African Diaspora In Honduras
Transatlantic Slave trade
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Many people believe that all the slaves that were in Honduras were brought from Africa, but in reality some came from different Caribbean islands which they had been exiled from. some were brought through the transatlantic slave trade while others where kicked out of the island of St. Vincent and Dominica In 1635, slave ships were wrecked off the island of St. Vincent. Several slaves managed to escape death and fled to St. Vincent where Caribs (Caribbean native people) welcomed them. Caribs allowed Africans to settle on the island. During the following decades, other castaways met there also. The news was spread in the Caribbean islands that was a "paradise" for runaway slaves, survivors from slave shipwrecked and slaves taken to the Spanish or Dutch. Most refugees married Caribs, which created the Garifuna people (garifunda.org). This is important because it foreshadows the later exile of the Garifunas which caused them to move to Central America, this includes Honduras. For a time, the Afro-Caribbean Garifunas lived peacefully alongside French settlers who reached St. Vincent later in the 17th century, until being exiled by British troops in 1796 and eventually shipped off to Roatan, one of the Honduras Bay Islands in the Caribbean Sea. They intermarried with local populations of Arawaks and Carib Indians (Caribs), immigrants from South America, to become known as Garifunas or Black Caribs. (Hardman). This is important because​ shows how through the slave trade and exodus they were brought to Central America.
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Resistance Against Slavery
Silver Strike
The Africans that were already in Honduras (Garifuna), and many others that were brought through the Transatlantic slave trade were forced into slavery. Just like many other slaves in every part of the world they resisted to slavery. Specifically in Central America it took awhile for the slave revolt to spark change. In 1524, the first Africans arrived in Honduras, by 1530 the first Africans are brought to work in the mines. As of 1545 over 2,000 Africans were working in the mines, only three years later the slaves working in San Pedro, Honduras revolt. This only makes things worse because since the slaves revolted by running away and not working most were killed or caught and brought back to work, the ones that were able to get away were replaced by new slaves brought to Honduras, as the years passed a lot of the slaves were able to escape safely and begin their own communities (Williams 1). This is important because it shows how they were resistant and although things didn’t change right away this did cause the Garifuna to create the communities we know and love today, some of these include Islas de roatan, Tela, San Pedro sula, and Tegucigalpa. These cities wouldn’t be themselves if the Garifuna had never ran away and settle their. One of the least common ways the slaves were able to revolt was by going on a strike. This was because they were usually killed or tortured until they went back to work. In the 1570s this all changed because the slaves went on a silver strike. In the 1570s, a silver strike in the highlands brought a rush of prospectors to Honduras, resulting in the rise of an important population centre at Tegucigalpa, which competed thereafter, especially in the 18th century, with Comayagua. (Britannica)
African DiasporaCulture
African Diaspora Culture
Just like many other countries African culture has made an impact. Today we can still hear, taste, and see the African roots. Most of these African roots are heard through the music and seen through the dances. In Honduras, the best traditional dance is known as punta or banguity (new life) originates from African wake rituals. It was usually danced by elders at Garifuna wakes, it celebrates reincarnation, the idea that when one life is lost another is brought up (Britannica). This comes from the African tradition that believes, that when one dies the soul is not dead yet so when they party and dance punta it allows them to celebrate one last time with the deceased (Britannica). This is important because not only does punta give a insight of the Garifuna culture musically but also religiously because of their beliefs in reincarnation. The Garifuna culture was seen through their art or what they displayed themselves as. For example, what they did with their hair, what they wore, languages they spoke, their music, and rituals/dances. Most importantly the languages they spork were mixed also known meztico. Since the early Africans were forced to leave the island of st Vincent by the Europeans, many of them traveled to what is now known as Central America. They were forced into slavery and some escaped and moved into rural areas that had already been populated my indigenous people. They eventually cohabited and mixed and had mixed children. These children were known as hijos mestizos, after time of living together their languages were mixed and it became one language, Garifuna language or lenguaje meztico (mixed language) (Thegrit.com 1). This is important because it shows how the Garifuna came to be, they were originally just exiled Africans from st Vincent and became mixed with indigenous culture and people.
Bibliography :
“ .” Honduras, garifonda.org/en/garifunas-history.
Cashion, Susan V. “Latin American Dance.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 24 July 2017, www.britannica.com/art/Latin-American-dance/Mexico#ref1094257.
Kwekudee. “AFRICAN DESCENDANTS IN HONDURAS (AFRO-HONDURANS).” AFRICAN DESCENDANTS IN HONDURAS (AFRO-HONDURANS), Blogger, 12 May 2013, kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2012/10/african-descendants-in-honduras-afro.html.
“Garifuna People, History and Culture.” Global Sherpa, globalsherpa.org/garifunas-garifuna/.
R, J. Roberto Moncada, and Ralph Lee Woodward. “Honduras.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 30 Jan. 2019, www.britannica.com/place/Honduras/History#ref671428.
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