Afro-Peruvian
Encyclopedia
Afro Peruvians are citizens of Peru
mostly descended from African
slaves who were brought to the Western hemisphere
with the arrival of the conquistadors towards the end of the slave trade.
Gradually, Afro-Peruvians concentrated in specialized fields that drew upon their extensive knowledge and training in skilled artisan work and in agriculture. As the mestizo
population grew, the role of Afro-Peruvians as intermediaries between the indigenous residents and the Spaniards lessened. The mestizo population increased through liaisons between Spanish and indigenous Peruvians. From this reality, a pigmentocracy became increasingly important to protect the privileges of Spanish overlords and their Spanish and mestizo children. In this system, Spaniards were at the top of the hierarchy, mestizos in the middle, and Africans and the indigenous populations at the bottom. Mestizos inherited the privilege of helping the Spanish administer the country.
Furthermore, as additional immigrants arrived from Spain and aggressively settled Peru, the mestizos attempted to keep the most lucrative jobs for themselves. In the early colonial period, Afro-Spaniards and Afro-Peruvians frequently worked in the gold mines because of their familiarity with the techniques. Gold mining and smithing were common in parts of western Africa from at least the fourth century. However, after the early colonial period, few Afro-Peruvians would become goldsmiths or silversmiths. In the end Afro-Peruvians were relegated to back-breaking labor on sugarcane
and rice
plantations of the northern coast or the vineyards and cotton fields of the southern coast. The indigenous population tended to work in the silver mines, of which they had a more expert knowledge than western Africans or Spanish, even in the pre-Columbian eras.
& Hispaniola
but continued to Panamá
where they were brought to the Viceroyalty of Peru. Slave owners also purchased their slaves in Cartagena, Colombia
or Veracruz, Mexico
at trade fairs, and they took back to Peru whatever the slave ship
s had brought over. Slaves were distributed between encomienda
s as a result of the "New laws" of 1548 and due to the influence of the denunciation of the abuses against Native Americans by Friar Bartolomé de las Casas
.
Slave owners in Peru also preferred slaves who were from specific areas of Africa, and who could communicate with each other. Slave owners preferred slaves from Guinea, from the Senegal River down to the Slave Coast, because the Spanish considered them to be easy to manage, and also because they had marketable skills—they knew how to plant rice, train horses, and herd cattle on horseback. The slave owners also preferred slaves from the area stretching from Nigeria
to Eastern Ghana
. Finally, the slave owners' third choice was for slaves from Congo
, Mantenga, Cambado, Misanga
, Mozambique
, Madagascar
, Terranova
, Mina
and Angola
.
In the year 1856, President Ramon Castilla y Marquezado
declared the freedom of the Afro-Peruvian ethnic groups and abolished slavery
, beginning a new stage in history. Today, Afro-Peruvian communities celebrate the landmark decision of Castilla with a popular refrain:
The newly freed citizens typically took the last name of their former owners. For instance, slaves in the service of the Florez family named themselves Florez or Flores.
. The music was little known even in Peru until the 1950s, when it was popularized by the seminal performer Nicomedes Santa Cruz
, whose body of work was taken a step further in the 1970s by the group Peru Negro
and then in 2002 by Peru Expresion. Internationally, this form of music has had recent international publicity through David Byrne's Luaka Bop label, issuing the compilation, Peru Negro
, and solo albums by Susana Baca
.
, Callao
, Nazca
, Chincha
, Ica
and Cañete
. Afro-Peruvians can also be found in significant numbers on the northern coast in Lambayeque and Piura. The greatest concentration of Afro-Peruvians and Mestizos of Afrodescent is in the Callao
, an area that has historically received many of the Afro-Peruvians from the north and southern coast.
On the southern coast of the Ica Region
, there are many cotton fields and vineyards, and the area is commonly known for its black populations such as that in El Carmen of the populous Chincha Province
. There are other such towns in the Nazca
, Ica City
and in the district of San Luis
in the Cañete Province
near Lima, and Nazca to the south of Lima. In Lima, the towns most well known for having large concentrations of Afro-descended populations are Puente Piedra
, Chorrillos, Rimac
, and La Victoria
.
Afro-Peruvians also reside in the northern regions of Peru such as La Libertad and Ancash, but the larger populations are concentrated in the northern valley plantations of the regions of Piura
and Lambayeque
.
Most Afro-Peruvian communities live in rural farming areas where mango, rice, and sugarcane production is present. Contrary to the southern coast, these communities are mainly found away from the coastal shores and in to the region of the yungas, where the plain meets the Andes
.
