4% are of African origin, and 7% Native American.

[63] A more recent genetic

study, from 2013, showed that people in São Paulo have 61.9% European,
25.5% African and 11.6% Amerindian ancestries, respectively.[64]
Chile[edit]
Main article: Afro-Chilean
Chile enslaved about 6,000 Africans, about one-third of whom arrived before
1615; most were utilized in agriculture around Santiago. Today there are very
few Afro-Chileans, at the most, fewer than 0.001% can be estimated from the
2006 population.
An autosomal DNA study from 2014 found out Chile to be 44.34% (± 3.9%)
Native American, 51.85% (± 5.44%) European and 3.81% (± 0.45%) african.[65][66]
A 2015 autosomal DNA study found out Chile to be 42.38% Native American,
55.16% European and 2.44% African (using LAMP-LD) and 43.22% Native
American, 54.38% European and 2.40% African (using RFMix)[67]
Colombia[edit]
Main article: Afro-Colombian
Afro-Colombians make up 10.6% of the population, almost 4.9 million people,
according to a projection of the National Administration Department of Statistics
(DANE).[68] most of whom are concentrated on the northwest Caribbean coast
and the Pacific coast in such departments as Chocó, although considerable
numbers are also Cartagena, Barranquilla San Andres Isla.
Approximately 4.4 million Afro-Colombians actively recognize their own black
ancestry as a result of inter-racial relations with white and indigenous
Colombians. They have been historically absent from high level government
positions.[citation needed] Many of their long-established settlements around the Pacific
coast have remained underdeveloped. In Colombia's ongoing internal conflict,
Afro-Colombians are both victims of violence or displacement and members of
armed factions, such as the FARC and the AUC. Afro-Colombians have played a
role in contributing to the development of certain aspects of Colombian culture.
For example, several of Colombia's musical genres, such as Cumbia, have
African origins or influences. Some Afro-Colombians have also been successful
in sports such as Faustino Asprilla, Freddy Rincón or María Isabel Urrutia.
San Basilio de Palenque is a village in Colombia that is noted for maintaining
many African traditions. It was declared a Masterpieces of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanityby UNESCO in 2005.[69] The residents of
Palenque still speak Palenquero, a Spanish/African creole.[70]
Ecuador[edit]
Main article: Afro-Ecuadorian
Nelson Estupiñán Bass, Afro-Ecuadorian poet in an Ecuadorian stamp

In 2006, Ecuador had a population of 13,547,510. According to the latest data

from CIA World Factbook, the ethnic groups represented in Ecuador include
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white; 71.9%), Montubio (7.4%), Amerindian
(7%), white (6.1%), Afroecuadorian (4.3%), mulato (1.9%), and black (1%)The
Afro-Ecuadorian culture is found in the northwest coastal region of Ecuador and
make up the majority (70%) in the province of Esmeraldas and the Chota
Valley in the Imbabura Province. They can be also found in Ecuador's two largest
cities, Quito and Guayaquil. The best known cultural influence known outside
Ecuador is a distinctive kind of marimba music. From the Chota Valleythere
is Bomba (Ecuador) music which is very different from marimba from
Esmeraldas.
Paraguay[edit]
Main article: Afro-Paraguayan
Black Paraguayans are descended from enslaved West African brought to
Paraguay by the 16th century. They became a significant presence in the
country, and made up 11% of the population in 1785. Most Afro-Paraguayans
established communities in towns such as Areguá, Emboscada,
and Guarambaré. Many achieved their freedom during the Spanish rule. In the
capital Asunción, there is a community of 300 Afro-Paraguayan families in the
Fernando de la Mora municipality.
Peru[edit]
Main article: Afro-Peruvian
Afro-Peruvian man in El Carmen near Chincha

Afro-Peruvians make up about 3–4% of the population (close to two million).

