South American Ethnicity
Lecture for the course in Anthropology of Ethnicity, 02/12/2021
Paride Bollettin: paride_bollettin@msn.com
Mexican corn varieties. Source: http://jiwaji.edu/kayo.asp?cname=giant+rainbow+corn&cid=22
18 million Km2
12 countries
> 424 million
people
> 600 languages
Biodiversity hotspot
South American ecosystems. Source:
https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata2018214
Palaeolithic migrations in South America
Last Glaciation aprox. 26-19.000 BP
One way versus bi-diretional
Single versus multiple migrations
Example: controversy about Luzia
- fund in Pedra Furada (1974)
- dated 11.400BP
- morphological studies: Australian aboriginal
features
- affinities with Aimoré people: paleo-indians
- genetic studies: Luzia as Amerindian
- genetic affinities with Anzik-1 in USA
Proliferation of alternative theories
Theories about migrations to America. Source:
https://nanopdf.com/download/beringia-ppt_pdf
Controversies on dates...
Occupation sites appointed to be older than Clovis period. Source:
Journal of Archaeological Science 40(6):2840–2847. 2013.
Clovis theory: Anzic-1 remains dates
between 13.200 and 12.900 BP and
genetics similar to modern Amerindians
Pedra Furada:
- northeast Brazil
- 800 archaeological sites
- charcoal 48-32.000 BP
- rock paintings 11.000 BP
- lithic cores 12.000 BP
Other sites:
- Monte Verde (Chile): 14.800 BP
- Piedra Museo (Argentina) 11.000 BP
- ...
Amerindians before the European Invasion
Some pre-conquest Amerindians people. Source:
http://adockrill.blogspot.com/
Estimated population: 30 – 100 millions
Caral: oldest urban site,Peru coast, 3000 BP
Both sedentary and nomadic people
Occupied all environments
Network of trades along the continent (i.e. ceramics)
Inca Empire: 1438-1533
Francisco de Orellana: large cities along the Amazon
Spanish versus Portuguese colonization
Demographic collapse after the invasion
Amerindians migrations before and after the invasion
Tupi dispersal. Source: PNAS February 4, 2020 117 (5) 2372-2377
People mobility
Example of Tupi people:
- occupying several locations from south
to north of Brazil coast and along the Amazon
river
- alternative theories for Tupi territorial
dispersion
- link with cosmology (Terra sem Males)
After the invasion:
- movement of coastal people to the
interior
- dispersion of diseases
- impact on people of the interior with the
end of organized societies (i.e. Xingu)
European colonial migrations
Differences between Spain and Portugal
colonies
From Spain:
- up to 1650: half a million
- up to 1824: 1,86 million
From Portugal
- up to 1700: 100.000
- up to 1822: half a million
From other countries (i.e. French,
Holland, etc.) in lesser numbers
Mostly administrators, clergies, pours,
condemned, etc. with very few women
Portuguese arrival in Brazil. Source: Oscar Pereira da Silva (1865–1939).
Slave trade and demographic impacts
Slave trade. Source: https://people.uwec.edu/ivogeler/w111/slaves.htm
Slavery as feature of “modernity”
From Africa to the New World, 10
to 16 millions between 1500 and
1866
To Brazil: >4 millions (35%)
To Spanish America: >2.5
millions (20%)
Core workforce of colonies
One third of south American
population
Enslaved women and sexual
Miscegenation of enslaved people
Enslaved AmerIndians in 1911. Source: https://it.m.wikipedia.org/
In Spanish and Portuguese colonies large
economic activities with thousand of
slaves
Spanish encomiendas
Portuguese capitanias
1542, Valladolid debate (Bartolomé de las
Casas versus Juan Ginés de Sepulveda)
Enslavement of both Africans and
Amerindians
Resistance, revolts and conviviality
Afroindian: Source: http://www.etecjuliodemesquita.com.br/jornal/?
tag=afro-indigenasAfro-indianism
Mestizos and mulattos
1700 Spanish painting. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casta
Low presence of Europeans versus high
presence of Amerindians and Africans
Interracial marriages and sexual abuses
Production of a diversified demographic
panorama with people resulting from
interracial unions
Close relation between racial origin and social
position
Racial democracy versus
structural racism
European migrations between 1800-1900
Germans in Chile. Source
https://www.wikiwand.com/e
n/Immigration_to_Chile
Italians in Chile. Source
https://www.wikiwand.com/e
n/Immigration_to_Chile
Swiss in Chile. Source
https://www.wikiwand.com/e
n/Immigration_to_Chile
To South America 12% of total
From where?
- Italy: 7 millions
- Spain: >5 millions
- Portugal: 2 millions
To where?
- Argentina: >6.5 millions
- Brazil: >4.5 millions
- Chile: 1 million
Change of demographic panorama
(i.e. in Brazil and Argentina 30% of
population between 1891 and 1900)
Urban workers and rural settlers
Asiatic migration
Since 1600 Manila galleon trade among
Spanish colonies
Increase in middle 1800
From China (200.000, almost all men) and
Japan (300.000, both men and women)
Part of international labour migration after
“abolition” of slavery and “whitening
politics”
Mostly to Peru and Brazil
Difference: Chinese miscegenation with
larger society versus Japanese community
Alberto Fujimori (President of Peru 1990-
2000) Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Chinese workers in Peru 1900.
