Latin American History Commons^™

El Que No Tiene Dingo, Tiene Mandingo: The Inadequacy Of The "Mestizo" As A Theoretical Construct In The Field Of Latin American Studies - The Problem And Solution, Andrew Rosa

History Faculty Publications

At a recent lecture at Temple University titled The African Presence in Puerto Rico, a young African woman from the island proclaimed to the audience that the Black experience in the United States is indeed unique and, because of her "mestizo" heritage, acculturation, racism, and struggle were not a part of her historical experience. As I looked on the face of my beautiful African sister, my heart shattered into a thousand little pieces. The lessons passed down to us from our African ancestors in the oral tradition-el que no tiene Dingo, tiene Mandingo-have finally fallen on deaf ears. Their struggle …