Over the course of the slave trade, approximately 95,000 slaves were brought
into Peru, with the last group arriving in 1850. Today, Afro-Peruvians reside
mainly on the central and south coast. Afro-Peruvians can also be found in
significant numbers on the northern coast. 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".
Afro-Peruvian music and culture was popularized from the 1950s by the
performer Nicomedes Santa Cruz.[72] Since 2006, his birthday, 4 June, has been
celebrated in Peru as a Day of Afro-Peruvian Culture.[citation needed] Another key figure
in the revival of Afro-Peruvian music is Susana Baca.
Afro-Peruvian music was actually well known in Peru since the 1600s but
oppressed by the Peruvian elite, as was Andean religion and language. Afro-
Peruvian culture has not only thrived but influenced all aspects of Peruvian
culture without any acknowledgement from mainstream media or history. Luis
Miguel Sanchez, Peru's 71st President, was the first Afro-Andean President
(1930–1933).
Uruguay[edit]
Main article: Afro-Uruguayan
A 2009 DNA study in the American Journal of Human Biology showed the
genetic composition of Uruguay as primarily European, with Native American
ancestry ranging from one to 20 percent and sub-Saharan African "from seven to
15 percent (depending on region)".[73]
Enslaved Africans and their descendants figured prominently in the founding of
Uruguay.
In the late 18th century, Montevideo became a major arrival port for slaves, most
brought from Portuguese colonies of Africa and bound for the Spanish colonies
of the New World, the mines of Peru and Bolivia, and the fields of Uruguay.
In the 19th century, when Uruguay joined other colonies in fighting for
independence from Spain, Uruguayan national hero Jose Artigas led an elite
division of black troops against the colonists. One of his top advisors
was Joaquín Lenzina, known as Ansina, a freed slave who composed musical
odes about his commander's exploits and is regarded by Afro-Uruguayans as an
unheralded father of the nation.
Venezuela[edit]
Main article: Afro-Venezuelan

The late President Hugo Chávez was the first afrodescendiente to serve as head of state of
Venezuela.

African Venezuelans are mostly descendants of enslaved Africans brought to

Venezuela from the 17th to the 19th century to work the coffee and cocoa crops.
Most of the African-Venezuelans live in the North-central region, in the coastal
towns Barlovento, Northern Yaracuy, Carabobo and Aragua States, and
Eastern Vargas State; but also in several towns and villages in areas in South
Lake Maracaibo (Zulia State) and Northern Merida State in the Andes, among
others. They have kept their traditions and culture alive, especially through
music.
Venezuela is a very racially mixed nation, which makes it difficult to individually
identify and/or distinguish their ethno-racial background with precision. Research
in 2001 on genetic diversity by the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research
(Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, IVIC) in which the
population was compared to the historical patterns of the colonial castes.
According to the last population census in Venezuela conducted by the National
Institute Estadististica (INE), 2.8% of the country's population identifies as
afrodescendientes of the national total, which is 181 157 result in the number of
Venezuelans with African racial characteristics.[74] However,
most Venezuelans have some Sub-Saharan African heritage and are pardo,
even if they identify as white.
Afro-Venezuelans have stood out as sportsmen, many of them in the Major
League Baseball and other sports (e.g. former NBA/Houston
Rockets forward Carl Herrera), however, most of them do not describe
themselves as Afro-Venezuelan, but as Latinos or Hispanics or simply
Venezuelans. Afro-Venezuelans have also stood out in the arts, especially in
music, for example: Magdalena Sánchez, Oscar D'León, Morella Muñoz, Allan
Phillips, Pedro Eustache, Frank Quintero, and many others. Miss Venezuela
1998, Carolina Indriago, Miss Venezuela Universe 2006, Jictzad Viña, and Miss
Venezuela World 2006, Susan Carrizo are mulatto.

