Essential Afro-Latino/ Caribbean Current Events
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Some of these islands are just too small to survive without help/resources
Local producers want better deal
Added by Barbados Today on October 2, 2016.
Saved under Local News
Director of Hall-e-wood Productions Rommell Hall made a strong appeal to the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to give local producers a better deal as he addressed the launch of the Barbados Visual Media Festival last night.
Hall, the brain behind the Barbadian sitcom series Keeping up with the Joneses, complained it was a big challenge to get their content on the CBC and he stressed the need for the state-owned broadcasting corporation to be more flexible.
Director of Hall-e-wood Productions Rommell Hall
“It is really daunting, when as a filmmaker, the hardest part of the process is whether or not I will be able to get my content on the lone television station in Barbados and this is not right.
“I’m really calling for the channels and negotiations to be reopened between the association [Barbados Film and Video Association] and with CBC,” stressed Hall.
He suggested that CBC must move beyond airing local programmes mainly during Independence celebrations to ensure more exposure for local producers while the television station would benefit from quality content.
“If CBC would show more local content outside of November things would go so much more smoothly for the organization,” he said, adding, “I’m really hoping CBC can get on board with us”.
Turning his attention to local producers, Hall encouraged filmmakers to be unapologetically Barbadian in their work, saying “We need to be Barbadian, we need to do our own thing for our own people and if the stories are good enough they will travel across the world.
“It is not going to be an easy road. We have to push, we have to put the structure in place, we have to keep pressing forward and we will have a successful industry.”
Andrea King, director of the Cultural Industries Development Authority (CIDA), told the gathering that the Ministry of Culture was currently in the process of developing a policy to strengthen the development of the Barbados Film and Digital Media Commission.
Andrea King, director of the Cultural Industries Development Authority
“The Commission promises to be beneficial to local and international filmmakers,” said King, adding that it was intended to market Barbados internationally to attract foreign production companies to use the island as a filming location for productions.
King pointed that that a film commissioner’s desk had already been established at CIDA and as a result, shoots from Canada, Europe and the United States of America had taken place over the last 18 months.
Stressing the importance of the cultural industry to the island’s economy, the CIDA director said, “We have heard repeatedly that the traditional sectors of agriculture and manufacturing are declining and Barbados can no longer depend on these sectors to lead its economic growth. Even tourism, the leading sector, has the potential to die if offers do not go beyond the sea and the sand.
The [film] industry stands to be enhanced as Barbados increases its capacity with the staging of some festivals such as this one, and using the filmmaking whether by offering Barbados as a location or through the exploitation of core production opportunities to boost the economy.”
The film festival concludes on October 31. (katrinaking@barbadostoday.bb)
Local producers want better deal
Added by Barbados Today on October 2, 2016.
Saved under Local News
Director of Hall-e-wood Productions Rommell Hall made a strong appeal to the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to give local producers a better deal as he addressed the launch of the Barbados Visual Media Festival last night.
Hall, the brain behind the Barbadian sitcom series Keeping up with the Joneses, complained it was a big challenge to get their content on the CBC and he stressed the need for the state-owned broadcasting corporation to be more flexible.
Director of Hall-e-wood Productions Rommell Hall
“It is really daunting, when as a filmmaker, the hardest part of the process is whether or not I will be able to get my content on the lone television station in Barbados and this is not right.
“I’m really calling for the channels and negotiations to be reopened between the association [Barbados Film and Video Association] and with CBC,” stressed Hall.
He suggested that CBC must move beyond airing local programmes mainly during Independence celebrations to ensure more exposure for local producers while the television station would benefit from quality content.
“If CBC would show more local content outside of November things would go so much more smoothly for the organization,” he said, adding, “I’m really hoping CBC can get on board with us”.
Turning his attention to local producers, Hall encouraged filmmakers to be unapologetically Barbadian in their work, saying “We need to be Barbadian, we need to do our own thing for our own people and if the stories are good enough they will travel across the world.
“It is not going to be an easy road. We have to push, we have to put the structure in place, we have to keep pressing forward and we will have a successful industry.”
Andrea King, director of the Cultural Industries Development Authority (CIDA), told the gathering that the Ministry of Culture was currently in the process of developing a policy to strengthen the development of the Barbados Film and Digital Media Commission.
Andrea King, director of the Cultural Industries Development Authority
“The Commission promises to be beneficial to local and international filmmakers,” said King, adding that it was intended to market Barbados internationally to attract foreign production companies to use the island as a filming location for productions.
King pointed that that a film commissioner’s desk had already been established at CIDA and as a result, shoots from Canada, Europe and the United States of America had taken place over the last 18 months.
Stressing the importance of the cultural industry to the island’s economy, the CIDA director said, “We have heard repeatedly that the traditional sectors of agriculture and manufacturing are declining and Barbados can no longer depend on these sectors to lead its economic growth. Even tourism, the leading sector, has the potential to die if offers do not go beyond the sea and the sand.
The [film] industry stands to be enhanced as Barbados increases its capacity with the staging of some festivals such as this one, and using the filmmaking whether by offering Barbados as a location or through the exploitation of core production opportunities to boost the economy.”
The film festival concludes on October 31. (katrinaking@barbadostoday.bb)
Local producers want better deal
A graceful life: Jeannette Boyd Rodríguez and San José's Afro-Costa Rican history
NATASHA GORDON-CHIPEMBERE | 2 DAYS AGO
Three generations: Jeannette Boyd Rodríguez (center, in white) surrounded by some of her daughters and granddaughters. Natasha Gordon-Chipembere / The Tico Times
I love how history can instantly be rewritten by the insertion of an individual narrative. I have always wondered about Afro-Costa Rican lives that start in San José rather than the Caribbean city of Limón. Where are those stories?
The ones we hear are the usual linear narratives of “Leave Limón and ‘arrive’ in San José, mimicking the same migratory patterns (and dreams?) of those landing in the “land of milk and honey” – the United States. But what was life like as an Afro-Costa Rican who was raised in San José without a familial Limón base? Were there differences in the ways that black identity played out in each regional space?
In order to figure this out, I decided to speak to one of the elders in my family: my cousin’s grandmother. Jeannette (Jenny) Boyd Rodríguez was born in the late 1930s in San José and raised in Paquera, on the Nicoya Peninsula, home to her wealthy, landowning paternal grandparents. Jenny and her twin brother grew up as the only black children in the community, without any memory of racial distinctions.
Once her parents divorced at the age of six, Jenny and her brother and mother moved to San José with her maternal grandparents. Jenny does remember that though she lived in a multi-racial San José, her mother maintained friendships with the several other black families in Puntarenas. Jenny grew up in Barrio Luján, attending the public school known as the Escuela Metálica. A native Spanish speaker, Jenny learned English later in life.
Jenny tells me that there were three black families in San José when she grew up and they forged an informal community, mostly based within the church setting: the Beckles, the Curlings and her family, the Rodríguez. Curious about our family connection, I asked Jenny how she met my maternal grandmother, Leonora Robotham (Gourzong) in Limón’s Barrio Roosevelt. Her story testified to an entire patchwork of friendships that shifted the patterns of migration which were assumed to go one way only: Limón to San José.
Reversing that order, Jenny explained to me it was in my grandmother’s house that she spent many of her school holidays from San José. This became the summer address for Jenny and her brother as they forged friendships within Limón. Jenny remembers fondly that my grandfather, Stephen Robotham, would start singing and playing his violin and his “saw,” signaling bedtime for all kids: my mom and her three sisters lived there and eventually, Jenny would become best friends with my Tía Sylvia, the eldest of my grandparent’s children.
Jeanette “Jenny” Boyd Rodríguez. Natasha Gordon-Chipembere / The Tico Times
By the 1960s, the migration of Limón youth to San José became a steady stream that included my mother’s family. Socially, they gravitated to the Good Shepard Episcopal Church in San José because of the English-language service. There, social dances and Bible study groups became a natural outcome of friendships that have lasted over five decades.
In San José, much of Jenny’s life centered on her family’s business, Soda La Venta near Avenida 10 in San Jose. It was celebrated for its pasteles and fresco de frutas. Jenny’s job was to carry dinner from the family home to the Soda every day after school.
In Barrio Luján, the teenage focus soon became baseball for the boys. As her brother and cousins went to practice, there was one outstanding young man from Limón playing as well: Florencio “Lorenzo” Levi Christie Douglas, handsome, determined and a young man with a dream, was interested in Jenny right from the start and asked her brother, Bradley, for an introduction. It was only after beginning the Escuela Normal de Costa Rica, now the Universidad Nacional, at the age of 17 to study to become a teacher, that Jenny begin to take Lorenzo’s interest seriously. Novios for four years, it was only once Jenny graduated that she agreed to marry Lorenzo in 1958. She went on to a teaching career spanned 30 years of dedicated teaching and mentoring.
Lorenzo’s story is an “American Dream” narrative of the 1930s. Born in Puerto Viejo to cacao farmers, Lorenzo had singular ideas about making a better life for himself. He moved to Limón to study and worked at the dock at night to make extra money. My great-Uncle, Charles Gourzong, who ran the payroll for the Northern Railway Company, began advising young Lorenzo in this way: at the end of the pay week, Lorenzo came to collect a rather large paycheck for all his overtime work on the docks. Uncle Charlie was astonished at such a large sum of money, so he advised Lorenzo to invest it while saving a portion for further education.
