Incredible visual reporting! The details of significance to all of the artifacts still in use, how each tells a transatlantic crossing. I kind of wanted this to be an opening introduction to a deeper study. So many questions provoked. How does Johis' understanding of her own understanding of syncretism deepen by understanding the connections to orishas? How does the significance of rhythm, of a can't stop won't stop culture of hip hop change knowing how integrated polyrhythm is to hair weaves and octave poetry? What is the word to name these cultural gems that survived, hidden, woven into everyday life?
Excellent phot journalism.
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I truly enjoyed the wonderful photos and the powerful spiritually of the generations.
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Beautiful photos! "A picture is worth a thousand words".......so true. Thank you.
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Thank you for the nourishment keep feeding blessings.
2
k paso
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Very appreciable content.
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Very beautiful, it is always inspiring to see pockets of people that have moved away from their "motherland" and continue to carry on traditions. Traditions are a vital part of our history, and our future. The colors are simply beautiful.
7
I learned about the existence of Africans from a radio show called
“Afropop” from PRI. They talk about certain music or sound that rooted from Africa to a country outside Africa and explained how it got there. And that’s how I knew that so many Africans in Latin America . That got there either as free or brought by the white colony. Thank you for the great article, keep it coming.
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Beautifully done. Thank you for sharing this time now story. Often times people forget "Black"/ "Afro" peoples of the Hispanic world. I'm ecstatic to see this story along with capitulating photos of the Afro side of Ecuador.
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Both the text and the photos in this article are extraordinary, and show great sensitivity for the people they discuss. It would have been helpful to place Afro-Ecuadorans (who many people don't know exist) in the larger context of the African diaspora to Latin America.
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Powerful story-telling. I love the use of details and the surprising night sky scene-setter.
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There are perhaps 100 million Afro-Latinos across every country in Latin America, from over half a million in Mexico, to Argentina. A quarter of 'white' Costa Rica is Black. Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador all have significant Black populations. However, virulent racism in Latin America and the US has made them nearly invisible in the media and narratives of national myths. The Mexican government of Oaxaca denies the existence of tens of thousands of Black Oaxacans. Costa Rica formerly used an internal pass system to deny access to the capitol by Black Costa Ricans from the Caribbean coast. Thank you for opening up even a small glimpse of the massive Afro-Latino world.
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Mother Africa is expecting everyone of the children of her long lost children.
"Come visit us she says
Under the baobab tree you will dance and dance and dance and ....
Come visit us she says
Anytime
Under the rain you will hear the birds sing
Come see us some time
We will tell you the story of the Mali empire and the story of the Oyo kingdom
Have you heard about Ananse the spider?
Come
Here you will roll under the river and hear your ancestors heart beat
Come!
Do you hear them?
"Stand up" they say
"This way" they say
"Live and dream" they say
Live and dream that
You
Are
Eternal
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@Makh BEAUTIFUL POEM! Are you the author? If not, who wrote it?
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Only just read this feature, beautifully constructed series of images and excellent writing; so well done.
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Extrodinary photos. Thank you both for the images and words.
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Beautiful photos and fascinating information. I was not aware of the history of enslaved people in Ecuador and am anxious to learn more after reading his article. So glad their descendants are honoring their powerful spirit and culture.
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after looking through these photos, and reading the article that goes along with them, i’m truly taken aback by the history behind Ecuador and their traditions. it’s a place i now find myself wanting to visit. i feel the parts in this article about women having to protect their identities and traditions was incredibly moving. it made me think of all that’s going on today in the states, such as fighting for women’s rights, and making sure all voices are heard.
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The photos are great but the article should have mentioned that “Orisha” are specifically part of Yoruba cosmology and are also found in Cuba and Brazil and Mexico as well other places in the Americas,
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Excellent point, Ann. I would point out that it is my understanding that the Orishas are more accurately described as saints, rather than deities or gods. It is rather like Catholicism in that regard, with one supreme being who created the universe and a host of saints: people who gave so much to the world that they are never to be forgotten.
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@Fritz Burden Orishas were called saints because of Spanish repression of African religions. But they are unlike Catholic saints, marked by purity and perfection--instead they are related to tempestuous natural forces and elements, such as the sea, rivers, wind, lightning, the forest, as well as past African rulers. Orishas are complex beings who people need to communicate with and show respect for--they ask for support from the orishas who are most directly connected with them and try to find how best to live their lives.
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Such beauty and nobility. This is just one more piece of evidence of why Americans must learn to celebrate diversity. The human family needs no passports.
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Fascinating and beautifully told through your photography, thank you.
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Beautiful photographs and a great story.
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Stunning work. Thank you so much.
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