Beyond Black and Red AFRICAN-NATIVE RELATIONS IN COLONIAL LATIN AMERICA & EDITED BY MATTHEW RESTALL ‘Uswaasrv oF New Mexico Pass <=> AunvovrmaceHAPTER EIGHT Hack Read as Red Ethnic Transgression and. Hybridity in Northeastern South America and the Caribbean Net L. WHITEHEAD, 8G he clonal conquest of wotheastern South America and the Caribbean smd the emergence of unfair andteasgresive" or unaceep ble forms of ethnic ident Sach new human kinds were taken 2, fence ofthe existence of varios "monsuousraes"—such as anh pages or people eaters and gant Amarons—that were pat of the fopean meal imagination of the uteri of he eat, By the igh th century such harman Kinds were no longer thought to be pecliar res rn the rest of humanity andso wer categorized according 0 snr Enlightenment eas of rac"nation’ and social evolton. "This chapter examines the way sch casts emerged patil shee phenotype baka i thenigenous population ware” [as eis wrion of tk capa wae preset aa paper in he srmpsium Contac nd Rover” agai by the Borers Soles Reseach Cc the Wir of Weconsin Main, Ape 197By the middle ofthe nineteenth entry the Crs stil persisted on ‘Dominic, Martinique and St.Vincent, despite being severly reduced in umbers—thowsands ofthe so-ciled Black Cari were forcbly transport ‘eto Hondoras and ize atthe end ofthe eightenth century, fing {he Bris wa agains the Black Carbs in Dominic. For tho Care il fon the tnd of the Antilles the stabilization of clonal regimes through fut the region meant that their special niche a interand traders was every cre In this eats they reid increasingly on agrcare and Fishing a a means of patcpation in the national as economy. By the Avent ofthe twentieth century ther socioeconomic postion ws nds {ual ron that ofthe red lack slaves, who were tems econo Fecompetiors inthe wagelabor economy ‘Sinosindependanos rom the former colonial paws, Betan i978, the economy of Domina ike that of the other Windward islands of the "Atle, hasbeen based on agriclaral export, principally bananas, and Nourison. However. a part fis independence package Dominica for cam ipl retained special economic rltonship with Brian that llowed the a of banana wel ore the word art price. iin th content tat the Crise now deploying thi caltral and historical heritage tame Horate and improve ther sation within the sland economy a5 2 whole This makeing of ealturl heritage in arm has fed debate on the mature of heritage pric over who best exemple snc, already sg peti, Cart society on the lands has ben exceptionally purl ln the fst. Thien of Carib “priy hat parity” thatecades laces, hss begun o be mentioned expecially when sch cars are lo being wed to nezotste between competing kin groups onthe offical reservation of| Say nlf for leader ofthe Carib Counc. In colonial times, when native identities xcped the its of aca foe cultural boundaries in thi way, 3 inthe ease of lacks "ead a el We, Carb), itdouly threatened the ol coll hema of entity. Fist it ety challenged the vi ofthe exiting asian. Second, at Is demonsration of the generally imperect attempts 10 make such cations Sach hybrid entities were thos shretening to tablished ‘of clonal polical and soca authority, even cresting a tmes 2 mon ines inthe suppression of the einialy ambiguous onthe srt of pesstent colonial als, such asthe Brith and Pench, This wos isl the cate with the eighteenth century emergence inthe Lesser, Utils of the o-lled Hack Carib dscns low Tope to show that Iby examining examples of ethnic transgression across the clonal bound 163: The Carb of the Carb Map deo by Mathew Real. ro that natie! A clear example ofthis proces ocurred anon Cat Indians of he Caribbean during the pete of clonal const ‘ase example esl of politcal and sacl gnfcance today the Ca Dominica and St. Vincent are prominent among the descendant ff atv people who es encourtered Columbus ‘Dept continuing predictions of ther demise aver the pst vehi rod yours they sill ubbornly survive ax an independent com wii the modern isan tate of Dominica, At he ime of frst conti Carib were powefl trang people whose canocs plied the waters fil ‘Caribbean and cowtal Sou Ameria, Ding the clan period this ‘minccs in saad iver trafic ensred them iglcant place with ‘oon "cockpit of ont that war the Carean Aaa el hey We ‘magoet for daponened ad fesing Indians ax well a the black rn slaves fom the island plantations This also led toa steady ines ‘scape lack aves ito Carib society and the eventual emergence