Afro-Atlantic 001: Cuba and Yoruba

[BigMan]

I would like to introduce a new series to The Root that highlights connections between Africa and its diaspora in the so called New World. I will try to focus on connections between specific ethnic groups in Africa as we know that most of the nations of present day Africa have European made borders. I may repeat countries/ethnic groups as different ethnic groups were brought to the various colonies in the Americas.

As many of yall know while white supremacy and colonialism aimed to complete destroy the culture of captive African slaves, African culture survived in many ways. The first iteration of this series will focus on the Cuba and Yoruba connection. Please feel free to contribute/correct/educate.
shout outs to @MansaMusa @KidStranglehold @CashmereEsquire @Nemesis @Poitier @IllmaticDelta @305DeadCounty
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Demographics
A significant portion of the slaves brought to the Americas and Cuba in particular is significant.

It is estimated that over 600,000 Africans were taken from West Africa and shipped to Cuba over three centuries, with tens of thousands dying during the brutal Atlantic Crossing.


Most of these people were brought to Cuba between the 1780s and the 1860s, as the slave population rose from 39,000 to 400,000.


Cuba and the Slave Trade

The Yoruba were definitely NOT the only ethnic group brought to Cuba. OTher groups brought to Cuba in large numbers were the Kongo, Efik, Mande speaking peoples, and people from the 'Gold Coast". However, seemingly Yoruba culture dominated as The Yoruba were the largest enslaved ethnic group in Cuba by the mid 1800s thus making it easier to preserve their culture. The rise in the importation of Yoruba people in Cuba (and Brazil) correlates in the decline of the Oyo Empire, where many Yoruba speaking slaves originated. As a sidenote, the Oyo slave merchants worked mostly with Dutch and Portuguese slavers. The Portuguese slavers were responsible for bringing Yoruba slaves to Brazil and Cuba (and to a lesser extent the French Caribbean), circumventing the British enforced abolition of the slave trade.

In Cuba, the Yoruba were known by a variety of names. Some of these included: Oyo, Lucumi, Nago/Anago.

According to the The Concise Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume 1 and
The Yoruba Diaspora in the Atlantic World (available on Google Books), while Afro-Cubans are/were concentrated historically in the eastern parts of Cuba, most Yoruba entered Cuba through the port in Havana, and thus are more prevalent in western Cuba, including the cities of Havana and Matanzas.

As we know, Europeans did not properly record the ethnic origins of slaves. Many times, slaves were classified based on the port they left from and NOT their actual ethnic group. However, per Cuban records at least 9 percent of slaves that entered Cuba were of Yoruba origin.

Next post: Cabildos

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

In. Will add stuff about the collapse of Oyo and how it contributed Yoruba-led rebellions in Brazil and Cuba later on.

Note that the term 'Yoruba' was meant to describe the people who lived within Oyo. It later became applied to all peoples who spoke the language of the Oyo Empire when the British began colonizing the area.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

GOOD shyt!!!!

And featured!

 

[Bawon Samedi]

And Orisha dance..



In this video they are speaking in Yoruba and it seems to be a dance for one of the Orishas.

 

[BigMan]

Oh damn I ain't even finish lol how do you save posts

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

How Yoruba Soldiers Came to Lead Rebellions in Cuba and Bahia

Collapse of Oyo

In the first decade of the nineteenth century, a jihād began, led by Uthman dān Fodio, a Fulani preacher from the Sokoto region of northern Nigeria. Dān Fodio led Fulani troops in their attacks and conquest of Gobir, Katsina and Kano (the major city in the region) and built a Caliphate which became a major political force across West Africa and endured into the twentieth century. As the Sokoto Caliphate grew, its forces pushed south into Yoruba territories of what is now southern Nigeria, leading to the collapse of the longstanding empire of Oyo when the province of Ilorin seceded and joined the Sokoto troops

Shortly after, they overran the Yoruba city of Ilorin and then sacked Ọyọ-Ile, the capital city of the Oyo Empire. Further attempts by the Sokoto Caliphate to expand southwards were checked by the Yoruba who had rallied to resist under the military leadership of the city-state of Ibadan which rose from the old Oyo Empire, and of the Ijebu city-states.

However, the Oyo hegemony had been dealt a mortal blow. The other Yoruba city-states broke free of Oyo dominance, and subsequently became embroiled in a series of internecine wars, a period when millions of individuals were forcibly transported to the Americas and Caribbean, in such countries as Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Haiti and Venezuela among others.

Yoruba Civil Wars

Oyo, the great exporter of slaves in the eighteenth century, collapsed in a civil war after 1817, and by the middle of the 1830s the whole of Yorubaland was swept up in these civil wars. New centers of power--Ibadan, Abeokuta, Owo, and Warri--contested control of the trade routes and sought access to fresh supplies of slaves, which were important to repopulate the turbulent countryside. At this time, the British withdrew from the slave trade and began to blockade the coast. The blockade required some adjustments in the slave trade along the lagoons that stretched outward from Lagos, while the domestic market for slaves to be used as farm laborers and as porters to carry commodities to market easily absorbed the many captives that were a product of these wars.