Central America[edit]
The Afro-Latin Americans of Central America come from the Caribbean coast.
The countries of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, are of Garífuna,
Afro-Caribbean and/or Mestizo heritage, as well as of Miskito heritage. Those
of Costa Rica and Panama are mostly of Afro-Caribbean heritage. Many Afro-
Caribbean islanders arrived in Panama to help build the Panama Canal and to
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica to work in the banana and
sugar-cane plantations.
Belize[edit]
Main article: Afro-Belizean
Note: Common definitions of Latin America do not include Belize
Belizean culture is a mix of African, European, and Mayan but only 21% of the
population is considered to be of African descent. The main community of African
descent are the Creoles and Garifuna concentrated from the Cayo District to
the Belize District and Stann Creek District (Dangriga) on the Caribbean
Sea. Belize City, on the Caribbean coast, is the center of West African culture in
Belize, with its population being of mixed Black African, Maya, and European.
Costa Rica[edit]
Main article: Afro-Costa Rican
About 8% of the population is of African descent or Mulatto (mix of European and
black) who are called Afro-Costa Ricans, English-speaking descendants of 19th
century black Jamaican immigrant workers. The indigenous population numbers
around 2.5%. In the Guanacaste Province, a significant portion of the population
descends from a mix of local Amerindians, Africans and Spaniards. Most Afro-
Costa Ricans are found in the Limón Province and the Central Valley.
El Salvador[edit]
Main article: Afro-Salvadoran
Only 0.13% are blacks in El Salvador. A total of 10,000 African slaves were
brought to El Salvador. The African population, creating Afro-Mestizos in the
certain areas where the Africans were brought. El Salvador has no English
Antillean (West Indian), Garifuna, and Miskito population, largely due to laws
banning the immigration of African into the country in the 1930s, these laws were
revoked in the 1980s.
Guatemala[edit]
Main article: Afro-Guatemalan
Only 2% of the Guatemalan population is considered black or mulatto. The main
community of African heritage are the Garifuna, concentrated
in Livingston and Puerto Barrios. The rest are Afro-Caribbean and mulattoes who
lives in Puerto Barrios and Morales. All these places belong
to Izabal department, on the Caribbean coast. Sadly, because of unemployent
and lack of opportunities, many Garifuna from Guatemala had left the country
and move to Belize and the United States. Also many people of African descent
are located in different regions of the country but most notable are
in Amatitlán, San Jerónimo, and Jutiapa, although most of them may not
recognize it because the loss of culture in these places. Based on oral local
history in San Jeronimo of Alta Vera Paz, it is told that a ship carrying enslaved
people from Africa broke on the shores of Guatemala prior to the European
invasion. The ship had broken on the shores and the enslaved people became
free people with the enslavers dead. The oral history continues to claim that the
name Alta Verapaz - the land of " High True Peace" was given to that territory by
the spaniards after conquering the people of African and Mayan descent through
religion - the cross - and not the sword as in other parts of Guatemala. The
reason is Africans and Mayans had joined forces and defeated the Spanish
Sword. African and Mayans have also intermarried tracing back generations prior
to the Garifuna along the Coast. Many more Africans joined VeraPaz once the
Spaniards conquered through religion, bringing about large sugar cane
plantations that required more laborers, and unfortunately enslaved peoples.
Many of the slaves brought from Africa in colonial times came to Guatemala to
work on cotton, sugar cane, tobacco, and coffee plantations. Most were brought
as slaves and also servants by European conquistadors. The main reason for
slavery in Guatemala was because of the large sugar-cane plantations and
haciendas located on Guatemala's Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Slavery didn't
last too long during those times and all slaves and servants brought were later
