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CastaWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Forotheruses,seeCasta(disambiguation).

DepictionofthecastasysteminMexico.

Acasta(Spanish:[kasta],Portuguese:[kast,kat])wasahierarchicalsystemofraceclassificationcreatedby
Spanishelites(espaoles)inHispanicAmericaduringtheeighteenthcentury.Thesistemadecastasorthe
sociedaddecastaswasusedin17thand18thcenturiesinSpanishAmericaandSpanishPhilippinesto
describeasawholeandsociallyrankthemixedracepeoplewhowerebornduringthepostConquestperiod.
Theprocessofmixingancestriesintheunionofpeopleofdifferentraceswasknownasmestizaje.Aparallel
systemofcategorizationbasedonthedegreeofacculturationtoHispanicculture,whichdistinguishedbetween
gentederazn(Hispanics)andgentesinrazn(nonacculturatednatives),concurrentlyexistedandsupported
theideaoftheracialclassificationsystem.
CreatedbyEuropeanelites,thesistemadecastasorthesociedaddecastas,wasbasedontheprinciplethat
peoplevariedlargelyduetotheirbirth,color,raceandoriginofethnictypes.Thesystemofcastaswasmore
thansocioracialclassification.Ithadaneffectoneveryaspectoflife,includingeconomicsandtaxation.Both
theSpanishcolonialstateandtheChurchrequiredmoretaxandtributepaymentsfromthoseoflowersocio
racialcategories.[1][2]RelatedtoSpanishideasaboutpurityofblood(whichhistoricallyalsorelatedtoits
reconquestofSpainfromtheMoors),thecolonistsestablishedacastesysteminLatinAmericabywhicha
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person'ssocioeconomicstatusgenerallycorrelatedwithraceorracialmixintheknownfamilybackground,or
simplyonphenotype(physicalappearance)ifthefamilybackgroundwasunknown.Fromthecolonialperiod,
whentheSpanishimposedcontrol,manywealthypersonsandhighgovernmentofficialswereofpeninsular
(Iberian)and/orEuropeanbackground,whileAfricanorindigenousancestry,ordarkskin,generallywas
correlatedwithinferiorityandpoverty.The"whiter"theheritageapersoncouldclaim,thehigherinstatusthey
couldclaimconversely,darkerfeaturesmeantlessopportunity.
Castapaintingswereanew,secularartformprimarilyproducedineighteenthcenturyMexico.Anotable
exceptiontothesecularnatureofthegenreisLuisdeMena's1750paintingofVirginofGuadalupewithcastas.
[3]

CastaisanIberianword(existinginSpanish,PortugueseandotherIberianlanguagessincetheMiddleAges),
meaning"lineage","breed"or"race."ItisderivedfromtheolderLatinwordcastus,"chaste,"implyingthatthe
lineagehasbeenkeptpure.CastagaverisetotheEnglishwordcasteduringtheEarlyModernPeriod.[4][5]

Purityofbloodandtheevolutionofthesistemadecastas[edit]
Theideaof"purityofblood",limpiezadesangre,developedinChristianSpaintodenotethosewithoutthe
"taint"ofJewishorMuslimheritage("blood").Itwasdirectlylinkedtoreligionandnotionsoflegitimacy,lineage
andhonorfollowingSpain'sreconquestofMoorishterritory.ItwasinstitutionalizedduringtheInquisition.[6]The
InquisitionintheNewWorldaggressivelyprosecutedcryptoJews(JewspassingasChristians),manyofwhom
werePortuguesemerchantsinMexicoCityandLima,followingthesuccessfulrevoltofPortugalin1640against
theCastillianCrown.SeveralspectacularautosdefeinNewSpaininthemidseventeenthcenturyfeaturedthe
publicpunishmentofthoseconvictedofbeing"Judaizers"(judaizantes).[7]
InSpanishAmerica,theideaofpurityofbloodwasinacomplexfashionlinkedtoideasofrace,particularly
pertainingtomixingofwhites(espaoles)andnonwhites(Indiansandmixedracecastas).Spaniardshad
becomeobsessedwithlineage,followingtheexpulsionofMoorsandJews,andforcedconversionofthosewho
chosetoremain.Evidenceoflackofpurityofbloodhadconsequencesformarriage,eligibilityforoffice,
entranceintothepriesthood,andemigrationtoSpain'soverseasterritories.Havingtoproducegenealogical
recordstoproveone'spureancestrygaverisetoatradeinthecreationoffalsegenealogies.[8]
Whentheconceptofpurityofbloodwastransferredoverseas,itretainedtheconcernsabouttaintedancestry
ofJewsorMuslimsinafamilyline.Duringtheearlycolonialdecades,theSpanishintheNewWorldhadunions
andmarriageswithindigenouswomen,resultingingenerationsofmixedracechildren.Inthelatesixteenth
century,someinvestigationsofancestryclassifiedas"stains"anyconnectionwithBlackAfricans(negrosand
mulatos)andsometimesmixtureswithindigenousthatproducedMestizos.[9]TheideathatanyhintofBlacksin
alineagewasastaincontinuedtotheendofthecolonialperiod.Itwasillustratedineighteenthcentury
paintingsofracialhierarchy,knownascastapaintings.

