Race in Bogota

When I envisioned this post, I figured that the appropriate title would be "Halloween in Bogota," as I had heard how big an event the holiday is in Colombia's capital city. However, after experiencing my first Halloween outside of the U.S. (not that Halloween has ever been that big of a deal to me) it was clear that a more appropriate title was calling. You will soon see why.

The day was like any of the others I had spent in Bogota, the sunning periodically breaking through the clouds and smog hovering above the city's center. Having been convinced the night before that I would have to find a costume, I spent the day walking around, collecting accessories for my slapped together part 'Drug Lord' part 'Don Juan' outfit...photos will be posted soon, I promise. It actually didnt turn out half badly after a sleazy painted on goatee, my linen shirt and newly acquired pants, a pair of 8000 peso {about $5) Armani shades and a cigar.

Britt, who was dressed as part belly dancer part gypsy, and I headed over to her friend Lamonte's place for dinner and a pregame and arrived at the Halloween party about 11. The spot is called In Vitro, and for anyone who is looking for somewhere poppin during the week in Bogota, this would be a good bet for you. As Britt explained, the Colombians went all out on the costumes. Among the costumes we saw were a Tour de France biker, fairies, generally ghoulish characters and a pair of white girls in blackface. WTF?

I myself had to do a doubletake, but sure enough, the girls were indeed in blackface. And Im not just talking about facepaint. I mean black shoe-shine polish covering their faces and bare arms, huge afro wigs and enormous, clownish white smiles painted around their mouths. The only thing missing were the huge red lips around those smiles. I suppose they may have forgotten that when googling 'minstrel shows' in the preparation of their costumes.

As I had described in a previous post, while officially 30% of Colombia's population is of African descent, you will rarely see more than a handfull in Bogota. Interestingly enough, there were a number of black Colombians at this party. I mention this because, these were the individuals showing these blackfaced girls so much love and attention during the party. I'm talking about high fives, dancing and picture posing.

The analytical part of my brain tried to make sense of it all, but I kept coming up short. Perhaps, for these black Colombians, the blackface was a true recognition of a black existence in Colombia or maybe its because of the development of a different type of racial history in Colombia, so there is not such a sensitivity to racial parodying. Afterall, it is a product of U.S. slavery that has resulted in such a racial awareness among so many of us in the United States.

As much as I tried, however, it wouln't do.

How could an appropriate costume be the parody of an oppressed racial group? Granted, things along these lines are not foreign to U.S. culture, I just found it difficult to understand how such a parody could go unchallenged.

I wondered for a moment how it would be perceived if someone had come in a parodied 'white face' a la Dave Chappelle in episodes of Chappelle's Show. Would those people who identified as white find as much humor as was generally found in the blackface? Quien sabe. I'll make sure to post the blackfaced pics when I get a hold of them. I report, you decide. Would love to hear your thoughts.