MULASTIZO

    During the colonization of Latin America socioracial categorizations/divisions were imposed to address the origins of the newborns. Mulato was the assigned term to describe the descendants of Africans and Europeans. Mestizo was the assigned term to describe the descendants of Indigenous and Europeans. MULASTIZO is the term I have chosen to raise a voice of pride of both my African and Indigenous ancestries and to name this blog.

    It is not uncommon for a Peruvian to know where their European blood comes from. Since I was a kid, I heard my maternal grandparent proudly talking about the Novoa from Galicia, Spain. Not with the same passion, on my dad’s side, I heard some stories about the Davila that had arrived to Peru. As stated in our last name, the Davila ("De Avila" ) came "from Avila", Spain . Even though I knew I had African blood, I never heard stories about my African ancestors. At least not until now, at my 30s, when I started asking.

    I do not believe I have African ancestry on my dad’s side. Nevertheless, I certainly do in my mom’s, from both her dad and mom. I called my uncles and aunts and then I called my great aunt. I heard two stories, both of them lead to Natalia Ugaz Zeña, the grandmother of my grandmother, or my great-great grandmother. Natalia was the first Mulata in my maternal grandmother's side. Natalia is the daughter of an African and a Spaniard.

    The first story I heard was incredibly romantic. Natalia’s father was forcefully brought from Africa to work in the northern Peruvian fields and a Spaniard women fell in love with him. As a consequence, Natalia's mother cut off her family ties and escaped with her lover. The second story is more plausible. Natalia’s mother was a fully African blooded Peruvian born to African parents that were forcefully brought to work in the northern fields of Peru. Her father was a white Spaniard from whom, at the moment, we do not know much about.

    With this starting point I will continue my quest. Below a picture of Natalia Ugaz Zeña. As previously mentioned, I also have African ancestry in my maternal grandfather's side. However I have not obtained much information yet. I hope I can also trace this side of the family, and proudly share the story of my African ancestry.

 

 

Natalia Ugaz Zeña. My great-great grandmother and the first Mulata in my maternal grandmother's side.

 

Farewell picture. My grandmother, my mother, and me (Natalia’s granddaughter, great granddaughter, and great-great grandson).