Turks & Caicos is well known worldwide for its beautiful beaches with white sands and crystal clear waters. We spend almost 4 hours enjoying our time in the water, while drinking authentic rum punches from the snack stands on the beach. Our ship, the Carnival Sunrise, ported right at Margaritaville. Many people from our ship went to Margaritaville, but we chose to partronize the snack stand. Also, FYI, if you cruise to Grand Turk - partake in the water furthest from the ship dock. The water closest to the ship dock is very rocky underneath and it is really hard to work without hurting yourself. This is due to the consistent porting of the cruise ships. The further away from the dock, the smoother the ocean floor.
We love to explore whenever we take trips. Grand Turk was no exception. We decided to forgo the Carnival-suggested activities and rent a car tp explore the island ourselves. Through much research, we decided to rent a car through Wet Money Tours for a total of $119 for the day (taxes included). This was so much fun!!! All of the instructions in the car were in Japanese, LOL. However, you do not need a GPS to get around on the island. We asked a few people for directions and they were happy to help. It was also FUN to drive on the lefthand side of the road.
During our rendezvous on Grand Turk Island, we stopped at Jack's Shack and The Grand Turk Lighthouse. Jack's Shack is a beachside restaurant that serves up Caribbean favorites, like jerk chicken and fried conch. It is located about a mile from the cruise port. However, the location is very unassuming from the road. From the street, Jack's Shack looks like someone's house until you walk down a set of stairs on the side of the building. The view of the beach at Jack's Shack was amazing! The food and drinks were good too. We were told that Jack's Shack is a bit of a tourist location, but we stopped there because we were hungry from spending 4 hours at the beach. We also get authentic conch salad from a food truck before returning back to the boat. Now, the Grand Turk Lighthouse was an interesting sight. I've never been that close to a lighthouse before. We paid about $13 to tour it. The lighthouse is no longer operational, but it is a great sight to see. It is also located on the opposite end of the island from the cruise port, so driving to the lighthouse gave us an opportunity to really see real life on the island. We got to see the pink waters from the former salt mines, Queen street, kids getting out of school, beautiful houses, meet some nice people, and we got to get gas to refill our car before turning it in. Unfortunately, many of the stores on the island were not open for the day yet. They were truly on island time.
OH - Did I mention the donkeys! Grand Turk is full of donkeys roaming freely all over the island.
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Whenever we travel, we like to explore the area. Nassau was no different. After porting, we decided to walk to the Queen's Staircase. The Queen's Staircase is a landmark comprised of 66 steps. It was created by enslaved individuals between 1793 and 1794. We walked the 66 steps, and found ourselves at an open-air souvenir market at the top. There were about 30 vendors selling authentic Bahamian shirts, bags, dolls, glasses, and more. Fort Fincastle is also at the top of the stairs. The elevation of the fort allows you to have an aerial view of Nassau including the cruise port and the famous Atlantis Bahamas resort. We took the time to shop with the vendors and snap a few pictures.
After leaving The Queen's Staircase, we jumped in a taxi and rode to Twin Brothers, which is a restururant that serves up authentic Bahamian Fish Fry meals. We were EAGER to get to this restuaurant to eat some conch salad, and to try The Conch Burger. If you aren't familiar, conch is a stable seafood in South Florida and The Caribbean. Conch salad is comprised of raw conch meat, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and more. Here's a picture of our Conch Salad Deluxe from Twin Brothers.
And, lastly, the Conch Burger. It was HUGE! I was not able to finish it all. The conch was fried to perfection. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Here's a picture of the Conch Burger:
We went back to the ship once we left Twin Brothers, but not before snapping this cute picture
BTW: We got stuck in a rapid downpour of rain right after this, LOL. And, we snuck our left over conch salad back onto the ship . #Shhhh
If you ever have some time in Nassau, Bahamas, we recommend stopping by these two places.
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Italy’s history starts in the classical era. Initially what now composes the Italian territory was occupied by Phoenicians, Celtics, Greek, and Cathargian people.
An Italic tribe, the Latins, formed the Roman Kingdom. The kingdom became a republic and eventually, it conquered the neighbors, parts of Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
The Roman Empire was a reference for arts, culture, law, technology, religion, economy, and literature.
Italy was feudal and endured invasions from different foreign people. Even with the feuds, some independent statelets were used as hubs to negotiate with Asia and Near East. This was the scenario until the Renaissance began.
Italian Renaissance spread to Europe the interest for humanism, science, and art. During this period, Italy produced some of the greatest scholars and polymaths of all time.
Italy was divided by the many invasions it endured since the fall of the Roman Empire. This caused the rise of a nationalist feeling and led to revolutions that resulted in the unification of almost all the Italian territory in 1861.
Italy also had an important role in both World War I and World War II, which led to an economic crisis. The crisis was followed by the revolution that abolished the monarchy and established a Republic, followed by an economic boom that made Italy one of the biggest economies in the world.
Italy has a colonial background in Africa that shouldn’t make any Italian proud. However, Afro-Italian people still face racism regularly not only from fellow citizens but also from the government that is working to make migration each time harder.
