Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
White, Black, Indian, and (Yellow), the latter one is odd term.
Plus 'Pardo'...I never really understood that that meant 'ANY' mixed race before.
Mulatto, Cafuzo, Caboclo, Jucara, and Ainoco....4 new words altogether for me. Granted, they are in Portuguese...
In Portuguese we use "mulato", with one "t", instead of "mulatto".
And "mamluk" in Portuguese is "mameluco".
The word "caboclo" is widely used in every day life. Here in the State of Ceara we often say "caboco", without the "L". The word "caboco" is often used here to refer to any male person, no matter the race or skin color.
And I wouldn't call those racial admixtures as "ethnic groups", since there is no culture associated with each one, and ethinicity is related to culture.
Culture in Brazil has no relation with "race". Culture in Brazil is much more related to the region of origin, and the State of origin.
In Brazil, we use to talk about "cultura mineira" (culture from the State of Minas Gerais), "cultura baiana" (culture from the State of Bahia), "cultura paraense" (culture from the State of Para), "cultura cearense" (culture from the State of Ceara), "cultura gaucha" (culture from the State of Rio Grande do Sul), "cultura nordestina" (the common culture of the Northeastern Region as a whole - the 9 states), "cultura goiana" (culture from the State of Goias), and many other "culturas".
It's completely related to geographic origin, not to race.
Of course there is also a general "Brazilian culture", that is valid for the entire country.
"Mulatto" is a term that used to be used in the US, in this country I think two t's were used, and you can still occasionally hear it among older people. For a variety of reasons it fell out of favor and became seen as a bit derogatory so people just say "biracial" or the like.
The others I don't think were used in the US. I'm not sure if there's even an equivalent to Jucara or Ainoco in American history. Although American groups that have been called "tri-racial isolates" might be sort-of similar to Jucara, at least in being Black+White+Indian.
The word "caboclo" is widely used in every day life. Here in the State of Ceara we often say "caboco", without the "L". The word "caboco" is often used here to refer to any male person, no matter the race or skin color.
Similar to the word 'mestizo'? - mix of caucasian & indigeneous.
Does that mean that people in Fortaleza look more similar to what Americans would view as 'Mexican' or 'Peruvian'...or anywhere that has a more Mestizo look.
"Mulatto" is a term that used to be used in the US, in this country I think two t's were used, and you can still occasionally hear it among older people. For a variety of reasons it fell out of favor and became seen as a bit derogatory so people just say "biracial" or the like.
The others I don't think were used in the US. I'm not sure if there's even an equivalent to Jucara or Ainoco in American history. Although American groups that have been called "tri-racial isolates" might be sort-of similar to Jucara, at least in being Black+White+Indian.
I've never understood how or why 'mulatto' became derogatory. I was down in Brazil for six months, thought that the 'mulatto' look was gorgeous. I made a comment to that effect when I was back in the States. The person hearing it was shocked I'd use that particular word.
Some of it might just be association not inherent. Like "Negro" is not, inherently, derogatory. It just literally means "Black" and "Black" is still basically okay. However Negro sounded too similar to a derogatory word and was maybe used in a hostile way at times.
I don't really know the history of the word "mulatto" in the US. Maybe it was used to make people feel excluded from either the white or black, or both, communities. Or as a wedge to drive one group against another. Looking it up I guess some associate the origin of the word "mulatto" as relating to "mule." And to be compared to a mule I think could feel derogatory. Apparently "Mulatto" was dropped as a US census category in 1930 and never revived.
I don't think the word mullato was dropped from the US census because it was offensive. I don't think many people in control at that time gave much of a crap as to how offensive it would be. I think it was dropped to help enforce the "one drop rule". People used to also use the terms ochteroon and quadroon to describe people with varying degrees of african ancestory.
Similar to the word 'mestizo'? - mix of caucasian & indigeneous.
Does that mean that people in Fortaleza look more similar to what Americans would view as 'Mexican' or 'Peruvian'...or anywhere that has a more Mestizo look.
No, I don't think so...
In the city of Belem (in the State of Para), yes, people have more marked indigenous features, and look somewhat "Mexican" or "Peruvian".
In Fortaleza, the majority of the population is mixed of indigenous and European, but the indigenous features are not so marked as in Belem, and people don't look so similar to what is commonly associated with "Mexican" or "Peruvian".
I think people in Fortaleza look more like Venezuelans...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
