Afro-cubans and Afro-Brazilians are culturally more African than Afro-Americans. How?

Question

Why is it that in Latin America, Blacks were able to retain much more of their Africanism. What was different about their circumstances. What is different about the larger cultures they assimilated (or not) into.

Answer 1

Well, I think the difference between the United States and other nations is that the U.S. is so diverse. So what has happened here is that many different cultures have "blended" so to speak, whereas not so much in other countries.

The less diverse an area is, people (not all, but in general) tend to either cling more to the cultures/sub-cultures of their particular groups or to the dominant culture, because there isn't as much influence from other cultures/sub-cultures as in areas that are more diverse. What I think is that, in these less diverse areas, people usually feel pressured to embrace the dominant culture or they react to the pressure by treating their own culture in sort of the same way as a group of insects during the winter ("cuddling" together to stay alive, or rather forming a small ''cluster'').

In both instances (less diverse and more diverse) there are negatives AND positives...

LESS DIVERSE:

Positives: People who cling to the dominant culture have the wonderful experience of learning as much as they can about a different culture (or their own, if the dominant culture is their native culture), which can be very rewarding. And people who feel pressured to remain "clingy" to their own culture enjoy a life filled with rich knowledge and experiences of their own culture and likely maintain a strong sense of pride in their background.

Negatives: People who cling to the dominant culture miss out on all the benefits of embracing their own culture (if the dominant culture is not their native culture): being able to identify with those of the same culture, a wealth of knowledge about one's own culture, a true in depth understanding of one's background, etc... And people who cling only to their own culture miss out on everything that other cultures have to offer and can lead to closed-mindedness.
In both of the above situations (embracing only one culture), prejudice can result.... Learning only about one single culture can result in prejudice because people are going to form opinions regardless of whether or not they have a knowledge of facts. And, if they have no knowledge of facts, their opinions aren't going to be based upon facts.

MORE DIVERSE:

Positives: The opportunity to learn about and enjoy the bounty of experiencing multiple cultures. Such an opportunity can make a person open minded and willing to accept new ideas and beliefs. And this often leads to an unwillingness to accept or tollerate prejudice.

Negatives: Many people don't take the opportunity to learn about the many cultures in their diverse land. They live their lives in much the same way as a person who eats a bowl of soup, for example, without bothering to find out the ingredients therein. They listen to music, adorn hair styles and clothing, consume various types of foods, etc..., without learning about the origins and histories of these things and, therefore, have less appreciation for them.

Answer 2

i'm almost embarrassed: my opinion sounds really stereotypical:

Latinos and Brazilians have a lot of cultural similarities with Africans in the first place. this may sound stereotypical, and i apologize, but it looks like they love hard, live hard and love life. they have 'wicked' rhythm and they dance with soul and emotion.

African Americans are part American, which takes a lot of "African" out of you, cause America is very Caucasian and African Americans spend a lot of time trying to be accepted into this culture in order to make a decent wage, support a family, pursue their dreams and be generally accepted. so we are toned down, so to speak. we tone down our 'African' to 'get ahead'.

therefore, the Afro-Cubans and Afro-Brazilians (Afro-Latinos) are more culturally African than African Americans. they are busy living and loving and dancing and smiling, and experiencing life.

we're busy trying to be taken seriously. we're busy trying to let other Americans know that we don't all dance in rap videos, play basketball, sing or beat-box.

but that's just my opinion. i'd love to hear what actual Afro-Latin persons have to say on the matter, though. :-)

Answer 3

Im with hot black. A lot of the culture from Black people have been washed out due to modernization and fitting into this current society. Its just like in those places and the caribbean we still celebrate carnivals and etc, but then again, we dont have to worry about things like how will we earn a dollar with the white man down our backs.... Black americans dont have that easy here. There rae celebrations like in New Orleans. And lets not count the Go-Go LMFAO HAHAHA!!!

Answer 4

Personally, I think the right of Speech in America has turned all Americans into Rude Doggs. No matter what race they are. And Blacks from outside the USA, are more cultured because they have retained more dignity and pride.

Answer 5

that's not approximately insulting or offending yet asserting info. that's with the help of the fact that's not genuine. in step with danger the Caribbean and few different place yet i know not Mexico, Guatemala, not Uruguay, Argentina, not Peru, not Bolivia, not Chile and not Paraguay. Their are small Afro populations in each and each of those international places yet they are all under 10% and places like Mexico, Argentina, they are under a million% of the international places inhabitants. Now while in comparison with places like Dominican Republic the place 80 4% of their inhabitants has African ancestry slightly below the ninety seven% of Haiti inhabitants of African ancestry or sixty 5% of Cuba's inhabitants of African ancestry and 40 5% of Puerto Rico's inhabitants. keep in mind the Atlantic slave commerce took very nearly 0.5 of the Africans transported to the Caribbean. The record is long so i'm going to in basic terms call a number of each and every group from the Caribbean islands of D.R. P.R and Cuba inspect nicely time-honored Dominicans like Sammy Sosa, Alfonso Soriano, David Ortiz, Jose Reyes, Sesilee Lopes, Vladmir Guerrero. Arlenis Sosa, Romeo Santos, Henry Santos, Johnny Ventura. Judy Reyes, Zoe Saldana, Fernando Rodney, Anthony Santos, Al Horford, Annerys Vargas, Hanley Ramirez, Starlin Castro, Rafael Soriano. Nelson Cruz, Melky Cabrera, Miguel Tejada, Pedro Martinez, Edwin Encarnacion, Robinson Cano, Johnny Cueto, Edison Volquez, Monkey Black, Maluca, Tony Dandrades, Milly Quezada, Omega, Anais, Kat de Luna, Dania Ramirez, Pancho Manguera, Mirtha Michelle, Sonalii Castillo, Julissa Bermudez, Jessy Terrero, Fernando Guerrero, Puerto Ricans - Roberto Clemente, Carlos Delgado, Tego Calderon, Juan Gonzalez, Joan Smalls, Maxwell, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Saldana, Angie Martinez, Naya Rivera, Rosie Perez, Juano Hernandez, Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, Victor Cruz, Evelyn Lozada, l. a. l. a. Vasquez, Carmelo Anthony, Felix Trinidad, Bernie Williams, Wilfred Benitez, Susie Castillo, Lauren Velez, Cuba- John Secada, Yasiel Puig, Rosario Dawson, Soledad Obrien, Christina Milan, Celia Cruz the Queen of Salsa, Gina Torres, Jose Contreras, l. a. Lupe, Brayan Pena, Livan Hernandez, Orlando Hernandez, newborn Chocolate, Laz Alonso,

Answer 6

Becausemany of them know what tribes they came from and they haven't been brainwashed like Blacks in the USA.