An evocative portrait of Cuba’s agricultural communities
- Text by Huck
- Photography by Richard Sharum

Richard Sharum remembers his first impressions of Cuba forming when he was taught about the Cuban Missile Crisis at school in Corpus Christi, Texas. “Cuba was always seen as this forbidden place,” he says. “We were taught – and I haven’t been able to find out how true this is – that some of the rockets were aimed towards Corpus Crisis, because it was a giant naval base.”
By his early 20s, Sharum, who was then working as a photographer, says he’d become fascinated by Cuba: “I was really curious about the people that lived there, because the only Cubans that I met were exiled in Texas, so I didn’t really have any sort of understanding of who Cubans were as a people.”
It was only in 2015, when then-president Barack Obama lifted the 54-year trade embargo on Cuba, resulting in an influx of US tourism, that Sharum finally made the decision to travel there. “Quite frankly, I wanted to see Cuba before American tourists were able to screw it up,” he says.

Boy with Racing Pigeons. Village of La Perla, Cuba. July, 2019.
Over the course of several journeys between January 2016 and November 2019, Sharum travelled from the northern to the southern shorelines, across to the western provinces, and to the eastern villages deep in the Sierra Maestra region of Cuba to photograph the country.
From the outset, Sharum was determined to focus on the less publicised aspects of Cuba, presenting an alternative vision to the classic cars and the colourful streets of Havana usually associated with the country. “My first inclination, just intuitively, was to get the fuck away from Havana as quickly as possible and to go to the countryside, because I wanted to see Cuban people for who they really were.” This led him to the farmers, or ‘campesinos’ – people who live off the land, typically in remote areas of the countryside. Despite forming the backbone of Cuba, living in relative isolation lives means that this community are rarely photographed and often overlooked.
The photographs Sharum captured on his trips are now collected in a new book, titled Campesino Cuba (GOST Books), which captures the campesinos’ everyday farming practices – such as harvesting coffee beans and gathering cattle – alongside school, social events, and moments of rest, in dramatic black and white.

Harvesting the Rice at Sunset. Village of El Zarzal, Cuba. July, 2019.

Yara River. Sierra Maestra Mountains, Cuba. July, 2019.
Initially, Sharum was interested in documenting the huge exodus young male agricultural workers from rural communities migrating to urban areas. “This has huge implications Cuba’s agriculture, because it’s already hard to feed all the people in Cuba, as you can see recently with the protests that are happening,” Sharum explains. Despite the upheaval this is creating in Cuba’s urban areas, for the largely self-sufficient campesinos in rural area, “there’s not a lot of strife, political, social, or otherwise… It’s very, very peaceful,” he says.
Eventually, Sharum expanded his project to incorporate photographs of women and children. “I was immediately struck by how hospitable, and how loving they were,” he remembers. “In all my years of shooting the campesinos, I never once had any inclination of hostility towards me.”
These experiences have made Sharum deeply appreciative of their way of life. “It was so refreshing to go from town to town, village to village, and not be bombarded by advertisements, not be bombarded by political news,” he says. “Just be to be able to go to someone’s house, and to sit and talk with them […] We could all learn from them.”

Old Generator Building. Sierra Maestra Mountains, Cuba. March, 2019.

Gathering the Cattle for Feeding. Valley of Silence, Cuba. Jan., 2016.

After Morning Pledge. Village of Santo Domingo, Cuba. March, 2019.

Washing and Drying the Coffee Beans. Santo Domingo, Cuba. Nov., 2017.

After Bath on National Women’s Day. Village of Santo Domingo, Cuba. March, 2019.

Rainstorm in the Mountains. Santo Domingo, Cuba. Nov., 2017.
Campesino Cuba is out now on GOST Books.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck
Meet the hair-raised radical women of Berlin’s noise punk scene
Powertool — In his new zine, George Nebieridze captures moments of loud rage and quiet intimacy within the German capital’s female-only bands, while exploring the intersections between music, community and anti-establishment politics.
Written by: Miss Rosen

Amid tensions in Eastern Europe, young Latvians are reviving their country’s folk rhythms
Spaces Between the Beats — The Baltic nation’s ancient melodies have long been a symbol of resistance, but as Russia’s war with Ukraine rages on, new generations of singers and dancers are taking them to the mainstream.
Written by: Jack Styler

Uwade: “I was determined to transcend popular opinion”
What Made Me — In this series, we ask artists and rebels about the about the forces and experiences that shaped who they are. Today, it’s Nigerian-born, South Carolina-raised indie-soul singer Uwade.
Written by: Uwade

Inside the obscured, closeted habitats of Britain’s exotic pets
“I have a few animals...” — For his new series, photographer Jonty Clark went behind closed doors to meet rare animal owners, finding ethical grey areas and close bonds.
Written by: Hannah Bentley

Frazer Clarke: “I had a hole in my leg, I’m very lucky to be alive”
Hard Feelings — For our interview column on masculinity and fatherhood, the Olympic boxing medallist speaks to Robert Kazandjian about hard graft, the fear and triumph of his first fight, and returning to the ring after being stabbed on a night out.
Written by: Robert Kazandjian

Remembering Holly Woodlawn, Andy Warhol muse and trans trailblazer
Love You Madly — A new book explores the actress’s rollercoaster life and story, who helped inspire Lou Reed’s ‘Walk on the Wild Side’.
Written by: Miss Rosen