1956 Budget Approval of the Chinese Society in Cuba, “Colonia China” Signed in Ink by the Executive

On offer is a budget approval document for the Colonia China Society located in Matanzas, Cuba. 

Colonia China is one of many groups founded in Cuba by Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century, stemming from the “underground fraternities” founded in China in the late 18th century, with goals to overthrow the Manchu (Qing) rule and reinstate the Ming Dynasty. These organizations operated as secret brotherhoods, and eventually branched out from southern China to create large transnational networks in places with large numbers of Chinese diaspora. There was a very large population of Chinese immigrants in Cuba due largely to the Chinese coolie trade, which brought over 125,000 Chinese people to Cuba between 1847-1874 to work as indentured labourers, often alongside African slaves. Another major period of Chinese emigration to Cuba was after World War One when another 120,000 Chinese came to Cuba to fill Cuban labour gaps, and in the 1940s-50s when Chinese people fled the Kuomingtan-Communist war, which led to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. 

This particular document is related to the annual budget of the society in 1956. It is a single page document with a breakdown of the budget for the year ahead, signed in ink by President Antionio Yi Kamp, Treasurer Jose Sin Kamp, and Secretary Rafael Sin Chang. It includes a note at the bottom indicating that the required $2.00 fee is being sent to the province of Matanza, signed by Chang. 

This document provides insight into the workings of the Chinese society in Cuba as well as its relationship to the provincial government at the time. A valuable piece of both Chinese and Cuban history. 

This one page document measures approx 8x11 inches. It is typed with ink signatures on the first page. Two pages with content on the recto of each. Age toning, bends and folds, no tears. Legible. Overall VG.