Sung with Ink and Paper: Nicomedes Santa Cruz and the African Strand in Peru

The poem “Ritmos negros del Perú” by Afro-Peruvian writer Nicomedes Santa Cruz recovers Afro-Peruvian history and agency through the retelling of the journey of a mythical grandmother. through the retelling of her story, the poet claims blackness and African roots as pillars of Peruvian culture. In so doing, Santa Cruz opens the door not only for the recognition of Afro-Peruvians as people whose history and struggles, though unacknowledged, have contributed so much to Peruvian culture and society, but also for the decolonization of Peruvian history and culture.