The ''zafra'' is the late summer or early autumn harvest; the term is common in countries with

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

influence. In the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

, the term generally refers to the

sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalks t ...

harvest. There, the ''zafra'' runs from January through May, whereas in the Mediterranean it occurs in September to October. In each case, however, the ''zafra'' was closely tied to the life cycle of sugar cane. Because in the Caribbean sugar cane is ready for harvest at a time of year different from in Spain or North Africa, the meaning of the term has shifted. The term became well-known internationally during the 1960s due to its importance in

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

. Many leftists visited Cuba during the ''zafra'' season to help harvest sugar cane, Cuba's principal crop. The Cuban government for several decades made the ''La Gran Zafra'' 'The Great Zafra' a centerpiece of both its economic policy and its international relations campaign. Each year, the government urged everyone to help make the ''zafra'' the biggest ever. Schools were often closed, and urban residents frequently relocated to the countryside to assist with the harvest. In particular, the goal of reaching the Ten Million Ton ''Zafra'' was as much a commonplace of Cuban propaganda as were the apologies and explanations for why the goal was not reached (Pollitt). The national mobilization of the 1970 zafra and its immediate aftermath is the major historical context for the autobiography ''Dancing with Cuba: A Memoir of the Revolution'' (2004) by

New York Review of Books New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

journalist

Alma Guillermoprieto use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = ...

(translated into English by

Esther Allen Esther Allen (born June 29, 1962) is a writer, professor, and translator of French-language and Spanish-language literature into English. She is on the faculties of Baruch College (Department of Modern Languages & Comparative Literature) and the ...

Etymology

Linguists agree that the term ''zafra'' entered Spanish from Arabic, but there is some disagreement about the precise origins of the term. Some believe it comes from ''zāfar'' or ''zafariya'' 'harvest time', while others believe the term derives from ''saʼifah'' 'gathering time'. In Spain, the term referred to harvests that took place in September and October and was especially often used to describe the harvest of sugar cane, a crop whose production was brought from Arab lands.

References

*Baker, Christopher P. 'Moon Handbooks: Cuba'. Avalon Travel Publishing, 6th edition, 2007. *

External links

Crops Agricultural terminology Agriculture in the Caribbean Agriculture in Cuba History of sugar {{agri-stub