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TheideainNewSpainthatIndian(indio)bloodinalineagewasanimpuritymaywellhavecomeaboutasthe
optimismoftheearlyFranciscansfadedaboutcreatingIndianChristianprieststrainedattheColegiodeSanta
CruzdeTlatelolco,whichceasedthatfunctioninthemidsixteenthcentury.Inaddition,theIndiannobility,which
wasrecognizedbytheSpanishcolonists,haddeclinedinimportance,andtherewerefewerformalmarriages
betweenSpaniardsandindigenouswomenasduringtheearlydecadesofthecolonialera.[9]Inthe
seventeenthcenturyinNewSpain,theideasofpurityofbloodbecameassociatedwith"Spanishnessand
whiteness,butitcametoworktogetherwithsocioeconomiccategories",suchthatalineagewithsomeone
engagedinworkwiththeirhandswastaintedbythatconnection.[10]
IndiansinCentralMexicowereaffectedbyideasofpurityofbloodfromtheotherside.Crowndecreesonpurity
ofbloodwereaffirmedbyindigenouscommunities,whichbarredIndiansfromholdingofficewhohadanynon
Indians(Spaniardsand/orBlacks)intheirlineage.Inindigenouscommunities"localcaciques[rulers]and
principalesweregrantedasetofprivilegesandrightsonthebasisoftheirpreHispanicnoblebloodlinesand
acceptanceoftheCatholicfaith."[11]Indigenousnoblessubmittedproofs(probanzas)oftheirpurityofbloodto
affirmtheirrightsandprivilegesthatwereextendedtothemselvesandtheircommunities.Thissupportedthe
repblicadeindios,alegaldivisionofsocietythatseparatedindigenousfromnonIndians(repblicade
espaoles).[12]
Inthemidtolateeighteenthcentury,thepaceofracemixture(mestizaje)increasedinNewSpain,political
changesoftheBourbonReformsprivilegedpeninsularSpaniardsoverAmericanbornSpaniards,andcasta
paintingsbegantobeproducedingreatnumbersinMexico.Itwasalsotheperiodwhenthepowerofthe
sistemadecastasdeclinedsignificantly.[13]

Castas[edit]

Deespaolymulata,morisca.MiguelCabrera,1763,oiloncanvas,136x105cm,privatecollection.

DuringtheSpanishcolonialperiod,Spaniardsdevelopedacomplexsystemofracialhierarchy,knownasthe
sistemadecastas,asystemmuchmorefluidthantheSouthAsian(Indian)castesystem.InSpanishAmerica
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(andmanyotherplaces),racialcategorieswereformallegalclassifications.Theprocessofracemixturewas
termedmestizaje.
InitiallyinSpanishAmericatherewerethreeracialcategoriesdesignatedbytheEuropeans.Theygenerally
referredtothemultiplicityofindigenousAmericanpeoplesas"Indians"(indios),anumbrellatermwhichthe
nativepeoplesthemselvesrarelyused.ThosefromSpaincalledthemselvesespaoles,whichinthelate
colonialperiodwasfurtherrefinedtothoseborninIberia,calledpolitelypeninsulares,whileAmericanborn
espaoleswerecalledcriollos.ThethirdgroupwereblackAfricans,callednegros("Blacks"),broughtasslaves
fromtheearliestdaysofSpanishempireintheCaribbean.TherewerefewerSpanishwomenthanmenwho
immigratedtotheNewWorldandfewerblackwomenthanmen,sothatmixedraceoffspringofSpaniardsand
ofBlackswereoftentheproductofliaisonswithindigenouswomen.
Inthesixteenthcentury,thetermcasta,acollectivecategoryformixedraceindividuals,cameintoexistenceas
thenumbersgrew,particularlyinurbanareas.Thecrownhaddividedthepopulationofitsoverseasempireinto
twocategories,separatingIndiansfromnonIndians.IndigenousweretheRepblicadeIndios,theotherthe
RepblicadeEspaoles,essentiallytheHispanicsphere,sothatSpaniards,Blacks,andmixedracecastas
werelumpedintothiscategory.Officialcensusesandecclesiasticalrecordsnotedanindividual'sracial
category,sothatthesesourcescanbeusedtochartsocioeconomicstandard,residencepatterns,andother
importantdata.
Generalracialgroupingshadtheirownsetofprivilegesandrestrictions,bothlegalandcustomary.So,for
example,onlySpaniardsandindigenous,whoweredeemedtobetheoriginalsocietiesoftheSpanish
dominions,hadrecognizedaristocracies.[14][15]Also,inAmericaandotheroverseaspossessions,allSpaniards,
regardlessoftheirfamily'sclassbackgroundinEurope,cametoconsiderthemselvesequaltothePeninsular
hidalgaandexpectedtobetreatedassuch.
Accesstotheseprivilegesandevenaperson'sperceivedandacceptedracialclassification,however,werealso
determinedbythatperson'ssocioeconomicstandinginsociety.[16][17][18]
Longlistsofdifferenttermsfoundincastapaintingsdonotappearinofficialdocumentation,whichcount
Spaniards,mestizos,Blacksandmulattoes,andindigenous(indios)werefoundincensuses.Bytheendofthe
colonialperiodin1821,overonehundredcategoriesofpossiblevariationsofmixtureexisted.[19]

