It's been a long time coming. For the longest time in Argentine I felt very alone. Where were the other black people?I longed for that sense of being able to identify with someone else racially and for someone else to understand what I was going through.For awhile, it tore me apart.Being called Morena all the time,being ignored by the men in the boliche for my white friends,people always wanting to touch my hair,and constantly being stared at,and people being surprised when I told them I wasn't Brazilian,but American.I felt as if I was constantly on display.People were more interested in my physical appearance and not wanting to get to know me.It was too much and I was tired of it! I was determined to learn more about the Afro-Argentine people and to find them.I did not care that Argentines would tell me they didn't exist or that I was alone in my search.I felt like Henry Louis Gates Jr.,on "Black in Latin America" LOL!
I found myself consumed in research,but I found little to no information anywhere.There is little to no information about African people's here,like in many South American countries.So what did I find? Well.
Hundreds of thousands of Africans in the late 16th century were taken as slaves to what is now called Rio de la Plata.They worked in agriculture and as domestic servants. Slavery was abolished in 1813 but was still practiced until 1854. By the late 18th century and early 19th century,Africans made up half the population in provinces such as Santiago del Estero, Catamarca, Salta and Córdoba.At one point,in Buenos Aires they made up for 1/3 of the cities population.
So what happened to them? Majority of them were eliminated. How? 1) The war against Paraguay in 1865-1870.Many African were put in the front of the line of the war.This left a limited number of men and many of the African women began to copulate with the White and Italian men. 2)The Yellow fever outbreak in 1871 3)Many Africans moved to Uruguay and Brazil.
By 1895, there was such few blacks that they were not included on the census.They have just been included in the census as of 2004.Argentina was very successful at "Whitening" the country.There are many Argentinian's who are of African Descendent and don't even know it.Many of their ancestors"Pasé Blaco"and would not speak of having black ancestry.Many of their history being lost.
This Friday, I talked to Carlos Alvarez(the man I mentioned in my LGBTQ blog). He works in the Secretary of Human rights and Social Justice.He was born in Palermo,Uruguay, a black neighborhood.He told me that blacks make up 10% of the population in Uruguay. In our conversation,He mentioned that there are 185 Afro-Argentinians in Argentine.92% of them were born in Argentina.So when people here say,"There are no Afro-Argentinians" they are WRONG.He explained to me that there is no history being taught about the history of African people in Argentina.As if they never existed here.They have just now implemented a "National day of Afro-Argentinians"as of November 8th.It's the equivalent of black history month.They have not had a movement like African Americans did in the 60s for our civil rights.There isn't enough man power to do it.They want people in Argentina to see that they aren't just a myth, but exist. Carlos is working hard to create programs at UBA that are equivalent to a "black student union"and to send these students to study in the states.He has already sent a handful of them to University of Virginia. He also wants create programs exclusively for Afro-Argentine but the government doesn't want to implement any new programs but for them to just use the programs.Carlos says its another way for the government to discriminate against them.
I was curious to What types of discrimination do they experience and how do they handle it?He explained to me that they are discriminated against verbally, "Negro/Morena",They are sometimes not allowed in certain places,housing discrimination, people touching their hair,pointing and staring at them,and Men shouting inappropriate things to the women.Many of these things I have experienced myself.He went into detail how hes lived here for 20 years and people still call him "negro"or Rasta,or Jamaican,or Bob Marley.They touch his hair and constantly stare.EVEN HE GETS ANNOYED.So it's not me just being a super self righteous Spelmanite.
He mostly worries about the children, because they experience the same things in the primary schools,high schools, and colleges.I also worry about the children growing up here and not being able to identify racially with anyone in their classroom,apartment or city;Hating their hair and skin because it is not like everyone elses.It's hard to feel beautiful and comfortable in your own skin if you have no positive media or influences that verify black is beautiful.I have a hard time here and I am educated about my people,go to an HBCU,and very secure about my identity.My heart breaks for them.
Carlos told me they handle discrimination issues by reporting the incidents.He says a lot of the incidents are only seen in the media if a lot of people are reporting these incidents.We both agreed that much work needs to be done for people to 1) recognize them as Argentine and 2)to educate the people of the history.
