Africa and its role in Latino Culture
I am Black American not of any Spanish descent. I joined this website in an effort to get some answers to some nagging questions about Latino or Hispanic culture or whatever the politically correct term is now. I have been reading different forums and I see that as a whole Latinos are extremely proud of their Spanish roots. The following is an issue I'd like an educated and well-informed person to reply to.
Issue: I live in New Jersey, USA. The states that surround me are of course New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, etc. The Spanish-speaking population includes mainly Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Cubans, and various Central and South American Countries. I am addressing the Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban population because these are what comprises my cipher of acquaintances along with my own people. On a recent trip to the Dominican Republic my husband (who is Black American as well) and I were often greeted in Spanish, many times even approached by locals with the assumption that we could speak the language. My point is, we all looked the same. The women there get relaxers just like I do and that says alot about their African heritage. The resort that we stayed in even presented a play or skit of some sort that explained the history of DR and to no surprise to me, Africa is a major ancestress. Cuba and PR have similar histories with Africans being brought over as slaves and forced to cultivate the agriculture of these islands. But guess who their oppressors were? Spain, Portugal, England, France, the Dutch, etc. Spain pretty much gave PR, DR, and Cuba the language but if you do your research many other things like food, music and dance (the major components of any culture) are undeniably African. I don’t care to address the population of Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans who don’t have a physically noticeable African presence, I am addressing those that do. In this country I come across “black people” that look just like me, only they have Spanish last names, don’t speak a lick of Spanish, and blend in quite well with black American culture except when you call them black they say: “Oh I’m not black, I’m Spanish.” What? Okay whatever, I was born of a “black” parent and mixed raced parent and my maiden name is French but I don’t walk around claiming I’m French. I would never claim that because in this country when you look like me, you’re automatically at a social disadvantage. I think many Afro Latinos think by not acknowledging their blackness and claiming their European roots (being mainly the language), it puts them at a social advantage. But it doesn’t. White people (by the way, they own this country) see only skin. That won’t change by means of any governmental policies, so pretending your not black when you obviously are does nothing to boost your social standing. So why be so proud of the crumbs your oppressors handed your ancestors? Please do not take offense, but as a Black person in this country, I know where I stand. I know I can’t just smile on an interview and get the job. I got to have the education and the power suit to match it. I’m by no means Afro-eccentric, I’ve never even been to the motherland, I don’t which part of Africa my ancestors came from but I know that’s where they came from and I don’t pretend other wise no matter how light my skin may be (and it is) or how wavy my hair may be (and it is). There’s an old law in this country that says if you have an 1/8 of African blood in you, you are black. Think about how small 1/8 is. That says a lot about what American thinks. We can’t fool “them” so why do we try to fool ourselves.
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Africa and its role in Latino Culture
Latino culture is a has a multiracial heritage if you look at it historically. Many times the uneducated latino doesn't appreciate the contributions of africa or indigenous people to our culture. Partly it is due to the racialization that the Spanish and Portuguese imposed on all of us. Recently, the focus has been on people who have last names which "look" hispanic/latino but I think that is offensive to those who are feel they are part of the culture and lack the last name for whatever reason. As for the terminology, Hispanic gives too much credit to the spanish (Hispanic means people from spanish decent) - who like's to be remembered as so-and-so's friend or so-and-so's daughter? Especially if it was someone who hurt your ancestors. Personally, I perfer Latino. Also, it's more common for people who refer to themselves as hispanic to have been here for several generations (+5) and only speak english.
Also, many times the "brown" latinos have grown up with terms that have become second nature to them - again a combination of racialization and unedcation on the issue - which put down women, and people with african or indigenous roots. A few examples which come to mind are a comment made by the Mexican president, Vincente Fox, the show La India Maria (Maria the Indian - stigmatizes indians as being incompetent and dumb), and the comment "sacate el indio" (Take out your indigenousness - which means stop being so reactive/angry; stigmatizes indians as being impulsive and angry). There is a ways to go in coming to terms with our (Latino) culture and I know it is different in every Latin American Country.
I think that parhaps people who consider themselves Latino and have African roots do so because they have a connection with Latino Culture. However, anglo-americans have a sterotype about how people with african ancestry should be. I don't think that claiming one's spanish roots has any real prestige. To me it would just seem like something that is done because of the way the rest of the the US treats you.
Latino doesn't mean looking brown - although too often it is stigmatized as being such, even by latinos themselves. Before anything major goes on, I do hope my fellow Latinos will try to come to terms with their own racialization of cultural identity. This year at my school there was an Afro-Carribean event, but many were offended on both sides. Some wanted it to be a purely "Latino" event and others purely "African." I think that it should be both.
