Sunday, April 24, 2011

Afro Latinos


























 

If Barack Obama is President of the United States, why shouldn't an Afro Latino be in parliament here in Bolivia?
---Jorge Medina, The first Afro-Bolivian elected official


Black Latino Communities in the Western World

One day on BART, a commuter train in San Francisco, I was in a conversation with two black guys; one from Cuba and the other from Colombia. Because the Colombian speaks limited English, the three of us carried on our conversation in Spanish. I got a real thrill from watching the reactions of Whites, Asians, African-Americans, and Latinos reacting in astonishment because three "brothas," LOL, were conversing in Spanish. I just love seeing stereotypes being smashed :-) As I began to improve my Spanish and increase my knowledge of Latin American history and culture, I was even more pleased to learn that there are more than 150 million people of African ancestry living in countries from Mexico all the way down to Argentina.

However, When I'm around Afro-Latinos, I seldom bring up the subject of race until I learn their individual level of racial pride. Instead I may bring up race indirectly by talking about heavily populated Afro-Latino areas such as La Costa Chica in Mexico, Bluefields in Nicaragua, or Arica in Chile. This is because I learned that many Afro-Latinos, not all, but many were programmed by their respective societies to believe that they are not black. I was teaching my goddaughter Daniela, of Perú, a game of chess. I told her that I would take the black pieces because I am black. She immediately tapped her arm and said she is black too. I felt proud that she recognized her identify even though she is the only black in her family.


R1-00
My goddaughter Daniela of Chincha, Peru,
is the only black in her family.

In the Dominican Republic, dictator Rafael Trujillo who ruled from 1931 until his assassination in 1960, told his black population that if they have one drop of white or Indian blood, they are not black. I had a good laugh at Burger King when I was told by Spanish-speaking employees that their manager, an Afro-Mexican, was not black. Mind you, I already had a conversation with this woman looking right at her. I'm not colorblind, you know; LOL. A young Puerto Rican woman out of Chicago told me that the term "black" only refers to African-Americans. I asked her if she has been to the Puerto Rican towns of Loiza or Catalina where there are still cultural and linguistic ties to Western Africa. She responded with a tirade about my being a self-loathing African-American. I had no clue as to what that comment was about. What I tried to remind her, assuming she is as educated as she says, was that there are black people of many different cultures who speak many different languages. In fact, in the Western Hemisphere, there are more blacks who speak Spanish than English.

 

















The late Colombian salsa music megastar Jairo Varela, leader of Grupo Niche, insists on being called “negro (black),¨ and not the polite Latin American term “moreno (dark, colored).”

After my visits to several Latin American countries and from interacting closely with Afro Latinos; observing how blacks and browns mix freely with one another, including marriage, I can understand why so many black Latinos are confused about their race. It is common for blacks to have non-black relatives and vice versa. In nations where racism is swept under the rug, and interracial marriages were never outlawed but encouraged, Afro Latinos embrace their nationality and culture first, and their race second, if at all. My goddaughter Daniela of Perú is the only black in her family as a result or her mother´s relationship with a black Peruvian man. It would be a culture shock for her to come to the US where race is clearly defined and be forced to take sides by putting her color over her nationality, culture, and most importantly, her loving family..

Yet, there are Afro-Latinos who do celebrate racial and cultural pride such as the late authors/poets Nicolás Guillen of Cuba, and Nelson Estumpiñan Bass of Ecuador. Renown singer Susana Baca, Perú's Minister of  Culture. Jaero Varela of Colombia, leader of the hot salsa band Grupo Niche, expressed black pride in his music. With the election of President Barack Obama, even more Afro Latinos have been embracing their black heritage.

Black Latinos, Stand Up by Nadra Kareem

21 comments:

  1. Latin is a Lenguage that originated in Europe Italy to be precise. This is why Latinos have European traits & share similar genetic features. I guess to put it simple a Latino/Latina could go to Spain, Portugal or Italy and be mistaken for a citizen due similar features. Example Sofia Vergara She could go to Italy, Spain or Portugal and blend in quite easy. Now if Sammy Sosa or David Ortiz went they would think he is African even Rosario Dawson or Zoe Saldana would be classified as African in those countries no one would consider these people as people who originated from these countries our even Latino or Latinas.