The greatest Afro-Peruvian populations of the North coast are found mainly in the outskirts of the Morropón Province
and concentrate themselves in Piura and Tumbes. The central province of Morropón is well known by its black communities in cities like especially in the cities of Chulucanas
, Yapatera, Chapica del Carmelo, La Matanza, Pabur(Hacienda Pabur), Morropón, Salitral, Buenos Aires
, San Juan de Bigote and Canchaque, and to the north Tambogrande
. All of these cities belong to the Piura Region
, where there are large rice fields and mango plantations. South of the Lambayeque Region
and north of La Libertad
where sugarcane production was very productive in the past, there are several cities known for their black inhabitants. Examples are the colonial city of Saña
in Lambayeque, famous for being the second most important Afro-Peruvian city of the Peruvian north. Also Tuman
, Capote
, Cayaltí, and Batán Grande within the region of Lambayeque are known to have large amounts of Afro-Peruvian populations in the sugarcane region.
Also the populations of Chancay and Aucallama are known in the province of Huaral, and the town of Acarí, in the province of Caravelí, to the north of Arequipa. In northern regions like Libertad and Ancash, Afroperuvians also exist, but in lesser measure, since the great majority of that population is concentrated in the regions of Piura and Lambayeque.
Recently it has been verified that the community with the greatest concentration of Afro-Peruvians is Yapatera in Morropón (Piura), made up of around 7,000 farmers who are largely descended from African slaves of "malagasy" (Madagascar
) origin. They are referred to as "malgaches" or "mangaches".
Formerly, Chincha to the south of Lima and other communities in Ica were known as the towns of greatest Afro-Peruvian concentration, but due to the excessive mixing between the Afro inhabitants native to the area and the Andean migrants, the Afro-Peruvian root has been more hybridized. Also, many of the Afrodescent residents of these communities migrated towards Lima for better opportunities.
Freed slaves also arrived in small valleys in the rain forests of the Amazon
such as Cerro de Pasco
and Huánuco
and there are still small populations with African ancestry in these areas.
issued an official apology to Peru's Afro-Peruvian people for centuries of racial injustice; it was the first such apology ever made by the government. The apology, announced by Women's and Social Development
Minister Nidia Vilchez
, was initially published in the official newspaper El Peruano
. The apology said:
Vilchez says the government hopes its apology will help promote the "true integration of all Peru's multicultural population."
The government acknowledged that some discrimination persists against Afro-Peruvians, who make up 5-10% of the population of the country. The government's initial statement said, "The government recognizes and regrets that vestiges of racially-motivated harassment are still present, which represent a hindrance to social, economic, labor and educational development of the population at large." Monica Carrillo of the Center for Afro-Peruvian Studies and Promotion indicates that 27 percent of Afro-Peruvians finish high school and just 2 percent get higher or technical education. Although Peru is not the first Latin American government to apologize to its population, it is the first to acknowledge present-day discrimination. Although some human rights groups lauded the government's acknowledgement, other experts criticized the apology overall for failing to reference slavery
or promise a change in the status quo.
The public ceremony for the apology held on 7 December 2009 in the Great Dining Room of the Government Palace, with the presence of President Garcia, Minister of Women and Social Development, Nidia Vilchez
, the only Afro Peruvian Congress member Martha Moyano
, along with the former mayor of El Carmen, Hermes Palma-Quiroz, and the founder of the Black Movement Francisco Congo, Paul Colino-Monroy.
In the ceremony, President Garcia said:
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
mostly descended from African
African people
African people refers to natives, inhabitants, or citizen of Africa and to people of African descent.-Etymology:Many etymological hypotheses that have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":...
slaves who were brought to the Western hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
with the arrival of the conquistadors towards the end of the slave trade.
Early history
The first African Peruvians arrived with the conquistadors in 1521, to return permanently in 1525. They fought alongside the conquistadors as soldiers and worked wherever needed. Because of their previous acculturation in Spanish language and culture, they performed a variety of skilled and unskilled functions that contributed to Hispanic colonization.Gradually, Afro-Peruvians concentrated in specialized fields that drew upon their extensive knowledge and training in skilled artisan work and in agriculture. As the mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
population grew, the role of Afro-Peruvians as intermediaries between the indigenous residents and the Spaniards lessened. The mestizo population increased through liaisons between Spanish and indigenous Peruvians. From this reality, a pigmentocracy became increasingly important to protect the privileges of Spanish overlords and their Spanish and mestizo children. In this system, Spaniards were at the top of the hierarchy, mestizos in the middle, and Africans and the indigenous populations at the bottom. Mestizos inherited the privilege of helping the Spanish administer the country.
Furthermore, as additional immigrants arrived from Spain and aggressively settled Peru, the mestizos attempted to keep the most lucrative jobs for themselves. In the early colonial period, Afro-Spaniards and Afro-Peruvians frequently worked in the gold mines because of their familiarity with the techniques. Gold mining and smithing were common in parts of western Africa from at least the fourth century. However, after the early colonial period, few Afro-Peruvians would become goldsmiths or silversmiths. In the end Afro-Peruvians were relegated to back-breaking labor on sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
and rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
plantations of the northern coast or the vineyards and cotton fields of the southern coast. The indigenous population tended to work in the silver mines, of which they had a more expert knowledge than western Africans or Spanish, even in the pre-Columbian eras.
