3451  Yellow fever epidemic - Carlos Gardel tomb

Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 17:45:24 +0000
From: Sergio Vandekier <sergiovandekier990@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Yellow fever epidemic - Carlos Gardel tomb

It is generally said that the epidemic of yellow fever of 1871 finished with
the few blacks that were left in Buenos Aires by then, this is to say in
Argentina, as most of the black population lived in Buenos Aires.

The total number of deaths were between 14.000 and 26.000. The population
of the country was over 4 million.

The initial statistics for death due to this epidemic, given by
nationalities (Argentina never kept statistics by race) were as follows :

Argentines 3397
Italians 6201
Spaniards 1608
French 1384
British 220
German 233
Unknown 571

total 13,614

Blacks were not listed as such but they must be included in "Argentines" or
"Unknown".

As you can see most of the dead were Italians who lived in the poor
neighborhood of "La Boca". A place close to the port where they arrived from
Europe.

The importance of these official statistics is two folds.

1 - Blacks had largely disappeared from Buenos Aires by 1871 . Their
important contributions to the development of tango, at least in Buenos
Aires , were in the years prior to 1871. The pre-history of tango. The black
population was more numerous in neighboring Montevideo, as that was the port
of entry of the slave merchants to the Rio de la Plata. It is assumed by
Uruguayans that tango developed initially more there but that the best
tangos were made in what is Argentina today.
Many famous tango were made by Uruguayans such as "La Cumparsita".

It is important to remember that The "Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata"
included Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. So Argentina and Uruguay
are very similar in their history and culture.

2 - This discredits, to some extent, the assumption that blacks were
exterminated by this epidemic.

What actually had happened was that most of them were assimilated by
inter-marriage by the huge migratory wave from Europe. There are currently
genetic studies being done in representative samples of the Argentine
population.

Census are done every ten years (on the year ending in cero), the one
corresponding to the year 2000 was not done yet due to the economical
catastrophe but it is planned to be done in the near future and for the
first time inquiring about racial traits.

I doubt very much that blacks were buried in what is known as Plaza Dorrego,
in San Telmo (see prior note by Bruno).

As the existing cemeteries of the city were overwhelmed by this epidemic a
new one was created "La Chacarita". This cemetery is large and still
working. It is there where Carlos Gardel was buried. There is a statue of
him in front of his mausoleum, he stands with his beautiful smile and in a
singing position. Many people visit and leave flowers at his feet. Some play
music and sing his tangos.
somebody places a cigarette between his fingers as it was his characteristic
attitude.

Have a very good day. Sergio

Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 13:10:13 -0600
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: Yellow fever epidemic - Carlos Gardel tomb

Sergio Vandekier wrote:
[....]

>Blacks had largely disappeared from Buenos Aires by 1871<

[....]

>As you can see most of the dead were Italians who lived in the poor

neighborhood of "La Boca". A place close to the port where they arrived from
Europe.<

My 2 cents:

Unlike Italians and other nationalities it is reported that blacks living in
the neighborhoods of Monserrat and other poor neihborhoods, where the yellow
fever went rampant, the government troops prevented the inhabitants from
these neighborhoods to leave to North of the City, sort of safe haven from
the yellow fever epidemic.

The remains of the blacks who died from the yellow fever epidemic in Plaza
Dorrego may contain the remains of the blacks who died from yellow fever. It
is said (true or not) that the yellow fever epidemic gave the government of
the time the opportunity to rid of the blacks, who were seen as a threat to
the government's doctrine of from forming a European Argentina.

However, there were humane groups who went in these neighborhoods to assist,
and reported their findings.

Black people (afro-argentines) in Argentina in numbers:

1810: Blacks amounte to 33% of the population in Buenos Aires.
1840: Blacks' descendants amounted to 62% of the population as reported by
the UNC(CEA).
1860: The census on blacks was discontinued in 1869.
1871: The statics I have read reported about 330 black survivors from the
yellow fever epidemic.
1887: Blacks amounted to 2% of the population

Currently, 39% was born in Argentina, 28% in Africa, and 28% from other
countries.

Best regards,

Bruno