Original Chinese Settler Identity Card (1865) Cuba Cuban Historical Identity Document D1

This 1865 official security and transit certificate from Macurijes, Matanzas, Cuba represents a significant artifact of the 19th-century Chinese labor migration to the Caribbean. The document identifies Sin-Co-Te, a 35-year-old Chinese settler under an eight-year labor contract with patron Manuel Blanco, issued under the June 5, 1860 Decree. The worn edges and complete condition authenticate its historical use during this period. The certificate's margins and verso contain the printed regulations governing penalties and social controls mandated by colonial authorities, offering direct evidence of the administrative mechanisms that regulated the "Yellow Traffic"—the system of Chinese indentured servitude in Cuba. This piece provides invaluable insight into colonial labor practices, immigration control