Black Argentina—Making Their Presence Known!

The makers of the film Afro-Argentino (Black Argentina) seeks

to rebut the myth that there are no blacks in Argentina

Argentine President Carlos Menem was asked during his visit to the United States if there were persons of African descent in his country. Menem was quoted as saying, there are no blacks in Argentina; Brazil has that problem. Now, for the first time in a century and a half, Argentine descendants of African slaves are organizing and going public to assert their identity. In the documentary Afroargentinos (Black Argentina). The film producers seek to rebut Menem’s racism and ignorance using extensive interviews, photographs, and video footage to show the history and ongoing African presence in Argentina, including the following:

• African origins and history of Argentine tango and candombe music
• Twentieth-century West African immigration to Buenos Aires
• History of black slavery in Argentina
• Black involvement in the Argentine military since the 19 century
• Offensive media representations of blacks in Argentina
• Continued social marginalization and political invisibility of Argentina’s diverse black population, especially women.  

 

Guitarist and Tango composer Enrique Maciel

The film presents interviews with black Argentine descendants of slaves as well as black immigrants from Uruguay and West African countries to illustrate both the unity and diversity of the black community. You will even see black features of those who claim European ancestry. You will also see discussions of the current hardships endured by black women in Argentina, particularly in fighting against the stereotype of sexual availability. 

With Argentina being considered the whitest country in South America, there was once a much larger black presence in Argentina, and  that presence has faded over time. “We've been exiled from the collective memory of Argentina,” said Juan Suaque, president of the Association Misibamba, the leading Afro-Argentine cultural organization, and a seventh-generation descendant of Argentine slaves. Suaque adds, “It’s as if you pass someone in the street and you have to explain your whole life, and what and who you are.”

 

Afro-Argentine Revolutionary War Soldier Antonio Ruiz

In the early 1800s, black slaves were 30% of the population of Buenos Aires, and an absolute majority in some other provinces. The first president of Argentina had African ancestry, and so did the composer of the first tango. Now, for the first time in a century and a half, Argentine descendants of African slaves are organizing and going public to assert their identity.

Argentina's Black Awareness and Civil Rights Movements

 María Elena Lamadrid

When Maria Lamadrid went to the immigration counter with her new Argentine passport in preparation for her trip to Panamá, the immigration officer began to screaming that her passport was fake, and María was detained. The only reason they could give, they said, is that there are no blacks in Argentina. Argentina has been a country that not only denies having an Afro-descended community, but has done everything to erase Africa from its past. The Afro-Argentine community currently faces issues of high unemployment racist immigration policies, as well as denial about their existence. However, there seems to be some hope for Afro-Argentines.

In the late, 1990s, María founded a group called Africa Vive (Africa Lives), which emerged on a mission to fight discrimination, and raise awareness of their place in Argentina’s history. She struggled in her youth to receive an education since she was both black and poor. For this reason, she ended up cleaning other people’s houses to make a living. Although Maria encounters racism and discrimination on a daily basis, it has done nothing but inspire her and her Africa Vive foundation to push forward towards equality. In 1999, Africa Vive organized a very well publicized conference at the University of Buenos Aires, and was invited to attend the Durban UN Conference on Racism. where they made a presentation about the socio-economic situation of the Afro-Argentines.

Recently, there has been a growing interest into Argentina’s African heritage. In 2001, Afro-descended groups like “Grupo Cultural Afro”, "SOS Racismo", and of course "Africa Vive" came together to convince a national deputy to organize a ceremony in memory of the black soldiers who died fighting for Argentina’s independence. In this ceremony, the national deputy spoke in honor of the great fallen soldiers. For Argentina to have an event that not only acknowledges the African contributions to the country, but also puts the Afro-Argentines in the spotlight, is truly a very remarkable thing. This event was certainly a huge step for Afro-Argentines toward reaching their goal for equality, however needless to say, they still have many more miles to walk.

Black Argentine Tango Composer

 

Enrique Maciel
 Guitarist and Tango composer 

Enrique Maciel born  to an Afro Argentine family in Buenos Aires, July 13, 1897 was a versatile and sensitive composer, lyricist, pianist, and guitarist, which identified him permanently in the memory of tango listeners. Maciel received his early musical instruction in a local parochial school, and his first public performance was in 1915. His first tango, "Presentación," remains unpublished. He joined small groups acting in houses and dance halls, touring the provinces.

