By As Black History Month draws to a close, the Black and Latinx Resource Centers, alongside the College of Education, joined together to present The Existence of Afro-Mexican Heritage and Identity on Feb. 25.
Inside room 67 at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Education Building, the event focused on Afro-Mexican heritage and traditions.
Assistant Director of the Latinx Resource Center, Alondra Enriquez, enthusiastically introduced the event giving a short description on Afro-Mexican culture followed by speaking on the prejudice faced by those in Mexico.
Screened at the event was a short documentary called “Jamaica y Tamarindo: Afro Tradition in the Heart of Mexico” which explores the lives of several Afro-Mexican residents near Mexico City.
The documentary began with the washing of a basket full of Jamaica, as resident Marbella Figueroa Quiterio narrated how the flower represent a dark past.
In Afro-Mexican culture, Jamaica is versatile and can be used drinks, sauces or Jamaica patties.
Tamarind, a tropical fruit, has a similar versatility like the Jamaica.
“Behind the history of the Jamaica flower, there lies a dark history,” Quiterio said. “Or rather… a Black past.”
This led to the voice of Isaías Martínez Trani stating that in Mexico, they do not want to acknowledge Afro-Mexicans in the country.
If, or when, they were acknowledged, Afro-Mexicans were seen as lazy, bad, savage and called other derogatory names.
This resulted in Mexican residents referring to Afro-Mexicans as “Blacks,” a racial slur.
Leona Uhuru acknowledged the differences she faced in Mexico City, despite being born in the city.
She referred to the Jamaica, a hibiscus flower, as a reminder of her roots and Costa Chica of Guerrero, her family hometown.
Even with these setbacks, the interviewees included in the film shared that they are proud to showcase their heritage and traditions.
Their heritage comes from both African and Indigenous culture.
This is shown within their medicine, rituals, and the curandero, which is the name given to ritual healers. They emphasize healing illnesses and giving respect to the resources from mother nature.
In their culture’s music, tradition lives in a notable instrument called the charrasca, a mule jawbone.
The Zapateado, a Mexican tap dance performed on a wooden floor, roots lie in African tribal dances.
Uhuru mentioned that she wishes to reclaim the word “Black” and use it as power.
“The word ‘Black’ is a word that I take with me whenever I go,” she said. “It’s a word that I [have] taken back for myself.”
As the documentary and the event came to an end film participant Seynabou Diédhou mentioned that Afro-Mexican culture will continue to live on as long as they continue to preserve it.
He said that the instruments symbolize the Afro-Mexican resilience and will continue to show pride for their culture.
“Black people have arrived with Rumba, Chilena and Son,”Diédhou said. “Black culture will live if they keep dancing in…while we play our song.”
