“Statistics
is both a science and an art,” explained Dr. Woudsma in second-year Advanced
Environmental Research Methods. While we learned in depth about the scientific
side of statistics from his lectures in ENVS 278, my field placement has
“coloured” in my understanding of the more artistic side of real, on-the-ground
social research. On February 28th
and 29th, I had the opportunity to join 25 Afro-Peruvian leaders in
two days of workshops on the inclusion of the Afro-Descendent variable in the
upcoming 2017 National Census. This important event was co-organized by my host
organization, CEDEMUNEP, and the Washington D.C.-based capacity building NGO,
Global Rights, which has been accompanying us for several years. Besides being a wonderful opportunity to
network and engage in the exciting work of political strategizing, the event
opened my eyes to the complexities of statistics.The Peruvian census has not included any questions about race or ethnicity since 1940. This has resulted in a troubling lack of information on Afro-Peruvians, contributing to their invisibility, and providing an excuse for successive governments that do not have the political will, never mind the data, to create public policies that address their severe poverty and marginalization. For these reasons, the inclusion of the ethnic variable in the upcoming census is an incredible opportunity for Afro-Peruvians to finally gain access to the data they need to pressure the government into action. Two key factors will determine the success of this project: first, is the phrasing of the question and the racial/ethnic categories listed on the census, and second, is the effectiveness of the public awareness campaign that will take place over the next four years. If either of these tasks is not well executed, and only a small percentage of the Afro-Peruvian population chooses to self-identify on the census, Afro-Peruvians could be worse off than before, with hard statistics on the books that do not reflect their true numbers.
The question of racial categories and labels elicited enough discussion to fill an entire afternoon. Negro, Moreno, Zambo, Afroperuano, Afrodescendiente, Mulato, Mestizo—it was clear in our small group that these words carried different meanings and sentiments in different countries, regions, neighbourhoods, and even among individuals. While some people readily identify as being negro (black), in areas where there is a lot of discrimination, more people identify as being Moreno (brown). The term Afroperuano highlights a person’s belonging in Peru and their descendence from slaves, while Afrodescendiente could apply to any member of the African diaspora. Mulato is commonly used in countries such as Brazil and Costa Rica, but is considered derogatory in Peru, where people resent its derivation from the word “mule.” Mestizo (mixed) is a preferred term for many in Peru, but it erases identity and is seen by Afro-Peruvians as unhelpful for data collection. These labels are extremely subjective and personal, and it is no small task to determine the categories that will define a whole people. Even if we come up with the best possible question and answers for the census, the public awareness campaign will still be extremely important in ensuring the widespread self-identification of Afro-Peruvians. As one speaker noted, when Afro-Peruvians are dancing, playing music, or partying with family, they self-identify as being Afro. But afterwards, they do not. Furthermore, in other areas, they identify as being black, but they do not identify with the culture. This identity mix-up associated with discrimination and cultural loss could cause Afro-Peruvians to not self-identify, even if the question is phrased perfectly. The public awareness campaign will help to paint Afro identity in a more positive light and promote self-identification.
Throughout the INDEV program, we have heard over and over again the histories of colonization from across the world. In Peru, as in many other countries, the colonizers succeeded in dominating the people by dividing them across racial and ethnic lines. This legacy lives on today in Afro-Peruvians’ exclusion from society, as well as the categories that fracture their movement and keep them from uniting as one racial/ethnic group. If Afro-Peruvians want to escape these historical chains that keep them imprisoned in poverty, they will need to agree on how to identify, and more importantly, realize why it is important that they identity: for the development of their own community. If the public awareness campaign is able to communicate this important goal, the 2017 Census could become the rallying point for Afro-Peruvian unity and a bridge to a better future.
If you're interested, check out these cool youtube videos:
This one features my awesome supervisor, Cecilia Ramirez, talking about the behind-the-scenes work that CEDEMUNEP and Global Rights have done to get to this point and achieve inclusion in the census. It's a good reminder that real, positive change takes time!
And this video comes from the parallel public awareness campaign that Afro-descendents are running in Colombia, leading up to their 2015 census. It's cool to see minority groups working together across borders to achieve equal rights around the world. Afro-Peruvians and Afro-Colombians have a lot to learn from each other's experiences, and this video is a good example of the type of work we hope to be doing in Peru over the next 4 years to promote Afro identity!