In 1920, he along with a poet, released their collaboration with the tango "La Tipa." Enrique became a contractual guitarist with RCA-Victor. Maciel's skill as a pianist earned him the tripling of an otherwise modest salary. His first new tango under this arrangement was “Grief.”

In 1925, Macial with other musicians formed a popular group, which received a lot of airplay on Argentine radio, particularly on Radio Buenos Aires. The group gradually fell out of favor with listeners, and the group disbanded during the 1950s.

Argentina Officially Recognizes Black Heritage

Argentina's Chamber of Deputies of the Province, the lower house of Argentina's congress, approved October 11 as the day of Afro-Argentine Culture. This initiative was driven by Afro-Argentine organizations, which claimed this day to commemorate Black culture. Ricardo Martínez, of the Black cultural group La Cabunda de Ensenada, said this day culminates 150 years of struggle for a law favoring recognition for what Blacks have done for Argentina, particularly her liberation and her defense against British invasion. This day was selected in homage to María Remedios del Valle, Black captain of Argentina's Northern Army, which one major battles in Argentina's war of independence. 

Black Argentines, not only fought for Argentina, but for other Latin American countries, like Chile and Perú in exchange for their freedom.
 

More on this if you can read Spanish...

Diario Hoy en la Noticia

Argentina's Black Population

In 2001, a black Argentine woman attempted to board a plane to Panamá when immigration officials denied her boarding because they did not believe her passport was real. These officers, her own countrymen, told her that her Argentine passport couldn't be hers because she is black. They are not alone. Many Argentines have been quoted as saying, no hay negros en Argentina (there are no blacks in Argentina). I, like so many others, not only believed this to be true, but was clueless to the fact that the famous Argentine Tango music and dance had its beginnings in Afro-Argentine barrios (ghettos).

It has been well over a century since Argentina reflected the African racial ancestry in its census count, but according to the organization Africa Vive (Africa Lives), it's been calculated that there are about 1,000,000 African descendents in Argentina. The 2010 census introduced the African ancestry survey.

Soccer star Arturo Tissone

As in other Latin American countries, the Spanish attempted to enslave the indigenous population during their initial invasion. So many indigenous people died from overwork and disease that the Spanish decided to bring African slaves from territories now known as Angola, Gambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Guinea to replace the dying native population. These Africans entered mainly through the port of Buenos Aires and were forced to work in agriculture, livestock, households, and to a lesser extent, crafts. In urban areas, many slaves made handicrafts for sale whose revenues went to their masters.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Argentina's black population comprised of up to 50% in some provinces and had a deep impact on national culture. The Buenos Aires neighborhood of San Telmo and Montserrat housed a large quantity of slaves, although most of the black slaves were sent to interior provinces. Slavery was officially abolished in 1813.

Guitarist and Tango composer Enrique Maciel

In the 19th century, the African population began its sharp decline for the following reasons:

1. Heavy casualties caused by the constant civil wars, war for independence, and other foreign wars of which blacks made up a disproportionate part of the Argentine army. Also, like the Bufffalo Soldiers in the U.S., Afro Argentine soldiers fought against the native population whom the white Argentines despised as well as the blacks. It has been said that the government has purposely sent many blacks into dangerous front line battles.
2. 
   Yellow fever epidemic of 1871.
3. 
   Migration from Argentina to Uruguay and Brazil, where there were more blacks and a more favorable political climate.
   Massive immigration of Europeans between 1880 and 1950 when European immigrants were heavily welcomed and while non-Europeans unwelcome.
4. 
   By the late 19th century, black women, not having enough available black men, married European immigrants and white Argentines producing racially mixed children who also married non-black mates upon coming of age. 

 

Revolutionary War Hero Antonio Ruiz

Today, the Afro-Argentine community is beginning to emerge from the shadows of Argentine society. There have been black organizations such as Grupo Cultural Afro (Afro Cultural Group), SOS Racismo (SOS Racism), and perhaps the most important group, Africa Vive (Africa Lives), that help to rekindle interest into the African heritage of Argentina. There are also Afro-Uruguayan and Afro-Brazilian migrants who have helped to expand African culture. The Afro-Uruguayan migrants have brought their candombe, an African derived rhythm that has been an important part of Uruguayan culture for over two hundred years to Argentina, while the Afro-Brazilians teach capoeira, orisha, and other African derived secular dances.

A Brief History of the Black Roots of Argentine Tango