I feel optimistic for the work that Carlos is doing and other organizations such as his, by building a community Afro-Argentinians in BA, but I also am worried about HOW much work still needs to be done.Living in a country where people believe there are Afro-Argentinians here but are sitting next to one, concerns me.How do you educate a country that for almost 150 years believed you don't exist in their country?
7 days.
I found myself consumed in research,but I found little to no information anywhere.There is little to no information about African people's here,like in many South American countries.So what did I find? Well.
Hundreds of thousands of Africans in the late 16th century were taken as slaves to what is now called Rio de la Plata.They worked in agriculture and as domestic servants. Slavery was abolished in 1813 but was still practiced until 1854. By the late 18th century and early 19th century,Africans made up half the population in provinces such as Santiago del Estero, Catamarca, Salta and Córdoba.At one point,in Buenos Aires they made up for 1/3 of the cities population.
So what happened to them? Majority of them were eliminated. How? 1) The war against Paraguay in 1865-1870.Many African were put in the front of the line of the war.This left a limited number of men and many of the African women began to copulate with the White and Italian men. 2)The Yellow fever outbreak in 1871 3)Many Africans moved to Uruguay and Brazil.
By 1895, there was such few blacks that they were not included on the census.They have just been included in the census as of 2004.Argentina was very successful at "Whitening" the country.There are many Argentinian's who are of African Descendent and don't even know it.Many of their ancestors"Pasé Blaco"and would not speak of having black ancestry.Many of their history being lost.
This Friday, I talked to Carlos Alvarez(the man I mentioned in my LGBTQ blog). He works in the Secretary of Human rights and Social Justice.He was born in Palermo,Uruguay, a black neighborhood.He told me that blacks make up 10% of the population in Uruguay. In our conversation,He mentioned that there are 185 Afro-Argentinians in Argentine.92% of them were born in Argentina.So when people here say,"There are no Afro-Argentinians" they are WRONG.He explained to me that there is no history being taught about the history of African people in Argentina.As if they never existed here.They have just now implemented a "National day of Afro-Argentinians"as of November 8th.It's the equivalent of black history month.They have not had a movement like African Americans did in the 60s for our civil rights.There isn't enough man power to do it.They want people in Argentina to see that they aren't just a myth, but exist. Carlos is working hard to create programs at UBA that are equivalent to a "black student union"and to send these students to study in the states.He has already sent a handful of them to University of Virginia. He also wants create programs exclusively for Afro-Argentine but the government doesn't want to implement any new programs but for them to just use the programs.Carlos says its another way for the government to discriminate against them.
I was curious to What types of discrimination do they experience and how do they handle it?He explained to me that they are discriminated against verbally, "Negro/Morena",They are sometimes not allowed in certain places,housing discrimination, people touching their hair,pointing and staring at them,and Men shouting inappropriate things to the women.Many of these things I have experienced myself.He went into detail how hes lived here for 20 years and people still call him "negro"or Rasta,or Jamaican,or Bob Marley.They touch his hair and constantly stare.EVEN HE GETS ANNOYED.So it's not me just being a super self righteous Spelmanite.
He mostly worries about the children, because they experience the same things in the primary schools,high schools, and colleges.I also worry about the children growing up here and not being able to identify racially with anyone in their classroom,apartment or city;Hating their hair and skin because it is not like everyone elses.It's hard to feel beautiful and comfortable in your own skin if you have no positive media or influences that verify black is beautiful.I have a hard time here and I am educated about my people,go to an HBCU,and very secure about my identity.My heart breaks for them.
Carlos told me they handle discrimination issues by reporting the incidents.He says a lot of the incidents are only seen in the media if a lot of people are reporting these incidents.We both agreed that much work needs to be done for people to 1) recognize them as Argentine and 2)to educate the people of the history.
I feel optimistic for the work that Carlos is doing and other organizations such as his, by building a community Afro-Argentinians in BA, but I also am worried about HOW much work still needs to be done.Living in a country where people believe there are Afro-Argentinians here but are sitting next to one, concerns me.How do you educate a country that for almost 150 years believed you don't exist in their country?
7 days.