freed. They spread to different locations, primarily Guatemala's north, south and
east. It is said that these freed slaves later mixed with Europeans, Native
Indigenous, and Creoles (Criollos) of non-African descent.
The national folk instrument, the marimba, has its origins in Africa and was
brought to Guatemala and the rest of Central America by African slaves during
colonial times. The melodies played on it show Native American, West African
and European influences in both form and style.
Among the notable Garifuna from Guatemala are social leaders (Mario Ellington
and Dilia Palacios Cayetano), musicians (Sofía Blanco, Silvia Blanco and Jursino
Cayetano), poets (Nora Murillo and Wingston González), athletes (Teodoro
Palacios Flores and Mario Blanco), soccer players (Guillermo "la Pantera"
Enríquez Gamboa, Tomás Enríquez Gamboa, German Trigueño Castro,
Clemente Lalín Sánchez, Wilson Lalín Salvatierra, Carlos Delva, Norman Delva,
David Suazo, Tomás Suazo, Braulio Arzú, Ricardo Trigueno Foster, Guillermo
Ramírez "el Pando", Florencio Martínez, Renato Blanco and Marvin Avila),
basketball players (Juan Pablo Trigueño Foster), a wrestler (El Cadete del
Espacio) and a model (Deborah David).
From the Afro-Caribbean community come doctors (Henry Stokes Brown and his
son, Wilfredo Stokes Baltazar; Arla Cinderella Stokes), psychologists (Elizabeth
Stokes), deacons (Sydney Samuels), a poet (Alan Mills), a journalist (Glenda
Stokes Weatherborn), athletes (Roy Fearon, Salomón Rowe, Octavio Guillespie
and Lidia Graviola Ewing), soccer players (Ricardo Clark, Jorge Lynch, Jerry
Slosher, Royston Hall, David Stokes, Tony Edwin, Oscar Sims, Willie Sims,
Vicente Charles, José A. Charles, Martín Charles, Selvyn Pennant, Douglas
Pérez McNish, Mynor Pérez McNish, Carlos Pérez McNish, Leonardo McNish,
Arturo McNish, Alfredo McNish, Julio César Anderson, Hermenegildo Pepp
Castro, Stanley Gardiner, David Gardiner, Kenneth Brown, Mario "la Gallina"
Becker, Fredy Thompson, Elton Brown and Jonny Brown), basketball players
(Jeremías Stokes, Tomás Guillespie and Peggy Lynch), and a former Miss
Guatemala (Marva Weatherborn). Frank Taylor, with roots from San Jeronimo
and born in Quirigua, was the first Black entertainer with their own national
television show singing in five languages with the likes of Julio Iglesias as Frank's
guest.
Today, the Garifuna and Afro-Caribbean people of Guatemala are organized in a
group called Organización Negra Guatemalteca (Onegua). According to its
website, Onegua is "a non-governmental organisation established in 1995 with a
mandate to promote the interests and fight for the rights of Guatemala's Garifuna
and Afrodescendant populations". There is also an association called Asociación
Raíces Afrodescendientes Guatemaltecas.
On 26 November 2009 Afro descendants mostly of Garifuna heritage and all
mixes came to the Catedral Metropolitana located in Guatemala City for a church
event organized by Garifunas from Izabal, Guatemala to prove that after 200
years of Garifuna existence in Guatemala they are not considered part of the
population of Guatemala. The main reason for this event was to prove a point to
stop discrimination against Afro descendants and other ethnic groups in
Guatemala. According to the 2002 census of Guatemala only 5,040 people
identified themselves as Afro descendants during that time, which was 0.04% of
the country's population.
Those numbers have gradually increased during the years after this 2009 event,
which caused a huge controversy all over the country when it was aired on TV.
After Many different regions of Guatemala have since identified some inhabitants
as Afro descendants with some mixed ancestry.
It is important to note that in a country with has been historically dominated by
the Catholic religion, many throughout the Country worship a black Christ -
Esquipulas. Many Catholics within Central America do a pilgrimage to the Church
of Se~nor Esquipulas to request for a miracle or thank him for having provided
one. Walking into the church, one could find crutches and wheel chairs as
remnants of people's past tribulations that they supposedly leave behind as they
walk out of the Church with Se~nor Esquipulas haven granted their miracle.
Honduras

