Afro-Uruguayan
Encyclopedia
Afro-Uruguayan refers to Uruguayans
of Black African
ancestry. Almost a third is found in Montevideo
.
and then Brazil
, during the first decades of the nineteenth century. Third, black Uruguayans were the musicians, writers, and artists whose works enriched, enlightened, and entertained their fellow citizens from colonial times to the present. Moreover, even the very symbols of nationhood in the River Plate, namely, the tango and the gaucho
(cowboy
), were influenced by the genius of Africans and their New-World descendants.
For most of the colonial period, the port of Buenos Aires
(see contribution on Afro-Argentines) served as the exclusive entry point for African slaves in the River Plate
. Spanish mercantilism sought to limit the ready access of slaves and other goods entering the New World
by strictly regulating trade. Slaves entering the port of Buenos Aires, after passing a health inspection, where then regularly shipped inland, to Córdoba
and the northwestern provinces of Salta
and Tucumán, across the Andes Mountains to Chile (see contribution on Afro-Chilean
s), and to the mines of Potosí
in Alto Perú (now Bolivia
). The dearth of native workers in the region (unlike in Mexico
and Peru
), the Spanish elite’s disdain for manual labor, the need for domestic servants as social-status symbols, and the constant demands for manpower in the mines of Potosí
combined to stimulate the trans-Atlantic and internal slave trades in the River Plate during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Exact figures of African slave arrivals in Uruguay for the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries are imprecise, largely because of the contraband slave trade.
. Candombe is related to other musical forms of African origin found in the Americas such as Cuba
n son
and tumba
and Brazilian maracatu
and congadas. The form had evolved by the beginning of the 19th century and was immediately seen as a threat to the elites, who sought to ban the music and its dance
in 1808. Candombe is what survives of the ancestral heritage of Bantu roots, brought by the blacks arriving at the Río de la Plata
. This rhythm traveled to Uruguay from Africa with black slaves, and is still going strong in the streets, halls and carnivals of this small enchanting country.
Uruguayan people
Uruguayan people or Uruguayans are the citizens of Uruguay, or its descendants abroad. Uruguay is a multiethnic society, which means that it is home to people of many different ethnical backgrounds...
of Black African
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
ancestry. Almost a third is found in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
.
History
It is often asserted in the academic literature on Uruguay that the presence and role of Africans in the development of this nation are overlooked. However, Afro-Uruguayans greatly contributed to their country’s economy, society, and culture. First, they were the slaves, peons, and artisans whose toils allowed for Uruguay’s economic development between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Second, African Uruguayans were the soldiers whose blood and sacrifices forged an independent nation-state from a Spanish colony, and defended that independence from foreign invaders, first Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and then Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, during the first decades of the nineteenth century. Third, black Uruguayans were the musicians, writers, and artists whose works enriched, enlightened, and entertained their fellow citizens from colonial times to the present. Moreover, even the very symbols of nationhood in the River Plate, namely, the tango and the gaucho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
(cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
), were influenced by the genius of Africans and their New-World descendants.
For most of the colonial period, the port of 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...
(see contribution on Afro-Argentines) served as the exclusive entry point for African slaves in the River Plate
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
. Spanish mercantilism sought to limit the ready access of slaves and other goods entering the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
by strictly regulating trade. Slaves entering the port of Buenos Aires, after passing a health inspection, where then regularly shipped inland, to Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
and the northwestern provinces of Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
and Tucumán, across the Andes Mountains to Chile (see contribution on Afro-Chilean
Afro-Chilean
Afro Chileans are citizens of Chile, descended from African slaves who were brought to the New World with the arrival of the conquistadors toward the end of the slave trade.-Slavery in Arica:...
s), and to the mines of Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
in Alto Perú (now Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
). The dearth of native workers in the region (unlike in Mexico
Mexico
The 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...
and Peru
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....
), the Spanish elite’s disdain for manual labor, the need for domestic servants as social-status symbols, and the constant demands for manpower in the mines of Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
combined to stimulate the trans-Atlantic and internal slave trades in the River Plate during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Exact figures of African slave arrivals in Uruguay for the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries are imprecise, largely because of the contraband slave trade.
Candombe and its origins
Candombe's origins lie in the "Kings of Congo" ceremonial processions from the period of African slavery in South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Candombe is related to other musical forms of African origin found in the Americas such as Cuba
Cuba
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...
n son
Son montuno
The son montuno is a style of the Cuban son, but exactly what it means is not an easy question to answer. The son itself is the most important genre of Cuban popular music. In addition, it is perhaps the most flexible of all forms of Latin-American music...
and tumba
Tumba
Besides Grave in Spanish, Tumba can refer to:Places:*Tumba, Sweden - a town in Botkyrka, Sweden.*Tumba - an ancient Neolithic settlement in the Republic of Macedonia.*Tumba - a village in the Vranje municipality of southern Serbia....
and Brazilian maracatu
Maracatu
Maracatu is a term common to two distinct performance genres found in Pernambuco state in northeastern Brazil: maracatu de nação and maracatu rural . A third style, maracatu cearense , is found in Fortaleza, in the northeastern state of Ceará...
and congadas. The form had evolved by the beginning of the 19th century and was immediately seen as a threat to the elites, who sought to ban the music and its dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
in 1808. Candombe is what survives of the ancestral heritage of Bantu roots, brought by the blacks arriving at the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
. This rhythm traveled to Uruguay from Africa with black slaves, and is still going strong in the streets, halls and carnivals of this small enchanting country.
