Friends in the North Eastern Region of Cuba: Over a Century of History

Abstract

Friends Church, also known as Religious Society of Friends or Quakers, was the first protestant religious group to arrive to the North Eastern of Cuba, a region occupied today mainly by the current province of Holguín. The Quakers started their evangelization and settlement by Gibara (a municipality of Holguín), then to extend their work to Holguín, Banes and Puerto Padre (other municipalities) and other adjacent areas to these cities. Their work included the building of temples and schools transmitting the beliefs of the group and creating this way a social work as much as a religious one, which made the Quakers earn the respect and admiration of followers and people in general. Their social and cultural contributions get to these days, when it has been 113 years since the landing of the first Quakers. This research is an attempt to show through a brief socio-historic analysis the value of this religious group when it comes to their heritage and history.