Urbanracemixture[edit]
Inhisanalysisofthe1790censusofMexicoCityanditssurroundingarea,DennisNodinValdsshowsthatthe
majorcolonialmetropolishadahigherproportionofSpaniardsandcastasthanIndians.Inaddition,therewere
higherratesofpersonsofmixedrace,ormestizaje,thaninthesurroundingcountryside,whichwasdominated
byindios.HecomparedthepopulationofthecapitalofNewSpainwiththecensusoftheIntendancyofMexico
in1794.[20]ThetotalnumberofMexicoCityresidentscountedin1793was104,760(whichexcludes8,166
officials)andintheintendancyasawhole1,043,223,excluding2,299officials.Inboththecapitalandthe
intendancy,theEuropeanpopulationwasthesmallestpercentage,with2,335inthecapital(2.2%)andthe
intendancy1,330(.1%).ThelistingforSpaniard(espaol)was50,371(48.1%),withtheintendancyshowing
134,695(12.9%).Formestizos(inwhichhehasmergedthecastizos),inthecapitaltherewere19,357(18.5%)
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andintheintendancy112,113(10.7%).Forthemulattocategory,thecapitallisted7,094(6.8%)withthe
intendancyshowing52,629(5.0%).Thereisapparentlynoseparatecategoryforblacks(Negros).Thecategory
Indianshowed25,603(24.4%)inthecapital,withtheintendancyhaving742,186(71.1).Thecapitalhadthe
largestconcentrationofSpaniardsandcastas,andthecountrysidewasoverwhelminglyIndian.Thepopulation
ofthecapitalindicatesthatconditionsfavoringmestizajeweremorefavorableinthecitythantheoutlying
area."[21]
Inthe1811censusofMexicoCitybyresidentialsectors,thereisnoevidenceofabsolutesegregationbyrace,
animportantfinding.[22]ThehighestconcentrationofSpaniardswasaroundthetraza,thecentralsectorofthe
citywherethecivilandreligiousinstitutionswerebasedandwheretherewasthehighestconcentrationof
wealthymerchants.ButnonSpaniardsalsolivedthere.Indianswerefoundinhigherconcentrationsinthe
sectorsonthefringesofthecapital.Castasappearasresidentsinallsectorsofthecapital.

Racialterminology[edit]
Althoughthesystemcouldcontaininexcessofthirtycategories,practicalnecessityreducedthisnumberto
sevengroupsrankedasfollows:Spaniards,castizos,moriscos,mestizos,mulattoes,Indians,andAfricans.The
termsforthemorecomplexracialmixturestendedtovaryinmeaninganduseandfromregiontoregion.(For
example,differentsetsofcastapaintingswillgiveadifferentsetoftermsandinterpretationsoftheirmeaning.)
Forthemostpart,onlythefirstfewtermsinthelistswereusedindocumentsandeverydaylife,thegeneral
descendingorderofprecedencebeing:

