Paraguay - Kamba Kua

The community of Kamba Kua acknowledges itself as descending from the African descendants who arrived in Paraguay with General Artigas[1], when in 1820 he found asylum in Paraguay[2]. Today they represent the best known presence of people of African descent in Paraguay. The Kamba Cuá Afro-Paraguayan Association was founded in 1980 and its ballet is an Afro presence both in Paraguay and internationally. The association was in charge of coordinating the census of people of African descent made between 2006 and 2007[3].

[1] The most important national hero of Uruguay

[2] Dr. Francia, ruler of Paraguay at that moment, allowed them to settle in the area they are today, giving them parcels and farm tools, while Artigas was sent to Curuguaty, a village in the north.

[3] The census revealed the existence of 8.013 persons of African descent, amounting to 0.13 per cent of the 6.1 million inhabitants of Paraguay.

Other data of interest

Paraguay

Historical name

Kamba Kua

Founding Date

1820

Address

Barrio Kamba Kua, Zona norte del distrito de Fernando de la Mora[1], departamento de Central, a 10 kilómetros del centro de Asunción ( Kamba Kua neighbourhood, Northern area of the district of Fernando de la Mora[1], Central Department, 10 km. away from the centre of Asunción. [1] Fernando de la Mora is part of the Greater Asunción [1] Fernando de la Mora forma parte del Gran Asunción , PC: 2300 .

Links to social networks

https://www.facebook.com/ballet.kambacua?hc_ref=ARSmJlYKJXmDvvuBuIanJZEG_jPx0wGEHoxc2c0cgTJCKcVjj4-yX9W33uG8zjDeR48

Classification

Human settlement

Function-Testimony

Settlement

Access level

Free

Current Use

Residential

Original use

Residential and productive

Property kind

State

Expressions of intangible heritage associated

The devotion to magi king Saint Balthazar congregated the citizens every January 6th in the 6th of January Club of Kamba Kua. In the celebration, mixing catholic religion with African traditions, there are up to six different rhythms and dances such as the “kuarahy”, and the participants raise their arms to heaven as their African ancestors did when making their petitions to heaven. Both the dance and the music of the drums are the registered trademark of Kamba Kua.

Declarations

Identified as Memory Site of Paraguay in the framework of “The Slave Route in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay” project.