"The Primitive Black Nations of America."

By Professor C. S. Rafinesque.

"The Society of Geography having offered a reward for the best memoir on the Origin of the Asiatic Negroes, I sent them last year two Memoirs; one on those Asiatic Negroes,'wherein I demonstrated the affinities of their languages with the African and Polynesian Negroes, as well as with the Hindus and Chinese, and renders it probable that all the Negroes originated in the Southern Slopes of the Himalaya Mountains, as they did once exist all over India, South China, Japan, Persia and Arabia.

My second Memoir was on the Negro or Black Nations, found in America before Columbus, wherein I proved their existence and connection by language with the Negroes of Africa and Polynesia. These Memoirs have been rewarded by the learned Society of Geography, with a gold medal of 100 Francs, which was lately communicated to me by Messrs Warden, our former Consul in Paris, and Jomard member of the Institute. This gratifying intelligence will be acceptable to all my friends, and furnish another proof of my ability to unravel at last, the origins of all the American Nations and Tribes, in pursuing the path which I have opened, by comparing all the Languages mathematically and numerically with each other.

To many, this fact of old Black Nations in America will be new, yet it is an important feature of American History, as well as the existence of primitive White Nations there still more numerous. To furnish a kind of insight into this subject. I will here merely enumerate the Black tribes of which I have found evident traces and remains in North and South America.

1. The Ancient Caracols of Hayti, represented as a Nation of Beasts by the Historical Songs, see Roman

and Martyr.

2. The Califurnaims of the Carib Islands, called Black Caribs or Guanini by others, are a black branch of Caribs. See Rochefort, Herrera, &c.

3. The Arguahos of Cutara mentioned by Garcias in the West Indies, quite black.

4. The black Aroras of Raleigh, or Yaruras of the Spaniards, ugly

black or brown Negroes, yet existing near the Oronoco, and language known, called Monkeys by their neighbors.

5. Chaymas of Guyana, brown Negroes like Hottentots, see Humboldt.

6. The Mangipas and Porcigis of Nienhof, the Motayas of Knivet are all of Brazil, brown Negroes with curly hair. See also Vespucius and Pigafetta.

7. The Nigritas of Martyr in Darien, yet existing in Choco under the name of Chuanas or Gaunas or Chinos (Dariente). Ugly black or red Negroes.

8. The Manabies of Popayan (in Columbia) blackish with Negro features and hair. See Stevenson.

9. The Guabas and Jaras of Tagugalpa (Tegucigalpa) near the Honduras. . See Juaros, &c., now called Zambos.

10. The Enslen or Esteros of New California, ugly blackish Negroes See Vanegas, Langsdorf, &c.

11. The Black Indians met by the Spaniards in Louisiana in 1543. See Soto's invasion.

12. The Moon-eyed Negroes, and Albinos, destroyed by the Cherokees, and seen in Panama. Barton, &c. Among these the Yarura language has 50 per cent of anal with t e Gauna, 40 percent with e- Ashanty qr Fanty of Guinea, and about 33.per cent with the Fulah, Bornu and Congo languages of Africa. In Asia it has 39 per cent of numerical affinity with the Samang Negroes, and 40 per cent with the Negroes of Andaman as well as those of Australia or New Holland. All this and many other details are given at length, proved by authorities and compared Vocabularies, in my Memoir."

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References:

Rafinesque, C. S. (Constantine Samuel), 1783-1840. Atlantic journal, and friend of knowledge [microform] : in eight numbers : containing about 160 original articles and tracts on natural and historical sciences, the description of about 150 new plants, and 100 new animals or fossils ; many vocabularies of languages, historical and geological facts, &c. &c. &c. (Kindle Locations 4173-4193). Philadelphia : [s.n.].