Espaoles(Spaniards)[edit]
ThesewerepeopleofSpanishdescent.PeopleofotherEuropeandescentwhohadsettledinSpanishAmerica
andadaptedtoHispanicculture,suchasPedrodeGante(fromGhent)andtheMarquisesofOsornoandCroix,
wouldhavealsobeenconsideredEspaoles.Also,asnotedabove,andbelowunder"Mestizos"and"Castizos,"
manypeoplewithsomeAmerindianancestrywereconsideredEspaoles.[23]
Espaoleswereoneofthethreeoriginal"races,"theothertwobeingAmerindiansandBlacks.Bothimmigrant
andAmericanbornEspaoles(criollos)generallysharedthesamerightsandprivileges,althoughtherewerea
fewcasesinwhichthelawdifferentiatedbetweenthem.[23]Forexample,itbecamecustomaryinsome
municipalcouncilsfortheofficeofalcaldetoalternatebetweenaEuropeanandanAmerican.Spaniardswere
thereforedividedinto:
Peninsulares(SpaniardsandotherEuropeansborninEurope)[edit]
Furtherinformation:Peninsulares
PersonsofSpanishdescentborninSpain(i.e.,fromtheIberianPeninsula,hencetheirname).Generally,there
weretwogroupsofPeninsulares.Thefirstgroupincludesthosewhowereappointedtoimportantjobsinthe
government,thearmy,andtheCatholicChurchbytheCrown.Thissystemwasintendedtoperpetuatetheties
ofthegoverningelitetotheSpanishcrown.Thetheorywasthatanoutsidershouldbeappointedtoruleovera
certainsociety,thereforeaNewSpaniardwouldnotbeappointedViceroyofNewSpain.Theseofficialsusually

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hadalonghistoryofservicetotheCrownandweremovedaroundtheEmpirefrequently,asincareercivil
servicepositions.TheyusuallydidnotlivepermanentlyinanyoneplaceinLatinAmerica.
ThesecondgroupofPeninsularesdidsettlepermanentlyinaspecificregionandcametobeassociatedwithit.
Thefirstwaveweretheoriginalsettlers,theConquistadors,whobecamelordsofanareathroughtheiractof
conquest.InthecenturiesaftertheConquest,morePeninsularescontinuedtoimmigratetoNewSpainunder
differentcircumstances,usuallyforcommercialreasons.Somecameasindenturedservantstoestablished
Criollofamiliesinordertogainpassage.PeninsulareswereofallsocioeconomicclassesinAmerica.Oncethey
settled,theytendedtoformfamilies,soPeninsularesandCriolloswereunitedanddividedbyfamilytiesand
tensions.
Criollos(SpaniardsandotherEuropeansbornintheAmericas)[edit]
Furtherinformation:Criollopeople
ASpanishtermmeaning"nativebornandraised,"criollohistoricallywasappliedtobothwhiteandblacknon
indigenouspersonsbornintheAmericas,inadditiontoanimalsandproducts.Becauseofthelackofwhite
peopleintheSpanishcolonies,duringthefirstgenerationsaftertheconquest,legitimatelybornbiological
criollosweresimplyconsideredespaolescriollos(see,Hyperdescent).Intoday'shistoriography,theterm
"criollo"meansonlythewhitepeoplebornintheAmericas,whohadunmixedSpanishorEuropeanancestry
bothmatrilinealandpatrilineal.Intherealityoftheperiod,asnoted,manycriollosendedupinterbreedingwith
thefinanciallysuccessfulmestizosandcastizos,whophysicallyappearedwhite,buthadsomenativeancestry.
Theknowledgeofmixedancestrywasusuallydisregardedforfamiliesthathadmaintainedacertainstatusand
theywereacceptedascriollos.[24]
Manyofthesecondorthirdgenerationcriollosbecamewealthyfromthemines,ranches,orhaciendasthey
owned.CriollofamilieswhobecameextremelywealthyjoinedtheranksofthehighnobilityoftheSpanish
Empire.Still,mostwerepartofwhatcouldbetermedthepetitebourgeoisieandsomewerepoor.Aslifelong
residentsofAmerica,they,likeallotherresidentsoftheseareas,oftenparticipatedintradingcontraband,since
thetraditionalmonopoliesofSeville,andlaterCdiz,couldnotsupplyalltheirtradeneeds.[citationneeded](They
weremorethanoccasionallyaidedbyroyalofficialsturningablindeyetothisactivity).
Criollostendedtobeappointedtothelowerlevelgovernmentjobs[25]theyhadsizablerepresentationinthe
municipalcouncils.But,withthesaleofofficesthatbeganinthelate16thcentury,theygainedaccesstohigh
levelposts,suchasjudgesontheregionalaudiencias.The19thcenturywarsofindependencehaveoften
beencharacterizedasastrugglebetweenPeninsularesandCriollos,butbothgroupscanbefoundonboth
sidesofthewars.

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DeMestizoyd'IndiaCoyote.MiguelCabrera,1763,oiloncanvas,WaldoDentzelArtCenter.

TheoriginalinhabitantsoftheAmericaswereconsideredtobeoneofthethree"pureraces"inSpanish
AmericaunderSpanishcoloniallaw,theywereclassifiedandregulatedasminors,andassuchweretobe
protectedbyroyalofficials.Inpractice,theyoftensufferedrepressionandabusebythelocalelites.Afterthe
initialconquest,theelitesoftheInca,AztecandotherAmerindianstateswereassimilatedintotheSpanish
nobilitythroughintermarriage.[26][27]
TheregionalNativenobility,whereitexisted,wasrecognizedandredefinedalongEuropeanstandardsbythe
Spanish.Ithadtodealwiththedifficultyofexistinginacolonialsociety,butitremainedinplaceuntil
independencein1821.Amerindianscouldbelongtoanyeconomicclassdependingontheirpersonalwealth,[26]
[27]

butmostwerepeasantsandpoor.

