Resumen de Afro-caribbean spirituality in Francisco Rojas González's La negra Angustias
Francisco Rojas Gonzalez's novel La negra Angustias (1944) is revolutionary on several levels. It is the first novel to portray a female protagonist actively participating in the Mexican Revolution (1910-17), and it is the only Mexican novel to present a woman of African descent as the central protagonist. This is also the first Mexican novel to focus on Afro-Caribbean identity and cultural practices. The author used his ethnological training to produce a novel that acknowledged mestizo and Afro-mestizo culture in Mexico. The objective of this study is to highlight the manner in which the novel reflects the history of Afro-Caribbean spiritual culture. It will begin with a brief historical survey of the African presence in Mexico then focus on language and spiritual practices that reflect the nation's black community and its societal challenges. La negra Angustias is an important literary record that acknowledges and documents the experience of Mexicans of African heritage. González uses his skill as an ethnologist to document the language, traditions, and spiritual practices in southern México. The cultural details in the novel are the result of the writer's professional training and his passion for his nation's diverse ethnic groups and cultural practices.