4% are of African origin, and 7% Native American.[63] A more recent genetic

study, from 2013, showed that people in São Paulo have 61.9% European,
25.5% African and 11.6% Amerindian ancestries, respectively.[64]
Chile[edit]
Main article: Afro-Chilean
Chile enslaved about 6,000 Africans, about one-third of whom arrived before
1615; most were utilized in agriculture around Santiago. Today there are very
few Afro-Chileans, at the most, fewer than 0.001% can be estimated from the
2006 population.
An autosomal DNA study from 2014 found out Chile to be 44.34% (± 3.9%)
Native American, 51.85% (± 5.44%) European and 3.81% (± 0.45%) african.[65][66]
A 2015 autosomal DNA study found out Chile to be 42.38% Native American,
55.16% European and 2.44% African (using LAMP-LD) and 43.22% Native
American, 54.38% European and 2.40% African (using RFMix)[67]
Colombia[edit]
Main article: Afro-Colombian
Afro-Colombians make up 10.6% of the population, almost 4.9 million people,
according to a projection of the National Administration Department of Statistics
(DANE).[68] most of whom are concentrated on the northwest Caribbean coast
and the Pacific coast in such departments as Chocó, although considerable
numbers are also Cartagena, Barranquilla San Andres Isla.
Approximately 4.4 million Afro-Colombians actively recognize their own black
ancestry as a result of inter-racial relations with white and indigenous
Colombians. They have been historically absent from high level government
positions.[citation needed] Many of their long-established settlements around the Pacific
coast have remained underdeveloped. In Colombia's ongoing internal conflict,
Afro-Colombians are both victims of violence or displacement and members of
armed factions, such as the FARC and the AUC. Afro-Colombians have played a
role in contributing to the development of certain aspects of Colombian culture.
For example, several of Colombia's musical genres, such as Cumbia, have
African origins or influences. Some Afro-Colombians have also been successful
in sports such as Faustino Asprilla, Freddy Rincón or María Isabel Urrutia.
San Basilio de Palenque is a village in Colombia that is noted for maintaining
many African traditions. It was declared a Masterpieces of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanityby UNESCO in 2005.[69] The residents of
Palenque still speak Palenquero, a Spanish/African creole.[70]
Ecuador[edit]
Main article: Afro-Ecuadorian

Nelson Estupiñán Bass, Afro-Ecuadorian poet in an Ecuadorian stamp

In 2006, Ecuador had a population of 13,547,510. According to the latest data

from CIA World Factbook, the ethnic groups represented in Ecuador include
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white; 71.9%), Montubio (7.4%), Amerindian
(7%), white (6.1%), Afroecuadorian (4.3%), mulato (1.9%), and black (1%).[71] The
Afro-Ecuadorian culture is found in the northwest coastal region of Ecuador and
make up the majority (70%) in the province of Esmeraldas and the Chota
Valley in the Imbabura Province. They can be also found in Ecuador's two largest
cities, Quito and Guayaquil. The best known cultural influence known outside
Ecuador is a distinctive kind of marimba music. From the Chota Valleythere
is Bomba (Ecuador) music which is very different from marimba from
Esmeraldas.
Paraguay[edit]
Main article: Afro-Paraguayan
Black Paraguayans are descended from enslaved West African brought to
Paraguay by the 16th century. They became a significant presence in the
country, and made up 11% of the population in 1785. Most Afro-Paraguayans
established communities in towns such as Areguá, Emboscada,
and Guarambaré. Many achieved their freedom during the Spanish rule. In the
capital Asunción, there is a community of 300 Afro-Paraguayan families in the
Fernando de la Mora municipality.
Peru[edit]
Main article: Afro-Peruvian

Afro-Peruvian man in El Carmen near Chincha

Afro-Peruvians make up about 3–4% of the population (close to two million).