Slave trade
Over the course of the slave trade, approximately 95,000 slaves were brought into Peru, with the last group arriving in 1850. They were initially transferred to CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
& Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
but continued to Panamá
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
where they were brought to the Viceroyalty of Peru. Slave owners also purchased their slaves in Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
or Veracruz, Mexico
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
at trade fairs, and they took back to Peru whatever the slave ship
Slave ship
Slave ships were large cargo ships specially converted for the purpose of transporting slaves, especially newly purchased African slaves to Americas....
s had brought over. Slaves were distributed between encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
s as a result of the "New laws" of 1548 and due to the influence of the denunciation of the abuses against Native Americans by Friar Bartolomé de las Casas
Bartolomé de Las Casas
Bartolomé de las Casas O.P. was a 16th-century Spanish historian, social reformer and Dominican friar. He became the first resident Bishop of Chiapas, and the first officially appointed "Protector of the Indians"...
.
Slave owners in Peru also preferred slaves who were from specific areas of Africa, and who could communicate with each other. Slave owners preferred slaves from Guinea, from the Senegal River down to the Slave Coast, because the Spanish considered them to be easy to manage, and also because they had marketable skills—they knew how to plant rice, train horses, and herd cattle on horseback. The slave owners also preferred slaves from the area stretching from Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
to Eastern Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. Finally, the slave owners' third choice was for slaves from Congo
Kingdom of Kongo
The Kingdom of Kongo was an African kingdom located in west central Africa in what are now northern Angola, Cabinda, the Republic of the Congo, and the western portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Mantenga, Cambado, Misanga
Misanga
Misanga is an international good luck charm made from knotted embroidery floss, thread or gimp. Similar to friendship bracelets, it is made with basic knots as well as patterning techniques. Its basic structure is a three thread plaited braid...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, Terranova
Terranova
Terranova is a German band based between Berlin and Paris made up of current members Fetisch,&me.Terranova are signed to Kompakt records.Terranova was formed in 1996 by Fetisch, Marco Meister and Kaos. They previously went under the moniker Turntable Terranova on the Compost label and sometimes...
, Mina
Elmina Castle
Elmina Castle was erected by Portugal in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina Castle, also known simply as Mina or Feitoria da Mina) in present-day Elmina, Ghana . It was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, so is the oldest European building in existence below the Sahara...
and Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
.
In the year 1856, President Ramon Castilla y Marquezado
Ramón Castilla
Ramón Castilla y Marquesado was a Peruvian caudillo and President of Peru four times. His earliest prominent appearance in Peruvian history began with his participation in a commanding role of the army of the Libertadores that helped Peru become an independent nation...
declared the freedom of the Afro-Peruvian ethnic groups and abolished slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, beginning a new stage in history. Today, Afro-Peruvian communities celebrate the landmark decision of Castilla with a popular refrain:
- Que viva mi papá,
- que viva mi mamá,
- que viva Ramón CastillaRamón CastillaRamón Castilla y Marquesado was a Peruvian caudillo and President of Peru four times. His earliest prominent appearance in Peruvian history began with his participation in a commanding role of the army of the Libertadores that helped Peru become an independent nation...
- que nos dio la liberta'
- Hooray for my Dad,
- Hooray for my Mom,
- Hooray for Ramón CastillaRamón CastillaRamón Castilla y Marquesado was a Peruvian caudillo and President of Peru four times. His earliest prominent appearance in Peruvian history began with his participation in a commanding role of the army of the Libertadores that helped Peru become an independent nation...
- Who gave us liberty
The newly freed citizens typically took the last name of their former owners. For instance, slaves in the service of the Florez family named themselves Florez or Flores.
Afro-Peruvian music
Afro-Peruvian music has its roots in the communities of black slaves brought to work in the mines along the Peruvian coast. As such, it's a fair way from the Andes, culturally and geographically. However, as it developed, particularly in the 20th century, it drew on Andean and Spanish, as well as African traditions, while its modern exponents also have affinities with Andean nueva canciónNueva canción
Nueva canción is a movement and genre within Latin American and Iberian music of folk music, folk-inspired music and socially committed music...
. The music was little known even in Peru until the 1950s, when it was popularized by the seminal performer Nicomedes Santa Cruz
Nicomedes Santa Cruz
Nicomedes Santa Cruz was an Afro-Peruvian musician who helped raise public awareness of Afro-Peruvian culture....
, whose body of work was taken a step further in the 1970s by the group Peru Negro
Perú Negro
Perú Negro is an Afro-Peruvian musical ensemble founded in 1969 to celebrate and preserve Peru's black culture and música criolla. Ronaldo Campos de la Colina founded the Lima-based group with 12 family members...
and then in 2002 by Peru Expresion. Internationally, this form of music has had recent international publicity through David Byrne's Luaka Bop label, issuing the compilation, Peru Negro
Perú Negro
Perú Negro is an Afro-Peruvian musical ensemble founded in 1969 to celebrate and preserve Peru's black culture and música criolla. Ronaldo Campos de la Colina founded the Lima-based group with 12 family members...
