BLACK ETHNIC DAY IN PANAMA

May 30, BLACK ETHNIC DAY IN PANAMA

Introduction

There is nothing better than a country members value their ethnic, cultural, social roots and try these, are known worldwide. That is why, thanks to the enactment of Law 9 by President Mireya Moscoso, was created a commission that designated May 30 as the official date of the celebration of the "Day of National Black Ethnicity".

Black Person: With black expression usually refers to people whose skin tone is darker than others, called for "white" opposition. Although the name of a person as "black" varies from culture to culture, it is often associated with people living in sub-Saharan Africa, also called "Black Africa". For its part, the existence of a black population in America, known as "African Americans", is caused by the kidnapping of millions of Africans and forced the Americas move to work as slaves by colonial European powers between centuries XVI and XIX.

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History

Why is celebrated on May 30 Day of Black Ethnicity?

May 30 is celebrated the Day of Black Ethnicity, that date was chosen because on May 30, 1820, the King of Spain Fernando VII declared abolished the slave trade in Spain and all its colonies due to influences on the blacks who were part of the National Assembly of France during the revolution at the time.

The contribution of the black race in Panama was significant during the construction of the railway and the Interoceanic Canal, as well as music, dance, art and food, among other things.

The complexes generated through the centuries since the arrival of the first blacks to the Americas, bothersome to recognize their black heritage.

It was not until 1932 that blacks caused impact on politics, when they could vote in elections where Harmodius Arias won in 1932.

However, we tried to contest the elections claiming that the West Indian ancestors were not Panamanians.

Today there is no distinction between the electorate and not in public places.

Black ethnic group in Panama, especially the descendants of the West Indians who arrived 120 years ago and the Isthmus with the construction of the French channel, has greatly contributed to the culture and idiosyncrasies of Panama.

Black settlers from the early years were brought from their African land, despite the injustice that led to their presence in America, also contributed significantly to the formation of the New World, and its footprint is manifested decisively the American peoples, especially in the Caribbean area.

The valuable contribution of African slaves, free blacks and development of colonial life in the Isthmus of Panama mulattos is important.

This contribution is not a source of pride for Panamanians of African descent, because it was forced, painful, cruel and inhuman, separation of families, the abuse of children in all the work slaves, the very poor nutrition, miserable barracks, the flogging with whips, leghold traps, mutilations, hangings.

African slaves were the main labor explorations in Darien, constructions in Nombre de Dios, Portobelo, Nata, Santiago, Parita, Tonosi, Los Santos, Montijo, Antón, Penonomé, Chorrera, Remedios, Sona, La Palma Tables and, above all, in the Most Noble and Loyal City of Panama: strengths, ports, administrative buildings of the colonial government, convents, churches, mines, mills, and as drivers of mule trains as divers in the pearl fisheries, agriculture, cattle herds, the military and also in the cane fields and sugar mills

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In Latin America, the Panamanian folk music is known for its dances, movements of hands, feet and hip, and above all, the joyous rhythms of drums: rhythms audibly marked by African heritage.

It is one of the most distinctive and colorful folkloric manifestations in the province of Colon.

The tradition of congo dance emerged on the Atlantic coast, following leaks of blacks brought by European settlers.

LANGUAGE OF ETHNIC BLACK IN PANAMA: To communicate between them a mixture of Spanish, English and French, and also speak backwards.

The Europeans brought the first slaves to the new continent "With them came a new cultural structure full of rhythm and sensuality, for carrying drum music in the blood and used as a means of expression."

A mid-fifteenth century some blacks, mostly from African nations of Guinea and Congo, revolted and took refuge in the Caribbean jungle. It became known as maroons (runaway slaves, rebels) and from their sites or villages used the drum to communicate with their brothers in captivity.

"Another means of expression used by blacks at that time and still practice howler groups is the greeting with his feet and talking on revecina, a mixture of French, Portuguese and Castilian or talking backwards".

During colonial times, both black slave as bighorn gathered in the palenques to perform their dance or congo game, where through music and dance remembered their origins, externalized their solidarity, their nostalgia and their hatred of the oppressor white.

"It was also a way to mock the ecclesial structure of the time telling them that if they did not obey the master, the devil took them. Therefore, the embodiment of the souls and the devil in the congo christening" he explains.

The congo dance is performed barefoot, as a symbol of the relationship of black to the ground.

The main characters of congo game are : Queen, King or John of God, the little bird and mininas, while as supporting characters souls appear, the devil and the Dutch or Galician, which represent the ongoing struggle between good and evil.

The congo dance retains pride of being black and through music, culture and tradition seeks to end ethnic differences and unite in one nation.

LANGUAGE OF ETHNIC BLACK IN PANAMA

Speech of Panamanians traces of words that originated in African languages ​​are: Bemba, bullerengue, bunde, burundanga, cabanga, hookah, chéchere, congo, cumbia, dengue, banana, pigeon peas, motet, yams, quilombo .. .

They attract your attention studies of prominent Panamanians and foreign linguists in the speech of black howler Panama, one of the most documented by its semantic essence of investments, puns, deformations and ritualized humorous improvisation "afrohispánicos criptolectos".

Traces of such contributions in the Panamanian Spanish can be seen in the following paragraph:

“Vecina, yo no soy vidajena, y no me gusta esa vaina de revulú, pero te voy a contar un bochinche bajo una condición: no quiero burundanga ni mucho menos wapí, pero si me das de comer un poco de chicheme, concolón, carimañola, sancocho y mondongo, y también si escucho música chévere de congo, cumbia, saracundé y calipsó. Ese man flacuchento y ñato vestido de guayabana azul y sombrero montuno que viene allí, la abuela es una martiniqueña frenchí que habla patuá y a él le dicen Flacobala. Pues, él era mi cacique, pero ahora es mi pasiero. Su motete ya no tiene ñame, guineo ni guandú. Lo que tiene es un pocotón de chécheres. Según la comadre fula radiobemba, el cambio en ese laopé no se debe a un macuá ni al quenque, porque el man no es canyacero ni tiene vicios de fumador, y no es un alelado. Pero el cambio sí se debe a la tremenda cabanga por no ver a la gial que es norsa en el hospital Santo Tomás. Ella es la misma enfermera que cuida mi chichí y tu chiquilín. Sí, ¡ombe!, la gial que es reina del bullerengue, bambasú y del bunde. La mamá es de Garachiné, allá en Darién, y el papá es el

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