A New 'Indigenismo'?: The Revival of Indigenous Culture and Pride in Latin America
Historically, ever since Spanish ships touched shore in the Bahamas in 1492, indigenous people in Latin America and the Caribbean have been subject to severe consequences ranging from discrimination to forced labor to outright genocide. As soon as Europeans first came into contact with the indigenous people with dark skin and unknown languages, they automatically deemed themselves biologically superior and the indigenous people savages. However, in recent years, indigenous people in Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, and other countries have taken it upon themselves to reverse the historical trend and turn what was once a handicap—their indigenous identity—into a tool to condemn their oppressors and express their ethnic pride.