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  2. That is so interesting. We have people born in a Latin-American country, speak Spanish as a first language, and because of their color, they are not considered Latinos? I've personally met Chinese, Lebanese, and German people who are more Latino than Latinos who were born in the US. You know why? Because those Asians and Germans were born and raised in a Latin-American country.

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  3. Well I am not sure that a Chinese person can claim being Latino either. Lebanese maybe because they are Mediterranean and wouldn't have much trouble blending in. A lot of these Germans who live in Latin American countries were Nazis who fled Germany after they lost the war. They had to claim a new identity and fled to South America so they wouldn't be caught for war crimes. Argentina is one of the places where they went. Also guess what their was a genocide campaign against blacks in Argentina.

    copy & paste link below in youtube search bar
    DEFENSA 1464" WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE AFRO POPULATION OF ARGENTINA?"

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  4. Anonymous,thanks for the link. I'll copy and paste it onto Google and find it on youtube.

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  5. Anonymous,
    If a person is born and raised in a Latin-American country, why can't s/he be Latino, even if that person is of Chinese, Lebanese, or German ancestry?

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  6. You are welcome Bill Smith I hope that I can help clarify the Orgin of what Latino means. I think everyone knows the origin of Hispanic but Latino people think it is in reference to Latin America because many people don't look up information about history.

    Latino people can pass for white but are not true whites in the sense. They are not Nordics or Aryan. They are actually Mediterranean orgin and if you look at a map of the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire you will Rome Italy its head quarters all da way Roman Brittania Roman Hispania 2 Turkey North Africa above Sub Saharan Africa & also in Egypt & the Holy land In fact many Europeans went crusading 2 the Holy Lands for Christianity. The moors were Arabs who mixed with Africans & convert
    The Arabs had slaves as well and converted them to Islam like many in Latin America of African Ancestry got converted to Roman Catholicism. The Romans in invaded North Africa & took key ports and of course took slaves as well. However they still had to defend from attacks from Arabs, Sub Saharan Africans, Nordic Whites to the North Scandinavia & all the lands they conquered by local tribes. We are talking about the Mediterranean people who actually controlled one of the biggest empires.
    What happen was that Africans in the new world got Latinized when they got to the new world. The first thing is they learned a new Language. Spanish, Portugese, They also got Latinized names like Julio Angel Ceasar or Octavio Roman or Romeo Augustin. Many also were introduced to Roman Catholicism & became Roman Catholic. People in Europe Portuagal Spain France Romania & Italy are Latin, and even Roman Britannia was as well this is why their was a division between Catholics & Protestants.
    If you were Latino that means you belong to this Mediterranean group that culturally shared a language based of Latin & were Loyal to the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Now if you look up Negro Ladino or Black Ladino in wikipedia it means Latinized black The Mediterranean is in the Center of Civilization & even though they are Predominately White looking they had to fend off Nordic(Scandna) Whites from the North Arabs & Asians from the east & Sub Saharan Africans from the South of North Africa.

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  7. I am also gonna add some more information that I thought was very educational & informative done by Professor Gates

    Black in Latin America, Cuba: The Next Revolution

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i18Z16lLpLA&feature=player_embedded

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  8. So, Anonymous, the term Latin-America is a misnomer? Just curious, how did you find my page? Las Vegas?

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  9. Well basically it had meaning. It was new worlds Latin Empire & the Latinos were the new rulers of this Empire. When you think of Latinos who do u think of? Antonio Banderas or Peonople Cruz they are Spanish but many mistake them for Latinos.Why? Well because Latino has an Identity it has a look. If you look at Italians in america they also look Latino example the guy from Carlos Bakery Buddy Valastro. Also why is it easy for Italian singer to crossover to Spanish which dominates much of Latin America & even North America & some Caribbean islands. Singers like Laura Pausini & Tiziano Ferro. Now look at Spanish novelas all over Latin America and you will see the Latinos. Kate Del Castillo,Maite Perroni,Lucero, Dulce Maria, Susana Gonzalez, etc etc for Guys Rodrigo Santoro Christian De la Fuente, or in Football(soocer) Christian Ronoldo Gael Garcia Bernal If you look at magazines, movies, tv & beauty contest Nuestra Belleza Latina their is a pattern. I hope I help answer your question.

