Afro-Peruvians

In Peru there is a traditional funeral for wealthy families which includes coffin bearers of African descent but now in the modern day, the government would like to see that practice banned because it represents a status symbol dating back to colonial times where many Afro-Peruvians were mistreated and enslaved.

The coffin bearer Humberto Guerrero states that he feels so proud and not stigmatized by such a traditional practice “People always want Afro-Peruvians coffin bearers, not to marginalize us, but because it’s a tradition that people like” explains.

 Around 7% of Peruvians are African descendants and their culture dates back 500 years to the African slave trade festivals like this famous religious procession of  “El Señor de los Milagros” they still emphasize on traditional beliefs mixed with Indigenous practices and Catholicism but in the workplace Afro-Peruvian are still marginalized. 

Only 2% graduate from university and most of them can only find low-paid jobs like hotel porters, coffin bearers and domestic servants.

That’s why the Culture Ministry is working on a series of moves to help the Afro-Peruvian population create a ministry focus on building a clear public policy that will approach racial discrimination in a political or legal form. Many black Peruvians thought are not convinced their good intentions will lead to real change. “Lots has been done for other communities but not for ours. I’m not sure about president Ollanta, he seems to have all the good intentions in the world but, what did his predecessors did? Nothing” claims the hotel porter, Manuel Soto.

Reference:

AFP News Agency (2013, January 18) Peru tackles discrimination against black community. [News report] Retrieved from:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opdnjBngv6Y&ab_channel=AFPNewsAgency