A video shared on TikTok has sparked debate among Cubans abroad after a woman living in Italy criticized another mother for not teaching Spanish or instilling Cuban traditions in her children.
The controversy arose after the circulation of a testimony in which a Cuban woman claimed that her children “do not eat Cuban food nor speak Spanish,” which prompted a strong response from another compatriot, also residing in Italy.
"That's what I just heard from a fellow countrywoman... it's outrageous," expressed the woman in her video, visibly upset. Although she refrained from directly mentioning the author of the initial comment, she questioned the decision to disconnect children from their cultural roots.
In his message, he recalled the common origin of many Cuban migrants and the difficulties experienced on the island: “You are not Italian, you are Cuban. You come from there, where the water came from a well, the power would go out, and there was no food.”
However, she also acknowledged the individual right of each family to decide how to raise their children: “Everyone does as they wish,” she asserted, before sharing her own experience as a mother.
The woman explained that she lives in Italy and has two children, whom she raises in a bilingual environment. Her eldest son, who is 10 years old, is proficient in both Italian and Spanish, while her youngest daughter, who is only 17 months old, already understands both languages.
According to her, she applies a common strategy in bilingual families: one parent speaks in Spanish and the other in Italian. "Spanish is my language; I am Cuban," she emphasized.
The video has generated numerous reactions on social media, where many users support the importance of preserving the mother tongue and the culture of origin, especially in migratory contexts.
The debate reflects a reality that is becoming increasingly common among Cuban families abroad: the balance between integration in the host country and the preservation of cultural identity.
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