Okeyo Jumal; Spiritual Shackles Costa Chica July 2009

[emm28bee]

I learned in college that there were about 20,000 Africans counted the the census of the Spanish government in the 1500s. I wondered what happened to those folks. Also many African artifacts were discovered in Mexico or central America dating back to the 4th century. These artifacts depicted Africans in positions of royalty or high up positions. The artifacts were of people with broad noses and thick lips.

[boston312]

When i was in Acapulco in 2006 they had just finished building a Afro-Mexico museum that was dedicated to the history of the African presence in Mexico. The Mexican state of Veracruz also has an African presence as well

[thedjfantastic1]

you are probably right not that i know that we are mix with africans but i know this... in my hometown la costa chica todos somos negros, nalgones, y de sangre caliente (black skin,big booty, and hot blooded) i was born in a small village call cruz grande and avery one there is black and i grew up believing it was beacuse our sun and our land is really hot also because we spent most of our time in the beach and we've got sun burn but know i ve realize that is our race its in our blood

[MexxiKing]

the indigeous people never hated the blacks...the indigeous and blacks in mexico fought for there rights agasint the spanish...zapatas army was filled with indigeous and blacks. my great great grandmother from my dads side was black. shalom brothers we are one. from the tribe of issachar

[dimasjm]

im from guererro and i live in l.a now- and i also believed that african blood is in mexico -central and south america and the stories need to be told = thank you

[emm28bee]

Many Mexicans always looked part black to me. Cool!

[wolfhomme]

Sabian que Vicente Guerrero era de raizes de africano.

[Alechano]

I am from La Costa Chica. I live in California. We do not say Afromestizo or Mulato anymore. We are Afro-Mexicanos!! Thank You.

[LuchaFanTaztik]

Aqui en Veracruz la palabra negro no es un insulto es una palabra de cariño como que paso mi negro o las madres si alguien es de veracruz no me dejara mentir las madres siempre nos dicen "negrito" es una palabra de cariño aunque no niego que como en todos lados hay gente estupida y quiere insultar con eso pero vaa uno hace caso y como dice la cancion yo tambien tengo la rama azteca,la negra y la española eso es ser mexicano estar orgulloso de la mezcla ;D

[cinturon70]

I could see my father like him when he was eating at the table and when he is sitted while he is en la canoa y va por el mar.El mas moreno de sus hermanos era mi papa "el pire Gomez" del Espinalillo de Coyuca de Benitez Gro.Mexico.Ah pero Jumal es mas claro.It is time to make a change.My father just was biological father.Padre bilologico porque no nos mantuvo,solo nos hizo.

[afromexicano81]

hey gente queremos que acepten los mexicanos que tienen gente negra y que somos orgullosamente afromexicanos y estamos en espera de el recon ocimiento de mexico asia su tercera raiz que esta presente y que necesitamos seguir con nuestras cultura africana tambien necesitamnos que nos apoyen gente de el gran pais de africa que nos ayude que convensa a el gobierno mexicano que nos reconoscan y que africa nos de papeles de africanos apoyemos y mezclemonos con nuestra propia raza k nose pierd

[simbakafiri]

wow i love my brothers and sisters in mexico afro mexicans....why cant they just the fense and come here...justkidding but seriously i would love to meet a black mexican since my best friend is a mexican too

[Rafa15Jarocho]

@simbakafiri jajajaja we afro-mexicans dont immigrate much in the United States, we rather stay in Mexico because of the racism we see in the United States against color people. We are happy here in Mexico with our culture and traditions that in the U.S we cant do. But you should travel to Guerrero or Veracruz and you will see us there :)

[marclanders1000]

@Rafa15Jarocho HELL YEAH

[oaklandlatinosunited]

Guerrero is not the only place that has a strong African presence in Mexico . the state of Veracruz has a strong African presence especially the southern part of the state . i've been there theres African names in beaches and towns and the Son Jarocho has strong african influence .

[equalityabby]

We seem as black people to always be at the bottom no matter where we are. No one wants to claim the African part of them. Society makes it so negative. Africans did great things to be proud to claim and the whole world should know it. You ask anyone from Mexico are there black people they say no as if to deny that part, that's a shame.

[chsn09]

@equalityabby Yeah it is sad that people of African descent are treated like crap and the poorest in societies everywhere in the world!

[chsn09]

@equalityabby The Afro Mexican population in Mexico is more than 5 million people!