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  10. Oh yeah and I forgot to add this was the look Sammy Sosa was trying to go for. Lighter skin, Green eyes & straighter hair. Also who do you think jumped on this story & told the world? Latin Media. If you are rich or powerful and are form another race they will allow you into your social circle but if you step out of line they will point it out. I mean we saw a similar thing happen to Michael Jackson in a more extreme way trying to be more Caucasian looking.

    I am gonna add another link if you get a chance you should take a look at it. It is an article on 3 Afro Latino women. I will add a little piece and the link.

    Every once in a while he would “remind” me that I wasn’t really Latino, that he was. He never accepted my Afro-Latina “status” because he believed Latinos were the descendants of the Spanish or the Spanish-Indian “mixture”.
    When he dated African-American women, he never had to address this issue, but with me, his feelings of superiority became apparent. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I was devastated by his feelings of supremacy over Afro-Latinos.
    I wish I could say this was an isolated incident with other non-Afro-Latinos, but it’s not. There have been many times when I’ve explained my “Latina-ness” to other Latinos, only to be told I’m not really Latino. Or not as Latino as they are.” – Ivy Farguheson

    http://newlatina.net/afro-latinas-finding-a-place-to-belong/

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  11. I found your page when I typed in Afro Latino blogs in google search bar.

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  12. If a person is born and raised in a Latin-American country, why can't s/he be Latino, even if that person is of Chinese, Lebanese, or German ancestry?

    Response. Well mainly because many of them speak their native language like Chinese or German and of course already have an identity. They can try to blend in. Now Lebanese they are Mediterranean so it is easy for them to blend in and they are also Christian. Remember Rome controlled alot of the Holy Lands during the time of Jesus. It is very easy for a Lebanese person to blend in compared to a Chinese or German. Example Shakira who is half Lebanese and half Columbian on her mother sides has no problems blending in. One she is Christian, 2nd she was born in Colombia and of course sings in Spanish. Also she moves and dances like a Latina & not how a traditional Arab women. Basically their is 2 sides one was Latinos the other was Arab & she decided she was Latina because again traditional Arab women would not be able to preform in little to no clothes. Also most must follow Islam & were a hijab. Essentially a person has to choose one & really kind of leave the other. However you also have to ask if Latinos are will to accept you.

    Like in Many countries usually their is a china town and people keep their own identities and language. It is very rare for them to just discard it. For Germans they usually also don't discard their culture. Example I have never heard Gisele Bundchen referred to as a Latina even though she lives in Latin America & is Brazilian. Also she speaks Spanish & Portuguese & English. Also Germans usually colonize their own parts of town like Russians. Russians colonized a part of California just like Germans colonized a certain part of Texas New Braunfels Texas.

    If they want to identify as Latino that is fine However, its another thing to truly be accepted as a Latino/Latina.

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  13. Anonymous, do you have a blog? Post a link.

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  14. Well I don't have a blog but I have posted comments on this blog as Jean Pierre. http://beinglatino.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/afro-latinos-by-lance-rios/

    The reason I started to comment more about this subject is because of the discrimination that is going on in Latin America. Also this is also affecting Black & Latino realtions & they must be addressed immediately. The sad part is the biggest offenders seem to be the Dominicans themselves due to systematic brainwashing of the population. It is said if you tell a lie enough times people will belive it.

    Example 4 clowns Rush Limbaugh/Sean Hannity &
    Glenn Beck & Donald Trump plus others.

    President Obama a Muslim. a lie told over & over so the easy manipulated believe.

    lie # 2 President Obama not born in U.S

    What I don't understand how people can be so easily manipulated to believe this stuff.

    The same thing occurs in Latin America

    Afro Latinos & Indigenous populations. You are Latino You are Hispanic and because of this people lose their identity. When they lose their identity they don't have a voice. They can't stand up for social equality because they are the hidden under the vail of Hispanic/Latino community. However we know this is a farce.

    Slavery was abolished but mental slavery continues. It is the bandwagon time mentality where no one wasn't to be the cargo everyone wants to claim they drove the ship. However, it is an insult to people who came before and sacrificed everything so people can live a better life. Some better than others.

