Picturing the River’s Racial Ecologies in Colonial Panamá

A Spanish print from 1748, depicting enslaved Afro-descendant boatmen navigating the Chagres River, reveals the racial ecologies and cosmopolitan culture of these individuals during colonial Panamá. This study shifts focus from the print's Spanish origins to highlight the ecological knowledge and distinct cultural practices of enslaved and free Afro-descendants, challenging traditional art historical narratives that marginalize Central America. By integrating insights from recent scholarship on race, ecology, and colonial Latin American art, this research restores visibility to a region often overlooked in broader studies.

Pushaw, B. (2021). Picturing the River’s Racial Ecologies in Colonial Panamá. Arts, 10(2), 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/arts10020022