The Providence and Port of Limón: Metaphors for Afro-Costa Rican Black Identity

Abstract

Durante mis años como estudiante de la disciplina de Historia, me preocupaba que tanto en la historiografía costarricense como en la caribeña no hubiera suficientes estudios sobre los inmigrantes afrocaribeños del siglo XIX en Costa Rica. Del mismo modo, había una escasez de estudios sobre sus descendientes afrocostarricenses. Esta publicación contribuirá a la historiografía actual al presentar uno de los primeros estudios que intentan explicar la importancia de la provincia de Limón para su población afrocostarricense, mostrando una imagen diferente y potenciadora tanto de los inmigrantes afrocaribeños como de sus descendientes.

During my years as a student of the discipline of History, I vecame concerned that within both Costa Rican and Caribbean historiography there was insufficient scholarship where lat 19th century Afro-Caribbean immigrants in Costa Rica were subjets of history. Equally there was a dearth of scholarship on their Afro-Costa Rican descendants. This publication will contribute to the present historiography in presenting one of the first sutdies that try to explain the importance of the province of Limón to its Afro-Costa Rican population, showing a different and empowering image of both Afro-Caribbean immigrants and ther descendants.