Cuban Family Roots PODCAST

In this episode, I have the honor of interviewing Genie Milgrom. Genie is a Cuban-American born to a Catholic family. She wrestled most of the life with the Catholic dogma and although rooted in a traditional Catholic family, she converted to Judaism. She immersed herself in the search for her past and in her quest to discover her ancestry discovers her ancestors were part of the Spanish Inquisition. Her Journey led her to writing books, digitizing archives and most recently, created a tell all documentary of her journey.  She even established a website to help those wanting to research their own Jewish Ancestry through the Archives in Spain.

In this episode I compiled three fascinating interviews from years passed. If you never listened to these episodes before, this interviews are fascinating. The first is with Alina Garcia LaPuerta who discussed Spanish Nobility in Cuba through her book, La Belle Creole: The Cuban Countess who Captivated Havana, Madrid and Paris. Next, I am fortunate to interview Steven, Ownyeng, a chinese American who tells us about the Chnese migration to Cuba and all the contributions made by Chinese in Cuba. And finally, a very passionate French Cuban Author, William Navarrete who discusses his Genealogy book abut the town of Holguin. Enjoy!

In this episode I get to chat with Lourdes Del Pino Olazabal, Vice-President of the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami, about how she became part of the club during its initial founding back in 2002. Throughout our chat she explains the many benefits of becoming a member of the club. The Club's website is a hub for numerous databases, including documents from 21 churches in various provinces, cemeteries, land and military records, and passenger lists just to name a few. Lourdes also discusses her role as collaborator in the PBS show Finding your Roots.

In this episode of the Basic of Cuban Genealogy, I hope to share with my rookie genealogist information on how to begin their Cuban genealogy search. They will learn about Cuban church and parish records, where to search military records. I emphasize the importance of understanding Cuban history and where to search for ship passengers, newspaper announcement, and places where records can be found and types of records to find. I wrap up the podcast with information on how to chose a family tree software, DNA testing and cemetery searches. 

En este episodio tengo el placer de entrevistar a Samuel Martínez Alcalá, un joven cubano residente en España que inició un ambicioso proyecto combinando la genealogía cubana con la ciencia de tras de los Haplogrupos para encontrar la populación genética de cubanos y definir a que grupo ancestral pertenecen. A lo largo de la entrevista, Samuel explica cuál es el objetivo del proyecto y cómo puedes tu ser una parte integral en él. ¡No te pierdas este interesante episodio!

En este episodio de Cuban Family Roots tenemos el placer de entrevistar al escritor cubano, William Navarrete quien publicó su segundo libro de genealógia titulado, Primeras Familias, Pobaldo y Ciudad de San Isidoro de Holguín: Estudios de Genealogía Cubana. El explica que el libro se basa en los matrimonios sacramentales registrados en el primer libro de la iglesia de San Isidoro de Holguín entre 1730 y 1763. Gracias a este estudio, los descendientes de los Holguineros de ayer podrán encontrar una fuente confiable para sus búsquedas genealógicas. Debido a su pasión por la genealogía desde muy joven, Navarrete aspira a extender a los estudios genealógicos más allá de la ciudad de Holguín para abarcar otras ciudades de la provincia de Oriente. Su objetivo final es continual escribiendo libros de estudios genealogíco para que los cubanos en la región oriental del país tengan acceso a sus investigaciónes genealógica.

In this episode I interview Gerardo Gonzalez who recounts his childhood in Placetas. He discusses with me how it was to return to the Cuba he left as a young boy to reconnect with his roots. He recounts moments in his life while in Cuba and his love for his grandfather who he never was able to see again. He dedicates his memoir to all the refugees who have an opportunity to come to America, the beautiful. As a Dean at Indiana University, he was fortunate to initiate a scholarship fund to help other who came looking for a better life in America. Everything he was able to accomplish was because he had his grandfather and family who were his anchors throughout his life. Proceeds from the memoir are donated to refugees, Cuban or not. 

Today I interviewed Luis Tomas Puig as he recounts his family search dating back to 1600.  A trip to Blanes, a village only an hour North of Barcelona, Spain  awakened his curiosity further as he reconnects with his Grandfather's family, a family he had never met. During the trip, he visited cemeteries, churches and collected pictures of his great-grandfather and other ancestors. He learned he was related the DiPuig families of France and Italy and that the line connects with the Germans and Austrians. With a sample of his raw DNA, he was able to uncover his ancient ancestors. Luis, a military man with 20 years of service deicide to go further and wrote a memoir about his family and the struggles while living in communist Cuba. A rish family legacy he will leave for his descendants. Don't miss this fascinating episode! 

