A celebration in Bogotá's La Candelaria neighborhood. |
Women gold miners in El Chocó |
People of African descent make up about ten percent of Colombia's population, most of them concentrated along the Pacific and Carribean coasts. Many highly Afro regions are very poor, particularly El Chocó, which has become allegorical for poverty.
The fact that Colombia waited decades after independence to abolish slavery suggests that Colombia's revolutionaries were not all that revolutionary in eliminating forms of colonial exploitation when they benefited themselves. (And, slavery persisted for years more, in at least some forms, long after legal emancipation. In his autobiography, Gabriel Garcia Marquez writes that around 1900 his family 'purchased' a Wayuu Indian woman to work in their home.)
Benkos Biohó, with chains still on. |
Raúl Cuero at work. |
Despite poverty and discrimination, AfroColombians have contributed greatly to Colombian culture both as a people and thru extraordinary individuals. One of the best-known living AfroColombians is Raúl Cuero, a microbiology researcher with NASA.
Another is Delia Zapata, who worked to find the African roots of AfroColombian dances. She lived in the Bogotá's La Candelaria neighborhood, where her old home is still a dance studio/school.
On Sunday the 22nd AfroColombian and indigenous groups marched down Bogotá's Seventh Ave.
By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours
3 comments:
I just wrote a blog post on my sentimental favorite salsero Jairo Varela of Grupo Niche.
http://ahorasecreto.blogspot.com/2011/07/jairo-varela-of-grupo-niche-my.html
I understand Niche is a world they call black people in Colombia, For exemple, I heard an Afro-Colombian singer shout, “Oye Niche,” during a performance. Could you help me out and better understand the meaning of that word?
Bill Smith
African American-Latino World
www.ahorasecreto.blogspot.com
Hi Bill,
As far as I know, that's it - it's slang for black. There's of course a 'Grupo Niche' salsa band.
Here they answer your Q:
http://www.radioelsalsero.com/2011/01/jairo-varela-no-me-gusta-escuchar.html
Thanks for the response. I just wrote a blog post on the leader of Grupo Niche over the weekend;
http://ahorasecreto.blogspot.com/2011/07/jairo-varela-of-grupo-niche-my.html
it was started by two niches :-)
Bill Smith
African American-Latino World
www.ahorasecreto.blogspot.com
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