As for bilingual education - it stems from immigration. There is a large population of recent immigrants (1st generation or newer) that speak a common language and are sometimes stigmitized for not speaking good english. I don't think it's an issue of "we are the deserving ones". The issue keeps being brought up because there continues to be large numbers of Latinos coming to this country. And unless I have misunderstood what Latinos are asking of the education system - we don't want everyone to speak spanish. Instead we hope to develop a system which would provide these services to those who need them. If what you said (poppy41) is true, then I think the effort is pretty dumb. Hopefully, if it does occur, it will be a historically beginning to the inclusion of other languages as well.
I hope this answers many of your concerns. I don't try to justify any discrimination other Latinos have done against you - but I hope you can see that it's only because they aren't well informed on the issue and because of the racializtion begun by Europeans. I these kinds of dialogues keep coming up because these issues need to be discussed - not set aside.
So, thanks!
Biracial? Caucopalacian? Whatever...
Ok I already know that I might offend in my views, but I must first agree with the threads intial topic. I too, am a Black female. I was searching for something last night and stumbled on this site. Cruised around for a minute and read the topic of this thread and decided to join in order to post.
First of all, I believe that we all have a little bit of this or that in us in our family tree. On my mother's side I not only have Black, but I also have Cherokee flowing through my veins. From my father's side comes Choctaw,Black and German. My sister and I both have somewhat of high cheekbone features (though not as deep as our mother and greatgrandmother). When my hair is wet, it turns into curly locks,my mother's become's wavy. My father is deceased now, but I've been told that his hair was extremeley thick, yet wavy. All of this is fine and dandy, but it doesn't mean anything in the real world. For what they see is how one will be judged. My first and middle names could easily be considered Hispanic, yet my last name clearly states German. If I had a dollar for every interview I had, in which my name, experience and qualifications allowed me to get the interview, only to see the looks of disappointment, surprise and cluelessness when yours truly walked in I could be rich. The squirming in the seats dying to ask me if my last name was by marriage, for how could I possibly have it any other way? Right? Right. The fact in this brief scenario is, it wouldn't of made a bit of difference if I displayed my family crest. The only thing they could see was my Blackness. That in and of itself, is all that mattered and continues to matter to the masses. Growing up in Compton, CA and having a German last name, didn't make our lives any easier either. Especially when the majority of folks had Johnson, Smith, Jones, Washington etc as their surnames. My sister and I had too many fights to mention against students because of our last name. Because we were different. We didn't go around waving the German flag or even wearing Indian headdress and customes.For we knew we were Black. Even as an adult, I still feel like I have to fight for my Blackness. No one else seems to want to own up to it. To generalize for a min, too many mixed with Black are quick to downplay that part of them. Too many it seems, have bought into the hunk of crap White America was selling. It was White America that used other ethnicities (other than Black or White), to build up the White races totals. When the census only had Colored or White to choose from, it was easy for them to mark an Hispanic down as White. How else would they become the majority? Do your History. It was also then in the past and even today in the present, that Hispanics, Japanese,Italians etc. have all been told lies about Blacks that you have swallowed as fact. Such as Black people are lazy, don't want to work , live off of welfare etc. If Blacks are soo lazy, America wouldn't be where it is today. Think about it. While we were out in the fields picking cotton, and/or peanuts, we didn't have a workman's comp plan to rely on.We lacked health care,proper clothing, pay,steel toe boots,unemployment insurance or a living increase. Yet, every race in America, has been taught the opposite. Even the African's are quick to tell people they aren't Black.Same for the Middle Easterns, Puerto Ricans etc. In your eyes and others', to be Black, is a disgrace to "la raza". If anything at all, I would assume one would rather embrace the culture vs. degrading it. Is it safer for those with Black in their genes to imitate us, attempt to duplicate us and still denounce the Black side by disassociation to get ahead? We are the only race that didn't come here willingly. We helped build this country and hardly get credit for our accomplishments, yet you, me all of us benefit from them as well as from Black inventions. The cell phone for example, is one that comes to mind. Blacks have no other language because it was stripped from us. Basically lear Enlgish or die, yet here. In California, native Spanish speakers (some) refuse to learn English ad want everyone else to learn Spanish. That to me is nonsense. Haven't we done enough for you and all the other races that came here? Its 2005, and the color of a person's skin still determines a persons character and its a shame that people of color continue to stay divided on this and only unite when one thinks they can get something from it.By the way,last time I checked, Whites were in the lead with Mexicans a close second on receiving welfare.
