EP 8 Victoria Santa Cruz - Before Marx, There Was Rhythm | Women And Resistance PODCAST 🌍

They told her she couldn't play. She told the whole world she was Black. 🖤This week on Women & Resistance, Aya Fubara Eneli Esq. and Adesoji Iginla go deep into one of the most extraordinary — and underknown — stories of resistance in the African diaspora: the life and legacy of Victoria Santa Cruz (1922–2014), Afro-Peruvian choreographer, composer, activist, and author of the poem that launched a movement.Born in Lima, Peru, Victoria grew up in a society that had spent a century erasing its African roots through the colonial ideology of mestizaje — racial "mixing" that really meant racial whitening. She grew up in a home full of Black artists and musicians, and grew up in a country that classified their art as folklore — charming, peripheral, not serious. At age five, she was told by a white girl that she couldn't play. At age 91, she died knowing that those words had become a global declaration of Black womanhood.In this episode, we explore:*The Spanish colonial casta system and how it engineered the erasure of Afro-Peruvians from national identity*How Victoria built Peru's first Black theatre company with no formal training — then took it to the 1968 Olympics*Me gritaron negra — the 1978 poem that became the founding text of the Afro-Peruvian women's movement and went viral during Black Lives Matter*The natural hair movement in Peru and how a single poem sparked it*Her radical philosophy: "Before Marx, there was rhythm" — why she refused political labels while fighting the hardest political battles*What it means to use rhythm, dance, and ancestral memory as instruments of liberation — and why colonial powers knew to ban the drum Takeaways*Victoria Santa Cruz's impact on Afro-Peruvian culture*The role of rhythm and dance in resistance*The history of racial hierarchy and erasure in Peru*The importance of cultural memory and identity*Victoria Santa Cruz's activism and legacyChapters00:00 Introduction to Victoria Santa Cruz02:15 The Importance of Cultural Memory03:56 The Caste System and Its Legacy05:28 The Struggle for Visibility07:17 Childhood Experiences of Identity08:14 Embracing Black Identity10:09 Cultural Revival and Resistance11:55 Ancestral Memory and Rhythm13:13 Empowerment Through Identity15:01 Reclaiming Blackness and Cultural Heritage16:29 The Historical Context of Afro-Peruvians17:47 Teaching and Sharing Ancestral Knowledge19:33 Legacy and Cultural Recognition24:12 The Importance of Internal Transformation25:42 The Ongoing Fight for Visibility27:56 Connection to Ancestry and Resistance28:32 Guiding Future Generations33:03 Continuing the Legacy of ActivismSend us Fan MailWelcome  to Women and Resistance, a powerful podcast where we honour the courage, resilience, and revolutionary spirit of women across the globe. Hosted by Aya Fubara Eneli Esq and Adesoji Iginla... You're listening to Women and Resistance with Aya Fubara Eneli Esq and Adesoji Iginla—where we honour the voices of women who have shaped history through courage and defiance...Now, back to the conversation. That’s it for this episode of Women and Resistance. Thank you for joining us in amplifying the voices of women who challenge injustice and change the course of history. Be sure to subscribe, share, and continue the conversation. Together We Honour the past, act in the present, and shape the future. Until next time, stay inspired and stay in resistance!