From the second half of the last century, many Africans began to come to Italy either to study or to look for work opportunities. This mass migration made Italy more multi-ethnic, which fed the anti-migration feeling of 45% of Italians.
Even now many Africans try to get to Italy through the Mediterranean in a dangerous crossing. They come from different countries and aim to have a better life in Italy. Unfortunately, many don’t make it to the Italian shore.
Some Afro-Italians state that it’s confusing growing as an Afro-Italian because many Italians don’t fully accept them as Italian but at the same time they can’t say they’re from somewhere else.
Being Afro-Italian means that you won’t learn about colonial history at school and that you won’t be able to claim your Italian nationality until the age of 18 if your parents are immigrants.
Afro-Italians are facing fear because of the rise of nationalists that see them as intruders of their space. They don’t feel safe because many Afro-Italians are attacked or even killed by nationalists.
There are humanitarian questions that aren’t brought up to discussion such as the fact that to sell cheap tomatoes to other countries many African migrants do work on those farms at an extremely low wage.
The racism, xenophobia, and anti-immigration politics caused many Afro-Italians to leave their country with the hope to find the feeling of belonging somewhere else.
She’s a Haitian-Italian fashion designer, the first Afro-Italian and person of color to be on the runaways of Milan Fashion Week. She’s considered Giorgio Armani’s protégé.
Through her work, she brings multiculturalism and often mixes Italian techniques with a myriad of different elements of other cultures, creating unique collections.
Her career began as a model in the Vogue Italia contest “Who’s On Next?” in 2011. She didn’t win it but got some eyes on her. She decided that she would rather do the clothes than dress them.
She showcased her designs in the Armani/Teatro Space during Milano Moda Dona, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, at the FIT Museum in New York.
She created the “Laboratorio delle Nazioni” where she bridges the Italian design with the work of women artisans from developing countries. This makes each collection have a unique aesthetic.
The LDN also promotes cultural heritage as a driver to sustainable development. The women work together even though they are thousands of miles apart with the goal to preserve their cultural heritage. By doing that they are building their economic autonomy and gaining a seat on the global market table.
Stela participated in the Black Lives Matter protests, she was the only fashion designer to participate in it and to denounce the existence of racial discrimination within the country of Italy.
He’s a graffiti artist who was born in Ethiopia and adopted by Italians by the age of 6. As he was growing up he realized that he couldn’t be either Ethiopian or Italian, he had to find his own way. This is when he star to refer to himself as Red. This could be an Italian name but is also the color of the African sand.
He describes himself as a visual artist who likes to express himself through paintings and fashion and thinks that there is more in this generation than depressed kids.
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Historically, Germany was a country that was rarely united until the Franco-Prussian War of 1871 through conservative Prussian aristocrat, Otto von Bismarck. He broke the territory free from Austria, and united "Small Germany", which consisted of Prussia and the remaining German states. This led to the creation of The Reichstag. The Reichstag was the lower house of Parliament created during the Second Reich and the Weimar Republic. During this period, German saw a loss of territory, financial reparations, and a diminished military. In a nutshell, this all led to the start of World War II and the Holocaust.
** DISCLAIMER: It is important to note that Black & Bilingual does not support Germany's role in the establishment and maintenance of colonization and white supremacy in many nations worldwide. This post was created to give a background of Germany and the Afro-German people that call the nation their home **
Afro people’s history in Germany begins with the soldiers the French sent to occupy the lands Germany lost as reparation imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. Around one-fifth of them were black, which made Germans feel humiliated and start racist propaganda.
This propaganda was called “Die Schwarze Schmach” (the black shame) and both the government and civilians were behind it. Black people were described as rapists, savage beasts, and murderers.
Hitler also mentioned black people in his autobiography Mein Kampf (My Struggle). He wrote that black people were brought to Germany with the clear intention to affect the pureness of the white race.
Even with all the racist propaganda, many inter-racial affairs happened, and the so-called "Rhineland bastards" were born. Their existence was a reminder of the defeat Germany faced in World War I so they were excluded.
Their social and economical rights were disrespected, they couldn’t attend university and many jobs wouldn’t accept them, including the military ones.
During World War II there wasn’t a plan to eliminate black people as there was to eliminate jews. This doesn’t mean that black people didn’t suffer during the Nazist rise.
Afro-German kids were registered and sent to sterilization. Some of them were also measured and photographed to be used as data in the Nazist eugenic program. Officially, 436 kids were sterilized during this period but the number of unregistered sterilizations is much higher. Some of them were also used in experiments and others just “disappeared”.
During the war, not only the children born from interracial relationships were targeted by the Nazists, Afro-Americans, and black Europeans were illegally arrested and taken to intern in the Nazist concentration camp system.
Due to the segregation in the United States, Jazz music didn’t have much space to grow. This caused Jazz artists to go to Europe. The Nazist rise didn’t stop them and many of them were captured in the occupied parts of Europe. Those had the same fate as the war prisoners.
There they suffered mistreatment, were forced to work to death in constructions, or died due to the tough conditions in the concentration camps. Some of them didn’t even make it to the concentration camps and were immediately killed by the SS or the Gestapo.
Nowadays the biggest Afro-German population is found in larger cities such as Hamburg or Berlin, even though there’s a considerable population in formerly occupied cities.