Peace
The Human Race
I think all cultures have been affected by a differing culture at least once in history, some leaving a mark that lasted just a moment others that have left a mark that can still be seen today. As far as I know there is not an African lineage in our family but that doesn' mean there isn't one. My father is Mexican-American who grew up poor on a farm, my mother is Scottish/Irish/English-American (AKA White) who grew up poor in coal mining camps. I am olive complected with dark brown hair and eyes and almost make it to 5'3 in height. I grew up in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood in Southwest Texas as was the elementary school I went to. There was a more cultural and ethinic diversity once I attended junior high and hign school and even more so when I attended college. Growing up and experiencing life and people has taught me at least one lesson, no one race/ethinicity has cornered the market on being poor, racisim, prejudice, discrimmination and just plain cruelty. I experienced racisim and prejudice due to not being "all" Mexican when I was growing up. This came from strangers, fellow classmates and my father's family as well, they were even worse to my mother, who to some she was just the "Gringa" that my father married. As I became older I could see a change in some people I would meet when they found out that I was Mexican as well as S/I/E (White). But I have also experienced prejudice from people of other race/ethnic backgrounds. I don't have an answer to the current racial issues we all are facing at this time but it does seem to me that it is okay to be proud and vocal of your race and ethnic background unless you are White. If I went around proclaiming that I am proud to be a Mexican I would not be seen as threatening but rather the opposite, I would be seen as someone who is not afraid to be "who they are". But, if I went around and started proclaiming that I was proud to be White, those who were around me would feel threatened or become offended or angry. I don't understand why. If I am asked what my racial and or ethnic background is I proudly and clearly state Mexican and White. For I am both. I think it is possible to maintain your culture and ethinicity as well as appreciate those that differ from yours. There is no "pure" race or ethinic group. I don't know, maybe I am wrong. I just think it is sad that as a society, we are so consumed with how different we are that we cannot appreciate how similar we are and use that to come together as the Human Race. Thank you for this forum to express my opinion.
The human race-response
I agree with everything you said. I agree that every race is guilty of prejudice at some level. I agree that you should be able to express your pride in being white but unfortunately for you, the existence of discriminatory groups such as the KKK and the US government during the time of segregation left an ugly legacy associated with the term "white people". That is not to say that we believe that all "white people" are prejudice or violent but hurtful memories are attached to that term.
I'm sure the cultures that insulted you as a young woman have left emotional scars and that is an equally hurtful and more personal memory.
Pride in one's culture/heritage/race is a beautiful thing except when used to denigrate or claim superiority over another.
Color, culture, race, ethnicity, nationality -
My father is a native Dominican, US nationalized. He does not have white skin or straight hair, and does not consider himself black or white. He consideres his ethnicity & culture Dominican, and he now considers his nationality American. His native language is Spanish and English is his second language. My mother is a native Puerto Rican, who by birth is an American citizen because of that. Her skin color is not black and her hair is not curly. Spanish is her native language and her second language is English. She does does consider herself black or white. She considers her ethnicity and culture Puerto Rican, and considers her nationality American. I am a native New Yorker, born & raised in the US and lived and visited extensively the Domican Republic and Puerto Rico throughout my entire life. I now live in Miami, which has a large Cuban population. My skin color is white but can tan very easily. My hair is thin & straight. My brother has tanned/light brown skin, his hair is very dark, thick & wavy. My other brother has high yellow colored skin, mestizo they call it, very curly, not straight or thin at all. We are all distinctively different in those aspects. However, our features are a combination of African, Spanish, and Indian peoples. My brothers & I consider our nationality American, and we are very proud of that. English is our native language and Spanish is our second language. We consider our cullture & ethnicity Hispanic, and our heritage to be specifically Dominican and Puerto Rican. This includes all of our ancestors which are African, Indian and Spanish. And we are very, very proud of it. All 3 of us have clearly different skin tones, hair color & type, etc. yet we look exactly alike - same eye shape, nose, lips, so many likenesses & so many differences at the same time. Sadly, our entire lives we have been treated differently by people based on those differences. In the US we are percieved to be different from one another depending on what part of the country we are in. Sometimes I am assumed to be "white", my one brother is assumed to be "Latin/Hispanic" & my other brother is assumed to be "Black" or "mixed black & white". Sometimes we're all considered to be mixed - black & white.. Interesting, huh? There are many Latin & Carribean countries where there are no or limited black people and where there are no or limited white people. Yet they ALL remain Latin/Hispanic or Caribean. Some have a mix - others are more one than another. But all feel they are Hispanic/Latin/Caribbean - their ethnicity & culture mean more - others are extremely defensive about being perceived as "white" or "black" - or vice/versa. But here in the US, I find it best to be very clear of my own nationality, my own culture my own ethnicity, and my own heritage - and race means least of all in my life....Xiomara A. Sosa, NSHP President & CEO
black man with panamainian heritage
i am black my grandparent born and lives in panama my mom was born in the US but raise in panama as for me i was born in the US , my mom and grandparents always called themselves black with hispanic heritage. we know our ancestors are from africa and we acknowledge this. i put black on the census. if you ever go to panama look and see how black it is, it just we speak spanish.