Christian recounts his journey to rescuing Spanish – American heritage and  tells us of fishermen on the Gulf Coast who fished the waters alongside their Indian fishing partners known as the “Spanish Indians” and some freed black slaves. Christian was inspired to and began to investigate the lives of these fishermen and their influence in the region. From the Tampa Bay down to the condominium developments at Punta Rassa, several Spanish and Cuban fishermen settled in the region establishing fishing camps called “ranchos. Throughout the interview he tells us what he discovered and enlightens us on the presence of Cubans in early Florida and the strong Cuba-Florida connections. 

It is obvious that the first popular music played in Cuba after the Spanish conquest was brought by the Spanish conquerors themselves, and was most likely borrowed from the Spanish popular music in vogue during the 16th century. Then at the end of the 18th century, the piano rapidly became one of the favorite instruments among the Cuban population. The best preserved are the African polytheistic religions, where, in Cuba at least, the instruments, the language, the chants, the dances and their interpretations are quite well preserved. Aside from the Spanish and African influence, Cuban music has been immensely influential in other countries. It contributed not only to the development of jazz and salsa, but also to the Argentine tango, Ghanaian high-life, West African Afrobeat, Dominican Bachata and Merengue, Colombian Cumbia and Spanish Nuevo flamenco. Today Chris and I discuss a few of Cuba's greatest Composers. 

In this episode Christian highlights five unknown Cubans who played a major role in America's early formation. We can no longer depend on others to discuss our involvement in America's story, it is now up to us to identify Cubans who made significant contributions to America. The story belongs to us and must be told by us.  Don't miss this episode and learn about these five Cubans who may be your ancestors! 

En este episodio #18 de Cuban Family Roots tengo el placer de entrevistar a mi amiga y presentadora del Green Plantain Podcast (Plátano Verde), Susana Jiménez Mueller. Susana nos cuenta su trayectoria genealógica y anécdotas de su paso por Cuba. También nos da un poco de información sobre sus nuevos libros y colaboraciones. ¡No te pierdas este episodio!

In this episode of the Cuban Family Roots podcast, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ed Elizondo, a retired engineer and the first to bring us virutal Cuban genealogy repository through the CubanGenWeb.org website which he created back in 1996. Since then, the CubaGenWeb.org has been a great resource for Cuban genealogy data and has facilitated the search for many Cubans when looking to finding their genealogy. Throughout the interview, Ed tells us what motivated him in starting this resourceful site to help those to search their family history and information. 

The history of the Korean migration to Cuba was small by the number and forgotten. It was revived recently when Joseph John, a Korean American featured the film JERONIMO in 2019. The film explores the life of a Cuban of Korean-descent named Jeronimo Lim. Throughout the document we see Jeronimo's  attempt "to unveil a forgotten chapter in the history of Korean diaspora" Throughout the interview, John explain how and why the Koreans came to Cuba and offers information about various Korean-Cuban organizations form through Jeronimo Lim's efforts to create the first annual census of people with “Korean blood." If you are a Korean-Cuban or Cuban of Korean blood, tune in! 

In this episode I discuss the Chinese migration to Cuba from 1850 when the Chinese arrived to toil in Cuba's Sugarcane fields to the second migration of 1870's when more than 40,000 Chinese arrived to the Island. In addition, I discuss the establishment of El Barrio Chino in La Habana and later the migration from California in the 1900's. My guest, Steven Owyang, a Chinese American with family in Cuba, also provides information on why the Chinese came to Cuba and most importantly, he discusses how Chinese Cubans and Cuban of Chinese heritage can begin to research their ancestors back to China. Owyang has been a volunteer, leader, and lecturer for Friends of Roots (FOR), a non-profit all volunteer organization that helps Chinese Americans research their genealogy and family history, learn about Chinese history and culture, and visit their ancestral villages in China. More recently, FOR has taken groups to visit the Chinese communities in Cuba in March 2020. 

En este episodio entrevistamos al escritor y novelista cubano William Navarrete. Navarrete analiza su primer libro genealogico titulado, Genealogia Cubana. San Isidoro de Holguín, el cual trabajó con la colaboradora María Dolores Espino. Durante la entrevista habla de las pruebas y tribulaciones de armar esta gran producción genealógica. Fue durante la década de 1990, cuando no había Internet, que se embarcó en este viaje Pero, fue su pasión por la genealogía lo que lo llevó a componer este libro. El Padrón de San Isidoro de Holguín es un documento de valor inestimable no solo para la historia de esta región oriental de la Isla. En él podrán encontrar los holguineros a muchos de sus ancestros, y los investigadores una semblanza imprescindible más allá de la genealogía, la cultura y las costumbres de una época

In this episode 11, we focus on the Miyares Family of Cuba. A family that extended its roots throughout Central, South America, and Puerto Rico. In this episode, we'll explore the history of Miyares Family originally from Spain and how they made their way to the Americas. In addition, we tell the story of one of their descendants, Jack McGhee. Jack was secretly adopted by a maternal family member. He finds out that he is not their biological child through a revelation from his son, Lance Lane. Although Jack grew up with love and security provided by the Lanes, he felt a sense of betrayal when he found out he was not their biological child.. In 2013, his son decided to help his Jack find their biological family and their journey led them to the Miyares Family. This episode offers interviews with Lance Lane, Griselle Lindo, Danny Valentin and Ashley Gonzalez, as they walk us through their journey to finding who is Jack's ancestors, the Miyares. 