That lesson was forever etched in Lorenzo’s head when he moved to San José. A wizard with numbers, Lorenzo completed a certificate in accounting and auditing. The perks of being completely bilingual in English and Spanish included the ability to secure a job at an U.S.-owned company where he would eventually work his way up from accountant to CEO and General Manager.
Theirs was a marriage of elegance and grace. They have two children, Carol and Lorenzo, Jr. and seven grandchildren. Lorenzo, a proud Black man, looked to Nelson Mandela as a role model and always dreamed of visiting South Africa. He was legendary for keeping a map in his home office so that his grandchildren would love to travel. Lorenzo and Jenny invested in property; though they were initially told they could not purchase the land because they were black, they finally built their dream house in Rohrmoser, which was an exclusive mostly-Jewish enclave in San Jose. The home stands 100 meters from the home of former President Oscar Arias.
An avid reader and softball player, Lorenzo gathered the black male elites in San José and began the Tropical Club, an Afro-Costa Rican association which lasted about ten years. The wives of these influential men also started their own club, The Association of Women of the Caribbean (Damas Del Caribe) and they are still going strong, ready to celebrate their upcoming 50th anniversary. Jenny is one of eighteen founding members whose mission is completely philanthropic: their work is centred on helping Afro-Costa Ricans in San José and Limón. They raise money to support students who come to study in San José and organizations in Limón such as the city’s nursing home, or Asilo de Ancianos.
In ending our talk, Jenny shares what life has been like in the last four years since Lorenzo passed: 54 years of marriage to such a powerful and proud Afro-Costa Rican man made Jenny realize that her job is to encourage the next generation of her grandchildren and their children to continue the legacy of their grandfather’s work and vision.
Hard work, education, voracious reading, travel, firm spirituality, and a loving family and extended community are the magic ingredients to a life of grace. I continue to learn about the diversity of Costa Rica, one which ruptures stereotypes about the presence of Afro-Costa Ricans. I am so honored to have Jenny in my life as a role model. Her story traces an unusual arc on the pages of 20th century Costa Rican history that many do not envision. Blackness was never a burden for Jenny, but rather a celebration of one aspect of who she is: Afro-Costa Rican, wife, mother, grandmother, and visionary.
Read more from Natasha Gordon-Chipembere here.
Natasha Gordon-Chipembere holds a PhD in English. She is a writer, professor and founder of the Tengo Sed Writers Retreats. In June 2014, she moved to Heredia, Costa Rica with her family from New York. She may be reached at indisunflower@gmail.com. Her column “Musings from an Afro-Costa Rican” is published monthly.
A graceful life: Jeannette Boyd Rodríguez and San José's Afro-Costa Rican history
NATASHA GORDON-CHIPEMBERE | 2 DAYS AGO
Three generations: Jeannette Boyd Rodríguez (center, in white) surrounded by some of her daughters and granddaughters. Natasha Gordon-Chipembere / The Tico Times
I love how history can instantly be rewritten by the insertion of an individual narrative. I have always wondered about Afro-Costa Rican lives that start in San José rather than the Caribbean city of Limón. Where are those stories?
The ones we hear are the usual linear narratives of “Leave Limón and ‘arrive’ in San José, mimicking the same migratory patterns (and dreams?) of those landing in the “land of milk and honey” – the United States. But what was life like as an Afro-Costa Rican who was raised in San José without a familial Limón base? Were there differences in the ways that black identity played out in each regional space?
In order to figure this out, I decided to speak to one of the elders in my family: my cousin’s grandmother. Jeannette (Jenny) Boyd Rodríguez was born in the late 1930s in San José and raised in Paquera, on the Nicoya Peninsula, home to her wealthy, landowning paternal grandparents. Jenny and her twin brother grew up as the only black children in the community, without any memory of racial distinctions.
Once her parents divorced at the age of six, Jenny and her brother and mother moved to San José with her maternal grandparents. Jenny does remember that though she lived in a multi-racial San José, her mother maintained friendships with the several other black families in Puntarenas. Jenny grew up in Barrio Luján, attending the public school known as the Escuela Metálica. A native Spanish speaker, Jenny learned English later in life.
Jenny tells me that there were three black families in San José when she grew up and they forged an informal community, mostly based within the church setting: the Beckles, the Curlings and her family, the Rodríguez. Curious about our family connection, I asked Jenny how she met my maternal grandmother, Leonora Robotham (Gourzong) in Limón’s Barrio Roosevelt. Her story testified to an entire patchwork of friendships that shifted the patterns of migration which were assumed to go one way only: Limón to San José.
Reversing that order, Jenny explained to me it was in my grandmother’s house that she spent many of her school holidays from San José. This became the summer address for Jenny and her brother as they forged friendships within Limón. Jenny remembers fondly that my grandfather, Stephen Robotham, would start singing and playing his violin and his “saw,” signaling bedtime for all kids: my mom and her three sisters lived there and eventually, Jenny would become best friends with my Tía Sylvia, the eldest of my grandparent’s children.
Jeanette “Jenny” Boyd Rodríguez. Natasha Gordon-Chipembere / The Tico Times
By the 1960s, the migration of Limón youth to San José became a steady stream that included my mother’s family. Socially, they gravitated to the Good Shepard Episcopal Church in San José because of the English-language service. There, social dances and Bible study groups became a natural outcome of friendships that have lasted over five decades.
In San José, much of Jenny’s life centered on her family’s business, Soda La Venta near Avenida 10 in San Jose. It was celebrated for its pasteles and fresco de frutas. Jenny’s job was to carry dinner from the family home to the Soda every day after school.
In Barrio Luján, the teenage focus soon became baseball for the boys. As her brother and cousins went to practice, there was one outstanding young man from Limón playing as well: Florencio “Lorenzo” Levi Christie Douglas, handsome, determined and a young man with a dream, was interested in Jenny right from the start and asked her brother, Bradley, for an introduction. It was only after beginning the Escuela Normal de Costa Rica, now the Universidad Nacional, at the age of 17 to study to become a teacher, that Jenny begin to take Lorenzo’s interest seriously. Novios for four years, it was only once Jenny graduated that she agreed to marry Lorenzo in 1958. She went on to a teaching career spanned 30 years of dedicated teaching and mentoring.
Lorenzo’s story is an “American Dream” narrative of the 1930s. Born in Puerto Viejo to cacao farmers, Lorenzo had singular ideas about making a better life for himself. He moved to Limón to study and worked at the dock at night to make extra money. My great-Uncle, Charles Gourzong, who ran the payroll for the Northern Railway Company, began advising young Lorenzo in this way: at the end of the pay week, Lorenzo came to collect a rather large paycheck for all his overtime work on the docks. Uncle Charlie was astonished at such a large sum of money, so he advised Lorenzo to invest it while saving a portion for further education.
That lesson was forever etched in Lorenzo’s head when he moved to San José. A wizard with numbers, Lorenzo completed a certificate in accounting and auditing. The perks of being completely bilingual in English and Spanish included the ability to secure a job at an U.S.-owned company where he would eventually work his way up from accountant to CEO and General Manager.
Theirs was a marriage of elegance and grace. They have two children, Carol and Lorenzo, Jr. and seven grandchildren. Lorenzo, a proud Black man, looked to Nelson Mandela as a role model and always dreamed of visiting South Africa. He was legendary for keeping a map in his home office so that his grandchildren would love to travel. Lorenzo and Jenny invested in property; though they were initially told they could not purchase the land because they were black, they finally built their dream house in Rohrmoser, which was an exclusive mostly-Jewish enclave in San Jose. The home stands 100 meters from the home of former President Oscar Arias.
An avid reader and softball player, Lorenzo gathered the black male elites in San José and began the Tropical Club, an Afro-Costa Rican association which lasted about ten years. The wives of these influential men also started their own club, The Association of Women of the Caribbean (Damas Del Caribe) and they are still going strong, ready to celebrate their upcoming 50th anniversary. Jenny is one of eighteen founding members whose mission is completely philanthropic: their work is centred on helping Afro-Costa Ricans in San José and Limón. They raise money to support students who come to study in San José and organizations in Limón such as the city’s nursing home, or Asilo de Ancianos.
In ending our talk, Jenny shares what life has been like in the last four years since Lorenzo passed: 54 years of marriage to such a powerful and proud Afro-Costa Rican man made Jenny realize that her job is to encourage the next generation of her grandchildren and their children to continue the legacy of their grandfather’s work and vision.
Hard work, education, voracious reading, travel, firm spirituality, and a loving family and extended community are the magic ingredients to a life of grace. I continue to learn about the diversity of Costa Rica, one which ruptures stereotypes about the presence of Afro-Costa Ricans. I am so honored to have Jenny in my life as a role model. Her story traces an unusual arc on the pages of 20th century Costa Rican history that many do not envision. Blackness was never a burden for Jenny, but rather a celebration of one aspect of who she is: Afro-Costa Rican, wife, mother, grandmother, and visionary.
