Despite there having been an African presence in Mexico since the start of colonization, Mexico’s national identity has largely been defined by mestizaje – a term that recognizes the mix of indigenous and European ancestries. For more than 15 years, Afro-Mexicans have been been trying to remedy this by pushing for formal recognition in Mexico’s national constitution.
A recent video by Plumas Atómicas details the struggles of Afro-descendants in Mexico. “In Mexico, the history of these communities have always been ignored,” according to the video. “To begin with, there are no reliable statistics on [Afro-Mexicans].” Wilner Metelus, for example, told CNN that in 2010 he was counted as indigenous, though he is nationalized Mexican from Haiti.
Plumas Atómicas doesn’t explicitly state that Black History Month should be celebrated in Mexico, but by looking at the community’s history of being overlooked as well as all they have contributed to the country, they make a great case for why Black History Month should exist in Mexico.
Check out the short video below:
#Afromexicanos Herencia de la comunidad afromexicanaAlrededor de 450 mil mexicanos pertenecen a la comunidad afromexicana y esta forma parte de nuestra tradición y cultura. Desde hace 20 años, los Blaxicans toman fuerza para hacerse oir. ¿Qué piensan de la lucha afromexicana?
Posted by Plumas Atómicas on Wednesday, February 17, 2016