She’s a politician part of the German Green Party and the first Afro-German -- and youngest person -- to be elected to assume a Landtag (State Parliament).
She fights for equality, women’s rights, migration, children and youth, LGBTQ issues, and racism.
Born Sylvia Andler, she worked to unite black German people to fight against racism. She faced racism since before she was born. Her parents couldn’t keep her because, as an interracial couple, their children were a State ward and she was placed for adoption.
She wrote her thesis about Afro-German history which was used as a base to the book “Afro-German Women Speak-Out” and founded the Initiative of Black People in Germany.
When she decided to go after her ancestrality, she found her father in Ghana and then adopted his name (Ayim) as her pen name.
She’s an activist who has felt the effects of racism since her early childhood. She’s a child of a German and an African-American soldier. She was raised by her mother and stepfather until she was 5 when her mother was forced to send her to an orphanage.
At the orphanage, she suffered physical and mental violence. There she was told that since she was black her soul had sin placed in it. She got to a point where her deepest desire was to be white.
She spent 39 years before seeing another black face beside her own. This happened when she attended the meeting of Afro-Germans. There she was empowered by the sense of community and started her life as an activist.
Her life as an activist began when she entered ADEFRA (Afro-German Women), where they fight to be accepted as Germans despite their skin color.
She also wrote her autobiography as an act of resistance, so people would know how it is to grow in racist Germany as a black person. She always fought to be seen, and she tells her perspective of how it is to grow up -- and to live -- like this in her book Invisible Woman: Growing Up Black in Germany
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The first time Poland was recognized as a unitary and territorial entity was around the 10th century. Since then Poland has suffered from many invasions from different countries.
At the end of World War I, Poland had its independence back after a series of military conflicts. Its independence was lost when the Nazi invasion and the Soviet invasion happened in World War II.
Even occupied, Poland had an important role in World War II. They had the 4th contribution of tropes, that served both the Polish Government (in the west) and the Soviet (in the east). Poland was also a great provider of intelligence, their codebreakers were responsible for cracking the Enigma cipher.
** DISCLAIMER: It is important to note that Black & Bilingual does not support Poland's role in the establishment and maintenance of colonization and white supremacy. This post was created to give a background of Poland and the Afro-Poles people that call the nation their home **
After World War II, the Soviet government supported the anti-colonial movements in Africa. This made many Africans migrate to Europe to study, mostly between the 1950s and the 1980s.
Poland is one of the most homogeneous ethnic countries in the world, around 97% of its population is white. This, combined with the recent right-wing government, creates an environment that can be unwelcoming to Black people.
The migration became stronger when Poland entered the European Union in 2004, yet most of the Black people migration happens due to academic reasons. This means Black people who choose to stay there contribute to the economy once they start working.
Being Black and living in Poland can have two very different sides. Some people will treat black people well and even make you feel like a celebrity, while others will be hostile.
Many Polish people have never seen Black people before, so they can be curious and ask for pictures (or take them without asking), which garners a lot of attention.
It’s very common to for Black Poles to face the prejudice of being seen as a “race” rather than a person, and to have their experiences shaped by negative stereotypes.
Many Black Poles can say that they have already faced a situation where they were called “monkeys” or that people act as if they shouldn’t be in Poland. Some people tell them not to sit near them on the bus, whether there’s an extra seat or not.
After George Floyd’s death, many campaigns to talk about racism were created and to make people understand that’s something that also happens in Poland.
One of these campaigns is the #dontcallmemurzyn, this campaign asked young Black women to share their experiences with racism in Poland. Murzyn is a pejorative word used to refer to Black people. They say it’s not as offensive as the N* word for Americans, but for Black Poles the word is equivalent to that.
On the other hand, there have been marches happening in favor of a “white” and “pure” Poland. These are mainly caused by the politicization of the immigration issue. This has been used as a ploy by politicians from all fronts.
Black people in Poland are striving to gain visibility so they get more respect. In the 2011 Census, for the first time, there was a question about nationality or ethnicity. However, there was no option to choose “Black”.
Many people who suffer racism -- even the violent one -- feel that they wouldn’t get the needed support if looking for help, that’s the reason why many racially-charged incidents go unreported.
Afro-Polish people are responding to this by seeking more representation in the community. Either by creating Non-profit organizations and engaging in Polish Politics. They also challenge the misrepresentation by interacting with Polish citizens to teach them that Black people aren’t different from them.
Known as the only Black man in the resistance during World War II, he was born Nigerian but chose Poland to be his home.
There isn’t much information about him or about how he got to Poland. But we know that he had a great career as a jazz percussionist, playing at restaurants in Warsaw. Then, he started his work for the resistance by distributing underground newspapers, trading electronic equipment, and sheltering refugees from the ghetto.
He participated in the Warsaw Uprising, which took place on August 1st, they attacked the Germans and even gained control of much of the city. But the Germans called for reinforcements, which ended up surrounding them on October 2nd. This episode left 200,000 civilians and 16,000 fighters dead.
We don’t know exactly how Browne did to survive this episode and being black during the Nazi occupation in Poland. His daughter, Tatiana, says that he had such a charismatic personality and his energy drew people towards him and made people like him.