Read more from Natasha Gordon-Chipembere here.
Natasha Gordon-Chipembere holds a PhD in English. She is a writer, professor and founder of the Tengo Sed Writers Retreats. In June 2014, she moved to Heredia, Costa Rica with her family from New York. She may be reached at indisunflower@gmail.com. Her column “Musings from an Afro-Costa Rican” is published monthly.
A graceful life: Jeannette Boyd Rodríguez and San José's Afro-Costa Rican history
CULTURE
For Affirmative Action, Brazil Sets Up Controversial Boards To Determine Race
5:14
For Affirmative Action, Brazil Sets Up Controversial Boards To Determine Race
5:14
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LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO
Lucas Siqueira identified himself as mixed race on his application for a job at Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The government decided he wasn't, and his case is still on hold. As part of the affirmative action program in Brazil, state governments have now set up boards to racially classify job applicants.
Courtesy of Lucas Siqueira
When the test scores came out, Lucas Siqueira, 27, was really excited. His high mark on the Foreign Service exam earned him a coveted position at Brazil's highly competitive Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"They hire 30 diplomats a year and thousands of people sign up," he says in fluent English from his home in Brasilia, the capital.
It was, he says, a great day.
Siqueira considers himself to be mixed race, known in Brazil as pardo, or brown.
"I consider myself to be a very typical Brazilian and I've always been very proud of it. In my dad's family, my grandfather is black, my grandmother has Indian and white roots. And on my mother's side they are mostly white, mostly Portuguese," he said.
How he defines himself matters because he was required to self-identify on his application. In 2014, the government introduced a quota system for federal jobs. The affirmative action regulations require that 20 percent of all government positions be filled by people of color — either black or mixed race.
The problem came once the announcement of the appointments was made public.
People started investigating the background of who had gotten the slots. They got into Siqueira's Instagram, his Facebook feed and they sent his personal photos to the government.
"A lot of people sent pictures saying, 'Oh, this dude is white, he's a fraud,'" Siqueira says.
Job offer put on hold
People basically said he was gaming the system, lying about who and what he is to get one of the jobs. The backlash shocked him. He said he hadn't even considered the quota system. He just put down what he considered himself to be.
But the controversy wouldn't go away. The government was getting so much flack that it put Siqueira's offer on hold.
And then the government went a step further.
In response to the outcry, it set up a kind of race committee to review his case, and a few others.
He was asked to present himself to a panel of seven diplomats in a room who would decide if he was really Afro-Brazilian, as he claimed.
They asked him a bunch of questions such as, "Since when do you consider yourself to be a person of this color?"
And then it was over.
What they decided was that he was not pardo, or mixed race. No explanation. No discussion. So he decided to sue.
And that's when this story gets even more complicated. Because in order to "prove" that he was Afro-Brazilian, his lawyers needed to find some criteria. He went to seven dermatologists who used something called the Fitzpatrick scale that grades skin tone from one to seven, or whitest to darkest. The last doctor even had a special machine.
"Apparently on my face I'm a Type 4. Which would be like Jennifer Lopez or Dev Patel, Frida Pinto or John Stamos. On my limbs I would be Type 5, which is Halle Berry, Will Smith, Beyonce and Tiger Woods," he said.
Like most people he has different skin tones on different parts of his body. But in none of these tests did he come out as lighter skinned.
He says the whole thing struck him as completely bizarre because identity, he says, is made up of more than just physical characteristics.
But this wasn't just an isolated incident.
Mandatory for all government jobs
A few weeks ago, these race tribunals were made mandatory for all government jobs. In one state, they even issued guidelines about how to measure lip size, hair texture and nose width, something that for some has uncomfortable echoes of racistphilosophies in the 19th century.
"It is something terrible. I believe this kind of strategy can weaken the support of society for affirmative action policies," says Amílcar Pereira, an associate professor at the School of Education in the Federal University of Rio, who studies race relations. "These policies have huge support ... the majority of Brazilian society supports affirmative action."
"But this kind of commission can jeopardize the support because it's so controversial. It's unacceptable to come back to the 19th century, to determine who is black and who is not," he says.
But the race commissions have a lot of support from the black community.
Leizer Vaz is coordinator of NGO Educafro, which works to open up access to education for black Brazilians. He, like most black activists here, supports the commissions. The reason is simple — history.
"We are very far from the equality," he says from his home in Sao Paulo.
Brazil was the last place to give up slavery in the Americas, abolishing it in 1888. The country imported more enslaved Africans than any other — some 5 million.
Wide disparities
The legacy of the period can still be felt today. Even though the majority of the population is of African descent, only 5 percent of Afro-Brazilians were in higher education as recently as 10 years ago. Because of affirmative action, that number is now 15 percent. Vaz says these are hard won gains, but there is a long way to go.
"Only 5 percent of executives are black in Brazil, politicians, diplomats, all things, so the black people don't access the space of power in my country. This is the real issue we have," he says.
In the U.S., race is still largely determined by parentage because of the history of the "one drop rule," where white institutions historically deemed a person black if they had even one drop of black blood.
In Brazil, he says, the criteria is different. Skin tone matters more than race, because so much of the population is mixed.
"Who is more affected by racism? Who has the chance to be more affected by (discrimination) in this country?" he says.
He says the commissions are good because they act as a deterrent for those who want to take precious government jobs away from marginalized groups.
"In my opinion the value of the commission is to (keep out) white people who intend to make a fraud," he adds.
He acknowledges that determining this will be messy in a country where 45 percent of the population considers themselves mixed race.
But ultimately, he says, Brazil is trying to right a historic wrong.
"It's controversial, but the general result is good. Because we are giving a chance for poor black people to access the space of power that we never had this in Brazil," he said.
Lucas Siqueira, who is still waiting for his case to be resolved, says he understands that there is racism in Brazil, but he doesn't think it is the government's job to determine what someone is.
"I think we are going down a very dangerous path if we want to institutionalize these kinds of racial tribunals," Siqueira says.
He says he sits in the middle: not white, not black, and now, not embraced by either side.
A walk through the National Museum of Afro-Peruvian History
October 3, 2016
Christopher Lewis
The importance of this museum’s existence in Central Lima is grand, and too often overlooked – even by the government that supports it.
Recently, I've become interested in the history of Afro-Peruvians and have been trying to find whatever I can to read on this subject, and even watched a few documentaries on YouTube to learn more. I had read that Peru is the only Latin American nation to make a formal apology for slavery and the racism it has shown towards their Afro-Peruvian population over the years. As I was returning to Lima again soon I did some searching for museums and came across a listing for the National Museum of Afro-Peruvian History. I noted the address so I could find it upon my next visit.
I set out on a Thursday morning by taxi to find the museum, which I knew would take some time to locate as it's located in Central Lima, past the Plaza de Armas. We drove for about 35 minutes from my hotel in Miraflores and the fare was S/ 22. I arrived around 11:45 a.m. and, after taking a few photos of the outside of the museum, I walked through the open doors and a man asked why I was there. I told him I wanted to see the museum and he had me wait with another man who had arrived for a tour as well. A short time later our guide appeared and was ready to lead us through the museum. (I asked if they had tours in English but they said only in Spanish at this time.)
At the entrance of Nacional Museo de Afro-Peruano (Photo: Christopher Lewis)
The stories all begin in Africa and Europe with the European slave trade, most notably with Portugal. With the Spanish discovering and conquering South America, the slave trade began in these new territories. It was surprising to learn that more slaves were brought to Peru and Colombia than the entire slave trade in the United States – 12 million during the South American trade alone.
Even though some documentaries say slavery in Peru was different than in the U.S., it was still just as brutal as far as punishments and control. Many slaves didn't live past 30 years of age; in one noted hacienda there were 1,289 births and 1,245 deaths in just one month. With the slaves living in squalid conditions there was no need to worry too much about their health as far as slave owners were concerned, as the births would replace the deaths.
The first slaves in Peru arrived in Tumbes in 1528 and from there were dispersed to Lima, Ica, Trujillo, and Chicalayo. The port of Callao became a huge point of landing for African slaves.
It is true in some ways there was more freedom for slaves in Peru than in the United States and inter-marriage was allowed by the Catholic church between races. The slaves were allowed to celebrate holidays and have their own fiestas and traditions, some of which are still a part of Peruvian life today.
The slaves weren't allowed much meat in their diets but anticuchos are one food that the slaves created by using what they were given. As you pass through the rooms of the museum it's evident how the slaves' culture contributed clothing styles, musical instruments (such as the Cají³n) and dance traditions to the wider Peruvian culture.
Slavery was finally (mostly) eradicated in 1851 with Simon Bolivar and the independence of Peru. There were still some policies in place to keep some in servitude, with ever-increasing age limits or monetary relief that would take some years to pay off. It wasn't until 1856 that slavery was officially brought to an end in Peru.
The museum is government supported, but appears to be in disrepair (Photo: Christopher Lewis)
In more modern times you see how Afro-Peruvians have been fighting for rights and equality in the culture. You see images of past popular Afro-Peruvian sports and social icons but also how far Peru has to go in allowing educational and career-wide access to their Afro-Peruvian brothers and sisters.
