Here is a big bomb. What people need to do is to examine the number of people who list themselves as Negro in Central and South American countries. Then cultural shock sets in. Spain imported in its possessions, Negroes by the thousands. Mexico, Peru, Panama, Columbia, and Argentina, all had large Negro populations. Today many of these Negroes have assimilated into the population, and are no longer distinguished as Negroes.
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
Papers presented at the Primer Seminario Internacional "La Abolición de la Esclavitud y los Procesos de Manumisión en el Perú, América Latina y El Caribe" held in 2004 in Lima., 224 p., Los ensayos reunidos aquí se proponen discutir, analizar y examinar desde una perspectiva interdisciplinaria, las representaciones de la transafricanía en América Latina y la situación de los transafrícanos a 150 años de la abolición de la esclavitud en el Perú.
History shows close to two million enslaved Africans were taken to South America. A great number of them were taken to Bahia, Brazil, to work on the sugar cane plantations. [Dionisio] has hope for the future of Brazilian Blacks. "If America can elect a Black president, I know that our time will one day come when a Black Brazilian will look after the wellbeing of his or her people. But at the way things are in Brazil, it is only through education that we will one day be equal to the whites, if you know what I mean." At this point, it sounded as if Dionisio was engaged in a monologue. "But many children dream of one day being like Pele, our greatest football star," he continued as he gazed in the distance, his eyes resting on the humming bird doing battle with the sweet nectar. The mention of Pele changed the contour of his face and I could see the veins in his face clearly showing. "Most of our people have let us down. Most, like Pele, can be considered Black, but we have a saying here that 'You are a Black person with a white soul. We say that of Black leaders and football celebrities who do not support any Black agenda."
Nego Gato's current production, under the series "Brazil to Pittsburgh, Vol. 2, is Navio Negregiro: The Ships of Enslavement" is a new work created by organization founder [Mestre Nego Gato] along with Paco Gomes. This work is a combination of Modern and Traditional dances that tells the story of the Middle Passage from African and the subsequent struggles in Brazil to regain their freedom. This production runs April 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater and the goal again according to Mestre Gato is to "share the beauty, variety and dynamic power of Afro-Brazilian culture."