Over the course of the slave trade, approximately 95,000 slaves were brought
into Peru, with the last group arriving in 1850. Today, Afro-Peruvians reside
mainly on the central and south coast. Afro-Peruvians can also be found in
significant numbers on the northern coast. 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".
Afro-Peruvian music and culture was popularized from the 1950s by the
performer Nicomedes Santa Cruz.[72] Since 2006, his birthday, 4 June, has been
celebrated in Peru as a Day of Afro-Peruvian Culture.[citation needed] Another key figure
in the revival of Afro-Peruvian music is Susana Baca.
Afro-Peruvian music was actually well known in Peru since the 1600s but
oppressed by the Peruvian elite, as was Andean religion and language. Afro-
Peruvian culture has not only thrived but influenced all aspects of Peruvian
culture without any acknowledgement from mainstream media or history. Luis
Miguel Sanchez, Peru's 71st President, was the first Afro-Andean President
(1930–1933).
Uruguay[edit]
Main article: Afro-Uruguayan
A 2009 DNA study in the American Journal of Human Biology showed the
genetic composition of Uruguay as primarily European, with Native American
ancestry ranging from one to 20 percent and sub-Saharan African "from seven to
15 percent (depending on region)".[73]
Enslaved Africans and their descendants figured prominently in the founding of
Uruguay.
In the late 18th century, Montevideo became a major arrival port for slaves, most
brought from Portuguese colonies of Africa and bound for the Spanish colonies
of the New World, the mines of Peru and Bolivia, and the fields of Uruguay.
In the 19th century, when Uruguay joined other colonies in fighting for
independence from Spain, Uruguayan national hero Jose Artigas led an elite
division of black troops against the colonists. One of his top advisors
was Joaquín Lenzina, known as Ansina, a freed slave who composed musical
odes about his commander's exploits and is regarded by Afro-Uruguayans as an
unheralded father of the nation.
Venezuela[edit]
Main article: Afro-Venezuelan

The late President Hugo Chávez was the first afrodescendiente to serve as head of state of
Venezuela.

African Venezuelans are mostly descendants of enslaved Africans brought to

Venezuela from the 17th to the 19th century to work the coffee and cocoa crops.
Most of the African-Venezuelans live in the North-central region, in the coastal
towns Barlovento, Northern Yaracuy, Carabobo and Aragua States, and
Eastern Vargas State; but also in several towns and villages in areas in South
Lake Maracaibo (Zulia State) and Northern Merida State in the Andes, among
others. They have kept their traditions and culture alive, especially through
music.
Venezuela is a very racially mixed nation, which makes it difficult to individually
identify and/or distinguish their ethno-racial background with precision. Research
in 2001 on genetic diversity by the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research
(Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, IVIC) in which the
population was compared to the historical patterns of the colonial castes.
According to the last population census in Venezuela conducted by the National
Institute Estadististica (INE), 2.8% of the country's population identifies as
afrodescendientes of the national total, which is 181 157 result in the number of
Venezuelans with African racial characteristics.[74] However,
most Venezuelans have some Sub-Saharan African heritage and are pardo,
even if they identify as white.
Afro-Venezuelans have stood out as sportsmen, many of them in the Major
League Baseball and other sports (e.g. former NBA/Houston
Rockets forward Carl Herrera), however, most of them do not describe
themselves as Afro-Venezuelan, but as Latinos or Hispanics or simply
Venezuelans. Afro-Venezuelans have also stood out in the arts, especially in
music, for example: Magdalena Sánchez, Oscar D'León, Morella Muñoz, Allan
Phillips, Pedro Eustache, Frank Quintero, and many others. Miss Venezuela
1998, Carolina Indriago, Miss Venezuela Universe 2006, Jictzad Viña, and Miss
Venezuela World 2006, Susan Carrizo are mulatto.