His history emerged in 2009 when patriotism and xenophobia were raising in Poland. Politicians were interested in it and started talking about making him a national hero.
The co-founder and then president of the conservative Law and Justice Party wanted to honor him on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. But he died in a plane crash in 2010 and the plan died with him.
Bowne’s contribution to Poland’s story is remembered by a small stone monument in Warsaw and a monument that was built by a non-profit organization, the Freedom and Peace Movement Foundation.
His story is now remembered by both conservatives and progressives as a symbol of Poland.
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The original name for France is Gual or Gallia, which is Latin for "Country of the Franks". After the fall of the Roman Empire, France became an independent nation in the 9th Century. Since the 17th Century, France has been considered a world power, and has played a major role in world events. A part from the mainland, France has six international departments: French Guyana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Mayotte, Reunion, Saint Pierre, and Miquelon. The country also has overseas territories called "small possessions", which are small islands around the world.
** DISCLAIMER: It is important to note that Black & Bilingual does not support France's role in the establishment and maintenance of colonization and white supremacy in many nations worldwide. This post was created to give a background of France and the Afro-French people that call the nation their home **
(French Protesters in Paris. Picture from NPR)
pas de justice, pas de paix!
Black Culture in France can be best described as a 'salad bowl'. From those born in France, to The Caribbean, U.S., U.K., and African people that have moved to the country, Black people have had an established presence in France for decades.
Due to France's high regard for nationalism, race and race relations are often downplayed. However, racial injustice does exist in France. The mass migration of Black people to France occurred after World War II. Just like in other nations, white French people grew uncomfortable with the immigration of Black people. However, France has never had established segregation laws - like in the United States. This is why many Black people saw France as a place of refuge. Notable Black people that called France home include: Richard Wright, Nina Simone, Josephine Baker and James Baldwin.
Black Francophones have contributed so much to the culture and lifestyle of France, that it is hard to mention everything in this post. Therefore, we will link the full article here for more information. Next, we will discuss Alexandre Dumas and Adama Traoré.
Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was born in Haiti in 1802. His father was a slave who later became a general in Napoleon's army. After his dad's death, Dumas moved to Paris to try to become a lawyer, but he ended up working in theatre instead. Alexandre Dumas became best known as the author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo.
Adama Traoré was a 24-year-old Black man of Malian-French descent that was killed by the French police. Much like police brutality cases in the United States, the officers involved in the shooting were not held accountable. Traoré's death was ruled out as being from pre-exisiting conditons, even though he died while being in police custody. The murder of Traoré, coupled with the rising police brutality happening around the world, has been the catalyst for the Black Lives Matter France Movement. #MoiAussiJaiPeurDevantLaPolice
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The island of Hispaniola was inhabited by the Taino. In December 1492, Christopher Columbus invaded present-day Haiti. Columbus and his men brought diseases that killed many of the Taino people in large numbers. During this time, European nations were competing for control in the Americas. In 1697, France and Spain signed the Treaty of Ryswick (or Rijswijk), which split the island of Hispaniola between the two nations.
Like other Caribbean nations, Haiti's economy depended on slave labor to harvest sugar, coffee, cacao, indigo, and cotton. However, Haiti's slave population greatly outnumbered the Europeans. In Saint-Domingue alone, it was estimated that there were about 500,000 slaves to 32,000 Europeans. There was also a population of about 24,000 affranchis - mixed Black people - who were sometimes slave owners as well. Like many other slaves in the Caribbean, slaves in Haiti endured strenuous, back-breaking labor from working from sun-up to sun-down.
The Haitian Revolution was a time period spanning from 1791-1804. There were several main groups involved during this time: Haitian slaves, the affranchis, European colonists, and French and British army troops. The uprisings began between 1790-1791. In order to prevent a major revolt, the French granted citizenship to the affranchis. Additionally, Léger-Félicité Sonthonax came to Haiti from France, and offered "freedom" to Haitian slaves that joined the French army.
At the same time, François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture was recruiting men to rebel, and training them in military tactics or the "European way of war". Toussaint spent much time during this period negotiating between the rebels and colonists.
From 1794-1802, there was a whirlwind of politics that happened between Haiti, France, and the United States. In 1802, Toussaint was captured by France and sent to prison overseas. He died while incarcerated on April 3, 1803.
After Toussaint's departure and death, the French had a plan to reestablish slavery. Jean-Jacques Dessalines and an army of Black troops attacked Rochambeau and the French army at Fort Vertières. Rochambeau and his troops surrendered the next day. On December 4, 1803, Napoleon and the remaining French army surrendered the last of the Haitian territory to Dessalines. Dessalines signed the Haitian Declaration of Independence on January 1, 1804.
Griot is a very popular Haitian dish. It consists of fried pork marinated in scotch bonnet peppers, onions, parsley, and other delicious goodness. It is common for griot to be paired with diri kole (beans and rice), bannan peze (fried plantain), and pikliz. Pikliz is the Haitian version of slaw. It is made up of pickled shredded cabbage, carrots, onions, and spiced with scotch bonnet peppers.
