HISTORY OF THE BLACK ETNIA

Our country celebrates the Black Ethnicity, the whole

month of May, however the 30th is the official date of
commemoration, thanks to the sanction of law 9 of the
year 2000.

The history of this special date lies in the fact that on

May 30, 1820, King Ferdinand VII of Spain abolished
the slave trade law in its territory, influenced by blacks
belonging to the French National Assembly at the time
of the revolution.

The population that includes the black ethnic group in

Panama has its origin between 1850, at the beginning
of the construction of the railway, when they were
brought to carry out these works. Since those times
they have remained in our territory, forming part of it,
contributing their culture and their customs.

41% of the Panamanian population is Afro-

descendant by miscegenation, this percentage is
composed by 5% of black race, 24% mulattos and
12% zambos. This group is known as Afro-
Panamanians
 THE DANCE
The Baile Congo, is the most representative of the
black race, which has its origins in the tribal dances of
Africa and arises as a response of the slaves before
their pain and deprivation. This dance is the oral
chronicle of the struggle between good and evil,
together with Spanish religious beliefs, in the middle
of his life, in the new continent.
The slaves who revealed themselves to the Spanish
crown, called cimarrones, were the ones who gave it
strength and transcendence, to this day. His
descendants practice it in the so-called Congos de
Portobelo.
This dance mixes choreographies and improvisations,
with colorful disfrases and colorful masks, which
features the interaction of ten characters, the most
important being: the Devil, the Archangel, the Queen
and the Lord Cure.
In an atmosphere of African and Caribbean music, the
room of the restaurant Centolla "s Place became the
stage where the black ethnic group closed the
activities of its first anniversary within the Panamanian
holidays.
From the early hours of the night of June 2, blacks of
all shades, as Professor Grace de Clark, teacher of
ceremony to the different ethnic groups, made an
appearance to appreciate the folkloric and
gastronomic sample, with traditional dances and
meals of the Negroes of Colón, Darién and Bocas del
Toro, provinces where black culture predominates.
Once the evening was over, the attendants between
men and women, dressed in African and Afro-
Caribbean designs, occupied the tables decorated for
the occasion; with centers of tables in which there was
coconut, corn, fruits, besides napkins that evoked the
African jungles.
The way to dress and, more importantly, to interpret
its appearance, gains much more ground in the broad
field of fashion. For 5 considerable factors we see that
the Afro-centric fashion is growing in popularity not
only in its continent of origin but all over the world,
especially in the countries where its greatest remnant
is found such as Europe and the Americas. Simply,
Afro fashion is liked by the following factors:
1. Define your model either woman or man with your
ethnic roots.
2. Comfort - the fabrics that are used in the making of
these wonderful garments are usually very
comfortable for all types of weather. Likewise, the
wide design, with loose sleeves, allowing ventilation of
the human body, allows the wearer to stay cool and
hydrated. It is a very ecological style of dress.
3. Very "Fashion" - the attire of the Black Ethnicity
never loses its freshness on the catwalks of the world.
It is always fashionable and always inspires many
designers.
4. Color- It adapts to any imaginable combination of
colors. Whether they are sober colors or bright colors
5. Transcends gender- Both women and men find in
Afro-centric fashion a clear expression of their own
style.