Journeys of Candombe Federal by Martín Boneo. Their contribution to the social imaginary on Afro-Argentines

Abstract

Among Martín Boneo's works, Candombe Federal is one of the most disseminated if we concentrate on its journeys through the visual imaginary; it depicts history books, memoirs, and academic research. This image combines aspects closely associated with negritude in our imaginary: the permanent link to Rosas (politician and army officer who ruled the Argentine Confederation almost uninterruptedly from 1829 to 1852), their immediate association with popular manifestations, specifically the candombe, and the relationship established by liberal writers at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century between this specific image and historical writings or memoirs. We believe that this conception about Afro-Argentinians becomes a stereotype and an invisibilization strategy whereby Afro-Argentinians are confined to the past, an abominable past which must not be repeated. Our purpose is to give an account on the use which was and is made of this image, because it fuels the social imaginary about Afro-Argentines.

Keywords:

• Afro-Argentines
• visual representation
• social imaginary
• Rosismo
• stereotype
• invisibilization

Acknowledgement

I wish to thank Lea Geler, Ph.D. for having called my attention to this issue of Caras y Caretas.

Notes

1. The translation of this and all subsequent quotes appearing in this text belongs to us, except for those expressly singled out as original quotes.

2. ‘To the 25th day of May of 1838, in Buenos Aires. The doors from the East were opened in vain / Much like the black night / Streets, squares and temples are silent and deserted. /Humiliating a brave people /Gangs of African vile slaves / Ramble through streets and squares./ Their barbarian screaming, their wild dancing / For this day are a deliberate insult / Of the new Caribbean that the South begot. / Without any part in the glory, Argentine nation, your glory, your name, your honor are abhorred / By the heavens, which in anger bore you such a son./ Furious and fearsome, from long confinement / Where he resides trembling / His iron fist, he lays upon the people / with the dagger visible./ Shame, spite and envy oppress him / The names of May are names of crime / For this Agent of the evil spirit.’

3. As originally quoted.

4. As originally quoted.