Indigenous Passages to Cuba, 1515-1900

“Portrays the vitality and dynamism of indigenous actors in what is arguably one of the most foundational and central zones in the making of modern world history: the Caribbean.”—Maximilian C. Forte, author of Ruins of Absence, Presence of Caribs

“Brings together historical analysis and the compelling stories of individuals and families that labored in the island economies of the Caribbean.”—Cynthia Radding, coeditor of Borderlands in World History, 1700–1914

“This book is a revelation! … Documents and recounts in rich detail the large, diverse range of Native peoples who migrated from the North American mainland (Florida and the US Southwest when under Spanish rule) and especially from Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America) to the Caribbean. … Highly recommended.”—Choice

“An invaluable addition to a growing body of research on Indian agency, the Spanish empire, and the diversity of Cuban culture and history.”—The Americas

“Invites us to rethink how colonialism forced some Amerindians far from their ancestral homelands but nonetheless situated them as important actors in Cuban history. … Provides a rich historical account of Cuban Indigenous diasporas that powerfully depicts the scope and complexity of transnational Indigenous social relations in the Americas.”—NAIS

“Yaremko’s work deftly shows how indigenous migrations to Cuba were intertwined with, or were the result of, some of the most important turning points in Caribbean and US history.”—Bulletin of Latin American Research

“Positions the Caribbean more centrally in the Western Hemisphere’s often-deplorable tradition of relocated populations and nudges us out of the old black-white Cuba story.”—Hispanic American Historical Review

“An original and thought-provoking exploration of a mostly little-known dimension of Cuban history.”—Cuban Studies

“Extends Cuba’s indigenous history beyond the early colonial period. … Bring[s] to light hidden histories that will hopefully inspire and motivate greater collaboration among historians, archaeologists, and ethnographers to uncover the past, illuminate the present, and empower peoples who have lived an invisible presence in the building of a nation.”—New West Indian Guide