Source: https://library.brown.edu/
Liberdade neighbourhood,
São Paulo. Surce:
http://melhor-
davida.blogspot.com/
Near East migration
First wave: 1860-1914 (Ottoman Empire crises),
600.000
Second wave: 1948 (after WWII and Israel
foundation)
Mostly from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine
Example: Lebanese in the Amazon
Where and how many?
- Brazil: 7-12 millions (Lebanon and Syria)
- Argentina: 4-5 millions (Lebanon)
- Venezuela: 1.6 millions (Lebanon and Syria)
- Colombia: 1.5 millions (Lebanon)
- Chile: 800.000 (Palestinian)
Middle East population in South America. Source:
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/viva-los-
arabes-underreported-stories-of-the-arabs-of-the-americas/
Migrations within and outside South America
Migrations within and outside SA. Source:
https://www.migrationdataportal.org/blog/5-
salient-facts-about-intra-regional-migration-
south-america
Migration flows in SA. Source:
https://dailybrief.oxan.com/Analysis/GA19
7041/Intra-regional-migration-set-to-grow-
in-Latin-America
Changing migratory panorama
Motivators:
- differences in working
opportunities
- restrictions in intercontinental
migrations
- regional crises (i.e. Venezuela
2016)
- international agreements:
Mercosur
Remarks:
- new demographic dynamics
- mostly women migrants
Urbanization and demographic impacts
Rio de Janeiro. Source: https://cesran.org/urbanization-
and-inequality-in-latin-america.html
SA largest cities. Source:
https://www.seos-project.eu/lan
duse/landuse-c02-p06.html
SA urban and rural population. Source:
https://www.fao.org/3/y5271e/y5271e05.htm
From 1950 rapid
acceleration
- São Paulo: 2,5 to 20
- Buenos Aires: 2 to 12
- Rio de Janeiro: 2 to 14
From rural to urban areas
Diversified ethnic origins
Miscegenation versus
separation
Ethnicity and social
Contemporary Amerindian population
Estimate percentages of Amerindian
population. Source: https://www.reddit.com/
Pankararu at São Paulo. Source:
bit.ly/2Xf7Ckj
Amerindians in Colombian
Amazon. Source:
https://www.colombia.co/en/colomb
ia-country/colombia-facts/colombia
s-indigenous-groups/
Population: >50 millions
Ethnic diversity: >800 people
Linguistic diversity:
- Quechua: 8 millions
- Guarani: >6 millions
Revitalization of Amerindian
languages
Emergence of invisibilized
Amerindian people
Indigenous lands and urban
areas
Contemporary “white” population
Withe people in SA. Source:
https://www.reddit.com/
Population: 200 millions
- Brazil: 100 millions
- Bolivia <1 million
Demographic weight: 30%
- Uruguay: 88%
- Bolivia: 5%
Ethnic diversity (various
European origins)
Miscegenation versus separation
Social privileged category
Uruguay. Source: https://www.pinterest.com/
Bolivia. Source: https://tourtheten.com/
Contemporary afro-descendant population
Population: 40 millions
- Brazil: 15 millions
- Bolivia: 40.000
Association with “mixed
people”
- i.e. Brazil: 55 millions
Highly diversified distribution
Mixture between African
origins
Social marginalization Chilean afro-descendants. Source:
https://www.okayafrica.com/black-feminists-in-chile-fight-
covid19-racism/
Afro-descendants
demographic weight. Source:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/7
54212268841881789/
Candomblé. Source:
https://www.pinterest.pt/pin/307300374545984714/
Genetic flows and inheritance
Diversified panorama between
countries
Main genetics from
Amerindians, Africans and
Europeans
Associations with phenotypic
variations (i.e. hairs, colour,
nose, eyes, etc.)
Genetic classification versus
self-identification
Genetic inheritance.
Source: PLoS Genet
10(9): e1004572
Blue: Amerindian
Green: African
Red: European
Ethnic self-identification
Self-identification as a
cognitive structure diving
people through phenotypic
characteristics (biological)
Self-identification as the
recognition of common
ancestry, history and culture
(socio-political)
Uses in demographic census
and public policies
Peruvian ethnic diversity. Source:
https://www.recursos.feyalegria.edu.pe/el-peru-y-la-diversidad-17137
Ethnic inequalities
Poverty in Brazil. Source: http://www.ihu.unisinos.br/
Differences between countries:
- i.e. life expectancy Chile 78 years
versus Guiana 66 years
Ethnic diversity associated with socioeconomical-environmental
conditions
Related gender differences among
ethnic groups
Historical and political causes
10% population owns 55% incomes
Differentiated access to public services
- i.e. Covid-19 pandemic
Ethnic politics
Elisa Loncon. Source:
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisa_Loncón
Emergence of ethnic movements
(afro-descendants and Amerindians)
Implementation of social policies
dedicated to ethnic marginalized
populations
- i.e. “quotas” for universities in
Brazil
Political protagonist from
marginalized populations
- Elisa Loncon, mapuche,
Presidenta de la Convención
Constitucional de la República de
Chile
Indigenous protest in Peru. Source:
https://brasil.elpais.com/brasil/2019/11/13/politica/1573
643039_261472.html
Afro-descendant university student in Brazil.
Source: https://brasil.elpais.com/Rethink “ethnics” from biological to political
Task for the next week
- to map informations about Czech migration
to South America (search in internet for
informations)
- to examine one or two cases (from
bibliographic materials available)
- to write a short paper describing the
chosen case/s (1-2 pages)
What about Czech migration to South America?
Juscelino Kubitschek (President of
Brazil 1956-1961). Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juscelino
_Kubitschek