Central America[edit]
The Afro-Latin Americans of Central America come from the Caribbean coast.
The countries of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, are of Garífuna,
Afro-Caribbean and/or Mestizo heritage, as well as of Miskito heritage. Those
of Costa Rica and Panama are mostly of Afro-Caribbean heritage. Many Afro-
Caribbean islanders arrived in Panama to help build the Panama Canal and to
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica to work in the banana and
sugar-cane plantations.
Belize[edit]
Main article: Afro-Belizean
Note: Common definitions of Latin America do not include Belize
Belizean culture is a mix of African, European, and Mayan but only 21% of the
population is considered to be of African descent. The main community of African
descent are the Creoles and Garifuna concentrated from the Cayo District to
the Belize District and Stann Creek District (Dangriga) on the Caribbean
Sea. Belize City, on the Caribbean coast, is the center of West African culture in
Belize, with its population being of mixed Black African, Maya, and European.
Costa Rica[edit]
Main article: Afro-Costa Rican
About 8% of the population is of African descent or Mulatto (mix of European and
black) who are called Afro-Costa Ricans, English-speaking descendants of 19th
century black Jamaican immigrant workers. The indigenous population numbers
around 2.5%. In the Guanacaste Province, a significant portion of the population
descends from a mix of local Amerindians, Africans and Spaniards. Most Afro-
Costa Ricans are found in the Limón Province and the Central Valley.
El Salvador[edit]
Main article: Afro-Salvadoran
Only 0.13% are blacks in El Salvador. A total of 10,000 African slaves were
brought to El Salvador. The African population, creating Afro-Mestizos in the
certain areas where the Africans were brought. El Salvador has no English
Antillean (West Indian), Garifuna, and Miskito population, largely due to laws
banning the immigration of African into the country in the 1930s, these laws were
revoked in the 1980s.
Guatemala
Only 2% of the Guatemalan population is considered black or mulatto. The main
community of African heritage are the Garifuna, concentrated
in Livingston and Puerto Barrios. The rest are Afro-Caribbean and mulattoes who
lives in Puerto Barrios and Morales. All these places belong
to Izabal department, on the Caribbean coast. Sadly, because of unemployent
and lack of opportunities, many Garifuna from Guatemala had left the country
and move to Belize and the United States. Also many people of African descent
are located in different regions of the country but most notable are
in Amatitlán, San Jerónimo, and Jutiapa, although most of them may not
recognize it because the loss of culture in these places. Based on oral local
history in San Jeronimo of Alta Vera Paz, it is told that a ship carrying enslaved
people from Africa broke on the shores of Guatemala prior to the European
invasion. The ship had broken on the shores and the enslaved people became
free people with the enslavers dead. The oral history continues to claim that the
name Alta Verapaz - the land of " High True Peace" was given to that territory by
the spaniards after conquering the people of African and Mayan descent through
religion - the cross - and not the sword as in other parts of Guatemala. The
reason is Africans and Mayans had joined forces and defeated the Spanish
Sword. African and Mayans have also intermarried tracing back generations prior
to the Garifuna along the Coast. Many more Africans joined VeraPaz once the
Spaniards conquered through religion, bringing about large sugar cane
plantations that required more laborers, and unfortunately enslaved peoples.
Many of the slaves brought from Africa in colonial times came to Guatemala to
work on cotton, sugar cane, tobacco, and coffee plantations. Most were brought
as slaves and also servants by European conquistadors. The main reason for
slavery in Guatemala was because of the large sugar-cane plantations and
haciendas located on Guatemala's Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Slavery didn't
last too long during those times and all slaves and servants brought were later