The museum is totally free for visitors and the government supports its operations. Unfortunately, one of the things you notice right off hand is the museum's state of disrepair. A few of the floor areas are corded off because of holes and the graphics used on signage could definitely be more modern. The subject matter is important and the museum is interesting to visit with knowledgeable tour guides and staff, something for all of us to invest it.
National Museum of Afro-Peruvian History
Address: Casa de Tres Monedas, Jr. Ancash 542, Central Lima
Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A walk through the National Museum of Afro-Peruvian History
October 3, 2016
Christopher Lewis
The importance of this museum’s existence in Central Lima is grand, and too often overlooked – even by the government that supports it.
Recently, I've become interested in the history of Afro-Peruvians and have been trying to find whatever I can to read on this subject, and even watched a few documentaries on YouTube to learn more. I had read that Peru is the only Latin American nation to make a formal apology for slavery and the racism it has shown towards their Afro-Peruvian population over the years. As I was returning to Lima again soon I did some searching for museums and came across a listing for the National Museum of Afro-Peruvian History. I noted the address so I could find it upon my next visit.
I set out on a Thursday morning by taxi to find the museum, which I knew would take some time to locate as it's located in Central Lima, past the Plaza de Armas. We drove for about 35 minutes from my hotel in Miraflores and the fare was S/ 22. I arrived around 11:45 a.m. and, after taking a few photos of the outside of the museum, I walked through the open doors and a man asked why I was there. I told him I wanted to see the museum and he had me wait with another man who had arrived for a tour as well. A short time later our guide appeared and was ready to lead us through the museum. (I asked if they had tours in English but they said only in Spanish at this time.)
At the entrance of Nacional Museo de Afro-Peruano (Photo: Christopher Lewis)
The stories all begin in Africa and Europe with the European slave trade, most notably with Portugal. With the Spanish discovering and conquering South America, the slave trade began in these new territories. It was surprising to learn that more slaves were brought to Peru and Colombia than the entire slave trade in the United States – 12 million during the South American trade alone.
Even though some documentaries say slavery in Peru was different than in the U.S., it was still just as brutal as far as punishments and control. Many slaves didn't live past 30 years of age; in one noted hacienda there were 1,289 births and 1,245 deaths in just one month. With the slaves living in squalid conditions there was no need to worry too much about their health as far as slave owners were concerned, as the births would replace the deaths.
The first slaves in Peru arrived in Tumbes in 1528 and from there were dispersed to Lima, Ica, Trujillo, and Chicalayo. The port of Callao became a huge point of landing for African slaves.
It is true in some ways there was more freedom for slaves in Peru than in the United States and inter-marriage was allowed by the Catholic church between races. The slaves were allowed to celebrate holidays and have their own fiestas and traditions, some of which are still a part of Peruvian life today.
The slaves weren't allowed much meat in their diets but anticuchos are one food that the slaves created by using what they were given. As you pass through the rooms of the museum it's evident how the slaves' culture contributed clothing styles, musical instruments (such as the Cají³n) and dance traditions to the wider Peruvian culture.
Slavery was finally (mostly) eradicated in 1851 with Simon Bolivar and the independence of Peru. There were still some policies in place to keep some in servitude, with ever-increasing age limits or monetary relief that would take some years to pay off. It wasn't until 1856 that slavery was officially brought to an end in Peru.
The museum is government supported, but appears to be in disrepair (Photo: Christopher Lewis)
In more modern times you see how Afro-Peruvians have been fighting for rights and equality in the culture. You see images of past popular Afro-Peruvian sports and social icons but also how far Peru has to go in allowing educational and career-wide access to their Afro-Peruvian brothers and sisters.
The museum is totally free for visitors and the government supports its operations. Unfortunately, one of the things you notice right off hand is the museum's state of disrepair. A few of the floor areas are corded off because of holes and the graphics used on signage could definitely be more modern. The subject matter is important and the museum is interesting to visit with knowledgeable tour guides and staff, something for all of us to invest it.
National Museum of Afro-Peruvian History
Address: Casa de Tres Monedas, Jr. Ancash 542, Central Lima
Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A walk through the National Museum of Afro-Peruvian History
Photos Of Women And Children Survivors Tell A Different Story About Colombia’s Struggles
“If I had experienced what they have, I don’t know if I would have the inner strength to be as optimistic and open.”
10/07/2016 08:21 am ET | Updated 14 hours ago
Priscilla Frank | Arts Writer, The Huffington Post
MAUREEN DRENNAN
Afro-Colombian youth prepare to perform for a small community that hosts many displaced families.
”You read and see on the news a certain portrait of Colombia which unfortunately highlights the violence, the paramilitary and other armed groups, and corruption ― if you hear news about Colombia at all,” photographer Maureen Drennan wrote in an email to The Huffington Post. “These aspects of Colombia are a reality, but not the only story.”
Just last weekend, on Oct. 2, Colombian citizens voted to reject a peace deal between the government, led by President Juan Manuel Santos and the guerrillas, also known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC. This decision leaves the future of the country, which has endured over 50 years of internal armed conflict, frightfully uncertain.
While the conflict persisting in Colombia threatens the military, government and civilians alike, it’s often women and children who suffer the brunt of the violence.
MAUREEN DRENNAN
The community of Usme, on the outskirts of Bogota, is a new home to families who have fled from violence in other parts of the country, seeking the relative safety of Bogota. Many still struggle to find peace and stability.
In 2015, Drennan traveled to Colombia, her camera in tow, along with an international women’s human rights organization called MADRE, supporting the rights of women and children and protecting survivors of war. MADRE partners with another organization called Taller de Vida, or “Workshop of Life,” which used art and activism to, as Drennan expressed, “promote healing for war survivors and build more peaceful communities.”
Taller de Vida and MADRE also prioritize providing care and counseling for children exploited as soldiers as well as survivors of sexual violence, both of whose voices are often silenced in larger conversations on the state of Colombia. “It is a complicated situation,” Drennan said.
“Taller de Vida is helping people who were war survivors, which could include a former child soldier traumatized by the violence they were forced to commit as well as person who was exploited by a soldier. So, in the same community center you have perpetrators and survivors, and everyone is working to heal and move forward. It is a delicate situation that is also emotionally powerful.”
MAUREEN DRENNAN
Afro-Colombian youth have often faced racist discrimination. Through Taller de Vida’s workshops, they have a space to celebrate their culture and connect with each other.
On her journey, Drennan hoped to capture a truthful portrait of the state of Colombia, and, potentially, a different vision than that of the one-dimensional, war-torn country that often circulates television screens and newspaper pages. “This trip was a chance for us to speak directly with local activists, who know firsthand what war does to people and communities and who are working every day to heal those wounds,” Drennan continued.
While Drennan encountered injustice and pain among the civilians devastated by decades of violence, she also found strength. “What surprised me was how strong and resilient many of these young war survivors were,” the photographer said. “If I had experienced what they have, I don’t know if I would have the inner strength to be as optimistic and open.”
Drennan’s photographs dwell in this space of hope and resilience, without resorting to sugarcoating or visual cliches. One image depicts a dance class, in which survivors of violence and sexual assault learn to reclaim their bodies through movement. Another captures the heart-wrenching drawings made by children who, in Drennan’s words, “have never known a life without war.”
MAUREEN DRENNAN
Taller de Vida and MADRE support children who have never known a life without war. Through creative workshops, these children learn how to express their fears and hopes in healthy ways.
Although she wanted to share the stories of the people she met, documenting and celebrating all that they’d overcome, Drennan was careful not to endanger them in the process. In many of her photographs, the faces of her subjects are purposefully obscured to protect their safety.
“In some cases, they or their families might have been targeted by an armed group or they might have formerly been in an armed group and have escaped,” she said. “Now, they are restoring their lives and trying to help others who might have been war survivors.” When visiting a sexual violence shelter, Drennan photographed the space itself but none of the inhabitants because they faced security risks.
Drennan’s series captures, with a powerful mix of honesty and optimism, the courage and spirit of people whose stories are often kept out of view. The images hint at human experiences we can never truly understand, hopefully inspiring viewers to start a conversation, take action, or at the very least, learn more of the stories that don’t make front page news.
“I hope that seeing these images and hearing the individual stories will foster some empathy,” Drennan said. “And people can help by supporting the work of grassroots women’s groups and peace organizers. They are the ones who will help people get back on their feet and create peaceful futures.”
Read our coverage of another Drennan photography series, portraits chronicling her husband’s battle with depression, here.
Maureen Drennan
Taller de Vida offers counseling and support to the young women who live in this shelter for survivors of sexual violence.
Maureen Drennan
When the children participate in art class, they build friendships with other young people whose lives have been marked by war, guided by the mentorship of Taller de Vida activists.
Maureen Drennan
David, a youth leader in a town which hosts many displaced families from the ongoing war in Colombia.
Maureen Drennan
Stella Duque, director of Taller de Vida, grew up in an activist family and was trained as a clinical psychologist. She joins those parts of her background in her work to heal and demand rights for young Colombians.
Maureen Drennan
Through dance workshops, young participants learn how to express themselves through movement, and survivors of violence regain the sense of control over their bodies that was robbed from them.
