Encounters: Afro-descendants in Argentina and Uruguay

In the closing of a recent post, I talked about the habit of researching African heritage when traveling outside of Africa. This year I visited Argentina and Uruguay and before the trip I found myself reading articles and papers about Afro-descendants in Latin America, their history, presence, and Afro-infused culture today.

The triangular trade brought Africans to many corners of the world spreading the African influence. In the African continent today, one might hear more about African Americans or Afro-Caribbeans through popular culture and media. Less is being said or shown about people of African descent in Latin American countries.

In the southernmost part of Latin America, it is common to hear in most of Africa about afro-descendants from Brazil due to global icons such as the footballer Pelé or the annual Brazilian Carnaval. However, one does not hear much about the Afro-descendant communities in other countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Chile, etc. Discovering the stories and current realities of Afro-Argentinians and Afro-Uruguayans gives a new perspective on understanding communities of African descent and their contributions to the world.

In Argentina, a law in 2013 established November 8^th as the National Day of Afro-Argentinians in commemoration of María Remedios del Valle a Valliant woman of African descent recognized as the Madre de la Patria (Mother of the Homeland). She was a soldier and had a crucial role in the fight for independence in the 1800s. The day also celebrates Afro-descendants, gives their communities more visibility, and promotes their rights. Various organizations around the country use the day to celebrate African heritage and educate on the Afro-descendant’s history and culture. In northern Argentina, I spent time in the city of Salta and this day was celebrated through educative talks hosted in a local museum.

While researching Uruguay, I found the work of Lisa María Montaño Ortiz, a journalist, educator, and afro-descendants consultant working for the inclusion and recognition of Afro-descendants in Latin America. Currently working in Uruguay, I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with her in Montevideo talking about afro-descendants, their place in Latin American society, their challenges, and hope for the future. The talk was a pleasant introduction to this community I want to continue learning about. I asked countless questions about how Afro-descendants view themselves regarding the African Continent and whether communities are interested in knowing more or creating current links. There is a desire from members of the Afro-descendant communities to forge connections with the African continent by learning more about it and considering traveling to African countries. The conversation was a moment of joy in linking people tied by centuries of history.

It is 2023 and Afro-descendant communities in Latin American countries still face challenges linked to various forms of discrimination, xenophobia, inadequate access to basic services, and lack of recognition of their contribution to society.  A study conducted by the World Bank shows that Afro-descendants are 2.5 times more likely to face poverty as they earn less than their other counterparts even with the same level of education and experience. A poignant example of discrimination is shown in the report on how Afro-descendants are portrayed in a discriminatory manner in school textbooks contributing to the marginalization of afro-descendant children and youth. This leads to stereotyping in Latin societies and the world from an early age.

Discrimination and negative stereotyping are a collective challenge that people of African descent face in the world similar to the discrimination and stereotyping that the continent of Africa faces in the eyes of the world. This challenge could be a uniting force to bring Afro-Latinos and Africans together in the fight against global discrimination.

In Africa, learning and understanding more about afro-descendant communities shows the influence that this continent has on the world. We now see collaborations between Africans and African Americans through music, movies, business, and cross-continent travel. It is imaginable to forge new connections with Afro-Latinos through various types of collaborations and activities that foster a common understanding of who we are. We could see a future where these communities from across the Atlantic know more about each other and create a global Afro community that strives for the recognition of its people in building the world we live in today. My encounters in these two Latin American countries have left me with the desire to continue researching, engaging in conversations around the theme, and spreading my findings in Africa the motherland.

Deborah Melom Ndjerareou

Photo credit: D.M Ndjerareou