Now let's take a look at today's reality.
For Native Americans still exist, across both the Americas.
And not just as minorities, either.
Here we have Miss Peru. Cute isn't she?
Very European looking don't you think?
Could be at a Milan fashion show?
Now let's look at some more typical Peruvians.
Non-European, like the majority of the population.
Aside from Mexico, Argentina and Chile, the countries of Latin America have non-white majorities. In Brazil and Ecuador, people of African descent form a large part of the population, remnants of slavery. Slaves worked the Brazil coffee plantations until 1889.
In many countries, First Nations people form the overwhelming majority of the population.
White Creoles are confined mainly to coastal areas, or in the case of Paraguay and Bolivia, to Asuncion and La Paz, respectively.
In almost all, wealth- and as a result, political control- is mainly in the hands of White Creole elites. The order the conquistadors established, still stands.
The Maya have not gone, they STILL CONSTITUTE TWO THIRDS of the population of Guatemala. In Bolivia, 85% of the people are pure Native, as against 2% Creole.
This Apartheid is largely maintained by US investment and/or military backing when needed.
The US war on drugs in Latin America is about preventing economic challenges to US backed investment, which perpetuates the power of the Creole elites.
We cannot give the Cherokee or the Iroquois back their land.
We cannot give the Sioux, the Pawnee or the Navajo back their land.
But we can look to the plight of the Native peoples of Latin America, the bottom caste in their own homelands.
They can get their countries back, if the world demands it.
We've proved that before.
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12 comments:
simple: the rich get richer, while the poor get poorer. love the true use of the word apartheid... cus, for me and many others, apartheid usually provokes thoughts and images of so.africa. i've seen the natives of many latin countries, and many of them have that 'native' physical appearance. 9.9 times out of ten they are poor and stuck. a stark contrast to your beautiful peruvian model who's certainly been infused with euro-caucasian ancestry... who's probably from mid- to upper-middle class in peru. btw, you ever seen an amazonian brazilian female? they sure don't look like adriana lima.
So right Mr Ingsoc -the people there just survive from day to day - truely a great injustice....
Excellent post Crushed.That really makes one think and draw parallels with S. Africa.Big impact.
As Lichtenberg said: Der erste Amerikaner, der den Kolumbus entdeckte, machte eine schlimme Entdeckung. / The first American who discovered Columbus made a terrible discovery. :)
The Peace of the Night.
The Western world is very unforgiving - if you don't fit into the frames of what is beautiful and accepted (desired) you have no chances in life.
Man was created equal. Our minds is what keeps us separated...
Raffi- It remains true still in much of Latin America that there is a direct link between colour and social status.
Caracas and Bogota are very modern wealthy, with many rich blondes wandering round.
Inland it's a different story.
It's Apartheid in practice.
Mutley- Most people in countries like ours rarely think about it.
But it is an injustice, certainly.
Ego- South Africa was always propped up in practice for cold war reasons.
In Latin America, it is US economic interests.
Sean- Yes, Smallpox! It is estimated that three quarters of the native population of the Americas died of this disease within a hundred and fifty years of Columbus landing in San Salvador.
This is why cultures like the Cherokee and the Iroquois had already declined before whites began to move into their land. It's worth looking at Cahokia for an example of what Mississipi valley cultures really acheived in pre-columban times.
Hearts- As long as no one is looking, this does benefit quite a few people in the west.
The term 'banana' republic is used for a reason.
These countries are controlled by- mainly US- economic interests.
Cheap bananas, cheap coffee, cheap sugar, rubber, oil.
And most importantly, cheap labour.
And there is no danger of democracy changing this, because the wealth is distributed essentially on grounds of colour.
Very good post, Crushed, for these people are often forgotten. Terrible that they are marginalised in their own countries.
ok, not relevant here maybe but I just saw "New World" yesterday and went "que"?!?!
(that's more pc for WTF!)
Unfortunatley the world is all about the white man. I am Indian Cherokee and Sioux. Believe me when I say the white man is still keeping the Indian down!If there is such a thing as reincarnation I want to come back as a white male republican so I can piss on the whole world!!!
Nice post, I alwasy feel guilty about my pussy and tit jokes on my blog after i read yours.
I Dont Jenny!!
I am launching a special blog competition with great prizes.. BLOG SMUT AWARDS!!
Welshcakes- It's changing partly as Latin American voters finally seem to be mobilising.
But look how they pillory Hugh Chavez in Venezuela? The Us tried to topple him for changing things for his people for the better. all his people that is, not just the paler ones.
Crashdummie- Well, you said it in Spanish.
Poody- Of course. Cherokees were unlucky enough to pick losing sides. The Crown in the War of Independence, and the Confederates in the civil war.
The Cherokees story is possibly the saddest of all.
Jenny- It's not so much that we should be guilty, just aware and making the right decisions we can to right these things.
Fair Trade is a good way.
Mutley- There's a fine line between shameless self promotion and spam. I'll be coming over.
Have I been nominated?
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