, and solo albums by Susana Baca
Susana Baca
Susana Esther Baca de la Colina is a prominent Peruvian singer-songwriter; two-times Latin Grammy Award winner. She has been a key figure in the revival of Afro-Peruvian music within Peru....
.
Afro-Peruvians today
Today, Afro-Peruvians (also known as Afrodescent Peruvians) reside mainly on the central and south coast, with the majority of the population in the provinces of LimaLima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
, Nazca
Nazca
Nazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
, Chincha
Chincha Province
The Chincha Province is one of five provinces of the Ica Region of Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Chincha Alta.-Boundaries:*North: Lima Region*East: Huancavelica Region*South: Pisco Province*West: Pacific Ocean...
, Ica
Ica Province
The Ica Province is the largest of five provinces of the Ica Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Ica.Huacachina is a small town, oasis and resort in this region.-Political division:...
and Cañete
Cañete Province
Cañete is a province located in southern Lima Region, Peru. It is bordered by the Lima Province on the north, the Ica Region on the south, the Huarochirí and Yauyos provinces on the east, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital is the town of San Vicente de Cañete District...
. Afro-Peruvians can also be found in significant numbers on the northern coast in Lambayeque and Piura. The greatest concentration of Afro-Peruvians and Mestizos of Afrodescent is in the Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
, an area that has historically received many of the Afro-Peruvians from the north and southern coast.
On the southern coast of the Ica Region
Ica Region
Ica is a region in Peru. It borders the Pacific Ocean on the west; the Lima Region on the north; the Huancavelica and Ayacucho regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica.- Geography :...
, there are many cotton fields and vineyards, and the area is commonly known for its black populations such as that in El Carmen of the populous Chincha Province
Chincha Province
The Chincha Province is one of five provinces of the Ica Region of Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Chincha Alta.-Boundaries:*North: Lima Region*East: Huancavelica Region*South: Pisco Province*West: Pacific Ocean...
. There are other such towns in the Nazca
Nazca
Nazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
, Ica City
Ica (city)
The city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. While the area was long inhabited by varying cultures of indigenous peoples, the Spanish conquistador Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera claimed its founding in 1563. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of over 219,856...
and in the district of San Luis
San Luis District, Cañete
San Luis District is one of sixteen districts of the province Cañete in Peru.San Luis limits to the north with Cerro Azul, to the south with San vicente. To the west with the ocean pacific. To the east with quilmana. San Luis has distinctive black population. Black culture is noticeable , for...
in the Cañete Province
Cañete Province
Cañete is a province located in southern Lima Region, Peru. It is bordered by the Lima Province on the north, the Ica Region on the south, the Huarochirí and Yauyos provinces on the east, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital is the town of San Vicente de Cañete District...
near Lima, and Nazca to the south of Lima. In Lima, the towns most well known for having large concentrations of Afro-descended populations are Puente Piedra
Puente Piedra District
The Peruvian district of Puente Piedra is one of the 43 districts in the Lima Province.The district was founded on February 14, 1927 by Law Nº 5675. It has an area of 71.18 square kilometers and a population of more than 200,000.-Boundaries:...
, Chorrillos, Rimac
Rímac District
Rímac is a district in the Lima Province, Peru. It lies directly to the north of downtown Lima, to which it is connected by six bridges over the Rímac River. The district also borders the Independencia, San Martín de Porres, and San Juan de Lurigancho districts...
, and La Victoria
La Victoria District, Lima
La Victoria is a district of the Lima Province in Peru and one of the districts that comprises the city of Lima. One of the most populous in Lima....
.
Afro-Peruvians also reside in the northern regions of Peru such as La Libertad and Ancash, but the larger populations are concentrated in the northern valley plantations of the regions of Piura
Piura
Piura is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Piura Region and the Piura Province. The population is 377,496.It was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the third Spanish city in South America and first in Peru, San Miguel de Piura, in July 1532...
and Lambayeque
Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque is a region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the Lambayeque.-Etymology:...
.
Most Afro-Peruvian communities live in rural farming areas where mango, rice, and sugarcane production is present. Contrary to the southern coast, these communities are mainly found away from the coastal shores and in to the region of the yungas, where the plain meets the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
.
The greatest Afro-Peruvian populations of the North coast are found mainly in the outskirts of the Morropón Province
Morropón Province
The Morropón Province is one of eight provinces of the Piura Region in Peru.- Boundaries :*North Ayabaca Province*East Huancabamba Province*South Lambayeque Region*West Piura Province- Political Division :...
and concentrate themselves in Piura and Tumbes. The central province of Morropón is well known by its black communities in cities like especially in the cities of Chulucanas
Chulucanas
Chulucanas is a town in Piura Region, Peru. It is located at around .The town is famous for its pottery. Originally dating from pre-Inca times it is today exported all over the world. Designs are varied, but are predominated by black and white. There are several bigger companies but a lot of small...