freed. They spread to different locations, primarily Guatemala's north, south and
east. It is said that these freed slaves later mixed with Europeans, Native
Indigenous, and Creoles (Criollos) of non-African descent.
The national folk instrument, the marimba, has its origins in Africa and was
brought to Guatemala and the rest of Central America by African slaves during
colonial times. The melodies played on it show Native American, West African
and European influences in both form and style.
Among the notable Garifuna from Guatemala are social leaders (Mario Ellington
and Dilia Palacios Cayetano), musicians (Sofía Blanco, Silvia Blanco and Jursino
Cayetano), poets (Nora Murillo and Wingston González), athletes (Teodoro
Palacios Flores and Mario Blanco), soccer players (Guillermo "la Pantera"
Enríquez Gamboa, Tomás Enríquez Gamboa, German Trigueño Castro,
Clemente Lalín Sánchez, Wilson Lalín Salvatierra, Carlos Delva, Norman Delva,
David Suazo, Tomás Suazo, Braulio Arzú, Ricardo Trigueno Foster, Guillermo
Ramírez "el Pando", Florencio Martínez, Renato Blanco and Marvin Avila),
basketball players (Juan Pablo Trigueño Foster), a wrestler (El Cadete del
Espacio) and a model (Deborah David).
From the Afro-Caribbean community come doctors (Henry Stokes Brown and his
son, Wilfredo Stokes Baltazar; Arla Cinderella Stokes), psychologists (Elizabeth
Stokes), deacons (Sydney Samuels), a poet (Alan Mills), a journalist (Glenda
Stokes Weatherborn), athletes (Roy Fearon, Salomón Rowe, Octavio Guillespie
and Lidia Graviola Ewing), soccer players (Ricardo Clark, Jorge Lynch, Jerry
Slosher, Royston Hall, David Stokes, Tony Edwin, Oscar Sims, Willie Sims,
Vicente Charles, José A. Charles, Martín Charles, Selvyn Pennant, Douglas
Pérez McNish, Mynor Pérez McNish, Carlos Pérez McNish, Leonardo McNish,
Arturo McNish, Alfredo McNish, Julio César Anderson, Hermenegildo Pepp
Castro, Stanley Gardiner, David Gardiner, Kenneth Brown, Mario "la Gallina"
Becker, Fredy Thompson, Elton Brown and Jonny Brown), basketball players
(Jeremías Stokes, Tomás Guillespie and Peggy Lynch), and a former Miss
Guatemala (Marva Weatherborn). Frank Taylor, with roots from San Jeronimo
and born in Quirigua, was the first Black entertainer with their own national
television show singing in five languages with the likes of Julio Iglesias as Frank's
guest.
Today, the Garifuna and Afro-Caribbean people of Guatemala are organized in a
group called Organización Negra Guatemalteca (Onegua). According to its
website, Onegua is "a non-governmental organisation established in 1995 with a
mandate to promote the interests and fight for the rights of Guatemala's Garifuna
and Afrodescendant populations". There is also an association called Asociación
Raíces Afrodescendientes Guatemaltecas.
On 26 November 2009 Afro descendants mostly of Garifuna heritage and all
mixes came to the Catedral Metropolitana located in Guatemala City for a church
event organized by Garifunas from Izabal, Guatemala to prove that after 200
years of Garifuna existence in Guatemala they are not considered part of the
population of Guatemala. The main reason for this event was to prove a point to
stop discrimination against Afro descendants and other ethnic groups in
Guatemala. According to the 2002 census of Guatemala only 5,040 people
identified themselves as Afro descendants during that time, which was 0.04% of
the country's population.
Those numbers have gradually increased during the years after this 2009 event,
which caused a huge controversy all over the country when it was aired on TV.
After Many different regions of Guatemala have since identified some inhabitants
as Afro descendants with some mixed ancestry.
It is important to note that in a country with has been historically dominated by
the Catholic religion, many throughout the Country worship a black Christ -
Esquipulas. Many Catholics within Central America do a pilgrimage to the Church
of Se~nor Esquipulas to request for a miracle or thank him for having provided
one. Walking into the church, one could find crutches and wheel chairs as
remnants of people's past tribulations that they supposedly leave behind as they
walk out of the Church with Se~nor Esquipulas haven granted their miracle.
Honduras