Notable Afro-Uruguayans
- Virginia Brindis de SalasVirginia Brindis de SalasVirginia Brindis de Salas was a poet of the black community of Uruguay.-Background:Brindis de Salas was an active contributor to the black artistic journal Nuestra Raza. Her writings made her, along with Pilar Barrios, one of the few published Uruguayan women poets.-Poetry collections:Brindis de...
Poet - Rubén RadaRubén RadaRubén Rada is an Afro-Uruguayan percussionist, composer and singer. He is closely associated with Candombe, an Afro–Uruguayan rhythmic style music, which is based on the sound of three types of drums: ´chico´, ‘repique’ and ‘piano’...
Singer - Lágrima Ríos Singer
- Rosa Luna vedette
- Cayetano Alberto SilvaCayetano Alberto SilvaCayetano Alberto Silva was an Uruguayan musician, nationalized Argentine, and author; his work includes the San Lorenzo march, the official march of the Argentine army.-Early life:...
Musician - Juan Velorio CandombeCandombeCandombe is a musical genre that has its roots in the African Bantu, and is proper of Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil .Uruguayan Candombe is the most practiced and spread internationally and has been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity...
musician - Déborah Rodríguez Athlete
- Salvador Betervide Politician
- Edgardo Ortuño Politician
- Obdulio VarelaObdulio VarelaObdulio Jacinto Muiños Varela was a Uruguayan football player. He was the captain of the Uruguayan national team that won the 1950 World Cup after beating Brazil in the decisive final round match popularly known as the Maracanazo...
football player - Joaquín LenzinaJoaquín LenzinaJoaquín Lenzina, commonly known as "Ansina", accompanied José Gervasio Artigas throughout his life as his most loyal friend and follower.He was born in Montevideo in 1760, son of Black slaves...
freed slave and poet - José Leandro Andrade football player
- Santiago GarcíaSantiago GarcíaSantiago Damian García Correa is a Uruguayan football player. He currently plays for Brazilian Atlético Paranaense.-Early career:...
football player - Richard MoralesRichard MoralesRíchard Javier Morales Aguirre is a retired Uruguayan footballer who played as a centre forward....
football player - Mario RegueiroMario RegueiroMario Ignacio Regueiro Pintos is an Uruguayan footballer who plays for Club Atlético Lanús in Argentina....
football player - Víctor Rodríguez AndradeVíctor Rodríguez AndradeVíctor Pablo Rodríguez Andrade was an Uruguayan footballer. He was the left halfback of the Uruguayan national team that won the 1950 World Cup tournament, after defeating Brazil in the decisive match....
football player - Darío SilvaDarío SilvaDarío Debray Silva Pereira is a retired Uruguayan footballer who played as a striker.After making a name for himself in his country and in Italy with Caglari, he spent the following seven years of his career in Spain - scoring 48 La Liga goals in 163 games, mostly for Málaga - before moving to...
football player - Marcelo ZalayetaMarcelo ZalayetaMarcelo Danubio Zalayeta is an Uruguayan football striker, who currently plays for Peñarol.-Club career:...
football player - Nicolás OliveraNicolas OliveraAndrés Nicolás 'Nico' Olivera is an Uruguayan footballer who plays as a forward for Defensor Sporting Club.-Club career:...
football player - Víctor DiogoVíctor DiogoVíctor Hugo Diogo Silva is a retired football defender from Uruguay. He played in 33 games for the Uruguay national football team, scoring one goal....
football player - Alvaro PereiraAlvaro PereiraÁlvaro Daniel Pereira Barragán is an Uruguayan footballer who plays for Futebol Clube do Porto in Portugal.On the left side, he can play as either a defender or midfielder.-Early years:...
football player - Egidio Arevalo Rios football player
- Abel HernandezAbel HernándezAbel Mathías Hernández Platero is a Uruguayan football striker. He currently plays for Serie A club U.S. Città di Palermo and Uruguay national football team.-Club career:...
football player - Tina FerreiraTina FerreiraTina Ferreira is a Afro-Uruguayan, dancer, journalist and vedette known for performin in carnivals all around Uruguay. She works as the lead vedette in the carnival group Serpentina in which she has worked with since 2004 by José de Lima the group's directer. She has won many awards for her...
journalist and vedette