Mestizos(mixedNativeAmericanandEuropean)[edit]
Furtherinformation:Mestizo
PersonswithoneSpanishparentandoneAmerindianparent.Thetermwasoriginallyassociatedwith
illegitimacybecauseinthegenerationsaftertheConquest,mixedracechildrenborninwedlockwereassigned
eitherasimpleAmerindianorSpanishidentity,dependingwithwhichculturetheywereraised.(See
HyperdescentandHypodescent.)ThenumberofofficialMestizosrisesincensusesonlyafterthesecondhalfof
the17thcentury,whenasizableandstablecommunityofmixedracepeoplewithnoclaimsonbeingeither
AmerindianorSpanishappeared.

Castizos(EuropeanwithsomeIndigenous)[edit]
Furtherinformation:Castizo
Oneofthemanyterms,liketheonesbelow,usedtodescribepeoplewithvaryingdegreesofracialmixture.In
thiscaseCastizoswerepeoplewithoneMestizoparentandoneSpanishparent.ThechildrenofaCastizoand
aSpaniard,oraCastizohimorherself,wereoftenclassifiedandacceptedasaCriolloSpaniard.[24]

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Cholos(NativeAmericanwithsomeMestizo)[edit]
Furtherinformation:Cholo
PersonswithoneAmerindianparentandoneMestizoparent.

Pardos(mixedEuropean,African,andNativeAmerican) [28][edit]
Furtherinformation:Pardo
PersonswhoaretheproductofthemixingoverthegenerationsoftheEuropean,BlackAfrican,and
Amerindians.ThismixmaycomeaboutfromawhiteSpaniardmatingwithaZambo,anAmerindianmatingwith
aMulatto,oraBlackAfricanmatingwithaMestizo.ThetermisincurrentuseinBrazil,wheretheyformslightly
lessthanonehalfthepopulation.PardosinSpanishAmericawerecommonintheCaribbean,suchasPuerto
Rico(seehere),DominicanRepublic,andCuba.

Mulatos(mixedAfricanandEuropean)[edit]
Furtherinformation:Mulatto
PersonsofthefirstgenerationofaSpanishandBlack/Africanancestry.Iftheywerebornintoslavery(thatis
theirmotherwasaslave),theywouldbeslaves,unlessfreedbytheirmasterorweremanumitted.Inpopular
parlance,mulatocouldalsodenoteanindividualofmixedAfricanandNativeAmericanancestry. [29]
Furthertermstodescribeotherdegreesofmixtureincluded,amongmanyothers,Morisco,(nottobeconfused
withthepeninsularMorisco,fromwhichthetermwasborrowed)apersonofMulattoandSpanishparents,i.e.,
aquadroon,andAlbino(derivedfromalbino),apersonofMoriscoandSpanishparents,i.e.,anoctoroon.

Zambos(mixedNativeAmericanandAfricanmix)[edit]
Furtherinformation:Zambo
PersonswhowereofmixedAmerindianandBlackancestry.AswithMulattoes,manyothertermsexistedto
describethedegreeofmixture.TheseincludedChinoandLobo.Chinousuallydescribedsomeoneashaving
MulattoandAmerindianparents.ThewordchinoderivesfromtheSpanishwordcochino,meaning"pig",[30]and
thephrasepelochino,meaning"curlyhair",isareferencetothecastaknownaschinothatpossessedcurly
hair.[30]
SincetherewassomeimmigrationfromtheSpanishEastIndiesduringthecolonialperiod,chinoisoften
confused,evenbycontemporaryhistorians,asawordforAsianpeoples,whichistheprimarymeaningofthe
word,butnotusuallyinthecontextofthecastas.ChinoorchinaisstillusedinmanyLatinAmericancountries
asatermofendearmentforalightskinnedpersonofAfricanancestry.LobocoulddescribeapersonofBlack
andAmerindianparents(andtherefore,asynonymforZambo),asintheimagegallerybelow,orsomeoneof
AmerindianandTornaatrsparents.

