The Silver People Chronicle

The Problem of Assimilation and Education
Image is of Antillean Adventist University in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. This one, like many other educational institutions overseas, became attractive to Westindian parents looking for educational opportunities for their children outside of Panama. Sin ...
The Evolution of Panama’s Black Ethnicity Day Celebration
As the month of May approaches, we want to divert our attention momentarily from our chronicle and focus on the coming Black Ethnicity Day Celebrations here in Panama. Although the undeniable presence of the Black African race has been genealogically ...
Music, Dance and Black Ethnicity in Panama
In studying Black Ethnicity in Panama, where much of this little known history and culture has only very recently been treated with the seriousness it deserves, we invariably get into discussing music and dance. We, at the Chronicle, especially, have ...
Afro-Centric Fashion
Image Today we are seeing a healthy and positive trend within fashion circles in that the theme of Black Ethnicity is clamoring to define itself and stand out and be noticed as a people with a rich culture, art and history. (more…)
U.N. International Year for People of African Descent
With increasing insistence our readers have reminded us of the ever more urgent interest on the topic of Black Ethnicity especially in regions such as our Central and South America and the Caribbean Basin which, recognize it or not, the United States ...
The Mental Revolution Against Assimilation
My first image gallery of the syncretic response to assimilation by Black Hispanic people like me. Image “assimilate: a. to take in and utilize as nourishment: absorb into the system. b. to take into the mind and thoroughly comprehend. c. ...
Armando Fortune- ‘Without the Black Race, Panama Would Not be Panama’
Image thanks to the Biblioteca Nacional Were it not for the intellectual and literary legacy of Professor Armando Fortune (1921-1979) we of the Afro Panamanian ethnic group of Panama – especially the West Indian Panamanian group- would not be celebra ...
Panama is a ‘Sancocho’
Armando Fortune’s idea of Panama as a “sancocho“-a mixture of elements rather than a welding together- in contradistinction to the old oligarchy’s notion of Panama as a Crisol de las Razas – or a melting pot of races, seems somehow more ...
Black Ethnicity Celebration in Panama
Panama’s Black community promises to offer some new and exciting events for the month of May in its Celebration of Black Ethnicity. Panama is preparing to welcome representatives from African countries and their descendants in the first Afro Festiv ...
How Numerous Are the Blacks of Panama?
Rio Abajo, one of the most populous districts of Panama City with a high concentration of Black residents, just celebrated their Black Ethnicity Day Celebration parade – Desfile de la Etnia Negra- with resounding success. (more…)

Cultural Indoctrination

Posted on April 14, 2012 by CobraLady | Leave a comment

Leslie "Chino" Williams

Little did I know that my marching band debut of 1952 would mark the end of our government’s role in providing “totally free” cultural presentations, really memorable events, to the people of Panama. Continue reading →

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Posted in Culture in Panama

Tagged Arturo LeConte, Hugo Wood, Leslie "Chino" Williams, Radio Station HOG

The Problem of Culture in Panama

Posted on April 7, 2012 by CobraLady | 4 Comments

This is a sample cartelera from a Latin American tour. Image from holidayonice.com

Right now I am involved in workshops at the National Assembly’s Commission on Education, Culture and Sports to hammer out a law (Proyecto de Ley #416) that would transform our beleaguered and under-funded INAC (Instituto Nacional de Cultura) into a full Ministry. It was long overdue in my opinion. Continue reading →

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Posted in Culture in Panama, Music of Panama

Tagged Armando-Boza, Beny-More, cultural exclusion, racism-in-Panama

Our Encounter at Corozal Cemetery

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Roberto Reid | 1 Comment

Here we are, my Cousins, me and the ex-administrator strolling back down from Section M in Corozal Cemetery.

On Friday March 23, 2012 I decided to take my cousins on a promised visit to one of the cemeteries where the bones of their ancestors rest and which, by the way, now belongs to the three cemeteries protected by our Silver People Law. The Law was newly passed by the National Assembly on March 1, 2012, so this would be a perfect time to visit Corozal Cemetery. There rests our Uncles Eric J. Reid, Vincent (Vicente) Reid, my grandmother, Fanny Elizabeth M. Reid and several of my aunts on my maternal side. We were met with a surprise visitor. Continue reading →

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Posted in Intangible Cultural Heritage, Silver People of Panama

Tagged Corozal Cemetery, National-Historic-Patrimony, Silver-cemeteries, The-Silver-People-Law

Another Blow to Panama’s Image

Posted on March 29, 2012 by CobraLady | Leave a comment

Image thanks to bloguez.com

In today’s headlines here in Panama we received yet another blow to the image of our beloved Panama in our foreign relations. The case revolves around the Embassy of Panama in Brazil. We leave you, our respected readers, to formulate your own opinions about this grave matter. We’ve translated the La Prensa article but, you may read the original in Spanish here. Continue reading →

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Posted in Racism in Panama

Tagged Deusdete Barbosa dos Santos, Gabriela García Carranza, racism, racism-in-Panama

We Have Found Each Other!

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Roberto Reid | Leave a comment

My newly found cousins Modesta Bert (L) and Iva P. Henry (R) flank me here on our last day together in Panama.

It all started with a simple Google search- a shot in the dark, as my cousin called it. Iva P. Henry was looking for traces of her long lost family, the side of her family lost in Panama with the arrival of Joshua Austin Reid, my grandfather and, as it turned out, hers as well. Continue reading →

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Posted in Silver People of Panama, West Indian Panamanians

Tagged Black-Canal-Zone, Corozal Cemetery, Iva P. Henry, Joshua-Austin-Reid, Modesta Bert

The Issue of Exposure to Culture

Posted on March 22, 2012 by CobraLady | Leave a comment

A classic Wurlitzer Juke Box of the kind you could find in the cantinas. Image: wikipedia.com

Living and growing up in the Panama of our times was always a total paradox. As someone said about being in such a state and trying to get untangled, “To manage a paradox you need to live with it as well as analyze it.” That is what I have being trying to do thus far along with chronicling how it has been with my people, as part of the Silver People of the Panama Canal Zone since its inception. Continue reading →

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Posted in Intangible Cultural Heritage, Jazz Musicians of Panama, Music of Panama

Tagged cultural-property, culturally correct