Rattles, luxury and negro culture: The Morenada dancing group:
The origin of the morenada goes back to the
employment of black slaves in colonial Potosi, where the miners to
replace the indigenous mitayos (pawns) bought them.
The Negroes had already disembarked in America together with the
conquistadores (conquerors) and the indians were impressed by the color
of their skin. On founding Paria 1n 1.535, Diego de Almagro carried
along with him at least 100 Negroes on his journey to Chile.
The slave trade toward Charcas, through Panama and then Buenos Aires,
was a monopoly of the European companies.
According to the registers of Liverpool, it was calculated that in only
a period of ten years (1.783 - 1793), 878 ships carried 300 thousand
Negroes to America, which were sold for 15 million pounds.
From Potosi to Yungas:
The money value of the Negro in Charcas was measured
by the age and his level of adaptation. Men and women in their fitness
age would be more valuable. The creole morenos (black people) that had
some kind of trade would cost more than the semi-wild untamed animals.
After their public auction the "black pieces" would initiate
long expeditions from Lima or Buenos Aires towards Potosi where they
were to replace the mitayo indians.
However, hunger, thirsty, cold weather, high blood pressure, the
scarcity of oxygen, the rigor of the cudgel and the forced marches would
foreshadow a sure death.
The compulsory work in the potosean "huayrachinas" in the
Royal Mint House twisted strengths and compelled the rich quicksilver
traders to get rid of them.
For their adaptation in Yungas, they were specially required for the
cultivation of Coripata, Chulumani, Irupana and Chicaloma, which were
the towns with most presence of Negroes.
The Murrurata farmhouse was outstanding for its ethnic lineage where the
original customs were kept for a long time. It is even told of the
existence of a "micro lordship" like the royalty of the
dynasty of Bonifacio Kings.
Skirtishes and Rattles
It was in this way that bolivian "angolas and
congos" were seen with surprise and commiseration by the quechuas
and aymaras, which gave way to the dance of "Morenada" (negro
dancing group).
In this context, the heavy skirtish silver of the moreno (the dancer)
has diverse interpretations; it would for example, represent the
opulence of the master and it would also mean that he would be wearing a
wealthy garment of pearls because of the high price the quicksilver
traders would pay for them.
While the classical sound of the rattles would remind the crucial
marches of the internation of the "black pieces" towards
Charcas, Potosi and the Yungas accompanied by a continuous squeaking of
the ancient carriages and the heavy chains.
The Actors
It is still a question of getting to the bottom of
the problem in a precise way, when, where and how the rutilant dance of
fervors and enthusiasm of the indians and mestizos of the bolivian
plateau crops up and not anymore by their own exponents, the negroes.
One hypothesis inspired on the rebellion against the caporal (the
foreman for the slaves) in a vineyard; a negro girl distracted the
caporal with her beauty carrying him to a heady feeling flood. It was
there where they got to ridicule him, forcing him to step on grapes and
move the wineries wheel turning hate into an ironic, happy and burlesque
power full dance. However, Yungas does not have viticulture and
viniculture tradition.
Another legend narrates as follows:
During the crossing of the trunks, the master would mark the beat in the
slow walking of the negroes. The tiring was expressed by the flipping
out and down of their tongue. Together with them was the caporal and
behind was the shine of the armature of the masters.
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