3 - “Savage Kings” and Baroque Festival Culture

Summary

This chapter studies the performances Afro-Mexians staged for Mexico City's celebration of the beatification of Ignatius of Loyola. The chapter illustrates how Afro-Mexicans engaged with the material culture of baroque festive culture. The chapter also investigates the kind of dance and music that may have accompanied Afro-Mexican festive Black king and queen and other performances. The chapter thus higlights how Afro-Mexicans continually managed to perform "with their king and queen" despite ever-present suspicions about their motives. It contends that they did this through the kind of negotiations they constantly carried out with colonial officials and religious orders. The chapter thus illustrates how Afro-Mexican used festive culture to negotiate their standing in colonial society.