Blak Caribe as distinct population. Nevertheless of lick and Cri etic authenticity were exited by the clonal regimes of ‘egion in an effort to simulate internecine confit among the vari (Cait commanites in beth the islands and Guyana and Surinam. Thal insues andthe history ofthat colonial legacy ar ail very euch lil community debate ody:any of ed an black, we can gain a hetter appreciation of the danger the views of Jean-Jacques Rouse, who arg that bl people odin tale of such te ‘sort of imple harmony andfeedom. Both ofthese powefl images con finueto vein the European imagination atimeles conta fo the work fing out of humans princes of goverment asthe posopher Toske used the example iin the ht ofthe Tupinambaa idence of ihe existence of univers philoropicl principles: However, the contin: ature of soc intelectual ingieabo suggests its inberet imitations, Americ! was truly cw and dierent the could not be understood 3 Typ meat of analogy old European forma alte sce. or ity In consequence, the eateries of conquest and colonization wer null restemed and ansered in the face of indigenous ations und eas that refed to nelly fit in with the colonial mora and natural ema which they were aged Preemient among these clsfisory schema in northeastern South rica and the Caribbean was the ethnology of Columbus, which sil the analytical bedrock of colonial and modern ethnoogis like hereto the notorious conceptual opposition of carl and guatiae pot hoe") and the later npravening term arusc (Aral), through ich native cultures were ange cer he mpi pemation of the ionarcs or the martial dscpline ofthe conquistadors. Fixed in theit_ urstonablestarus through ocgins inthe documents of discovery and Puen” presence in native ol tetimony thee of crtbes sina anna aac pial and tractable sages ame ea mentary pposions in the ld of savagery: Thi in arn llowed al etiologies to generate complex schema of ethnic clasifcation. lingo the dgueto which groups exrpliied these polar character [Avarel anacve program of colonial elnography was proscu bythe ionaien? ‘Of cours native piste omtinaly threatened this net bration Naive American identi did compesing nological hema mei ge rench and ortuguse colonial activity slong the Beazin cond In al were cannibals and thu the forms ager ete ots clare bt th lick of ele aliogether Thi pnd primitives demeonstrared empirical in some indigenous group, sich asthe Top, their cannibalistic customs andthe practice of perverted and inhuman lit However other group, such asthe Guarani who were les of | Baropesns, were aie tobe "go cannibal Inds, and mach net shown in ther cosmology and polity inorder to provide a rationale for cannibal proves Indced, sich antropopheic its wer overt mersion an bow tat transgresion nfaenced yma. cata contact and formation of clos pomer cations READING RED In the borderands ofthe medical world the episodes of contat with Americas andthe forms of power unleashed ther, fore numerous _zrcsins of else and fed norms of thought and action The ato of ech contacts nt the dum of colonial conquest nd oc fhe South American continent ane Caribenn lds ts slo el ‘ered many new forms of deity, and then theming OF"hybridt those forms: Such challenges tothe meieval sociocultural order ‘mediated hough an inital asimation ofthese ne kinds of bit the marvelous and the monstous categories of European thought Ae rer the "new wold became aster the eeproducion of theo) hades men, cannibals and pant were continually “ésoverd” il novel American conten, thereby bringing the natives under piste i not yet politial contol Alongside this ssmiation of new categorie of being to the il strous mares of medieval thinking wa aso 3 debt on “ara” ination’ whos intllctal mots werein the casa work) Fe Sor the btte with "barbarian am, Spans imperial encounter if Ameria shook upa simple eposion of Christin oui tli ll Inti content the Nate American population was ot spl sini to the categorie ofthe Recnguita, but stimulated new debate ‘ranglcl responsibilities of the Caxtiian sate, the iden of Jnumaniy andthe histori of bibl myth With the persistence colonial project and its dispersion across the plabe such ate ery bec prt of he Elica topo ofthe a atin, and progres Tn this context indigenous peoples enter European philoso <éebates exemplars of politic evlution in wo ways. On the one hi they ae seen as"Hob sin brutes playing ot the pola philosp Thomas kites who sug hat inthe meno state power th thing bt perp war