, Yapatera, Chapica del Carmelo, La Matanza, Pabur(Hacienda Pabur), Morropón, Salitral, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, San Juan de Bigote and Canchaque, and to the north Tambogrande
Tambogrande
Tambogrande is a small town in the Piura Province of the Piura Region in northwestern Peru that is most famous for successfully opposing a mining development in the area. With a population of 19,017 , it is the main town in the Tambo Grande District. The town of Tambogrande is quite poor with high...
. All of these cities belong to the Piura Region
Piura Region
Piura is a coastal region in northwestern Peru. The region's capital is Piura and its largest port cities, Paita and Talara, are also among the most important in Peru...
, where there are large rice fields and mango plantations. South of the Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque is a region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the Lambayeque.-Etymology:...
and north of La Libertad
La Libertad Region
La Libertad is a region in northwestern Peru. Formerly it was known as the 'Department of La Libertad" , a political division that generally corresponds to a state in the United States of America...
where sugarcane production was very productive in the past, there are several cities known for their black inhabitants. Examples are the colonial city of Saña
Sana
-Geography:* Sana'a, the capital of Yemen* Sana, Haute-Garonne, France, a commune in the Haute-Garonne département* Sana, Bhutan, a town in Bhutan* Sana, Greece, a village in the northern part of the prefecture of Chalkidiki...
in Lambayeque, famous for being the second most important Afro-Peruvian city of the Peruvian north. Also Tuman
Tuman
Tuman may refer to:* Tuman river, a river in China and North Korea* Tuman , a Soviet World War II warship* Tuman bay II, a medieval Egyptian sultan* Tuman , a second-level administrative subdivision in Uzbekistan...
, Capote
Capote
-People:* American writer Truman Capote** Capote , a film starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote* Capote Band of Utes, a branch of the Ute people-Other:* Capote , Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse...
, Cayaltí, and Batán Grande within the region of Lambayeque are known to have large amounts of Afro-Peruvian populations in the sugarcane region.
Also the populations of Chancay and Aucallama are known in the province of Huaral, and the town of Acarí, in the province of Caravelí, to the north of Arequipa. In northern regions like Libertad and Ancash, Afroperuvians also exist, but in lesser measure, since the great majority of that population is concentrated in the regions of Piura and Lambayeque.
Recently it has been verified that the community with the greatest concentration of Afro-Peruvians is Yapatera in Morropón (Piura), made up of around 7,000 farmers who are largely descended from African slaves of "malagasy" (Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
) origin. They are referred to as "malgaches" or "mangaches".
Formerly, Chincha to the south of Lima and other communities in Ica were known as the towns of greatest Afro-Peruvian concentration, but due to the excessive mixing between the Afro inhabitants native to the area and the Andean migrants, the Afro-Peruvian root has been more hybridized. Also, many of the Afrodescent residents of these communities migrated towards Lima for better opportunities.
Freed slaves also arrived in small valleys in the rain forests of the Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
such as Cerro de Pasco
Cerro de Pasco
Cerro de Pasco is a city in central Peru. It is the capital of the Pasco region, and an important mining center. It is connected by road and by rail to the city of Lima.- Overview :...
and Huánuco
Huánuco
-Famous Natives:* Daniel Alomía Robles - Musical composer and ethnologist born in 1871, famous for El Cóndor Pasa* Johan Fano- Professional football player-External links:*** - Catholic Encyclopedia article...
and there are still small populations with African ancestry in these areas.
Government apology
In November 2009, the Peruvian governmentGovernment of Peru
Peru is a presidential representative democratic republic with a multi-party system. Under the current constitution, the President is the head of state and government; he or she is elected for five years and cannot seek immediate re-election, he or she must stand down for at least one full...
issued an official apology to Peru's Afro-Peruvian people for centuries of racial injustice; it was the first such apology ever made by the government. The apology, announced by Women's and Social Development
Ministry of Women and Social Development (Peru)
The Ministry of Women and Social Development of Peru is an organism of the Peruvian government dedicated to women-related affairs as well as the social development of Peruvians...
Minister Nidia Vilchez
Nidia Vílchez
Nidia Ruth Vílchez Yucra is a Peruvian politician and a Congresswoman representing Junín for the 2006-2011 term. Vílchez belongs to the Peruvian Aprista Party. She also serves as a government minister on women's issues.-External links:*...
, was initially published in the official newspaper El Peruano
El Peruano
Diario Oficial El Peruano is the official daily newspaper of Peru. The paper was founded on October 22, 1825 by Simón Bolívar, making it the oldest newspaper still in existence in Latin America. In addition to carrying news, all laws passed in Peru must be published by El Peruano.It is currently...