Kompa (Konpa dirèk, or Konpa) is known as a Haitian genre of music. The style gained popularity in the 1950s as Nemours Jean Baptiste and Webert Sicot toured the Caribbean. Kompa is known to have a big bang sound, solid melody, and danceable beat. Today, Kompa is recognized as a musical genre worldwide.
Haitians are the largest creole-speaking community worldwide. About 7 million people speak Haitian Creole. It is a French-based language with Portuguese, Spanish, English, Taino, and West African influences.
]]>In the 16th Century, various Amerindian groups settled in Ecuador. Eventually, the Incas inhabited the land. Once the Spanish arrived, they brought slaves with them to the land. The first group of slaves arrived in 1533. It is said that the ship was carrying slaves to Peru when it crashed in Ecuador, and the slaves escaped from the ship. The escaped slaves established Maroon settlements in Esmeraldas, and others escaping slavery settled in this town.
Today, Afro-Ecuadorians mainly live in the Esmeraldas Province and Chota Valley in the Imbabura Province. Many Afro-Ecuadorians live in Quito and Guayaquil. Afro-Ecuadorians make up about 7 percent of Ecuador's population.
Afro-Ecuadorian cuisine derives from a mixture of cultures: African, Spanish, and Incan. The main staples in this cuisine are bananas, seafood, and coconuts. One popular Afro-Ecuadorian dish is seafood curry. It is made up of coconut, coconut milk, shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and rice. Once fact I found from my research is that the coconut was brought to Ecuador by African people.
The marimba is an instrument consisting of wooden bars and metal mallets. Marimba music derives from the Bantu and Mande groups of West Africa. Afro-Ecuadorians believe marimba dancing is an expression of freedom. However, at one point they needed a permit to perform the sacred dance due to racist structures within the government. In 1970, there was a mission to revive the African heritage among Afro-Ecuadorians. Today, marimba music and dancing is an important aspect of Afro-Ecuadorian life.
]]>Panama City was colonized by Pedro Arias de Ávila (aka Pedrarias Dávila) on August 15, 1519. The city soon became a hub for gold, silver, and exploration. In 1617, a group of 1400 men looted the city and set it on fire. Today, the ruins are a popular tourist attraction.
The first African slaves were brought to Panama in 1513. They were forced to work as domestics or to maintain ship ports. Once gold was discovered, slaves were used in the gold mines. In Panama, slaves greatly outnumbered the slave masters. By 1789, slaves made up more than half of the population.
Afro-Panamanians are split into two groups: Afro-Colonial and Afro-Antillean. Afro-Colonial people are descendants of slaves brought to Panama. Afro-Antillean people are immigrants from West Indian countries who came to build the Panama Canal. Afro-Panamanians are regionally concentrated in the Colón, Cristóbal and Balboa, and Río Abajo areas of Panama City.
Spanish is the official language of Panama. However, Afro-Panamaians on the Caribbean coast speak Negros Congos. Negros Congos is a traditional dialect based loosely on Spanish. It was created by slaves as a means to hide their speech from their masters. Like many other dialects in Latin America, Congo speech resembles other Spanish-African dialects.
Afro-Panamanian cuisine is a mixture between African and Spanish foods. Common staples are crabs, root vegetables, and coconuts. One popular dish from Panama is a condiment called Aji Chombo or "Black man's pepper". It is a pepper sauce made from scotch bonnet peppers, which have 150 to 350 thousand Scoville Units. Scotch bonnet peppers were brought from the Caribbean with immigrants working on the Panama Canal.
]]>In the 1500s, Africans were brought as slaves to the Colombian port city of Cartagena to work in open-cast mines. Other slaves were used to farm, raise cattle, and as servants. Slaves in Colombia endured harsh conditions, but some slaves were able to work and buy their freedom from their masters. Slaves also fought for their freedom through rebellions.
According to the National Administrative Department of Statistics, Afro-Colombians make up 10.6 percent of the population. The majority of Afro-Colombians live in Quibdó, Cali, Cartagena, and Barranquilla. About 4 million Afro-Brazilians recognize their African heritage, while others consider themselves to be indigenous Colombians.
The official language of Colombia is Spanish. According to the Colombian department for National Statistics, there are two native languages spoken by Afro-Colombian groups. The two languages are Bande and Palenquero. Bande is spoken by Afro-Colombians that live on the Archipelago of San Andres providencia and Santa Catalina. Palenquero is spoken by Afro-Colombians in San Basilio de Palenque.
Afro-Colombian cuisine features staples from West Africa, such as cassava and other root vegetables. A popular Afro-Colombian dish is chuleta valluna. It is a pork dish accompanied with rice, sliced tomatoes, onions with plantains or fries.
Currualo is an Afro-Colombian musical genre and folklore dance. It originates in the pacific region of Colombia. The music involves several types of African-style drums, such as the tamboral and cununo drums. Currualo as a dance style features moves that are agile and vigorous like twists, kicks, and jumps.
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The Dutch sought to get involved in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Britain offered them land through The Treaty of Breda of 1667 in exchange for New York. This land was named Suriname. Then, slaves were imported to the nation from Central and West Africa to work in sugar and coffee plantations.