Maureen Drennan
When the children who benefit from Taller de Vida’s work get older, they often step up as leaders and mentors in their own right. They counsel other young war survivors, drawing strength from their shared experience.
Maureen Drennan
A woman who lives in a small community that houses many displaced families.
Photos Of Women And Children Survivors Tell A Different Story About Colombia's Struggles
“If I had experienced what they have, I don’t know if I would have the inner strength to be as optimistic and open.”
10/07/2016 08:21 am ET | Updated 14 hours ago
Priscilla Frank | Arts Writer, The Huffington Post
MAUREEN DRENNAN
Afro-Colombian youth prepare to perform for a small community that hosts many displaced families.
”You read and see on the news a certain portrait of Colombia which unfortunately highlights the violence, the paramilitary and other armed groups, and corruption ― if you hear news about Colombia at all,” photographer Maureen Drennan wrote in an email to The Huffington Post. “These aspects of Colombia are a reality, but not the only story.”
Just last weekend, on Oct. 2, Colombian citizens voted to reject a peace deal between the government, led by President Juan Manuel Santos and the guerrillas, also known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC. This decision leaves the future of the country, which has endured over 50 years of internal armed conflict, frightfully uncertain.
While the conflict persisting in Colombia threatens the military, government and civilians alike, it’s often women and children who suffer the brunt of the violence.
MAUREEN DRENNAN
The community of Usme, on the outskirts of Bogota, is a new home to families who have fled from violence in other parts of the country, seeking the relative safety of Bogota. Many still struggle to find peace and stability.
In 2015, Drennan traveled to Colombia, her camera in tow, along with an international women’s human rights organization called MADRE, supporting the rights of women and children and protecting survivors of war. MADRE partners with another organization called Taller de Vida, or “Workshop of Life,” which used art and activism to, as Drennan expressed, “promote healing for war survivors and build more peaceful communities.”
Taller de Vida and MADRE also prioritize providing care and counseling for children exploited as soldiers as well as survivors of sexual violence, both of whose voices are often silenced in larger conversations on the state of Colombia. “It is a complicated situation,” Drennan said.
“Taller de Vida is helping people who were war survivors, which could include a former child soldier traumatized by the violence they were forced to commit as well as person who was exploited by a soldier. So, in the same community center you have perpetrators and survivors, and everyone is working to heal and move forward. It is a delicate situation that is also emotionally powerful.”
MAUREEN DRENNAN
Afro-Colombian youth have often faced racist discrimination. Through Taller de Vida’s workshops, they have a space to celebrate their culture and connect with each other.
On her journey, Drennan hoped to capture a truthful portrait of the state of Colombia, and, potentially, a different vision than that of the one-dimensional, war-torn country that often circulates television screens and newspaper pages. “This trip was a chance for us to speak directly with local activists, who know firsthand what war does to people and communities and who are working every day to heal those wounds,” Drennan continued.
While Drennan encountered injustice and pain among the civilians devastated by decades of violence, she also found strength. “What surprised me was how strong and resilient many of these young war survivors were,” the photographer said. “If I had experienced what they have, I don’t know if I would have the inner strength to be as optimistic and open.”
Drennan’s photographs dwell in this space of hope and resilience, without resorting to sugarcoating or visual cliches. One image depicts a dance class, in which survivors of violence and sexual assault learn to reclaim their bodies through movement. Another captures the heart-wrenching drawings made by children who, in Drennan’s words, “have never known a life without war.”
MAUREEN DRENNAN
Taller de Vida and MADRE support children who have never known a life without war. Through creative workshops, these children learn how to express their fears and hopes in healthy ways.
Although she wanted to share the stories of the people she met, documenting and celebrating all that they’d overcome, Drennan was careful not to endanger them in the process. In many of her photographs, the faces of her subjects are purposefully obscured to protect their safety.
“In some cases, they or their families might have been targeted by an armed group or they might have formerly been in an armed group and have escaped,” she said. “Now, they are restoring their lives and trying to help others who might have been war survivors.” When visiting a sexual violence shelter, Drennan photographed the space itself but none of the inhabitants because they faced security risks.
Drennan’s series captures, with a powerful mix of honesty and optimism, the courage and spirit of people whose stories are often kept out of view. The images hint at human experiences we can never truly understand, hopefully inspiring viewers to start a conversation, take action, or at the very least, learn more of the stories that don’t make front page news.
“I hope that seeing these images and hearing the individual stories will foster some empathy,” Drennan said. “And people can help by supporting the work of grassroots women’s groups and peace organizers. They are the ones who will help people get back on their feet and create peaceful futures.”
Read our coverage of another Drennan photography series, portraits chronicling her husband’s battle with depression, here.
Maureen Drennan
Taller de Vida offers counseling and support to the young women who live in this shelter for survivors of sexual violence.
Maureen Drennan
When the children participate in art class, they build friendships with other young people whose lives have been marked by war, guided by the mentorship of Taller de Vida activists.
Maureen Drennan
David, a youth leader in a town which hosts many displaced families from the ongoing war in Colombia.
Maureen Drennan
Stella Duque, director of Taller de Vida, grew up in an activist family and was trained as a clinical psychologist. She joins those parts of her background in her work to heal and demand rights for young Colombians.
Maureen Drennan
Through dance workshops, young participants learn how to express themselves through movement, and survivors of violence regain the sense of control over their bodies that was robbed from them.
Maureen Drennan
When the children who benefit from Taller de Vida’s work get older, they often step up as leaders and mentors in their own right. They counsel other young war survivors, drawing strength from their shared experience.
Maureen Drennan
A woman who lives in a small community that houses many displaced families.
Photos Of Women And Children Survivors Tell A Different Story About Colombia's Struggles
IMF sets Dominican Republic's growth at 5%+: EFE
Economy - 4 October 2016, 3:44 PM
Miches, big tourism boost soon...
Washington.- Central America's economy continues its good growth trend as a whole with 3.9% in 2016 and 4.1% in 2017, after 4.2% in 2015, with Panama and Dominican Republic heading the expansion both surpassing 5%, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Tuesday, EFE reports.
In its Global Economic Prospects report released today by the IMF at the start of its joint annual meeting with the World Bank (WB), held this week, the entity also estimates for the Dominican Republic solid growth, exceeding 5% this year.
"The average growth of the Central American countries however will lead to rising inflationary pressures, as the agency expects last year's price index of 1.4% will rise to 2.5% this year and 3% the next," the report said.
Leading Central America's and the Caribbean's growth is the Dominican Republic, which will close this year with a strong increase in GDP of 5.9%, but the trend is expected to decelerate with expected growth at 4.5% next year.
Panama, the major regional engine, "will post lower rates than the Asian figures of past years" and is expected to grow 5.2% in 2016 and 5.8% in 2017.
Nicaragua follows with a projected GDP growth of 4.5% this year and 4.3% next year; followed by Costa Rica, which the Fund estimates at 4.2% and 4.3%, respectively.
IMF sets Dominican Republic's growth at 5%+: EFE
Economy - 4 October 2016, 3:44 PM
Miches, big tourism boost soon...
Washington.- Central America's economy continues its good growth trend as a whole with 3.9% in 2016 and 4.1% in 2017, after 4.2% in 2015, with Panama and Dominican Republic heading the expansion both surpassing 5%, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Tuesday, EFE reports.
In its Global Economic Prospects report released today by the IMF at the start of its joint annual meeting with the World Bank (WB), held this week, the entity also estimates for the Dominican Republic solid growth, exceeding 5% this year.
"The average growth of the Central American countries however will lead to rising inflationary pressures, as the agency expects last year's price index of 1.4% will rise to 2.5% this year and 3% the next," the report said.
Leading Central America's and the Caribbean's growth is the Dominican Republic, which will close this year with a strong increase in GDP of 5.9%, but the trend is expected to decelerate with expected growth at 4.5% next year.
Panama, the major regional engine, "will post lower rates than the Asian figures of past years" and is expected to grow 5.2% in 2016 and 5.8% in 2017.
Nicaragua follows with a projected GDP growth of 4.5% this year and 4.3% next year; followed by Costa Rica, which the Fund estimates at 4.2% and 4.3%, respectively.
IMF sets Dominican Republic's growth at 5%+: EFE
When identity and pride are silenced
By Dr Glenville Ashby Monday, October 10 2016
Book: Afro-Mexican Constructions of Diaspora, Gender, Identity and Nation Author: Paulette A Ramsey PAULETTE A Ramsey delivers a poignantly revealing statement on Mexico’s racial and cultural mosaic. From the annals of literary art and historical archives she unearths the hidden role of blacks in that nation’s past. Unfortunately the picture she presents is smeared with political elitism, rebellion, racism and sexism.
While Mexico’s rich past is sealed with the soaring architectural signatures of its indigenous peoples those days of glory were marked with betrayal and exploitation.
Ramsey’s work is replete with enduring lessons far removed from old beliefs carved by Eurocentric teachings.
Ramsey sets the record straight: “...on 21 April 1519, when Hernan Cortes disembarked for the first time in Veracruz, the three hundred Africans who accompanied his team of conquistadores during the first expeditions were the first Africans to land in Mexico.” She juxtaposes this assertion with the daring thesis of Ivan Van Sertima who argued that Egyptians and Nubians arrived in Mexico as early as the 13th century.