. The apology said:
Vilchez says the government hopes its apology will help promote the "true integration of all Peru's multicultural population."
The government acknowledged that some discrimination persists against Afro-Peruvians, who make up 5-10% of the population of the country. The government's initial statement said, "The government recognizes and regrets that vestiges of racially-motivated harassment are still present, which represent a hindrance to social, economic, labor and educational development of the population at large." Monica Carrillo of the Center for Afro-Peruvian Studies and Promotion indicates that 27 percent of Afro-Peruvians finish high school and just 2 percent get higher or technical education. Although Peru is not the first Latin American government to apologize to its population, it is the first to acknowledge present-day discrimination. Although some human rights groups lauded the government's acknowledgement, other experts criticized the apology overall for failing to reference slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
or promise a change in the status quo.
The public ceremony for the apology held on 7 December 2009 in the Great Dining Room of the Government Palace, with the presence of President Garcia, Minister of Women and Social Development, Nidia Vilchez
Nidia Vílchez
Nidia Ruth Vílchez Yucra is a Peruvian politician and a Congresswoman representing Junín for the 2006-2011 term. Vílchez belongs to the Peruvian Aprista Party. She also serves as a government minister on women's issues.-External links:*...
, the only Afro Peruvian Congress member Martha Moyano
Martha Moyano
Martha Lupe Moyano Delgado is a Peruvian nurse, a politician and a Congresswoman representing Lima for the 2006-2011 term. Moyano belongs to the Alliance for the Future party. She is the sister of María Elena Moyano, who was assassinated by Shining Path....
, along with the former mayor of El Carmen, Hermes Palma-Quiroz, and the founder of the Black Movement Francisco Congo, Paul Colino-Monroy.
In the ceremony, President Garcia said:
List of Renowned Afro-Peruvians
- List of Famed Afro-Latinos
- Adriana Zubiate Miss Peru Universe 2002
- Andrés Mandros Gallardo, historian, leader of Francisco Congo group.
- Antonio Oblitas lieutenant of Tupac Amaru IITúpac Amaru IITúpac Amaru II was a leader of an indigenous uprising in 1780 against the Spanish in Peru...
- Ballumbrosio Family, with Amador Ballumbrosio as head of the family and his fourteen children, all musicians, percussionists, dancers.
- Alejandro Romero Cáceres (aka Gordo Casarreto), comedian
- Andres Soto, singer-songwriter.
- Arturo "Zambo" Cavero, singer and percussionist.
- Pedro Carlos Soto de la Colina, better known as Caitro SotoCaitro SotoPedro Carlos Soto de la Colina, popularly known as Caitro Soto was an Afro-Peruvian musician and composer...
, musician, composer, cajonCajónA cajón is a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front face with the hands.-Origins and evolution:...
player. - Cecilia TaitCecilia TaitCecilia Roxana Tait Villacorta is a former Afro-Peruvian volleyball player from Lima, and a Peruvian politician. Nicknamed La Zurda del Oro she participated in three Summer Olympics with the Peruvian national team, finishing 4th in 1984 and receiving a silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in...
, former volleyball player and regarded as among the best players of all time in the spike. Congresswoman-elect of the Republic during the 2001–2006 legislative period. - "Chocolate" Algendones, great percussionist, a specialist in the cajonCajónA cajón is a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front face with the hands.-Origins and evolution:...
. Founding member of the group Perú NegroPerú NegroPerú Negro is an Afro-Peruvian musical ensemble founded in 1969 to celebrate and preserve Peru's black culture and música criolla. Ronaldo Campos de la Colina founded the Lima-based group with 12 family members...
, a member of Matalaché and Peru Jazz. He accompanied Chabuca GrandaChabuca GrandaMaría Isabel Granda Larco , better known as Chabuca Granda, was a Peruvian singer and composer. She created and interpreted a vast number of Criollo waltzes with Afro-Peruvian rhythms...
on percussion. - Cristian Ramirez, famous violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
and pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
player and composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
in PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. - Eva AyllónEva AyllónEva Ayllón , a composer and singer, is one of Peru's foremost Afro-Peruvian musicians, and one of the country's most enduring stars.-Biography:...
, Interpreter of modern pop singer of folk music and renowned Afro-Peruvian Latin America. - Francisco Congo, leader of MaroonMaroon (people)Maroons were runaway slaves in the West Indies, Central America, South America, and North America, who formed independent settlements together...
/CimarronCimarronCimarron is the title of a novel published by popular historical fiction author Edna Ferber in 1929. The book was adapted into a critically acclaimed film in 1931 through RKO Pictures. In 1960, the story was again adapted for the screen to meager success by MGM...
resistance group during the colonial period. - Francisco Fierro "Pancho Fierro", artist
- Geronimo BarbadilloGerónimo BarbadilloGerónimo Barbadillo González is a former Peruvian football player who played for UANL Tigres in Mexico, and for Avellino and Udinese in Italian Serie A. He also played with the Peruvian national team in the 1982 FIFA World Cup...