of al agai allen the ath al eocities fe was “sy bruth and abort? On the other athe les of indigenous America were alo seen as"Roussaueas noblesn Pacharis. ti not, therefore, Simply the canna urge bu ats meaning which important in these discourses? ‘Asa matter of intellectual history, the interaction between these) forms of discourse on American savagery produce & complex we Airing account and investigations of “cannibal” This mean tha ‘when ne groups wer encountered, thee ritual and symbolic practice ere often explained by erent thse intial contacts with he Tapa Gonrantin Bra Accordingly, Peach clonal ethnology. marked dey bythe encounter in Bra found Tupi among the Luo just the Spanish eventually found Carbs in Argetina I wil come as no supe ‘olean thatthe intellectual ert met rng such scheme in ine wth ‘he experienc of colonial practice ws substantial inde Thi ret dct in he fit that virtually no publi work of tve reportage al to offer some oberaton tht isthought to Baron certain vexing que, ‘ons thw up by these casiistory exercises the Cais realy ca bland the Arawak el eendy? Or are the Ti savage eaters of mh ‘or participants in Bazan Fuchart And undying al thee cho calconcernsthe fundamental colonial interopaton who isha? ‘The term trngresion hus dates the way ein Kinds of poli alliance and ethnic sentiment, especially those that upset existing under standing and eteorization, were threatening, i mot actively danger Ae ‘res debate colonia sources with ear the emergence of frm «thc sentiment and practice hat were seen ahybrid was wider tha just the case of blackted transgression and al emerged with rep such categories as “white Tupi” or “cviled Indians” All these ele _crptions perforce implied 2 ransgreson of etabished ethnic and el ‘weal boundires of colonial understanding Asch the mee post the exsience ofthese hybrids cleat threatened the credibly of coli schema for native identity. For thereon, the manner of debate sn Iivestigation ofthese tansgreie sd hid ater both within col ‘a writing and in the enactinent of eaania policy comes sf win ‘dove onto the rhetorical forms of clonal mastery that iy the discursive ‘cans by which a threatening and monstrovs hybridity is tansmted iy sex but reassuring. erty (or quay of ile). niga wef to make a distinction between sues of arity a those of hybridity. since bit suggests monstrous and wana oe eliyaltery a difernce of known o#preicable clement This distinction ‘hen helps to unravel the special vilfcation and near prurient incre shown fonard such ranslessive identi catibes wh se back Tigh ho are white et et haman eth and wid Indians who display a rized ‘naj. Within the constrains of hi chapter il ony consider licked Iransgressions, bt it cetily appears fram a teview of the coli ites tues that interest in other sch hybrid identities was no es intense if Tunencumered bythe plitaimplicavons of poten allances between Dlack ives ad wil Amerindian,” ‘Thereson fr this ofcourse that ach curity was deve not by the ave free esearch programs ofan abstracting enol sence, but bythe dyamicurgnces of colonial conquest. By the end ofthe stents entry the presence of such unnatural and aoc categories of persons Tite and induced renewed discursive forts oy op the terms of eth ogi lsiction tat had en derived from nil contact, A thie moment we therefore witness the invention of Guaymurer—the we of white cnnibale—iinel descendant ofthe" eben” who represent [Nor World marvel of categorical nd cultural incontinence one hat burst ‘pen European conceptual rectitude and scenic parsimony. But hi [irsdax sao what lows an ethnological closure ince, o mater what he monstrosity of human orm that ithrown up in he course of cultura font the abil ofa Scientific dasifation to domentete ach vagy Birugh at of Reration and description stabilize the dymemic, incon pent and threaning qualities of brid. How this was done with ond o rel lacks. and the poitical and economic benefits for oll mastery Indoing so, the subject of the est ofthis cape BLACK Cains Inthe cae of Black Carin the Caribbean ett, such oni as ery. as exercised though existing ethnological ideas of Carb savagery” fas nr suicient forthe purpose of ealonial tbl. This was Beate Black Carbs represented schalenge tothe net bifurcations of colonial lundertandng -raste/ive,whitflack—to which the "Todi added third and suddenly unpredictable term. Moreover, Mack and ative alliances also theatened 3 continuing political rapture i