Many Afro-Surinamese slaves fled their plantations and headed into the interior rainforests. The Maroons were able to maintain more of their African culture because of this isolation. They also created several independent tribes: Saramaka, Paramaka, Ndyuka (Aukan), Kwinti, Aluku (Boni), and Matawai. The Maroons were known to raid plantations to recruit new members into their tribes, and stock up on food and supplies. In the 1990s, the Maroons fought for their rights to protect their land, in 2007, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the Maroons won the rights to their land.
Suriname is a largely diverse nation. It is home to Amerindians - the original inhabitants inhabitants of the land, Afro-Surinamese and Maroons, Hindus, The Javanese, Chinese, Jewish, Boeroes, and Lebanese. The two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Surinamese and Hindu.
Dutch is the official language of Suriname. It is spoken in education, government, business, and the media. However, Afro-Surinamese also speak Sranan Tongo. It is a creole language influenced by English, Dutch, Portuguese, and West African languages.
Afro-Surinamese women have a historical tradition of same-sex relationships. Gloria Wekker is a Surinamese writer and educator. She has been researching sexuality and gender in the Afro-Caribbean for decades. Wekker's research shows that same-sex relationships can be linked back to the middle passage during the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Afro-Surinamese cuisine is heavily influenced by West Africa. You can find staples such as peanut butter, rice, cinnamon, and plantains. A popular Afro-Surinamese dish is cassava balls with codfish (Bakkeljauwballetjes). it is made with salted codfish, onions, potatoes, parsley, celery, and chili peppers.
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Like many other Caribbean nations, Cuba participated in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Over a million slaves were brought to Cuba from the 16th Century until 2867 to work on sugarcane plantations. After the Haitian Revolution in 1804, Cuba became the largest producer of sugar in the world. Slaves working on sugarcane plantations faced back-breaking conditions. They worked an average of 20 hours a day, and were crammed into inhumane barracoons at night. Most nights, slaves only got 3-4 hours of sleep before having to return to the sugarcane fields.
West African culture is very prevalent in the Afro-Cuban community. Many Afro-Cubans practice African religions such as Santeria, Palo Monte, and Abakuá. Salsa music also derives from West African instrumentation and rhythms. Popular salsa artist, Celia Cruz, among others was a famous Afro-Cuban singer. Cruz was known for integrating Afro-Cuban culture in her music from talking about the struggle of Black people to shouting the famous "Azucar!" or sugar over her records.
Between the 1920s and the 1930s, Afro-Cubans experienced a movement similar to the Harlem Renaissance in the United States. The movement sparked an interest in African culture for Black people in Cuba. During this time, there was an awakening for Black literature, art, and pride. The Afrocubanismo Movement died down in the 1940s, but the impact and cultural contributions are still seen in Cuban culture today.
Much like other Black communities worldwide, Afro-Cuban cuisine contains African influences. Popular staples include okra, platanos, and rice. For example, a popular Afro-Cuban dish is Cuban Quimbombo or Cuban okra. It is a dish comprised of okra, onions, tomatoes, and ham broth.
]]>Cuajinicuilapa is the municipal seat of Guerrero, Mexico. The town borders the Pacific Ocean and the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Cuajinicuilapa is known for its high population of Afro-Mexicans. In 2015, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography reported Guerrero to have a population of 229,661 Afro-Mexicans.
Mexico was not originally a society based on slavery. However, private slave owners brought Africans to Mexico as the slave trade increased. After 1640, slave labor was used for various reasons. They produced sugar, worked in textile mills, and provided domestic labor. Mexico saw its share of slave rebellions. The most famous slave rebellion took place in San Lorenzo de los Negros (Yanga) led by Gaspar Yanga. This rebellion led to the first community of free Black people in the Americas. Afro-Mexicans are isolated from most tourist attractions because slaves took refuge in secluded locations.
Afro-Mexicans take pride in performing African dances, celebrations, and other art forms. For example, people in this region perform La Danza de los Diablos (the dance of the devils) on the Day of the Dead. Just like traditional Day of the Dead celebrations, Afro-Mexicans dress in traditional attire, but they dance to African-inspired rhythms.
Africans brought the peanut with them to Mexico. Since then, the ingredient has been a staple in Afro-Mexican dishes. Another staple is platanos (plantains), which is used to make tortilla dough and empanadas. A popular dish is Afro-Mexican Pumpkin Soup. It is made up of pumpkin chunks or butternut squash, peanut butter, Thai curry paste, chili powder, peppers, cinnamon, cumin and more.
There has been a long standing caste system between Afro-Mexicans, mestizos (Spanish white people), and mulatto (mixed) people. Like many other nations, lighter-skinned Mexicans were considered high in the caste system while darker-skinned Mexicans were considered inferior. Today, many Afro-Mexicans struggle with internalized racism due to the stigma of Blackness being inferior in Mexican society.
]]>Rio de Janeiro is the capital of Brazil, and it is the 6th largest city in the Western Hemisphere. The Rio region was originally inhabited by the indigenous Tupi, Puri, Botocudo, and Maxakali peoples. In the early to mid-1500s, Portuguese colonizers made trips to the region. On March 1, 1569, the Portuguese renamed the region Rio de Janeiro (aka January River).