War and slave raiding were complementary exercises among the Yoruba, who needed capital to buy the firearms with which they fought in a vicious cycle of war and enslavement. Military leaders were well aware of the connection between guns and enslavement.

Some of the emerging Yoruba states started as war camps during the period of chaos in which Oyo broke up and the Muslim revolutionaries who were allied to the caliphate conquered northern Yorubaland. Ibadan, which became the largest city in black Africa during the nineteenth century, owed its growth to the role it played in the Oyo civil wars. Ibadan's omuogun (war boys) raided far afield for slaves and held off the advance of the Fulani. They also took advantage of Benin's isolation to seize the roads leading to the flourishing slave port at Lagos. The threat that Ibadan would dominate Yorubaland alarmed its rivals and inspired a military alliance led by the Egba city of Abeokuta. Dahomey, to the west, further contributed to the insecurity by raiding deep into Yorubaland, the direction of raids depending upon its current alliances.

Yoruba Soldier-Slaves in Brazil and Cuba

The Malê revolt (also known as The Great Revolt) is perhaps the most significant slave rebellion in Brazil. On a Sunday during Ramadan in January 1835, in the city of Salvador da Bahia, a small group of black slaves and freedmen, inspired by Muslim teachers, rose up against the government. Muslims were called malê in Bahia at this time, from Yoruba imale that designated a Yoruba Muslim.

José Antonio Aponte, often known as “Black” José Aponte, (died April 9, 1812 in Havana) was a Cuban activist, military officer and carpenter of Yoruba origin who organized one of the largest slave conspiracies in his time, known as the Aponte Conspiracy of 1812.[1] He had formally been first corporal in Havana's black militia, and was the leader of his local Yoruba association.[2] His objective was to free people of color in Cuba from Spanish tyranny.[3] He gained a considerable following amongst black Cubans and was proclaimed by some as a suitable King of Cuba.[4] Aponte assumed leadership of the Afro-Cuban religious fraternity, Cabildo de Santa Barnara in around 1810, and they met in his home, plotting to overthrow the Spanish.[5]

Aftermath

Fearful that the whole state of Bahia would follow the example of Saint-Domingue (Haiti) and rise up and revolt, the authorities quickly sentenced four of the rebels to death, sixteen to prison, eight to forced labour, and forty-five to flogging. The remainder of the surviving leaders of the revolt were then deported back to Africa by the authorities; it is believed that some members of the Brazilian community in Lagos, Nigeria, Tabom People of Ghana are descended from this deportation, although descendants of these Afro-Brazilian repatriates are reputed to be widespread throughout West Africa (such as Sylvanus Olympio, the first president of Togo). The term "Aguda" on the other hand refers to the mainstream, predominantly Christian Brazilian returnees to Lagos who brought Roman Catholicism in their wake; which is why that denomination is often referenced in Yoruba as "Ijo Aguda" (The Portuguese Church). Fearing the example might be followed, the Brazilian authorities began to watch the malês very carefully and in subsequent years intensive efforts were made to force conversions to Catholicism and erase the popular memory and affection towards Islam. However, the African Muslim community was not erased overnight, and as late as 1910 it is estimated there were still some 100,000 African Muslims living in Brazil

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

Lecture on Yoruba soldier-slaves in Cuba and Bahia

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

Inter-State Warfare between the Asante Kingdom and the Oyo Empire

In 1763, the Asante vassal state of Akyem made contact with the Kingdom of Dahomey while planning a rebellion with other dissidents within the empire, including the Kwahu and Brong.[2] Meanwhile, the bantamahene, one of the major Asante military officers,[4] had been relentlessly pressuring Asantehene Kusi Oboadum for war. Bantamahene Adu Gyamera had even gone so far as to threaten the ruler's impeachment. The asantehene did not order an invasion, however, until learning that the Akyem had sought out aid from the Oyo Empire.[3]

Sometime in 1764, the Ashanti army marched out to invade the Dahomey. The exact size of neither force is known. What historians are sure of is that the Ashanti army was ambushed in or near Atakpamé in what is now Togo. A force of Dahomean infantry, including the kingdom's elite Ahosi corps of female soldiers, as well as levies from the Oyo Empire, inflicted a crushing defeat on the Ashanti army.[2] During the battle, the Juabenhene (head of the royal clan of Oyoko) was killed.[3] The Ashanti army never reached Dahomey and was forced to retreat.