colonial elton: Ships since the presence of Black Caibs manifeyicte similar rans restos among stil apie sve Ata est various attempt were made Ipycolonial eimes to tery deray the lack Cais nll other ise suppres thei political inlucnce However the cteorzation of var fs populations as "Black Cai” was highly reminiscent ofthe einSpanish casications in the Caribean that ified the population el ‘racas and caibe. Although this was achieved by reference to cult its (cannibalism) and politcal orientations (othe Spanish) and sy allusion to skin tones, the net eet was srkingy sn both cases the ‘complet ofthe atl ethnic sentiments and history of « people Wal ‘sled bythe practi fechanivecteoric that spl alert tracability and ebeliows opposition. In short, the “blacknes” of ih tect cetury Caribe was ao mote natural or evident than thee pred tom fr cannibalism of unde yet ener. Moreover, shall the presence of backs” mong the Carbs was a mater of concer ‘comment rom the very inception of he colonial preseace. The coli nightmare office association and aliance among it subject peoples ths very mach part of how dhe complexity of ethnic in the Caribba wa rndered more emetively coatolbl apd iatlecoal ressrig. “Today the historical and popula epresetatin of "Cais" he Carihbeanincading Guyana and Venerl, sil strongly vfs th ‘toric of colonia mastery. Aa ret the Carb ar sen oth tdven thir Indlible asocatlon with “cabal,” a tem cognate ‘area the cetography of Columbus but alo arial othe pois poscoloniaism nthe sese that they aid not oppose white onal le "hwy tht black Arian slvr di However, testa prevalence of Jmerelaonshis andthe pte of clonal represion of both Ameri nd cel black rested the bse for the emergence of common si ‘clsion, This was the fertile ground forthe formation of the people ‘ow tday a ck Carn St Vincnt and Sarina othe Gari [ele However. it sould he emphasized that blackness here is 0 coasruct ofthe colonial observe and cannot be taken a given of Sentient among those designated a "back" by the clonal aur Indeed the formation of such Menties was predicated on the ol proces it which, tbh he eine of warfare, avery. pi isc, forces thnogenesi ight srs he continent." The ide a ‘Cari has its bassin the categories of colo understanding hese gov diferente the rebel lack rom the intractable trogen the ‘ton twit dominance ein to ithe one pst the ote AXthe same time, we shod not gnore the fc that indigenous Phlosophies a evinrd ther wn principles of exhson an dee sovin turn produced thi on categories of kb. Howes, inthe Imirored colonial couse on the pst nd yb ace Rather sch ntagons, where tented ws rol stimulated by the oli uber. is theses bth intel ann ply terms In thi way tell commentary on lac antagonism ws wo present ih iene 8 Inevitable, making it ce asi bth colonia ave seologes of ethnic ly shared nepatve iden of “lacknen” This ws the cate with the Spi esc Carin inthe iat rd sicteth entry Caren sc, een efor the extensive transportation of black lves ha bun atrbuton of {Garis carried asiogusneative connotations to thse of "lakes" in the cighcehcenory. Nonetheless, this dangerous conjunction of Carib vith lack was aeady foreshadowed by judi ngus in Puerto Hic in the snes entry that cup to el there f eae bck saves I rid on oa crn Tin chery egg tet ios of Eck. {ari erigns areas much about the sabi ofclrial sso as about the sory of demographic change in the Caribbean. Asa vest purported evidence of Amerindian ain toward black cannot be ply etd as an exemplar of univer, "ntaa” ais that was sated by whites ad indian although colonial commentary certainly sought naturale ferences inj this wy. ater for Amerindian licks was a ign iy. ke whites and proper understanding ofindgeaousattades must recor ae scant fh THE DOCUMENTARY RECORD, ie chaptrit impossible fly explore extended eas stad, bat na liited examination of documentary sources from the Lesser les can gives 2 window onto the general character of the conjunction lacks and “Carbs in diferent contests separated by some 130 xs. Each may then stand a an exemplar ofthe processes refered 10 re and will bethe subject of concluding commentary. sn Carry of Lisa ox Navan (30) 3m the inception of Spanish scilement in the Caribbean, the indians ofthe Lesser Antils bore th epuatio of being itracably he. Abhugh the experiences ofthe non-Spunih colonizers were often ferent there on be itl doubt that oth local shipping and the farms an plantations ofthe Spanish ster were fen attacked by bes. Although European adult males wer killed outright during suchaachs, many other individuals wet simply taken ot captivity as wie {evans and perhaps ftore victims of ital war dances (res). 