ABSTRACT
In the earliest period of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, about fifteen million Africans were forced into exile and slavery. Progressively, they were made to occupy the lower strata of colonial society in the Americas. They also brought with them a strong oral tradition and, skilled artisans and artists as they were, performed all manner of tasks – rural as well as urban. Manifestations of their rich non-material heritage are evident in the monuments, the traditions and, above all, in the intangible heritage that enriches Latin American culture. It is estimated that around 30 per cent of the population in the Americas identifies itself as descendants of Africans, either as descendants of victims of the slave trade or of more recent migrants. In most countries in the region today, they constitute one of the poorer and more marginalized segments of their societies.