Military of the Oyo Empire

Military[edit]
There was a high degree of professionalism in the army of the Oyo Empire.[30] Its military success was due in large part to its cavalry as well as the leadership and courage of Oyo officers and warriors.[30] Because its main geographic focus was north of the forest, Oyo enjoyed easier farming and thus a steady growth in population.[30] This contributed to Oyo's ability to consistently field a large force. There was also an entrenched military culture in Oyo where victory was obligatory and defeat carried the duty of committing suicide.[25] This do-or-die policy no doubt contributed to the military aggressiveness of Oyo's generals.[25]

Cavalry[edit]
The Oyo Empire was the only Yoruba state to adopt cavalry; it did so because most of its territory was in the northern savannah.[13] The origin of the cavalry is disputed; however, the Nupe, Borgu and Hausa in neighboring territories also used cavalry and may have had the same historical source.[31] Oyo was able to purchase horses from the north and maintain them in metropolitan Oyo because of partial freedom from the tsetse fly.[32] Cavalry was the long arm of the Oyo Empire. Late 16th and 17th century expeditions were composed entirely of cavalry.[13] There were drawbacks to this. Oyo could not maintain its cavalry army in the south but could raid at will.[11][33]

Cavalry in highly developed societies such as Oyo was divided into light and heavy.[13] Heavy cavalry on larger imported horses was armed with heavy thrusting lances or spears and also with swords.[13]Light cavalry on smaller indigenous ponies was armed with throwing spears or bows.[34] Oyo's cavalry forces included not only nobles, the norm in West African warfare, but foreign slaves from the Hausa, Nupe and Bornu states.[35]

Infantry[edit]
Infantry in the region around the Oyo Empire was uniform in both armor and armament. All infantry in the region carried shields, swords and lances of one type or another.[11] Shields were four feet tall and two feet wide and made of elephant or ox hide.[36] A 3-foot-long (0.91 m) heavy sword was the main armament for close combat.[36] The Yoruba and their neighbors used triple barbed javelins which could be thrown accurately from about 30 paces.[11]

Structure[edit]
The Oyo Empire, like many empires before it, used both local and tributary forces to expand its domains. The structure of the Oyo military prior to its imperial period was simple and closer aligned to the central government in metropolitan Oyo. This may have been fine in the 15th century when Oyo controlled only its heartland. But to make and maintain farther conquest, the structure underwent several changes.

The Eso[edit]
Oyo maintained a semi-standing army of specialist cavalry soldiers called the Eso or Esho.[37] These were 70 junior war chiefs who were nominated by the Oyo Mesi and confirmed by the Alaafin of Oyo.[37] The Eso were appointed for their military skill without regard to heritage and were led by the Are-Ona-Kakanfo.[25]

After Oyo's return from exile, the post of Are-Ona-Kakanfo was established as the supreme military commander.[38] He was required to live in a frontier province of great importance to keep an eye on the enemy and to keep him from usurping the government.[25] During Oyo's imperial period, the Are-Ona-Kakanfo personally commanded the army in the field on all campaigns.[25]

Metropolitan Army[edit]
Since the Are-Ona-Kakanfo could not reside near the capital, arrangements had to be made for the latter's protection in case of emergency. Forces inside metropolitan Oyo were commanded by the Bashorun, leading member of the Oyo Mesi.[38] As stated earlier, Metropolitan Oyo was divided into six provinces divided evenly by a river. Provincial forces were thus grouped into two armies, under the Onikoyi and the Okere for the east and west side of the river respectively.[38] Lesser war chiefs were known as Balogun, a title carried on by the soldiers of Oyo's successor state, Ibadan.[39]

Tributary Army[edit]
Tributary leaders and provincial governors were responsible for collecting tribute and contributing troops under local generalship to the imperial army in times of emergency.[9] Occasionally, tributary leaders would be ordered to attack neighbors even without the backing of the main imperial army.[9] These forces were often utilized in Oyo's distant campaigns on the coast or against other states.

 

[Poitier]

And to think, Cubans would be sending health workers back to West Africa to combat Ebola 100s of years after the first slaves from there were sent off

 

[Bawon Samedi]

And to think, Cubans would be sending health workers back to West Africa to combat Ebola 100s of years after the first slaves from there were sent off

Like I said Cubans are the only NOBLE island Hispanics.

These people sacrificed their economies to fight for Angola against racist ass Apartheid South Africa and they didn't even get a real thank you.

 

[BigMan]

@MansaMusa ibwanted to save this for a thread where I highlight Brazil but Muslim Yoruba slaves were known as Imale or male in the new world and led the Male Revolt

Many were deported back to Nigeria and became the Agudas/Saros in west Africa

Edit: lol my bad you posted this already

 

[badtguy]

Good thread. I would contribute but I'm always on my phone.

But

-Hilario Campos and the Campos family should be high lighted
Muniz family aswell. And actually alot of other families too many to name
Alakija family, Medeiros family, Desousa, Olympio

Alakijas in nigeria are completely black, Alakijas in Brazil are mixed and look white.

very interesting one of the few families who keep in touch

 

[BigMan]

Good thread. I would contribute but I'm always on my phone.

But

-Hilario Campos and the Campos family should be high lighted
Muniz family aswell. And actually alot of other families too many to name
Alakija family, Medeiros family, Desousa, Olympio

Alakijas in nigeria are completely black, Alakijas in Brazil are mixed and look white.

very interesting one of the few families who keep in touch

Those are Brazilians ? I was going to focus on Cuba for now

 

[Akata Man Bromo]

@Dip good shyt breh

 

[badtguy]

Those are Brazilians ? I was going to focus on Cuba for now

O aiight my b Hilario Campos and Muniz family are Cuban origin.

But the modern families are if Cuban and Brazilian origin. People use them interchangeable