Ramsey, though, addresses the pivotal role of Cortes’ blacks in cementing a European presence in Mexico, making particular mention of the conquest of Tenochtitlán for which they were never duly rewarded.
While some became personal slaves after fighting major battles, others assumed various positions in the military. This we learn, “served as an incentives to lure blacks to enlist in future expeditions for the pursuit of fame and glory.” But later, the unbridled enslavement of Africans uprooted from their native land was met with stirring resistance. This gave birth to the Yanga maroons whose circumstances mirrored the events that unfolded in Jamaica centuries later.
Undoubtedly, black existentialism was rooted in resistance to oppression. Their involvement in Mexico’s War of Independence is detailed by Ramsey. “Blacks,” she notes, “readily joined the revolution because they regarded it as way of ending slavery, as well as gaining independence.” Politically and militarily involved in Mexican life, many blacks rose to influential positions, none more so than Vincente Guerrero who eventually held the highest office of the land, and Jose Maria Morelos, a general of note.
As president, Guerrero’s clash with the powerful oligarchy led to his demise but not before instituting radical social changes.
Still, Mexico racial infection moved a nation toward a new form of racial branding, a unique racial construct that all but eviscerated black identity.
The promotion of the mestizaje as the face of Mexico saw the marginalisation and eventual disappearance of blackness as an inextricable part of the Mexican racial and cultural aesthetic. Ramsey pens, “Visibly black Mexicans were neglected and left in remote areas of the country while popular discourse promulgated the myth that they had eventually become totally diluted and absorbed.” She adds, “This myth became so dominant and masked Mexico’s heterogeneity to such an extent that even visibly black Mexicans and descendants of indigenous groups accepted the ideology of mestizaje and apparently ended up with no consciousness of race or of themselves as blacks or as indigenous peoples.” And black culture, wherever it existed in Mexico was brutalised in art and entertainment.
The result is the stereotyping of blacks as ignorant, mindless, violent and disloyal. These prejudicial distortions have become part of Mexico’s collective unconscious.
Ramsey uses the widely popular comic book series, Memin Pinguin, to corroborate her argument. Although “a source of great entertainment,” she pens, “it facilitates the excavation of underlying meanings, historical facts, political ideologies, and broader aspects of culture …[that leads] to the conclusion that, whether consciously or subconsciously, intentionally or inadvertently, Memin Penguin exposes and communicates Mexico’s disregard for racial and ethnic pride and understanding of diversity and difference...” And black femininity is also pilloried in the portrayal of Memin’s mother who is cold, violent toward her child, classless, corpulent and uneducated.
Art, again - this time in the form of the folk tale, Jauniquiyo el oso (Little John the Bear) conjures the unique, tortuous experience of the black female during slavery. A fierce survivalist she employs every wile to protect herself and children from dehumanisation.
Ramsey is soundly interpretative: “The plight of the black slave woman is poignantly played out in this allegorical tale in which the female is deprived of freedom of choice and of control over her own physical body. Her repeated rape by the bear, the metaphorical representation of the violent dominating male, dualist ally connotes the links between gender and nature/ecology...
the repeated sexual assault on her body...
produces a child - a hybrid - “half-man, half-bear” like the mulatto offspring, who often was the result of the rape of the black slave women by white owners and overseers.” Ramsey’s blend of historiography and art depicts a persistent identity crisis in the black diaspora. It is a problem that transcends the borders of Mexico with far reaching sociological and psychological implications.
For sure, the genetic imprints of the plantation system are found in every strata of society, not only in the progeny of the oppressed. And in Mexico this racial virus is spread wittingly or unwittingly through the celebrated medium of art.
Afro-Mexican Constructions of Diaspora, Gender, Identity and Nation by Paulette A.
Ramsey © 2016 The University of the West Indies Press, Mona, Jamaica ISBN: 978-976-640-579-3 Available: UWI Press and Amazon Rating: Recommended Feedback: glenvilleashby@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby
When identity and pride are silenced
By Dr Glenville Ashby Monday, October 10 2016
Book: Afro-Mexican Constructions of Diaspora, Gender, Identity and Nation Author: Paulette A Ramsey PAULETTE A Ramsey delivers a poignantly revealing statement on Mexico’s racial and cultural mosaic. From the annals of literary art and historical archives she unearths the hidden role of blacks in that nation’s past. Unfortunately the picture she presents is smeared with political elitism, rebellion, racism and sexism.
While Mexico’s rich past is sealed with the soaring architectural signatures of its indigenous peoples those days of glory were marked with betrayal and exploitation.
Ramsey’s work is replete with enduring lessons far removed from old beliefs carved by Eurocentric teachings.
Ramsey sets the record straight: “...on 21 April 1519, when Hernan Cortes disembarked for the first time in Veracruz, the three hundred Africans who accompanied his team of conquistadores during the first expeditions were the first Africans to land in Mexico.” She juxtaposes this assertion with the daring thesis of Ivan Van Sertima who argued that Egyptians and Nubians arrived in Mexico as early as the 13th century.
Ramsey, though, addresses the pivotal role of Cortes’ blacks in cementing a European presence in Mexico, making particular mention of the conquest of Tenochtitlán for which they were never duly rewarded.
While some became personal slaves after fighting major battles, others assumed various positions in the military. This we learn, “served as an incentives to lure blacks to enlist in future expeditions for the pursuit of fame and glory.” But later, the unbridled enslavement of Africans uprooted from their native land was met with stirring resistance. This gave birth to the Yanga maroons whose circumstances mirrored the events that unfolded in Jamaica centuries later.
Undoubtedly, black existentialism was rooted in resistance to oppression. Their involvement in Mexico’s War of Independence is detailed by Ramsey. “Blacks,” she notes, “readily joined the revolution because they regarded it as way of ending slavery, as well as gaining independence.” Politically and militarily involved in Mexican life, many blacks rose to influential positions, none more so than Vincente Guerrero who eventually held the highest office of the land, and Jose Maria Morelos, a general of note.
As president, Guerrero’s clash with the powerful oligarchy led to his demise but not before instituting radical social changes.
Still, Mexico racial infection moved a nation toward a new form of racial branding, a unique racial construct that all but eviscerated black identity.
The promotion of the mestizaje as the face of Mexico saw the marginalisation and eventual disappearance of blackness as an inextricable part of the Mexican racial and cultural aesthetic. Ramsey pens, “Visibly black Mexicans were neglected and left in remote areas of the country while popular discourse promulgated the myth that they had eventually become totally diluted and absorbed.” She adds, “This myth became so dominant and masked Mexico’s heterogeneity to such an extent that even visibly black Mexicans and descendants of indigenous groups accepted the ideology of mestizaje and apparently ended up with no consciousness of race or of themselves as blacks or as indigenous peoples.” And black culture, wherever it existed in Mexico was brutalised in art and entertainment.
The result is the stereotyping of blacks as ignorant, mindless, violent and disloyal. These prejudicial distortions have become part of Mexico’s collective unconscious.
Ramsey uses the widely popular comic book series, Memin Pinguin, to corroborate her argument. Although “a source of great entertainment,” she pens, “it facilitates the excavation of underlying meanings, historical facts, political ideologies, and broader aspects of culture …[that leads] to the conclusion that, whether consciously or subconsciously, intentionally or inadvertently, Memin Penguin exposes and communicates Mexico’s disregard for racial and ethnic pride and understanding of diversity and difference...” And black femininity is also pilloried in the portrayal of Memin’s mother who is cold, violent toward her child, classless, corpulent and uneducated.
Art, again - this time in the form of the folk tale, Jauniquiyo el oso (Little John the Bear) conjures the unique, tortuous experience of the black female during slavery. A fierce survivalist she employs every wile to protect herself and children from dehumanisation.
Ramsey is soundly interpretative: “The plight of the black slave woman is poignantly played out in this allegorical tale in which the female is deprived of freedom of choice and of control over her own physical body. Her repeated rape by the bear, the metaphorical representation of the violent dominating male, dualist ally connotes the links between gender and nature/ecology...
the repeated sexual assault on her body...
produces a child - a hybrid - “half-man, half-bear” like the mulatto offspring, who often was the result of the rape of the black slave women by white owners and overseers.” Ramsey’s blend of historiography and art depicts a persistent identity crisis in the black diaspora. It is a problem that transcends the borders of Mexico with far reaching sociological and psychological implications.
For sure, the genetic imprints of the plantation system are found in every strata of society, not only in the progeny of the oppressed. And in Mexico this racial virus is spread wittingly or unwittingly through the celebrated medium of art.
Afro-Mexican Constructions of Diaspora, Gender, Identity and Nation by Paulette A.
Ramsey © 2016 The University of the West Indies Press, Mona, Jamaica ISBN: 978-976-640-579-3 Available: UWI Press and Amazon Rating: Recommended Feedback: glenvilleashby@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby
When identity and pride are silenced
Jamaicans Encouraged to Participate in Heritage Week Celebrations
By E. Hartman Reckord October 10, 2016
Photo: Rudranath Fraser | Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, addresses the National Heritage Week Thanksgiving Church Service held on Saturday (October 9) at the Andrew’s Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church.
