International isolation made Cuba an island of hackers

If we take the broad definition of the term “hacker” (a person who loves intellectual challenges, consisting in creative overcoming or circumventing restrictions), then Cuba is certainly one of the most hacker countries in the world. And she became so not on her own, but forcedly.

Because of international isolation, Cubans have to constantly “reinvent the wheel” - making the necessary things from the parts that are at hand. Approximately like a fan in the photo above, made of a boat screw and engine from a washing machine. This kind of crafts is a symbol of modern Cuba, writes PBS.

Furnaces operating on diesel engines from trucks. Satellite dishes made from trash can covers and metal trays. Traffic signs from old gas canisters. This is just a small list of Cuban inventions.
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Cuba has been in international isolation for more than half a century since the American President Eisenhower signed a decree on breaking diplomatic relations and the first trade embargo in 1961. The situation deteriorated significantly after the collapse of the USSR in 1991: then the oil imports seriously decreased, and the deficit became total.

But the Cubans did not give up. On the contrary, they showed miracles of ingenuity. On the “island of the Kulibins”, almost nothing is dumped in a landfill, everything is used. If a thing breaks, it is repaired by any means. If the necessary thing is not available, it is invented. No brazier? Meat can be fried in metal chairs. No boat? It can be welded from car chassis.

Over the years of isolation, an entire generation of Cubans has grown up, accustomed to inventing things and doing their own things. This contributes to a high percentage of the population with engineering education (thanks to the surviving free education system). But besides engineers, the culture of “make-up” has embraced people of all professions: both musicians, doctors, and housewives are forced to make things. Magazines like Popular Mechanics, where you can find diagrams and instructions for making various things, are in great demand on the island.

Some of the Cuban artifacts are shown in the illustrations, with captions.


A tool for making duplicate keys on the engine of the Soviet washing machine "Eureka"


Homemade moped (rikimbili) from a bicycle with a motor


Bus with seats and windows in the cabin, made from Soviet truck


Homemade light bulbs from scrap materials, such as glass jars and tubes of toothpaste


Charger for disposable batteries


Starter for engines that starts when a heavy object is dropped from a height (left); plastic bottle irrigation system (right)


Small Notebook Portable DVD Player 1964 Ford Mercury Dashboard


Public bus "Camel" (El Camello), welded from parts of semi-trucks


TV antennas from old food trays


Standard glass packaging, which is distributed by government agencies, is often used for handicrafts.




Homemade children's toys


Fans from telephone parts and vinyl records