[calddany612]

@equalityabby Actually my mom said some of her past family was very dark skinned so probably they were of African descent. Besides her white complexion, more than likely she and I have some African blood. I am not shamed of it at all, it has made me who I am today and I am quite proud to have such a racial makeup. I have also informed my friends of the African presence in Mexico.

[Rafa15Jarocho]

@equalityabby not true, we in mexico know that theres black people in mexico because they teach that in our history in Mexico. I think you are referring to Chicanos (mexican american) who dont know nothing about Mexico other than Aztecs. In mexico they arent Mexican but U.S American, Mexican is someone born in Mexico.

[bruin03]

@equalityabby Many just don't know. It's not taught in there schools.

[younghogz1]

@equalityabby Thats not true. My mexican informed me himself that their is a strong black african population in Mexico in certain areas of the country

[SavageBarbarians]

@younghogz1 there is an african population in MEXICO but it dam sure isn't strong. They don't have to inform you, it it was a strong presence you'd know it.

[equalityabby]

We seem as black people to always be at the bottom no matter where we are. No one wants to claim the African part of them. Society makes it so negative. Africans did great things to be proud to claim and the whole world should know it. You ask anyone from Mexico are there black people they say no as if to deny that part, that's a shame.

[Alechano]

I think we do not use the term "Mestizo" anymore.

I like the term Afro-Mexican... just like in the U.S. Afro-Americans, also Afro-Colombians, Afro-Peruvians and so on. So why still use the derogatory term mestizos to identify Afro-Meixicans? I am an Afro-Mexican fro La Costa Chica, living in Calfornia. Thanks for the video and for educating people about the forgotten roots of Mexico.

[imthrowed94]

nice video

[JuniorVega23]

I'm startign to observe Mexica people ever since I found out about Africans in Mexico and I believe it now. Two women at my job are very brown skin and have kinky hair (not usual in indigenous women), had to ask them what part of Mexico they were from and sure enough said "Oaxaca"..I was born in Michoacan and I've seen many other mexican people with kinky/napy hair before, but "african" never crossed my mind untill now. thanks for posting!.

[1RSandoval2]

@JuniorVega23 there was also blacks in Michoacan :-) theres still people from Michoacan with african ancestry, of course its not very present in that state :-)

greetings from Veracruz, Mexico

[nino6023]

I love this video

[ANKHRASET]

YES GREAT VIDIO. HOTEP

[Ajamuj]

Beautiful, Brother Jumal! This story definitely deserves to be told. I have for a long time held a curiosity of African blood in Central and South America and along with the history of Mexicans of African decent in Californias history. One of my favorite paintings is, Fandango by Christian Nahl, its in the collection of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. Youll see Mexicans with African features.

Carol Tillman, sbcc

[metalmosh6]

I kno its late to comment but whats the first reggae song at @ 0:50? And africans played a huge part in the fight for independence, like Vicenente Guerrero, a general who even served as president and abolished slavery. Theres even well known afro Mexicans today.

[Ajamuj]

Jumal,

I enjoyed your youtube piece on Afromestizo Mexicans. I remember a trip to Mexico many years ago when I was surprised to learn there were Mexicans of African descent. Of course, it is logical that there would be with the history of the Caribbean, but nonetheless I was surprised, just as I was to learn of the Ainu people of Japan. The world offer so much to discover, doesn't it?

[teresaguerrasalazar]

there has always been blacks in Mexico since the arrrival of the spaniards is our third root, It is recorde in our history books, but since slavery was abolished in Mexico we do not keep tabs of people racial ancestry we are mixed, we are all Mexicans, unlike the US wehere people say : I'm part French , Irish , Indian etc. we do not do say that in Mexico. Mexican-Americans falsely say they are half Indian and Spanish. We are the mixture of 3 races which began 500 years ago. not the half/half

[audijam]

@teresaguerrasalazar Four or five races if you count the chinese (mongoloids) & filipino (islanders) that came in the Manila - Acapulco trade by almost 250 years... difference in Mexico was that almost everyone got mixed up and not many people knows their family tree so nobody really knows if their have African or Asian blood appart from Amerindian & Caucasian, but in part I like it that way, cuz we don't try to separate ourselves into races but just get along as Mexicans.

[TichaonaM]

Very beautiful and affirming. Also indicative of the oneness of life. Respect for sharing and informing, Jumal.