Afrodescendants in Paraguay celebrate their African roots
Members of the Paraguay-African group Kamba Cua participated in the annual festival in honour of St Balthazar, one of the Three Kings, over the weekend.
The festival is a way for afro-descendants to keep connected with their African roots through dance, drumming and customs.
“It is a great joy for me. It is a great pride to know that our community continues to do what it likes to do”, said Afro-descendant Julia Chávez.
Some can trace their roots to this area back to 1820.
As ever, the drum plays a central role in the celebrations.
The Kamba ethnic Africans arrived in the area with the army of the father of Uruguayan independence, Jose Gervasio Artigas.