Negros(Africans)[edit]
Furtherinformation:Blackpeople

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WithSpaniardsandAmerindians,thiswasthethirdoriginalraceinthisparadigm,butlowonthesocialscale
becauseoftheirassociationwithslavery.ThesewerepeopleoffullSubSaharanAfricandescent.Many,
especiallyamongthefirstgeneration,wereslaves,butthereweresizablefreeBlackcommunities.Distinction
wasmadebetweenBlacksborninAfrica(negrosbozales)andthereforepossiblylessacculturated,Blacksborn
intheIberianPeninsula(BlackLadinos),andBlacksbornintheIndies,thesesometimesreferredtoasnegros
criollos.
Theirlowsocialstatuswasenforcedlegally.Theywereprohibitedbylawfrommanypositions,suchasentering
thepriesthood,andtheirtestimonyincourtwasvaluedlessthanothers.Buttheycouldjoinmilitiascreated
especiallyforthem.Incontrastwiththebinary"onedroprule",whichevolvedinthelate19thcenturyUnited
States,peopleofmixedBlackancestrywererecognizedasmultipleseparategroups,asnotedabove.

Otherterms[edit]
Otherfancifulorderogatorytermsexisted,suchasatornaatrs(literally,"turnsback",butequivalenttothe
Englishterm"throwback")andtenteenelaire("holdyourselfinmidair")inNewSpainorarequinterninPeru,
[citationneeded]whichimpliedthatachildofonlyonesixteenthBlackancestryisbornlookingBlacktoseemingly

whiteparents.ThesetermswererarelyusedinlegaldocumentsandexistedmostlyintheNewSpanish
phenomenonofcastapaintings(pinturasdecastas),whichshowedpossiblemixturesdowntoseveral
generations.[31]
Lascastas.Anonymous,18thcentury,oiloncanvas,148x104cm,MuseoNacionaldelVirreinato,Tepotzotln,
Mexico.
TheinterestoftheSpanishEnlightenmentinorganizingknowledgeandscientificdescription,resultedinthe
commissionofmanyseriesofpicturesthatdocumenttheracialcombinationsthatexistedintheexoticlands
thatSpainpossessedontheothersideoftheworld.Manysetsofthesepaintingsstillexist(aroundone
hundredcompletesetsinmuseumsandprivatecollectionsandmanymoreindividualpaintings),ofvarying
artisticquality,usuallyconsistingofsixteenpaintingsrepresentingasmanyracialcombinations.Someofthe
finersetsweredonebyprominentMexicanartists,suchasMiguelCabrera,JosJoaqunMagn(whopainted
twosets),JosdeIbarra,andJuanPatricioMorleteRuiz.Theseartistsworkedtogetherinthepaintingguildsof
NewSpain.Theywereimportanttransitionalartistsin18thcenturycastapainting.AtleastoneSpaniard,
FranciscoClapera,alsocontributedtothecastagenre.Ingenerallittleisknownofmostartistswhodidsign
theirworkmostcastapaintingsareunsigned.
Theoverallthemesthatemergeinthesepaintingsarethe"supremacyoftheSpaniards,"thepossibilitythat
IndianscouldbecomeSpaniardsthroughmiscegenationwithSpaniardsandthe"regressiontoanearlier
momentofracialdevelopment"thatmixingwithBlackswouldcausetoSpaniards.Theseseriesgenerallydepict
thedescendantsofIndiansbecomingSpanishafterthreegenerationsofintermarriagewithSpaniards(usually
the,"Deespaolycastiza,espaol"painting).[32]
Incontrast,mixtureswithBlacks,bothbyIndiansandSpaniards,ledtoabewilderingnumberofcombinations,
with"fancifulterms"todescribethem.Insteadofleadingtoanewracialtypeorequilibrium,theyledtoapparent
disorder.Termssuchastheabovementionedtenteenelaireandnoteentiendo("Idon'tunderstandyou")
andothersbasedontermsusedforanimals:mulato(mule)andlobo(wolf),chino(derivedfromcochino
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meaning"pig")[30]reflectthefearandmistrustthatSpanishofficials,societyandthosewhocommissioned
thesepaintingssawthesenewracialtypes.[32]
Atthesametime,itmustbeemphasizedthatthesepaintingsreflectedtheviewsoftheeconomically
establishedCriollosocietyandofficialdom.Castasdefinedthemselvesindifferentways,andhowtheywere
recordedinofficialrecordswasaprocessofnegotiationbetweenthecastaandthepersoncreatingthe
document,whetheritwasabirthcertificate,amarriagecertificateoracourtdeposition.Inreallife,manycasta
individualswereassigneddifferentracialcategoriesindifferentdocuments,revealingthefluidnatureofracial
identityincolonial,SpanishAmericansociety.[33]
InNewSpain,oneoftheViceroyaltiesoftheSpanishEmpire,castapaintingsillustratedwhereeachpersonin
theNewWorldrankedinthesystem.Thesepaintingsfrom18thand19thcenturieswerepopularinSpainand
otherpartsofEurope.TheyreflectedtheSpaniardssenseofracialsuperioritybyillustratinganorderly
hierarchicalsocietywheresocioeconomicstatusdependedonskincolorandlimpiezadesangre(purityof
blood).[2][34]
Somepaintingsdepictedtheinnatecharacterandqualityofpeoplebecauseoftheirbirthandethnicorigin.For
example,accordingtoonepaintingbyJosJoaqunMagn,amestizo(mixedIndian+Spanish)was
consideredgenerallyhumble,tranquil,andstraightforwardwhileanotherpaintingclaimsfromLoboandIndian
womanisborntheCambujo,oneusuallyslow,lazy,andcumbersome.Ultimately,thecastapaintingsare
remindersofthecolonialbiasesinmodernhumanhistorythatlinkedacaste/ethnicsocietybasedondescent,
skincolor,socialstatus,andone'sbirth.[2][34]
Often,castapaintingsdepictedcommodityitemsfromLatinAmericalikepulque,thefermentedalcoholdrinkof
thelowerclasses.Paintersdepictedinterpretationsofpulquethatwereattributedtospecificcastas.Pulque
abusewasshowninsomecastapaintingsasasocialcriticismofthelowercastas,andtheSpanishdesirefor
regulationoverpulqueconsumptionanddistribution.

