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  • Essay / The Huge African Culture Represented in Mexico and Peru: The Black Grandma in the Closet

    This documentary provides insight into the rich African culture that is closely linked to Mexico and Peru. Over time, Africans became an integral part of Spanish society and were identified as mestizos, creoles and mulattoes. The historian at the Mexican Historical Museum explained that there were several variations of blackness. He even mentioned that Barack Obama and Beyoncé would be considered mulattoes. Mexico has a rich and unique history of integrating slaves into their society. Peru was the opposite because individuals of African descent were discriminated against. For example, Susana Baca is a black Peruvian woman who was denied the opportunity to become involved in a dance company. This documentary raises awareness of African ancestry in Central and South America. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Before this documentary, I knew that the people of Latin America had African ancestors. In the fall of 2015, I went to an exhibition called Latinas and Intimacies, which featured women with strong connections to their African roots. Most Afro-Latinas viewed themselves in a negative light when faced with discrimination and insecurity. However, despite negative perceptions, some women are getting involved by encouraging the future generation not to be ashamed of their skin color. This ties into the documentary because there were people who had influence in their community, like the Trindadian priest, Israel the radio show host, and the women who were trying to cancel the racist podcast Negro Mama. They challenged society to be recognized as citizens. The show Negro Mama portrayed black Peruvians as criminals, which created racial profiling. The documentary covered the historical, political and social aspect of how people learned to cope with the discrimination they faced. However, the artwork did not reflect any racial distinctions and that everyone could coexist. Overall, the documentary was particularly fascinating because the line between Latin American and African cultures completely blended. The documentary was very unique because it began by introducing the Fandingo, which is a mix of Africans, Mexicans and indigenous people. Another aspect I noticed in the documentary was that there were a lot of close-ups of the people who interviewed the guide. There were also shots of historic sites, towns and ports that highlight the value of being part of “lost history.” When the documentary was about the free city founded by Yanaga, a runaway slave, there was a close-up meant to symbolize the importance. I really learned a lot from this documentary about how some Mexicans and Peruvians have unique identities and don't fit into one category. The only thing I noticed in the documentary was that the people interviewed didn't believe in the importance of race. But instead, they created their own identity that they can call their own. Another reason I would recommend this documentary, as it shows Latin America as a multidimensional country with a complex web of intimate family ties..