A series of events will be held across the island to celebrate National Heritage Week, from Saturday October 8 to Monday October 17.
The events, organized by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport will be held under the theme, “Our Heritage…Our Legacy…Our Strength.”
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange said that activities will be held in each parish and will include church services, library exhibitions, candle light vigils, heritage sites school tours and the National Heroes Day Salute and Awards ceremonies.
She encouraged Jamaicans to participate in the Paul Bogle Day march from Stony Gut to Morant Bay Square in St Thomas, on Tuesday, October 11, beginning at 6 p.m., as well as the annual Nanny Celebrations in Bump Grave in Moore Town, Portland, on National Heroes Day, Monday, October 17, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
“Brothers and sisters, I encourage all of you to participate and support the activities and events for the Heritage Week celebrations and where possible, to also create your own,” she said.
She was speaking at the annual National Heritage Week Thanksgiving Church Service held today (October 8) at the Andrew’s Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church, 29 Hope Road, Kingston 10.
Minister Grange said that persons can visit the JCDC’s website at www.jcdc.gov.jm for more information on the celebrations.
Additionally, the Minister mentioned plans to honour the achievements of the Rio athletes with special celebratory activities over the Heroes weekend.
Commenting on the theme for Heritage Week, Ms. Grange reminded Jamaicans “to reflect on the strength and vigour of those who have come before us and their tireless impassioned works upon which we now build.”
“As we focus on our heritage and our past strengths. Let us take lessons from the past to chart our future and our legacy,” she said.
By E. Hartman Reckord October 10, 2016
Photo: Rudranath Fraser | Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, addresses the National Heritage Week Thanksgiving Church Service held on Saturday (October 9) at the Andrew’s Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church.
A series of events will be held across the island to celebrate National Heritage Week, from Saturday October 8 to Monday October 17.
The events, organized by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport will be held under the theme, “Our Heritage…Our Legacy…Our Strength.”
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange said that activities will be held in each parish and will include church services, library exhibitions, candle light vigils, heritage sites school tours and the National Heroes Day Salute and Awards ceremonies.
She encouraged Jamaicans to participate in the Paul Bogle Day march from Stony Gut to Morant Bay Square in St Thomas, on Tuesday, October 11, beginning at 6 p.m., as well as the annual Nanny Celebrations in Bump Grave in Moore Town, Portland, on National Heroes Day, Monday, October 17, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
“Brothers and sisters, I encourage all of you to participate and support the activities and events for the Heritage Week celebrations and where possible, to also create your own,” she said.
She was speaking at the annual National Heritage Week Thanksgiving Church Service held today (October 8) at the Andrew’s Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church, 29 Hope Road, Kingston 10.
Minister Grange said that persons can visit the JCDC’s website at www.jcdc.gov.jm for more information on the celebrations.
Additionally, the Minister mentioned plans to honour the achievements of the Rio athletes with special celebratory activities over the Heroes weekend.
Commenting on the theme for Heritage Week, Ms. Grange reminded Jamaicans “to reflect on the strength and vigour of those who have come before us and their tireless impassioned works upon which we now build.”
“As we focus on our heritage and our past strengths. Let us take lessons from the past to chart our future and our legacy,” she said.
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CREOLE IN THE PARK, MAJOR TOURISM BOOST FOR DOMINICA
Published: Monday, 10 October 2016 16:33
The 13th annual FLOW Creole in the Park is anticipated to attract patrons from around the globe as the biggest event of the year leading up to the World Creole Music Festival.
The official launching ceremony of the event scheduled for October 24th to 27th was held on Thursday at the Fort Young Hotel.
The Honourable Minister for Tourism and Urban Renewal, Senator Robert Tonge, the CEO of the Discover Dominica Authority and Director Of Tourism, Colin Piper, Dominica Police Force, Operations Officer, ASP Richmond Valentine, Bishop Gabriel Malzaire and Flow General Manager, Jeffrey Baptiste were among those who attended the ceremony.
The Hon Tourism Minister, Senator Robert Tonge, pledged the support and collaboration of his ministry for the staging of the annual event.
“In this event we bring many of these attributes and skills that define our Dominican culture and civilizations. We are much more adept than others to preparing the best creole meals, creating music and other art forms to tell our stories and highlight the achievements of our nation of 38 years. But we also create the conditions for cultural entrepreneurs to sell their goods and services to the many visitors and locals who will attend this four-day event,” Hon Tonge remarked.
Director of Tourism, Colin Piper, applauded FLOW for their dedication to hosting the event for these 13 years.
He considers it admirable that FLOW would invest such an amount of human and financial resources into this event.
“FLOW, you are obligating your company to a financial investment and granted there are marketing and promotional benefits for you, which are understandable, but I choose focus on the overall benefit to the nation that such activities accrue; such as boosting economic activities, extending the window of activities so that visitors have more to see and do.”
For the 13 years of the event, FLOW formerly LIME has partnered with the Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division to host Creole in the Park at the Botanic Gardens.
Director of the Forestry, Wildlife and Park Division, Minchinton Burton, revealed that through the donation of the event’s part proceeds from gate receipts, the division has been able to undertake significant upgrade and maintenance of the Botanic Gardens.
Burton appealed to the various patrons of the event to help ensure the upkeep of the Botanic Gardens during the festivities.
He pleaded, “Please assist us in protecting the irrigation infrastructure installed at the Botanic Gardens. Every effort should be made to avoid damage to the sprinklers and valve boxes. Also vendors in particular should avoid driving across the lawns while in the process of transporting supplies, equipment etc. We would also like to appeal to the motoring public to please cooperate with the police and security personnel by avoiding the parking of motor vehicles within the precincts of the Botanic Gardens during the staging of the event.”
General Manager of FLOW, Jeffrey Baptiste, also addressed the ceremony saying the event is the company’s way of reaffirming the preservation, promotion and protection of the Dominican culture.
Day one of the event will feature local groups from the south of the island in the names of the Ultrasound Band, Extasy, Look-Us Band, and Midnight Groovers.
Day two, October 25, will be the calypso spectacular show.
Day three will feature local and regional artistes and bands such as Clint H, Nayee, First Serenade, Triple Kay and Tian Winter.
Day four will be all about bacchanal featuring artistes such as Signal Band, Asa Banton, Ibis Lawrence and Breve. The headline act for day four will be Jamaican dancehall artiste, Dexta Daps.
FLOW Creole in the Park will run from October 24th to 27th and will be open to patrons from 12 noon to 7 pm.
Published: Monday, 10 October 2016 16:33
The 13th annual FLOW Creole in the Park is anticipated to attract patrons from around the globe as the biggest event of the year leading up to the World Creole Music Festival.
The official launching ceremony of the event scheduled for October 24th to 27th was held on Thursday at the Fort Young Hotel.
The Honourable Minister for Tourism and Urban Renewal, Senator Robert Tonge, the CEO of the Discover Dominica Authority and Director Of Tourism, Colin Piper, Dominica Police Force, Operations Officer, ASP Richmond Valentine, Bishop Gabriel Malzaire and Flow General Manager, Jeffrey Baptiste were among those who attended the ceremony.
The Hon Tourism Minister, Senator Robert Tonge, pledged the support and collaboration of his ministry for the staging of the annual event.
“In this event we bring many of these attributes and skills that define our Dominican culture and civilizations. We are much more adept than others to preparing the best creole meals, creating music and other art forms to tell our stories and highlight the achievements of our nation of 38 years. But we also create the conditions for cultural entrepreneurs to sell their goods and services to the many visitors and locals who will attend this four-day event,” Hon Tonge remarked.
Director of Tourism, Colin Piper, applauded FLOW for their dedication to hosting the event for these 13 years.
He considers it admirable that FLOW would invest such an amount of human and financial resources into this event.
“FLOW, you are obligating your company to a financial investment and granted there are marketing and promotional benefits for you, which are understandable, but I choose focus on the overall benefit to the nation that such activities accrue; such as boosting economic activities, extending the window of activities so that visitors have more to see and do.”
For the 13 years of the event, FLOW formerly LIME has partnered with the Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division to host Creole in the Park at the Botanic Gardens.
Director of the Forestry, Wildlife and Park Division, Minchinton Burton, revealed that through the donation of the event’s part proceeds from gate receipts, the division has been able to undertake significant upgrade and maintenance of the Botanic Gardens.
Burton appealed to the various patrons of the event to help ensure the upkeep of the Botanic Gardens during the festivities.
He pleaded, “Please assist us in protecting the irrigation infrastructure installed at the Botanic Gardens. Every effort should be made to avoid damage to the sprinklers and valve boxes. Also vendors in particular should avoid driving across the lawns while in the process of transporting supplies, equipment etc. We would also like to appeal to the motoring public to please cooperate with the police and security personnel by avoiding the parking of motor vehicles within the precincts of the Botanic Gardens during the staging of the event.”
General Manager of FLOW, Jeffrey Baptiste, also addressed the ceremony saying the event is the company’s way of reaffirming the preservation, promotion and protection of the Dominican culture.
Day one of the event will feature local groups from the south of the island in the names of the Ultrasound Band, Extasy, Look-Us Band, and Midnight Groovers.
