in part because of the prospective removal of the U.S. embargo, investment on the island has skyrocketed, and there is an obvious draw of what is thought to be "essentially cuban." |
Cubans have used this opportunity to their advantage, beginning with Fidel's transformation of the cigar from solely a profiteering tool to a symbol of pride and nationalism. He took what was once a national brand of Cuba and re-fashioning it into a tool for economic survival. It was a luxury to some, and a mode of survival to others.
And thus, in a epoch of ever-increasing globalization, questions arise as to, as L. Kafia Roland argues, both economics and sociopolitical theory, as well as of identities and their re-construction in the age of neoliberalism. |
...and, as expected, a cigar is never really just a cigar
References
Roland, L. Kaifa. “Tourism and the Commodification of Cubanidad.” Tourist Studies, 10(1): 3-18. 2010.