Samplesetsofcastapaintings[edit]
Presentedherearecastalistsfromthreesetsofpaintings.Notethattheyonlyagreeonthefirstfive
combinations,whichareessentiallytheIndianWhiteones.ThereisnoagreementontheBlackmixtures,
however.Also,noonelistshouldbetakenas"authoritative."Thesetermswouldhavevariedfromregionto
regionandacrosstimeperiods.Thelistshereprobablyreflectthenamesthattheartistkneworpreferred,the
onesthepatronrequestedtobepainted,oracombinationofboth.
MiguelCabrera,1763[35]Anonymous(MuseodelVirreinato,above)[36]AndrsdeIslas,1774[37]
1.DeEspaolyd'IndiaMestiza
2.DeespaolyMestiza,Castiza
3.DeEspaolyCastiza,Espaol
4.DeEspaolyNegra,Mulata
5.DeEspaolyMulataMorisca
6.DeEspaolyMoriscaAlbina [38]
7.DeEspaolyAlbinaTornaatrs
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8.DeEspaolyTornaatrsTenteenelaire
9.DeNegroyd'India,Chinacambuja.
10.DeChinocambujoyd'IndiaLoba
11.DeLoboyd'India,Albarazado
12.DeAlbarazadoyMestiza,Barcino
13.DeIndioyBarcinaZambuigua
14.DeCastizoyMestizaChamizo
15.DeMestizoyd'IndiaCoyote
16.Indiosgentiles(HeathenIndians)
1.EspaolconIndia,Mestizo
2.MestizoconEspaola,Castizo
3.CastizaconEspaol,Espaola
4.EspaolconNegra,Mulato
5.MulatoconEspaola,Morisca
6.MoriscoconEspaola,Chino
7.ChinoconIndia,Saltaatrs
8.SaltaatrasconMulata,Lobo
9.LoboconChina,Gbaro(Jbaro)
10.GbaroconMulata,Albarazado
11.AlbarazadoconNegra,Cambujo
12.CambujoconIndia,Sambiaga(Zambiaga)
13.SambiagoconLoba,Calpamulato
14.CalpamultoconCambuja,Tenteenelaire
15.TenteenelaireconMulata,Noteentiendo
16.NoteentiendoconIndia,Tornaatrs
1.DeEspaoleIndia,naceMestizo
2.DeEspaolyMestiza,naceCastizo
3.DeCastizoyEspaola,naceEspaola
4.DeEspaolyNegra,naceMulata
5.DeEspaolyMulata,naceMorisco
6.DeEspaolyMorisca,naceAlbino
7.DeEspaolyAlbina,naceTornaatrs
8.DeIndioyNegra,naceLobo
9.DeIndioyMestiza,naceCoyote
10.DeLoboyNegra,naceChino
11.DeChinoeIndia,naceCambujo
12.DeCambujoeIndia,naceTenteenelaire
13.DeTenteenelaireyMulata,naceAlbarazado
14.DeAlbarazadoeIndia,naceBarcino
15.DeBarcinoyCambuja,naceCalpamulato
16.IndiosMecosbrbaros(BarbarianMecoIndians)
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GalleryofCastaPaintings[edit]

CanbujoconYndiasaleAlbaracado/NotentiendoconYndiasaleChina,leosobrelienzo,222x109cm,
Madrid,MuseodeAmrica

MiguelCabrera"FromSpaniardandMulatta:Morisca"

"fromMulattoandMestiza,produceMulatto,heisTornaAtrs"byJuanRodrguezJurez

JosJoaqunMagn,TheMulattafromtheseriesTheMexicanCastes

Deespaoleindia,producemestizo(FromaSpanishmanandanAmerindianwoman,aMestizois
produced).