Day two, October 25, will be the calypso spectacular show.
Day three will feature local and regional artistes and bands such as Clint H, Nayee, First Serenade, Triple Kay and Tian Winter.
Day four will be all about bacchanal featuring artistes such as Signal Band, Asa Banton, Ibis Lawrence and Breve. The headline act for day four will be Jamaican dancehall artiste, Dexta Daps.
FLOW Creole in the Park will run from October 24th to 27th and will be open to patrons from 12 noon to 7 pm.
Hurricane Matthew Isn’t Keeping The Bahamas’ Tourism Down
CARIBBEAN360 | OCTOBER 12, 2016
THE CRUISE PORT IS BACK TO BEING BUSY.
NASSAU, Bahamas, Wednesday October 12, 2016 – It is business as usual for hotels, resorts, dive operations and tours throughout much of The Bahamas following the passage of Hurricane Matthew last week.
Following the all clear issued by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) last Friday, the majority of businesses in the tourism industry in The Bahamas resumed operations, and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOT) is sending the message out to the world that many islands in The Bahamas are open for business.
The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), which is collating information from hotels, reported that so far “most properties throughout the Islands of the Bahamas suffered relatively minor damage, with the exception of properties in Grand Bahama and Andros”.
“Most hotels in the Bahamas are open for business. Some hotels which are closed at this time to conduct regularly scheduled maintenance, are taking advantage of this period to repair any damage incurred during the Hurricane,” it said in a statement.
The Port of Nassau opened on Sunday and cruise ship passengers continue to enjoy the beautiful beaches of The Bahamas and shopping in downtown Nassau. Airports in the country opened on Saturday, welcoming thousands of visitors into the country.
CRUISE SHIPS DOCKED IN THE BAHAMAS.
“We are welcoming visitors to many of our beautiful islands with open arms and are happy to report that the storm did not discourage travelers from taking their Bahamas vacations as planned. We continue to receive well wishes and inquiries from visitors who are eager to explore our destination,” Director General in the Ministry of Tourism Joy Jibrilu said.
“As the country begins to settle back into normalcy we will stand and assist with rebuilding exercises on the areas that are affected. Our industry partners, visitors and friends of The Bahamas are also offering to assist with our efforts to return the tourism industry to its full potential.”
On Exuma, there were reports of minimal damage around the island to resorts, tourist attractions and properties. The world-famous swimming pigs are also doing well and are hungry as always. But Sandals Emerald Bay Golf, Tennis and Spa Resort requires more extensive repairs than initially reported. The resort will close for repairs once the last guest has checked out and will reopen on December 15.
There were no reports of major damage on Eleuthera either. San Salvador reported minimal damage. All of the hotels and resorts on the island reported minor landscaping damage and are either already open for business or are preparing to open as scheduled for the busy tourism season.
On Long Island, there were no reports of major damage on hotels and resorts on the island. The Stella Marris Resort and Cape Santa Maria are in good condition and preparing to open.
On Abaco, the island’s resorts were left relatively unscathed by Hurricane Matthew. Many of the resorts are either open or preparing to open as scheduled.
Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is open and will receive Disney Dream passengers today.
The Berry Islands had no major damage to report. Calls to Norwegian Cruise Lines’ private island, Great Stirrup Cay were not affected by the storm as that island is undergoing renovation until October 22. A team from that cruise line will assess the island and provide an update upon completion.
Royal Caribbean’s private island CoCo Cay will welcome passengers back on Saturday, when Enchantment of the Seas makes its scheduled call. The island sustained mostly cosmetic damage during the storm.
TOURISTS ENJOYING THEIR HOLIDAY.
Bimini was also spared from the ravages of the storm and many on the island are grateful.
Initial reports indicate that Andros and Grand Bahama were the hardest hit during Hurricane Matthew. Recovery efforts are well underway to restore the communities as well as the tourism product on those islands. A full report on the extent of the damage to the tourism product on those islands will be released this week.
Fortunately, UNEXSO, which offers a variety of scuba diving activities and interactive dolphin activities to visitors, reported minimal damage and resumed operations on Monday.
“While we are happy to report that the tourism industry is back to normal on the majority of our islands, we are not ignoring that it will take a lot of work to restore the industries on those islands that were affected by Matthew,” said Jibrilu.
While New Providence was impacted by Hurricane Matthew many of the resorts are open. Atlantis remained opened during the storm and reported minimal damage to its property, as did Breezes, the British Colonial Hilton, Melia Nassau Beach Resort among many others. Blue Lagoon Island is open for business and welcomed guests to the island on Monday to enjoy the beautiful beach. Sea lion and stingray encounters and the Segway Safari will open on Wednesday, October 12.
The Bahamas Diving Association reported that all of the dive operations in the country have resumed and started servicing guests in Abaco, Bimini and New Providence as early as Saturday.
Hurricane Matthew Isn't Keeping The Bahamas' Tourism Down
CARIBBEAN360 | OCTOBER 12, 2016
THE CRUISE PORT IS BACK TO BEING BUSY.
NASSAU, Bahamas, Wednesday October 12, 2016 – It is business as usual for hotels, resorts, dive operations and tours throughout much of The Bahamas following the passage of Hurricane Matthew last week.
Following the all clear issued by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) last Friday, the majority of businesses in the tourism industry in The Bahamas resumed operations, and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOT) is sending the message out to the world that many islands in The Bahamas are open for business.
The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), which is collating information from hotels, reported that so far “most properties throughout the Islands of the Bahamas suffered relatively minor damage, with the exception of properties in Grand Bahama and Andros”.
“Most hotels in the Bahamas are open for business. Some hotels which are closed at this time to conduct regularly scheduled maintenance, are taking advantage of this period to repair any damage incurred during the Hurricane,” it said in a statement.
The Port of Nassau opened on Sunday and cruise ship passengers continue to enjoy the beautiful beaches of The Bahamas and shopping in downtown Nassau. Airports in the country opened on Saturday, welcoming thousands of visitors into the country.
CRUISE SHIPS DOCKED IN THE BAHAMAS.
“We are welcoming visitors to many of our beautiful islands with open arms and are happy to report that the storm did not discourage travelers from taking their Bahamas vacations as planned. We continue to receive well wishes and inquiries from visitors who are eager to explore our destination,” Director General in the Ministry of Tourism Joy Jibrilu said.
“As the country begins to settle back into normalcy we will stand and assist with rebuilding exercises on the areas that are affected. Our industry partners, visitors and friends of The Bahamas are also offering to assist with our efforts to return the tourism industry to its full potential.”
On Exuma, there were reports of minimal damage around the island to resorts, tourist attractions and properties. The world-famous swimming pigs are also doing well and are hungry as always. But Sandals Emerald Bay Golf, Tennis and Spa Resort requires more extensive repairs than initially reported. The resort will close for repairs once the last guest has checked out and will reopen on December 15.
There were no reports of major damage on Eleuthera either. San Salvador reported minimal damage. All of the hotels and resorts on the island reported minor landscaping damage and are either already open for business or are preparing to open as scheduled for the busy tourism season.
On Long Island, there were no reports of major damage on hotels and resorts on the island. The Stella Marris Resort and Cape Santa Maria are in good condition and preparing to open.
On Abaco, the island’s resorts were left relatively unscathed by Hurricane Matthew. Many of the resorts are either open or preparing to open as scheduled.
Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is open and will receive Disney Dream passengers today.
The Berry Islands had no major damage to report. Calls to Norwegian Cruise Lines’ private island, Great Stirrup Cay were not affected by the storm as that island is undergoing renovation until October 22. A team from that cruise line will assess the island and provide an update upon completion.
Royal Caribbean’s private island CoCo Cay will welcome passengers back on Saturday, when Enchantment of the Seas makes its scheduled call. The island sustained mostly cosmetic damage during the storm.
TOURISTS ENJOYING THEIR HOLIDAY.
Bimini was also spared from the ravages of the storm and many on the island are grateful.
Initial reports indicate that Andros and Grand Bahama were the hardest hit during Hurricane Matthew. Recovery efforts are well underway to restore the communities as well as the tourism product on those islands. A full report on the extent of the damage to the tourism product on those islands will be released this week.
Fortunately, UNEXSO, which offers a variety of scuba diving activities and interactive dolphin activities to visitors, reported minimal damage and resumed operations on Monday.
“While we are happy to report that the tourism industry is back to normal on the majority of our islands, we are not ignoring that it will take a lot of work to restore the industries on those islands that were affected by Matthew,” said Jibrilu.
While New Providence was impacted by Hurricane Matthew many of the resorts are open. Atlantis remained opened during the storm and reported minimal damage to its property, as did Breezes, the British Colonial Hilton, Melia Nassau Beach Resort among many others. Blue Lagoon Island is open for business and welcomed guests to the island on Monday to enjoy the beautiful beach. Sea lion and stingray encounters and the Segway Safari will open on Wednesday, October 12.
The Bahamas Diving Association reported that all of the dive operations in the country have resumed and started servicing guests in Abaco, Bimini and New Providence as early as Saturday.
Hurricane Matthew Isn't Keeping The Bahamas' Tourism Down