During the Sugar Era, Rio de Janeiro became a major port for import and export. By the 1800s, Rio de Janeiro became a major city in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, 1 to 2 million slaves were brought to Rio de Janeiro making it the largest slave port in the world.
Rio de Janeiro is home to over 6 million people, including Afro-Brazilians. In 2010, Census data found that over 50 percent of Rio de Janeiro's population identified as Black or mixed. This was a phenomenon because Brazil, like other Latin American countries, implemented Blanqueamiento in the late 19th to 20th centuries. It was a mandated rule to "whiten" the race to improve European immigration. Blanqueamiento was another way to erase the history and perpetuation of Blackness in Latin American countries through the use of economics. As in many other nations with a Black population, colorism played a huge role in Brazilian culture. The lighter, or closer to white, someone is, then the more success they are able to achieve. Despite this rule, proud Afro-Brazilians exist and their culture is embedded in the thread of Brazil.
Afro-Brazilians speak Portuguese as their main language. However, through the Transatlantic Slave Trade much of West African culture was brought to Brazil. The two cultures intertwined and Pretoguês was born. Pretoguês is a term coined by Afro-Brazilian activist Lélia González, and it is similar to "Black English" or "Ebonics" in the United States. Also, a little known fact about linguistics is Calonga is a secret language spoken among Afro-Brazilian elders. Calonga integrates Bantu linguistics with Portuguese. Afro-Brazilian elders only use the language when necessary.
Afro-Brazilian cuisine is directly influenced by West African staples. A popular dish is carurú. It is the oldest African dish in Brazil, and very similar to gumbo. It is a spicy stew with smoked shrimp or fish and has okra, onions, palm oil, and peppers. Other popular staples in Afro-Brazilian cuisine are rice, beans, crab, and ground peanuts.
Samba is the musical genre created by Afro-Brazilians. It is heavily influenced by West African rhythms and instrumentation. Over the years, Samba has become a key part of Brazilian pride and nationalism. However, it is a raw, unique sound that was cultivated in the Brazilian favelas. In 1917, the first Samba song -Pelo Telefone - was recorded. Since then, Samba has grown and branched off into other subgenres such as Bossa Nova and Hip-Hop. Popular artists from around the world, like Michael Jackson, have incorporated Samba sounds in their music. Samba is also associated with several dances, and the Rio de Janeiro Carnival celebration.
Pelo Telefone - 1917
Afro-Brazilians dance to Samba during Carnival
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial arts style. It was developed by Brazilian slaves as a means to survive the harness of slavery on sugarcane plantations. Capoeira is unique because it combines dance with music to create a form of fighting. Slaves used this martial arts style to learn to defend themselves, while passing the style off to slave owners as a dance among themselves. Today, Capoeira is a staple in Brazilian popular culture and in the martial arts world on a global scale.
Although majority of the emphasis is placed on the United States slave trade, over 1 million Africans were brought to Rio de Janeiro. Afro-Brazilians have had to face countless racial injustices for centuries that affect their housing, jobs, and overall lifestyle. Unfortunately, what Afro-Brazilians face daily is the same story for Black people worldwide. One major issue in Brazil today is police brutality. Just like how Black people in the United States are fighting systemic oppression, Afro-Brazilians are too. Afro-Brazilians built Brazil, and activists work daily to show that Black Lives Matter and Black Contributions Matter. Afro-Brazilians are just a piece of the Black Diaspora. Their fight shows that we are all one. We are the most talented, creative people on earth. We are being exploited on all corners of the earth, yet we are resilient and ever rising. I believe one day that Black people worldwide will no longer have to fight systemic oppression, and that we can live in peace with dignity and respect.
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Belize City is the largest city in the country of Belize. It is a port city located in Central America. In 2016, Belize City had a population of 61,762. Belize City was originally names Holzuz by the Mayans, but English colonizers renamed it "Belize Town" in 1638. Belize Town's port made it an active location for African slaves to be bought and sold.
By 1724, Jamaicans were being imported by the English to cut mahogany wood. These slaves were nicknamed "Baymen". The Baymen descendants are now the Belizean Kriol group. They make up 21 percent of Belize City's population, and 75 percent of the country's population.
English is Belize's official language, but the Belizean Kriol people are Black & Bilingual. Belizean Kriols speak a patois languages that is English-based, but influenced by African syntax and Spanish phrases. The language is said to sound similar to Jamaican patois.
Belizean Kriol culture is a branch of Black culture worldwide. Music plays a large role in the culture. Brukdown is the Belizean Kriol traditional genre of music. it incorporated African rhythms and call and response. Popular instruments found in Brukdown music are banjos, drums, and a donkey's jawbone.
A popular Belizean Kriol dish is Bile Up. Bile Up (or boil up) is comprised of boiled eggs, fish or pig tails, with cassava, yams, sweet potatoes, and plantains served with tomato sauce.
Other popular foods include baked chicken, boiled chicken, stewed pork, conch, lobster, and iguana. Another branch of Black culture in Belizean Kriol food is Johnny-Cakes. Johnny-Cakes are a staple across the African Diaspora, and there are different variations of the dish. However, it all contains some form of cornmeal or dough. Belizean Kriol Johnny-Cakes are typically made with flour and coconut milk, and served at breakfast time.
