Bound Lives: Africans, Indians, and the Making of Race in Colonial Peru (Pitt Latin American Series)

Bound Lives chronicles the lived experience of race relations in northern coastal Peru during the colonial era. Rachel Sarah O'Toole examines how Andeans and Africans negotiated and employed casta, and in doing so, constructed these racial categories. Royal and viceregal authorities separated'Indians'from'blacks'by defining each to specific labor demands. Casta categories did the work of race, yet, not all casta categories did the same type of work since Andeans, Africans, and their descendants were bound by their locations within colonialism and slavery. The secular colonial legal system clearly favored indigenous populations. Andeans were afforded greater protections as'threatened'native vassals. Despite this, in the 1640s during the rise of sugar production, Andeans were driven from their assigned colonial towns and communal property by a land privatization program. Andeans did not disappear, however; they worked as artisans, muleteers, and laborers for hire. By the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, Andeans employed their legal status as Indians to defend their prerogatives to political representation that included the policing of Africans. As rural slaves, Africans often found themselves outside the bounds of secular law and subject to the judgments of local slaveholding authorities. Africans therefore developed a rhetoric of valuation within the market and claimed new kinships to protect themselves in disputes with their captors and in slave-trading negotiations. Africans countered slaveholders'claims on their time, overt supervision of their labor, and control of their rest moments by invoking customary practices. Bound Lives offers an entirely new perspective on racial identities in colonial Peru. It highlights the tenuous interactions of colonial authorities, indigenous communities, and enslaved populations and shows how the interplay between colonial law and daily practice shaped the nature of colonialism and slavery. Bound Lives chronicles the lived experience of race relations in northern coastal Peru during the colonial era. Rachel Sarah O'Toole examines the construction of a casta (caste) system under the Spanish government, and how this system was negotiated and employed by Andeans and Africans.Royal and viceregal authorities defined legal identities of "Indian" and "Black" to separate the two groups and commit each to specific trades and labor. Although they were legally divided, Andeans and Africans freely interacted and depended on each other in their daily lives. Thus, the caste system was defined at both the top and bottom of society. Within each caste, there were myriad subcategories that also determined one's standing.The imperial legal system also strictly delineated civil rights. Andeans were afforded greater protections as a "threatened" native population. Despite this, with the crown's approval during the rise of the sugar trade, Andeans were driven from their communal property and conscripted into a forced labor program. They soon rebelled, migrating away from the plantations to the highlands. Andeans worked as artisans, muleteers, and laborers for hire, and used their legal status as Indians to gain political representation.As slaves, Africans were subject to the judgments of local authorities, which nearly always sided with the slaveholder. Africans soon articulated a rhetoric of valuation, to protect themselves in disputes with their captors and in slave trading negotiations. To combat the ongoing diaspora from Africa, slaves developed strong kinship ties and offered communal support to the newly arrived.Bound Lives offers an entirely new perspective on racial identities in colonial Peru. It highlights the tenuous interactions of an imperial power, indigenous group, and enslaved population, and shows how each moved to establish its own power base and modify the existing system to its advantage, while also shaping the nature of colonialism itself Bound Lives chronicles the lived experience of race relations in northern coastal Peru during the colonial era. Rachel Sarah OToole examines the construction of a casta (caste) system under the Spanish government, and how this system was negotiated and employed by Andeans and Africans. Royal and viceregal authorities defined legal identities of Indian and Black to separate the two groups and commit each to specific trades and labor. Although they were legally divided, Andeans and Africans freely interacted and depended on each other in their daily lives. Thus, the caste system was defined at both the top and bottom of society. Within each caste, there were myriad subcategories that also determined ones standing. The imperial legal system also strictly delineated civil rights. Andeans were afforded greater protections as a threatened native population. Despite this, with the crowns approval during the rise of the sugar trade, Andeans were driven from their communal property and conscripted into a forced labor program. They soon rebelled, migrating away from the plantations to the highlands. Andeans worked as artisans, muleteers, and laborers for hire, and used their legal status as Indians to gain political representation. As slaves, Africans were subject to the judgments of local authorities, which nearly always sided with the slaveholder. Africans soon articulated a rhetoric of valuation, to protect themselves in disputes with their captors and in slave trading negotiations. To combat the ongoing diaspora from Africa, slaves developed strong kinship ties and offered communal support to the newly arrived. Bound Lives offers an entirely new perspective on racial identities in colonial Peru. It highlights the tenuous interactions of an imperial power, indigenous group, and enslaved population, and shows how each moved to establish its own power base and modify the existing system to its advantage, while also shaping the nature of colonialism itself. Bound Lives Chronicles The Lived Experience Of Race Relations In Northern Coastal Peru During The Colonial Era. Rachel Sarah O'toole Examines How Andeans And Africans Negotiated And Employed Casta And, In Doing So, Constructed These Racial Categories. Royal And Vice Regal Authorities Separated 'indians' From 'blacks' By Defining Each According To Specific Labor Demands. Casta Categories Did The Work Of Race, Yet Not All Casta Categories Were Uniformly Applied Since Andeans, Africans, And Their Descendants Were Bound By Their Locations Within Colonialism And Slavery. The Secular Colonial Legal System Clearly Favored Indigenous Populations. Andeans Were Afforded Greater Protections As Native Vassals, Whereas Africans Were Often Subject To The Judgements Of Local Slaveholding Authorities. Africans Claimed New Kinships To Protect Themselves In Disputes With Their Captors And Countered Slaveholders' Claims On Their Time And Labor By Invoking Customary Practices.--p. [4] Of Cover. Introduction: Constructing Casta On Peru's Northern Coast -- Between Black And Indian: Labor Demands And The Crown's Casta -- Working Slavery's Value, Making Diaspora Kinships -- Acting As A Legal Indian: Natural Vassals And Worrisome Natives -- Market Exchanges And Meeting The Indians Elsewhere -- Justice Within Slavery -- Conclusion. The Laws Of Casta, The Making Of Race -- Appendix 1. Origin Of Slaves Sold In Trujillo Over Time By Percentage (1640-1730) -- Appendix 2. Price Trends Of Slaves Sold In Trujillo (1640-1730) -- Explanation Of Appendix Data. Rachel Sarah O'toole. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 227-250) And Index. "Bound Lives chronicles the lived experience of race relations in northern coastal Peru during the colonial era. Rachel Sarah O'Toole examines how Andeans and Africans negotiated and employed casta and, in doing so, constructed these racial categories. Royal and vice regal authorities separated 'Indians' from 'blacks' by defining each according to specific labor demands. Casta categories did the work of race, yet not all casta categories were uniformly applied since Andeans, Africans, and their descendants were bound by their locations within colonialism and slavery. The secular colonial legal system clearly favored indigenous populations. Andeans were afforded greater protections as native vassals, whereas Africans were often subject to the judgements of local slaveholding authorities. Africans claimed new kinships to protect themselves in disputes with their captors and countered slaveholders' claims on their time and labor by invoking customary practices."--Page 4 of cover Rachel Sarah OÆToole examines the construction of a casta (caste) system under the Spanish government, and how this system was negotiated and employed by Andeans and Africans. Although they were legally divided, Andeans and Africans freely interacted and depended on each other in their daily lives.