Afro-Latin American - Racial and Ethnic Distinctions

Racial and Ethnic Distinctions

Terms used within Latin America which pertain to black heritage include mulato (black – white mixture), and zambo (indigenous – black mixture). Mestizo refers to an indigenous – white mixture. The term mestizaje refers to the intermixing or fusing of races, whether by mere custom or deliberate policy. In Latin America this happened extensively between all the racial groups and cultures, but usually involved European men and indigenous and Black African women. Unions of white females and non-white males were taboo.

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