    When you get people like Sammy Sosa and it doesn't just happen with Dominicans it happens to African Americans as well who try and represent & imitate the European standard of beauty it is an insult to all the people who came before them. With poverty & social inequality continuing in their homelands these people get a little fame and automatically forget the barrio they come from and quickly perpetrate a new identity instead of being proud of who they are. Pride is important. italians have Irish have it, Mexicans have it.


    Example UFC Heavy Weight Champion Cain Velasquez

    Brown Pride tattoo Now he got criticized by white people but this is just telling I am proud to be who I am & your negativity and hate towards my race will not cause me to turn my back on my people. This is why I will wear it proudly on my chest. Another thing is the example he sets. Brock Lesenar said racial thing by saying he will eat a burrito and drink a corona after he wins the fight. They asked Cain to respond to eat and he said I don't talk S##T.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkEOAcuquRo&feature=related

    I think though in Colombia their is a conscious effort to start taking more pride in a persons roots to start the mental manipulation that has gone on for hundreds of years.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb_jD--Yfp4&feature=player_embedded

    Here is the link to the Black in Latin America Dominican/Haiti.

    http://video.pbs.org/video/1877436791/

    If it were up to the Sammy Sosa's of the world the history would just be erased & forgotten but in reality we all know you can't just erase history & be allowed to tell a false story because their are always people who are their to uncover the truth. The only question is will they be able to handle the truth when it is uncovered & displayed for the world to see?

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  15. Wow I was on Latina Magazine and I got to let you know that Sammy Sosa is not the only one bleaching. Have you seen La La Vasquez in Latina Magazine in her photos. I will show you the evidence. No joke.

    Ok check out her Photos on Latina Magazine I will give you the link

    http://www.latina.com/entertainment/celebrity/la-la-vazquez-miss-understood

    Her are older photos of her so you can compare. I was like wow what has Lala done to her skin?

    http://www.popularcritic.com/2011/08/19/serena-williams-joins-la-la-vasquez-to-celebrate-reality-tv-show/

    http://www.100candles.com/celebrity_images.htm?celebrityID=264

    http://www.superiorpics.com/la_la_vasquez/

    http://www.inquisitr.com/135891/la-la-vasquez-is-gonna-make-it-in-new-reality-show/

    Also Beyonce & Rhianna have also bleached. It is bad for peoples skin and not healthy.

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  16. OMG! I wonder how La La Vazquez's husband feels. I cannot love a woman who cannot love herself, I don't care what her complexion is.

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  17. Bill Lala looked better with her Coco complexion then she does now. To say the least I was shocked at the transformation. Also it seems Zoe needs to eat because she has been looking a bit pale of late. This could be money related both have been saying they want to be seeing as Latinas and it looks like they been wanting more Latina roles to tap into the Latin market.


    If you look at Zoe's recent interviews she has shifted and now has been sure to mention she is Latina and even Lala has wrote and essay on the subject. I will give you more links. I think it it is important issue to address because bleaching your skin can be toxic and bad for your health & young woman should not do it because their could be health consequences.

    If a person is gonna like you they should like you for who you are not how you look.It is amazing because in here early interviews Zoe Saldana never mentions being Latin but if you look at her recent interviews she has began to emphasize she is Latin. This is my thing if you are Latin or Latina or Latino shouldn't people just know it? You shouldn't have to tell them. I mean that is just my honest opinion on that.

    Obviously their is a history of many Latin American countries with the Spanish, Natives & Africans who now live in these countries. It is just sad when a poor guy who is not consider Latin in these countries can't even get a job because of his skin color and these woman say their Latin when in many Latin American countries they are not considered to be Latin or even Latina. Just because you have a Spanish last name and speak Spanish doesn't automatically make you Latin. A

    African Americans speak English and many have English last names and they are not considered to be Anglo Saxons or Caucasians. Take Brazil one of the mixed race countries in Latin America and they are not treated like Latinos even though they live in Latin America.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d77uCRe6As&feature=player_embedded#!

    Racism in Brazil (City Of Gods)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyrq5ohxDIU&feature=related

    Yes Portugal is an Original Latin Country.