191598 just sacha on hein of Puerto Rico ested in he capture of ‘le woman Las de Navarcte, Despite the tention tht was given oh ‘pity of Lis, er plight wat not that uncommon Estimate thet telng upto thre bunded European and African capives on Domini teas the imprisonment ofthe son of Juan Ponce de Lon nda {his was by na meuns an exceptional te. The following extracts from ‘tition of Beales de Quito, procarator general of Puerto Rico, Sommacy of Isa de Navarrete’ testimony on her captivity? lute sid Pablo Hemaler de Quior, Procurator Genes Present. asa witness ayaa de Nabarrete lack sknne, ie {ed of god name and Spanish-speaking, anda resident ofthis tie caries wok away this witness and et erin Domina the captive ofan nian nq Dominic, here they held er captive or ears and this wins as seen that. they aan hemive every yar and rss otis ian ‘of Puerto Rico and rob and desoy whatever they ca..This vines has sc that he themes they have come to this ‘Land... they ve cried away’ great quant of Backs and let some in Dominica and istibuted the est amongst the Indians of these lund, which they take o thee ands in onder toserve them... This wine saw that one of thes times that they cried ofa qunty of lacks that they bad stolen, hat they took fom aia awit boy sn of one Domingo Pine, fn another tine that heir armada came. They took fom tsa wo oer Backs hat ti wines Kew ard the Todins said hat they had atid of hes to anther ‘land The dina ays edt go bosting and making rot estas ying that they ad burt and dso any fars in hit iand and klled many people. and his tits sth they attacked overcame, burnt and bel {ship and then arid offand Kile threo ou ofthe making them ep onthe round, ot allowing them to ex meat crept aad and ats and shakes and some fish and they -an” bhi 7.480 19-88 2 fle vein, rom which this nrc i take, apes in Hale Which, Wid Majesty 73, Seeibid, 26-0 Se Ptr i Renan of Conus The ld Cris and Tht 287-498 (Oxf Oaford University Pes, 200) an Pete ane: tnd ack in the Crean Rac od tn Claas oni ‘tring tc Reyltonary Warsofthe 9" apr ge the De ‘Atop, Univers of Wan—Madsom Marc 000) “The memoirs of Mors de ono (5) were compose a thee lay but be bad servedon Vacate young man anda a . lodged wit the “Crabs” Hi questioning of the Wackness of those ed tobe lack Cais stern very pertinent em tio, ‘As Hulme, "Yl and Black nthe Cares” points ou, he Bish Sources sugges that here were around 300 Black ar and only very few ed Carb but Moree who mas inan ele ption oad muted that there were ol some 0 Back Car and more then 0 ‘ed Cars two certainly sem hat he canstrction fakes in thee dreumstancs was ery nuh mater of poli pong “Tisza shown, perhaps ven more stayin the ct of nan Warner (seo abore). Warnes specie tragedy was that ewan ae to frmly convince cher clonal rss ats human capac oe nic athrtcky an pli ety aed, som oa colon and indgenons polis had raed he uncer o entity a lance ‘that were creat daring hina ocupation of he ands, Water fel ‘etc thse words Ih an tof earls apy, he wiley hisown white alot, Philp, who wa commanding ont ity expedion aunt enemy” Cae and who ali ote wholesale ma Sacre of Thoma lie “ARerwand an Inn cling hs Thomas ‘arers som cme oo Bod al Wine’ sip and Wl hn tat Be Idle his athe and alli en he rape Neca i eso Ibid lding ished of one sdeo eves Mon this by Col Pips fer vat gies hi, and his boy throws overboard” (Hulme and Whitehead Wl Majesty, 0-3). ndian Warner had been wed that Colon Wane wa ploting il ir, bute had esp that he was ee assured of his Kindness and fey bing how half rhe ‘The actin hat this murder ince in the Engh coe ie uapee ese and inate the powerfal way Warner hy sats ipoced Engl actions apd sage Che dered that spent nd ley jar be done upen th person guy of th hut tnd is ‘Mass pleasures tht blo ht ath een obra pt be aly avenge. Hs Majaty lave it othe Goveraorto ge the Sivas of Dominica a publi denonstation a is jute wpm he thors by send ingthem ore hed (Vue and White Wt May, nF the tiger of Indian Warmers satus provste tht sane cli Inimessof te Dominican svageranEaglshmen's hex a then of Chareslove foe his sage abject wild majesty nel IM. Strater, Catia the Network 7A 90.3 (996) 57-35. Mary Dou, Pari and Danger An Anti the Comps of Politon ‘an Taboo (London: Pea.) Thi,