, a former soccer player, played in the Italian football in the 80's. - Guajaja - popular Peruvian musician
- Hector ChumpitazHéctor ChumpitazHéctor Eduardo Chumpitaz González is a former footballer from Peru...
Gonzales, a former soccer player, former captain of Americas 1970–1980. - Immortal TechniqueImmortal TechniqueFelipe Andres Coronel , better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics...
- hip-hop artist and activist - Jefferson FarfánJefferson FarfánJefferson Agustín Farfán Guadalupe is a Peruvian football player, playing for Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga.-Club career:Farfán began his professional career with Alianza Lima of Peru, with whom he signed for in 2001...
, current soccer player of Schalke 04 in Germany. - José Campos Dávila "Cheche", dean of social sciences and humanities at La Cantuta University.
- José Carlos Luciano"Pepe", socologist, pioneer in the Afro-Peruvian movement.
- José Gil de CastroJosé Gil de CastroJosé Gil de Castro was an Afro-Peruvian painter celebrated for his meticulous portraits of Peru's heroes.- Jose Gil De Castro Y Morales Pintor Peruano - Presentation Transcript :...
, "Mulato Gil de Castro", artist, hero of the Peruvian Revolution as well as renowned soldier in Chilean army. - Jose Luis Perez Sanchez-Cerro, current Peruvian Ambassador to Spain and world human rights activist.
- José Luis Risco, congressman
- José Rayo, revolutionary leader during war of independence
- Juan JoyaJuan JoyaJuan Joya Cordero is a former Peruvian football player, recognized as one of Peru's most important strikers....
, former soccer player of Alianza LimaAlianza LimaClub Alianza Lima is a Peruvian First Division football club who plays at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva in the La Victoria District of Lima, Peru. They are one of the most famous and well supported clubs in the country and the oldest team in the Peruvian First Division.Alianza enjoyed success...
Peru, Peñarol UruguayUruguayUruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
and River PlateClub Atlético River PlateClub Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. - Juan Manuel Valdez first Afro-Peruvian doctor, author, poet, and parliamentary.
- Julio César UribeJulio César UribeJulio César Uribe Flores is a Peruvian football manager and former player. Uribe is currently the manager of Peruvian First Division club Unión Comercio since the second half of the 2011 Descentraliazado season....
, a former soccer player, idol of Junior de Barranquilla Americas and Mexico. He also played for Italian football in the 80's. - Julio MelendezJulio MeléndezJulio Meléndez Calderón is a retired Peruvian football defender.-Career:Meléndez was one of South America's most recognized defenders of his time, and was a great success in Argentine football, to the point of being considered an all-time first team member at Boca Juniors.Meléndez played a total...
, named the greatest Boca JuniorsBoca JuniorsClub Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
stopper. - Leon Escobar, revolutionary, took over the presidential palace for over a week.
- Lucha ReyesLucha Reyes (Peruvian singer)Lucila J. Sarsines Reyes , was a Peruvian performer and one of the most respected singers of her country, one of Peru's most famous Afro-Peruvian personalities as well as a symbol of Peruvian nationalism both in Peru and to expatriates.-History:Born to a poor family in the capital, Lima, Reyes was...
, interpreter, folk music singer known for her voice in Peruvian Waltz. In MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
well known for participating in Boleros. - Lucila Campos, singer and component Peru NegroPerú NegroPerú Negro is an Afro-Peruvian musical ensemble founded in 1969 to celebrate and preserve Peru's black culture and música criolla. Ronaldo Campos de la Colina founded the Lima-based group with 12 family members...
. - Luis Miguel Sánchez CerroLuis Miguel Sánchez CerroLuis Miguel Sánchez Cerro was a high-ranking Peruvian army officer and President of Peru from 1931 to 1933. On August 22, 1930, as a lieutenant-colonel, he overturned the eleven-year dictatorship of Augusto B...
, president of Peru. - Luisa Fuentes, better known as Lucha Fuentes, volleyball player with the Peruvian national team won numerous international titles, winning five championships and three South American Panamerican Subchampionships. She participated in two Olympics (Mexico and Montreal) and six world championships.
- Manuel Ricardo PalmaRicardo PalmaManuel Ricardo Palma Soriano was a Peruvian author, scholar, librarian and politician. His magnum opus is the Tradiciones peruanas.- Biography :...
Soriano, poet, writer, author of the brilliant Peruvian Traditions". - María Elena MoyanoMaría Elena MoyanoMaría Elena Moyano Delgado was a Peruvian community organizer and activist of Afro-Peruvian descent who was assassinated by the maoist Shining Path insurgent movement...
