Afro-Chileans

African slaves were first brought to the Spanish colony that is now Chile in 1536. After crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Africa, two overland routes trafficked many enslaved Africans to the colony: one crossing west from the northern coast of South America, and another traveling north from Buenos Aires over the Pampas and the Andes. Many slaves did not survive the difficult journey in captivity.[3] The port of Valparaíso was also utilized in the slave trade for maritime transport of captives.[4]

Once Spanish presence in Valdivia was reestablished in 1645, authorities had convicts from all-over the Viceroyalty of Peru construct the Valdivian Fort System.[5] The convicts, many of whom were Afro-Peruvians, became soldier-settlers once they had served their term.[5] Close contacts with indigenous Mapuche meant many soldiers were bilingual in Spanish and Mapudungun.[6] A 1749 census in Valdivia shows that Afro-descendants had a strong presence in the area.[5]

Member of the 8th Regiment of the Army of the Andes.

A specific group of blacks in Chilean history are the members of the 8th Regiment of the Army of the Andes that fought the Spaniards in Chacabuco. That was the army organized by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and led by José de San Martín to liberate Chile and later allow the liberation of Peru. San Martín demanded black slaves as contribution to the Army of the Andes by the Mendoza landowners, because in his opinion blacks were the only people capable of participating in the infantry component of the army, and included them in the forces commanded later by Bernardo O'Higgins. They were included in the Army of the Andes and received their freedom after the crossing of the Andes and the fight against the Spaniards. As members of the infantry they were exposed to higher risks during battle. This episode of the history of Chile is very seldom mentioned and the group of blacks has never received any recognition for their contribution to the liberation of Chile.[7]

The African minority that lived mainly in Santiago, Quillota and Valparaíso began to mix with gypsies, and Europeans, shaping a whole new ethnic and cultural identity for Chile.[8]

Chile banned slavery in 1811 through the Freedom of Wombs law made by Manuel de Salas, seven years after he had read the following announcement in a newspaper: "For sale: 22 to 24-year-old mulatto, nice condition, good price". The law freed the children of slaves born in Chilean territory, regardless of their parents' condition. The slave trade was banned and the slaves who stayed for more than six months in Chilean territory were automatically declared freedmen. Thanks to this ban, dictated in 1823,[9] Chile became the second country in the Americas to prohibit slavery, after Haiti. The abolition freed close to five thousand slaves that lived in the country.[10]

Despite the gradual emancipation of most black slaves in Chile, slavery continued along the Pacific coast of South America throughout the 19th century, as Peruvian slave traders kidnapped Polynesians, primarily from the Marquesas Islands and Easter Island, and forced them to perform physical labour in mines and in the guano industry of Peru and Chile.

Finally, there was one more event that added the African inheritance to the Chilean blood. When the city of Arica was finally integrated to Chile, in 1929, a lot of Afro-descendants began living under the Chilean law. They are part of the "Black Arica", and they work daily to promote their traditions and culture, proving that their influence goes beyond the "cueca" or "zamacueca".[11]

• Gustavo Fring, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul television series

The short story, "Benito Cereno" in The Piazza Tales by Herman Melville features a Chilean sea captain and his slave ship.