In this episode I recount the early settlement of Jews to Cuba beginning in 1508 when the new Christians arrived in Habana. I discuss the inquisition proceeding to the tribunals of 17th century until the abolition of the Spanish Inquisition in 1834. I also discuss the many contribution Jews made in Cuba from aiding Cubans in the war of independence to the founding of Cuba's cane sugar fields and the first refineries. Then in the 1900's the migration of the Young Turks which brought many Sephardi Jews to Cuba and later in the 1920's, Ashkenazi's began to migrate to Cuba. The Jews began a great emigration from Cuba after Fidel Castro assumed power in January 1959, following an armed revolution against Batista. The Jews begin to settle in South Florida, a community that still lives today. In the second Segment, my guest Marcos Kerbel, a distinguished international banker and University professor, consultant and community leader tells us about why and how his Jewish parents and grandparents ended up migrating to Cuba. Marcos was born in Cuba and raised in La Habana’s Guanabacoa neighborhood. Throughout the interview he recounts his life in Cuba and what it was like to be Jewish in Cuba during that time. When Castro took possession of Cuba in 1959, Marcos immigrated to the United States via Operation Peter Pan. 

Did you know that in Cuba there were approximately 10 Count titles? Today we are going to dive deeply into the story of El conde de Jaruco. We will interview one of the the family member of the descendants, Ernesto Bustillo y Sotolongo. He provides information about the Santa Cruz family and explain the history behind this noble title, why and how the nine volumes of “Historia de Familias Cubana” were published. Historia de Familias Cubana is one of the greatest Cuban genealogy resources available to Cubans who are searching their family roots. 

In this episode, I discuss the cool features offered through GEDmatch. GEDmatch is a third-party service where users can compare autosomal DNA files from different testing companies to see if they are distant relatives. Throughout the episode, I discuss each  features one by one to show how one can find close and distant relative.  GEDmatch can use DNA comparison o find relatives, and has a One-To-Many DNA Comparison Result that helps you compare your genetic profile to users in the GEDmatch database.  In the Second Segment, I interview the CEO of Gedmatch, Curtis Rogers. Curtis and I have a candid discussion about GEDmatch and the impact of law enforcement usage to connect suspect in Criminal cases. He clarities that there are many misguided articles written about the subject and puts an end to such misguided interpretations of how it's use by law enforcement. 

In this episode of Writing your Cuban Memoir, I explain in a step by step one can bring their memories to life. If you love genealogy, this episode will help you when it's time to write your memoir, a collection of your memories. Through the episode, I explain the differences between a biography and a memoir and highlight some of the things to watch out for as you write about your family members from your perspective. I have a special guest Richard Squires from LifeStory Memoir. Richard explains the process he employs to bring his clients story to life. If you have a story to tell but find it difficult putting pen to paper -- this episode is for you! 

This episode takes us to two cities histories and how they have been closely intertwined for the past 450 years, Habana, Cuba and St. Agustin, Florida. In the first segment in chronological detail, we’ll contextualize the history of these two cities and how they have been closely intertwined. Our guest, Teresa Fuentes Sardina, a Cuban- American recounts how she learned that her ancestors were founding families of St. Agustin, Florida. Throughout the interview, she tells us of the story of her ancestor, Juan Francisco Ruiz De Canto, An American Patriot who aided in achieving American independence from England. As a result of these ancestral ties Teresa became a member a Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR).

This episode of The Irish in Cuba provides a historical perspective of the Irish migration in the Island. Although the Irish migration to Cuba was not directly from Ireland, the host explains how significant it was to the development of Cuban economy and culture. Prohibition is mentioned as a time when several Irish bar owners from both New York and Boston also settled in Habana. In addition, an interview with a Cuban-American reveals how he came to learn about his Irish roots and his journey to tracing his Irish ancestors, the O'Halloran. In the last segment, the guest offers some tips on how one can begin researching Irish ancestry.

Episode 2 of the Cuban Family Roots Podcast highlights the Spanish influence in the Island of Cuba. It begins with a historical perspective of the three influential regions of Spain whose inhabitants migrated to Cuba; the Andalusians, Canary Islanders, and the Galicians, amongst other regions that also had major influences on the culture and food of the Island.  In the Family Roots segment of the Podcast, an interview with Christian Martinez Valle provides evidence of why Galicians came to Cuba, as he recounts the story of two of his great-Grandfathers, both of whom came from the Galician region of Spain to Cuba. In the last segment Genealogy Tip of the Day,  Aileen and Christian both provide tips for those trying to get to the bottom of where in Spain their ancestors came from. Thank you for Listening!