Celebrating Black History Across the Diaspora

Bomba dancers of Puerto Rico

This past Martin Luther King, Jr. Day I made my way to the San Francisco Museum of the African Diaspora. It is something I enjoy every year, and I try to go there during Black History month as well as throughout the year. I love the Museum of the African Diaspora because it highlights how we all interconnect globally as a society of many different cultures, as well as how African populations have dispersed into all corners of the earth. It shows how the African influence on culture has been displayed throughout the world! It is fascinating!! I love to see people of all cultures celebrating Black History, and enjoying the sights, sounds, expressions, and rich art that comes from Africa.  While at this museum affectionately known as MOAD, I also wear my Puerto Rican flag necklace. I want to celebrate my experience within the Diaspora as well being a Latina who also has strong African influences in her life, coupled with being a citizen of the world, showing my sisterhood to women across all cultures. 

Recently there was a documentary called “Black in Latin America.” It showcased race and identity within Latin America. There are many fascinating facts about the African Diaspora and how it has affected Latin America. One sad, yet fascinating fact is that more African slaves came to Latin America, (especially to Mexico and Peru) than to the United States. I remember having a discussion with someone who said I did not understand slavery because I was of Puerto Rican descent. I said that while my family may have only gotten to the mainland in the 1950’s, Puerto Rico and much of Latin America also had the sting and horror of slavery. One (out of countless) horrifying facts, is that slaves in Puerto Rico were often branded on the foreheads so they could be identified if they ran away. 

Whether in the United States or in various countries in Latin America or around the world, slavery and its effects were/are horrendous and the damage still exists to this day. It affects everyone to differing degrees, some more than others.   There are many reasons that these facts are often overlooked, but many times, people do not teach it because they do not know. Sometimes they do not teach it because they are ashamed or because of racial prejudice and bias. 

When I was in Puerto Rico I scoured the museums and art galleries for snippets of stories of the “trinity” of Black, Native and Spanish expressions, art and history. I was on a quest to learn even more about my heritage beyond the obvious. I was fascinated and equally horrified at times what I found.  In some museums I saw actual slave chains and head harnesses with spikes, slave trading posters written in Spanish selling and buying slaves in the Caribbean. I also found Taino (native) artifacts, and Spanish regalia from far off shores. I found art of images of jibaritos (peasants) in the fields and of beautiful Black figurines, dancing traditional Bomba (Afro-Puerto Rican) dances with their flowing dresses, and white headdresses. They were dancing for freedom. Dancing for life. Dancing for hope.

 I thought to myself, “I am this. This is me.  My ancestors. Part slave “owner”, part enslaved. “  African, Spanish and Taino. A Caribbean Creole of sorts. It made my heart heavy and it made me ponder. How can you own a person? You cannot. You cannot own their spirits! Yet slavery was/is very real. Very horrific. It still exists today in many different forms. It made my heart break and yet I thought of the strength they had to survive. I learned a little of how to dance Bomba years ago and this experience a few years ago drives me to want to learn more, to pass it on to my children, and then to others as well. To keep that expression alive, to dance for life, for hope, for freedom. 

What we are seeing now is a movement likened to the awareness of the 70’s, an awakening if you will, to say “ I am beautiful” no matter a person’s background, and in however they define  “beautiful” to be. 

“Black in Latin America” is just one of many of these awakening movements. Others are the Latinegr@s Project, The Black Latina Project, and the Black Latina play. There are many others forming, people across the African Diaspora learning about the history and how Latin America fits into the puzzle.  People from many different cultures are learning about each other, and how we all interconnect as human beings on this journey called life. Last year, I was blessed to be able to search my DNA. I was able to trace back my mother’s maternal side. It detailed where in the world we come from, what our genetic markers are, and the lineage of our family based on geographic locations and genetic markings. 

It was fascinating to see that it could tell how curly my hair would be, if I could taste bitter, and what parts of Europe and Africa my family came from hundreds of years ago. I had an awakening, and unveiling, an “aha moment.” It is as if for years there were many unanswered questions. There still are questions, of course, but to see the breakdown and to see the DNA of our oldest living ancestor from generations back was fascinating. I would like to one day do my father’s side and my grandfather’s side as well to get a clearer picture.  

Through the DNA project similar to what is found in the documentary “African American Lives,” my husband was able to trace back his line to over 80% Nigerian. That was amazing because he is African-American and did not know where his family was from prior to the United States.  I am looking forward to knowing more about it also. 

In closing, I thought I would share some African influences on Latino culture in our celebration of Black History Month. As a mixed family, I teach my children about African-American History and Latino/Puerto Rican History. I am a very multi-cultural loving person so I enjoy all kinds of History all year round!  Here are a few fascinating tidbits to enjoy. These are just a few, there are countless to list. If you need resources let me know. 

Spanish words of African origin:

Mofongo 

Cachimbo 

Marimba

Mondongo

Conga

Banana

Batata 

Yautia

Some Latin Dances/Music with strong African Roots:

Salsa

Merengue

Bomba

Mambo

Plena 

Rumba

Capoeira

Great follow-up links:

Great web article featuring A Rising Voice: Afro-Latin Americans http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/afrolatin/

Latinegr@s Project 

http://lati-negros.tumblr.com/

Black in Latin America

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-latin-america/

Black Latina Movement

http://blacklatinamovement.com/

 Black and Latino in America 

http://youtu.be/tT7_oQzDYMw

A couple of extra links

http://www.robertoclemente.si.edu/english/index.htm

http://www.celiacruz.com/

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"Pa'Lante!" ~Vanessa

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