Cafuzo is the name given in Brazil to individuals generated from the miscegenation between indians and black africans.
Typically, cafuzos are characterized by dark, almost black skin pigmentation, thick, full lips and straight hair.
There are other variations of the name cafuzo, which were created during the colonization of Brazil and still used today in some regions of the country, such as caburo, hood, snail, carafus, taioca, cafuçu and caribbean.
Currently in Brazil, cafuzos are more concentrated in regions that had greater influence from indigenous and black population, such as the states of Maranhão and Bahia, as well as some regions of Pará and Amapá.
Etymologically, there are disagreements about how the term "cafuzo" originated. Some etymologists believe that it arose from the kimbundu kufunzaka, which means "fade". Other researchers say the origin is likely to come from the Bantu nkaalafunzu, which means "mestizo". However, there is no mistaking the African nature of the name.
The cafuzo represent about 3% of the population, spread over some countries in Central America and northwestern Latin America, such as Colombia, Venezuela and Guianas. In the Amazon region and in some states in the northeast and central-west of Brazil, they are also easily located.
See also: meaning of brown.
Cafuzo, Mulatto and Mamluk
During the colonization period in Brazil, the white man was at the top of the hierarchical chain, being considered superior to darker-skinned individuals. However, with the intense miscegenation between the various ethnic groups (white, black and indigenous, mainly), the need to classify people into "sub-ethnicities" was born, in order to order them socially. For example, the more physical appearance or characteristics a mestizo had from the Caucasian ethnic group (whites), the more privileges they received from society.
The main "sub-ethnic groups" that emerged in Brazil were:
- Cafuzos: the miscegenation between Indians and African blacks;
- mulattos: the result of the mixture between European whites and African blacks, at the time of Colonial Brazil;
- Mamluks: mixture of white individuals with Indians.
See also:meaning of miscegenation.