The Belizean Kriol people have also adopted traditional "Spanish" dishes such as tortillas.
The Belizean Kriol people have many similarities of Black people everywhere. It is seen in their language, music, and food. These similarities show that although we are in different places, with distinct differences, Black people are all the same worldwide. Marvel's box office smash hit, Black Panther, gave this strong message to the Black Diaspora. While we are diverse, we are still one people. Black & Bilingual's purpose is to showcase the commonalities and linguistic diversity of Black people worldwide. I do believe there is a oneness brewing in the African Diaspora globally. Exposure to our people worldwide is key to breakdown divisive lenses given to us by colonizers for centuries. If we do not know and understand our common story, we will not be able to move forward. Therefore, this post is dedicated to the Belizean Kriol people of Belize - one strong part of the Black Diaspora worldwide.
]]>Eso es no la verdad!
Cuba es muy amable y segura.
También, Cuba es un país muy linda.
En Cuba, mi novio Sean y yo comimos y tuvimos un tiempo bien.
En el primero noche, nosotros took una camina cerca el barrio y nosotros encontramos un restaurante nombre El Cojimero. Hicimos amigos con la gente en el restaurante. El camarero, Ricky, fue amable. Él tuvo servicio bueno y él hize bebidas fuerte.
El segundo día, nosotros fuimos en la excursión cerca Habana vieja en un 1948 Dodge con colores rosado y blanco. El coche se llamó "Barbie". Vimos todos en Habana. Los hoteles, apartamentos, cosas históricas, hospitales, escuelas, la casa de Che Guevara, la plaza de la revolución, y más.
En la noche, fuimos a fábrica de arte... un arte exhibición, club, y restaurante. Tuvimos un buen tiempo allá, pero mi torcí mi tobillo cuando estamos esperando por el taxi. 🤣
En el último día, tuve ver el doctor sobre mi tobillo. Entonces, no podíamos ir al playa porque no caminé en mi tobillo izquierdo . Hicimos ir a una restaurante linda en el mar nombre Paladar Vistimar.
Cuba es muy barato por un viaje. Solamente spent entre sesenta y cien pesos cada día. Compramos rhum, cigarros, comida y regalos. En total, nosotros solo pasamos sobre 500 pesos por juntos.
Es nuestra recomendación para visitar Cuba si permite. Es un país bien y un país no puede olvidar.
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What's Conch you ask? Conch (pronounced like 'konk') is a tropical marine mollusk with a spiral shell and a flared tip. It is most popularly found in the Caribbean Sea. Conch can be eaten raw or cooked.
Conch salad is very popular at FAMU's Homecoming vendors. However, most vendors have a batch pre-prepped in huge jars for the day. The Conch Man is truly one of a kind with his cooking delivery and presentation. People wait between 30 minutes to an hour to watch the Conch Man prep and plate his conch creations LIVE. I have vivid memories of him chopping onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes with a sharp knife all while speaking to people passing by. His eyes never looked down!
The Conch Man starts by chopping onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, Conch, and peppers. Then, he seasons the mixture with salt, pepper, lemon and lime juices. Next, he plates the Conch salad in a hulled out pineapple. Last, he adds two Conch fritters on skewers on top and dashes a bit if hot sauce for added flavor.
These bad boys go $15 a pop. You have to be real hustle skills to ensure you get yours in that batch... like I did ;)
OTHERWISE, you have to wait another 30 minutes to an hour for him to prep the next batch.
The Conch is never tough. The veggies are always well seasoned. Mix it together for an explosion of happy on your palette. Until next Homecoming, I have these pictures to hold me over and my memories of my delicious conch salad. Truly, #ForTheCulture #TheConchMan.
1. Although we were surrounded by white people majority of trip, we really didn't notice it after a while. I know race is an issue abroad. However, we didn't feel the wrath of racism in Toronto as we do here in the United States. I actually pointed out on the trip that Canadians are super laid back while Americans are hostile. We didn't feel judgement when moving in majority white areas. I enjoyed that aspect of being in Toronto.
2. Even though our surroundings looked familiar, we were definitely in a different country. Toronto has 6 lane highways, beautiful skyscrapers and high rises, many shops and restaurants... in a way we felt like we were still in the United States. Until, we interacted with people. Until, we used GPS. Until, we got gas. Basically, until we got out of our car or AirB&B. It was so different to hear kilometers instead of miles and so on. I actually wish the United States operated like the rest of the world and used kilometers instead of miles, liters instead of gallons, Celsius instead of Fahrenheit. We need to do a better job of teaching conversions in school, especially if kids (and adults) plan on traveling abroad.
3. The food was excellent, and served in the correct portion size. We ate good. We ate the right portion, and we did not go hungry. I absolutely hate how wasteful and gluttonous restaurants (and people) are in the United States. I read that 40 percent of food in the U.S. is wasted yearly. 40 percent!!! That's absurd. In Toronto, the menus aren't as extensive either. Most restaurants had 1-page menus. The only exception is the New Orleans Seafood & Steakhouse, and Sunset Grill - a breakfast place like Waffle House.