AfroLatinidad

AfroLatinidad is a collective cultural identity of Latinos and Latinas of full or partial African descent. There are an estimated 200 million African descendants in 19 Latin American countries. AfroLatinidad celebrates the cultural similarities among many African Latinos in Latin America. AfroLatinidad is thus born from the mixing of different African, North, South and Central Latin American and indigenous American cultures. Often, seclusion and rejection of Eurocentral national identities force them to become marginalized economically and culturally.

Afro Latinidad is the experience of Afro-latinos, who are defined differently in the context of the United States and Latin America. According to Africana, the multi-volume encyclopedia, “the term refers to "the cultural experience of Spanish-speaking black people in what has become the territory of the United States." This definition directs to the momentum of the recent Afro-latino movement in the US. However, this may be a better explanation of Afro-Hispanics, due to the fact that Latinos included populations that reside in Latin America who speak French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Most countries in Latin America acknowledge African Latinos in their census; however they are often discriminated against and are not granted social and political equality. Only until recently, 15 million African descendants were recognized in Latin America. Biological identity is a major factor in defining AfroLatinidad and their social status. The widely accepted Eurocentric national identity does not include African Latino populations because of their mixed heritage and physical traits- specifically their dark skin. Their physical bodies do not constitute an authentic or pure meztizaje identity which isolates them socially(). AfroLatinidad has brought together the struggles of many African Latinos that mainly focus on high levels of poverty and also a rich cultural diversity. AfroLatinidad celebrates the cultural similarities among many Afro-Latinos in Latin America.

Ideology

Afro Latinidad is one of the few concepts regarding ethnic identity that was created by the scholar who identifies with the demographic. "Latinity" or "Latinidad" is an ideology that was formed with European imperial intentions; that indirectly erase the colonial memory of the Americas being built on ethnic stratification of Indians, Europeans, and Africans. Afro-latinos have subjectively given themselves this identity because they are aware of their historic and ancestral passage, as well as, the masnifetation of their population in today's society. As Afro-Latinos increasingly mobilize and demand recognition in Latin America, they begin to take back control and shaping their own narrative and historical fact; which is considerable due to the fact that presence and contribution many Latin American countries are now being recognized. This reclamation of their Latinidad is a form of transculturation, defined as a method and philosophy used by oppressed groups that are targets and victims of colonization. 

History

The economic and social structure of Latin America was created by imperialism; which formed a racial hierarchy according to a pigmentocracy, and positioning people on a ranked scale between pure white (European) and pure black (African or Indigenous). This racialization was composed during the American slave trade: 5% of enslaved Africans brought to Northen America, 60% of slaves brought to the West Indies and Central America, and 35% brought to Brazil. Many Latino intellectuals would explain that though different types of exploitations did exist in Latin America, it is now obsolete information because slavery was “gentler” in the southern region Americas and the indigenous were incorporated into society. In actuality, many Latino societies encourage interracial relationship during and after the abolishment of slavery. This gives the belief that because of this history of mixing that their nations do not have racial discrimination; or also defined as Latin American exceptionalism. This concept portrays that Latin American countries are less menacing than the United States when it comes to race and color. Even so, the treatment of slave and integrating does not erase legal discrimination of African decedents during the 1700s and 1800s: such as no legal bar to become free-men, the right to marry; purchase freedom. As a result, the implications of pigmentocracy and racial exclusion left out the experience of Afro-Latinos when creating what and whom it represented Latinity.

Cultural Expression

In terms of Diaspora, a concept redefined in Juan Flores book The Diaspora Strikes Back, AfroLatinidad’s history stretches back from African colonial rules and reinscribed their culture by incorporating Latino traditions. AfroLatinidad is essentially “a way of naming the kind of cultural fusion and hybridization typical of highly diasporic urban settings in the metropolis." AfroLatinos have created outlets for expression including dance, poetry, and music. Afrolatinidad is the collective expression of African Latinos and a declaration of culture through forms of art.

Hip Hop

Afro Latinos have adopted hip-hop and expressed through lyrics their struggles of living in high poverty neighborhoods in Latin America. AfroLatinidad has captured the essence of hip-hop by using music as an outlet of expression. Hip Hop originated from African American identities in New York City, the cultural context of hip hop reminisce sentiments of African American people. The transcendence of hip-hop from Latin America has emerged from transcultural migration of music. Hip Hop has also become a tool of unification, political voice and cultural representation. Artists like Eli Efi of Brazil rap about the injustices within their societies and the desire for freedom from discrimination and the freedom to black shame. Now, African Latinos can also exercise hip-hop to promote identity and community.

Television

An important outlet source that documents the story of Afro descendants in Latin America is African Latino television, which documents a new story of Afro descendants. The television documentary series highlights the influence that African descendants have had on Latino culture. African Latino television is working closely to bridge the gap of understanding between the African Latino and Latino communities.

World Cup

As discussed by Jean Muteba Rahier, from Florida International University, many Latino countries define national identity by attempting to encompass a non-AfroLatinidad identity. During the World Cup, countries are able to showcase their identity, which comes at the expense of Afro Latinos.

Afro Latinidad relies on The World Cup in order for the world to acknowledge the existence of this marginalized culture. The article specifically focuses on Afro-Ecuadorian players Carlos Tenorio and Agustín (Tin) Delgado and states that they “gave national pride to fans of a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds.” Their communities are represented through the Afro Latino players who were raised within them. Although impoverished, these pockets of culture contain within them a rich mixture of music, food, ideologies, practices, and values struggling against dominate social identities.

See also

• Afro-Latin American
• Afro-Haitian
• Afro-Brazilian
• Afro-Cuban
• Afro-Colombian
• Afro-Dominican
• Afro-Puerto Rican
• Afro-Panamanian

References

Mignolo, Walter D. “After ‘Latin’ America.” The Idea of Latin America, Blackwell, 2010, pp. 101–114.

Rivera, Raquel. "Between Blackness and Latinidad in the Hip Hop Zone." A Companion to Latino Studies. Vol. 23. N.p.: n.p., 2009. 351-62. Web.

Torres-Saillant, Silvio. "Afro-Latinas/os and the Racial Wall." A Companion to Latino Studies. Vol. 23. N.p.: n.p., 2009. 351-62. Web.