, civil leader. - Martha MoyanoMartha MoyanoMartha Lupe Moyano Delgado is a Peruvian nurse, a politician and a Congresswoman representing Lima for the 2006-2011 term. Moyano belongs to the Alliance for the Future party. She is the sister of María Elena Moyano, who was assassinated by Shining Path....
, congresswoman. - St. Martin de Porres, famous Limeño saint, first black saint.
- Mauro MinaMauro MinaMauro Mina Baylón was a Peruvian Light Heavyweight boxer known as the "Bombardero de Chincha", remembered as the best Peruvian boxer of the twentieth century....
, a former South American light-heavy weight champion boxer. - Micaela Bastidas PuyucahuaMicaela Bastidas PuyucahuaMicaela Bastidas Puyucahua , was an important figure and a martyr for Peruvian independence. She is remembered for the enunciation of her clear political position towards independence with her declaration “For the liberty of my people, I have renounced everything...
, revolutionary and wife of Tupac Amaru IITúpac Amaru IITúpac Amaru II was a leader of an indigenous uprising in 1780 against the Spanish in Peru...
. - Negro Guadalupe, military leader.
- Nicomedes Santa CruzNicomedes Santa CruzNicomedes Santa Cruz was an Afro-Peruvian musician who helped raise public awareness of Afro-Peruvian culture....
, folklore, afro-Peruvian writer and poet rescuer of the Decima Limeña and northernCumanana. - Pablo Branda Villanueva (aka Melcochita), salsa singer and comedian of world renown.
- Rafael Santa CruzRafael Santa CruzRafael Santa Cruz is a renowned Afro-Peruvian musician and author of the book El Cajón Afroperuano on the cajón, a South American instrument created from wooden boxes by slaves when their owners tried to ban the drum culture, fearing the drums would help form slave uprisings.-See also:Cajón...
, actor. - Ronaldo Campos, one of the original founders of Peru NegroPerú NegroPerú Negro is an Afro-Peruvian musical ensemble founded in 1969 to celebrate and preserve Peru's black culture and música criolla. Ronaldo Campos de la Colina founded the Lima-based group with 12 family members...
and preserver of Afro-Peruvian rhythms played on the cajon. - Rosa Elvira Cartagena Miss Peru World 1999, and model for Sabado GiganteSábado GiganteSábado Gigante is a Spanish-language television show that is Univision's longest-running program and the longest-running variety TV show in the world. Sábado Gigante is an eclectic and frenetic mix of various contests, human-interest stories, and live entertainment...
, UnivisionUnivisionUnivision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
. - Susana BacaSusana BacaSusana Esther Baca de la Colina is a prominent Peruvian singer-songwriter; two-times Latin Grammy Award winner. She has been a key figure in the revival of Afro-Peruvian music within Peru....
in the field of music is probably the best known at the international level (won a Grammy for Best Folk Albumin 2002). She is a renowned composer, singer and scholar of the rhythms of "Afro" descent in Peru. She is responsible for recovering almost forgotten harmonies and rhythms of Afro-Peruvian music. - Tatiana Espinoza, actress.
- Teófilo CubillasTeófilo CubillasTeófilo Juan Cubillas Arizaga is a Peruvian former footballer. He was selected as Peru's greatest ever player in an IFFHS poll, in which he was also included in the world's Top 50...
, considered the greatest Peruvian soccer player of all time. - Victoria Santa Cruz, folklore and director of the Conjunto Nacional de Folclore del Instituto Nacional de Cultura.
See also
- Afro-Latin AmericanAfro-Latin AmericanAn Afro-Latin American is a Latin American person of at least partial Black African ancestry; the term may also refer to historical or cultural elements in Latin America thought to emanate from this community...
- CañeteCañete ProvinceCañete is a province located in southern Lima Region, Peru. It is bordered by the Lima Province on the north, the Ica Region on the south, the Huarochirí and Yauyos provinces on the east, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital is the town of San Vicente de Cañete District...
- Musica negraMúsica negraMúsica negra is a type of Latin American music initially developed by black slaves in South America, in particular Peru, where it is known as música criolla. Música negra's influences are largely West African music and Spanish music. Notable artists and groups include Lucila Campos, Pepe Vásquez,...
- Música criollaMúsica criollaMúsica criolla is a category of Peruvian music that combines mainly African, Spanish and Andean influences. Afro-Peruvian music was first created by African slaves in Peru during the Colonial Period and beyond. The rhythms include Festejo, Landó, Socabon, Pregon, Zamacueca, and Alcatraz...
- NegroNegroThe word Negro is used in the English-speaking world to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance, whether of African descent or not...
Resources
- Museo Afro Peruano
- Joshua Project - Afro-Peruvian
- Peruvian Music
- Peru Negro
- Imágen(Es) E Identidad Del Sujeto Afroperuano En La Novela Peruana Contemporánea
- Pobreza, discriminacion social e indentidad: El caso de la poblacion afrodescendiente en el Peru
- Black Conquistadors: Armed Africans In Early Spanish America