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Denegroyespaola,salemulato(FromaBlackmanandaSpanishwoman,aMulattoisbegotten).

"fromaBlackmaleandfemaleSpaniard,comesaMulatto"

Demestizoeindia,salecoiote(FromaMestizomanandanAmerindianwoman,aCoyoteisbegotten).

Denegroeindia,salelobo(FromaBlackmanandanAmerindianwoman,aLoboisbegotten).

Mestizo,Mestiza,MestizoSampleofaPeruviancastapainting,showingintermarriagewithinacasta
category.
ThediscussionofLimpiezadesangremakesitappearasifdifferentiationbaseduponprivilegesappliedonlyto
thedistinctionbetweenChristiansandJewsandMuslimsthiswaslaterextendedtodistinguishclearlybetween
CatholicsandProtestants.(TheNewWorldwasoriginallydividedbetweenSpainandPortugal,bothCatholic
countries.)However,certificatesofLimpiezadesangrecouldbebought,andwereextendedtomulattoes,
blacksandothersintheAmericas.
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Filipinomestizowhichhaditsowncomparablecastesystem
Dominantminority(WhiteandMixedracedLatinAmericansareoftendominantminoritiesinnationswhere
theydon'tmakeupthemajority)

Furtherreading[edit]
RaceandRaceMixture[edit]
Castleman,BruceA."SocialClimbersinaColonialMexicanCity:IndividualMobilitywithintheSistemade
CastasinOrizaba,17771791."ColonialLatinAmericanReview,vol.10,No.2,2001.
Cope,R.Douglas.TheLimitsofRacialDomination:PlebeianSocietyinColonialMexicoCity,16601720.
Madison:UniversityofWisconsinPress,1994.ISBN9780299140441
MacLachlan,ColinM.andJaimeE.RodrguezO.TheForgingoftheCosmicRace:AReinterpretationof
ColonialMexico,expandededition.Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1990.ISBN0520042808
Martnez,MaraElena.GenealogicalFictions:LimpiezadeSangre,Religion,andGenderinColonialMexico.
Stanford,StanfordUniversityPress,2008.ISBN9780804756488
Mrner,Magnus.RaceMixtureintheHistoryofLatinAMerica.Boston:LittleBrown,1967.
O'Crouley,SnPedroAlonso.ADescriptionoftheKingdomofNewSpain.TranslatedandeditedbySean
Galvin.johnHowellBooks1972.
Rosenblat,Angel.Elmestizajeylascastascoloniales:LapoblacinindgenayelmestizajeenAmrica.
buenosAires,EditorialNova1954.
Seed,Patricia.ToLove,Honor,andObeyinColonialMexico:ConflictsOverMarriageChoice,15741821.
Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress,1988.ISBN9780804714570
Valds,DennisN."DeclineoftheSociedaddeCastasinEighteenthCenturyMexico."PhDdissertation,
UniversityofMichigan1978.

CastaPainting[edit]
Carrera,MagaliM.ImaginingIdentityinNewSpain:Race,Lineage,andtheColonialBodyinPortraitureand
CastaPaintings.Austin,UniversityofTexasPress,2003.ISBN9780292712454
Cline,Sarah.GuadalupeandtheCastas:ThePowerofaSingularColonialMexicanPainting.Mexican
Studies/EsudiosMexicanosVol.31,Issue2,Summer2015,pages21846
Cummins,ThomasB.F."CastaPainting:ImagesofRaceinEighteenthCenturyMexico"(Bookreview).The
ArtBulletin(March2006).
Dean,CarolynandDanaLeibsohn,"HybridityandItsDiscontents:ConsideringVisualCultureinColonial
SpanishAmerica,"ColonialLatinAmericanReview,vol.12,No.1,2003.
Earle,Rebecca,"ThePleasuresofTaxonomy:CastaPaintings,Classification,andColonialism."TheWilliam
andMaryQuarterly,vol.73,No.2(July2016),pp.427466.
EstradadeGerlero,ElenaIsabel."Representationsof'HeathenIndians'inMexicanCastaPainting,"inNew
WorldOrders,IlonaKatzew,ed.NewYork:AmericasSocietyArtGallery1996.
GarcaSiz,MaraConcepcin.Lascastasmexicanas:Ungneropictricoamericano.Milan:Olivetti1989.
GarcaSiz,MaraConcepcin,"TheArtisticDevelopmentofCastaPainting,"inNewWorldOrders,Ilona
Katzew,ed.NewYork:AmericasSocietyArtGallery,1996.
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