    Zoe Saldana interview at 6:20 mark
    Because i am Latin you don't have to be Latin to say Colombiana that way. Just saying.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OzO8nFagmI

    Lala essay

    She starts many people don't realize I am latina which is fine. Apparently not.

    http://www.latina.com/entertainment/celebrity/personal-essay-yo-soy-boricua


    However there is not just confusion with the Latin Community it is also happens with many other communities as well. Examples

    Video Being Chinese Black How A Chinese Singer Is Getting Alot Of Negativity Because Of The Color

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-lZ8OWL6Tw

    Shy'm - Sexy French Black Singer
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEOM5QkEQ0c

    Being "Mixed" -Part 1
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjknp3Vaymw


    I could go on because their is Afro English Leona Lewis, Lennox Lewis, Afro Japanese,Afro Thai. Tiger Woods, Afro Portuguese Anderson Siva,
    What is the point the point is this is a deep subject that needs to be talked about & discussed. I would also like to same many of these societies aren't as accepting as people like to believe. While many of those people feel like they are Latinos or Chinese, Filipnos, Japanese, ect ect they are not fully accepted as such.

    As far as Lala husband I don't think he is to disturbed by it because what can he really say? Just like Sammy Sosa wife didn't tell Sammy you look horrendous & this is a huge mistake looking like a pale dead person with green contacts & straightened hair to look more Latino. It did not work and instead he was heavily criticized and made fun of. I heard he was Count Chocula & even many derogatory songs were sung about him.

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  18. Bill I know you like Salsa but you have to see this beautiful Afro French girl who sings about fitting in.

    I just highlighted this passage because music explains a peoples troubles and this passage kind of explains well I am here in the land of models but you act like you never seen anyone like me but I am me. Basically it is like saying you are not traditional French so you can't play this part but we

    This video has a lot of interesting things in it that also tell a story.

    First the world is a circus and many people look different why do u single me out?

    2nd part of the video she is in White mask and eventually like if she is trying to be white or hide that she is black but then the black starts to leak out. She starts the video in her natural the way she is but she also has only one sock that is both white & black which also has meaning. She also sticks in blondes who are basically the models

    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me

    More like this girl, less like that one
    In the paradise for great models, you're more like that one
    That role perfectly suits you



    The song is called

    Je Suis Moi - I am me

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjNk1bVQMiY&feature=relmfu
    I am me

    I have no desire to say
    What I don't mean
    I have no desire to flee
    What I can't see
    Tell me, shouldn't we all be like this?
    Follow me, I'm taking you where the fool is king

    In this great circus, comedy won't make me different
    I've never been afraid to turn away
    And in this masquerade ball, clowns can't overawe me
    I can play if I have to...

    I am me (I am me)
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me

    More like this girl, less like that one
    In the paradise for great models, you're more like that one
    That role perfectly suits you
    Put your costume on
    Just be beautiful
    Be smiling, be the best

    In this great circus, comedy won't make me different
    I've never been afraid to turn away
    And in this masquerade ball, clowns can't overawe me
    I can play if I have to...

    I am me (I am me)
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me
    I am me
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me
    I am me
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me

    I am me, I am me, I am me
    Like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me, I am me, I am me
    like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me

    I am me (I am me)
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me (I am me)
    I am me
    Oh like you've never seen me
    Whatever they say
    I am me

    bonus the making of it.

    Shy'm - Making Of Clip "Je Suis Moi"

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  19. If you get a chance check out this video as well on youtube just copy & paste. Portugal has colonized south west Africa including modern Angola. Miss Universe Leila Lopes is from Angola and she speaks Portuguese & won Miss Universe in Brazil.

    The Portuguese were present in some—mostly coastal—points of the territory of what is now Angola, from the 16th to the 19th century, interacting in diverse ways with the peoples that lived there. In the 19th century they slowly and hesitantly began to establish themselves in the interior. Angola as a Portuguese colony was not established before the end of the 19th century, and "effective occupation", as required by the Berlin Conference (1884) was achieved in the 1920s as with most African colonies. After independence, Angola was the scene of an intense civil war from 1975 to 2002. The country has vast mineral and petroleum reserves; however, its life expectancy and infant mortality rates are both among the worst-ranked in the world.[
    wikipedia

    Brazil - An Inconvenient History

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  20. I really appreciate the knowledge that you're spreading and the awareness with this blog post :)

    --

    Elvia
    http://the-new-outlet.blogspot.com/

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