Los negros brujos

work by Ortiz

Also known as: “Black Sorcerers”

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July 16, 2026

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Los negros brujos ("Black Sorcerers") is a seminal work by Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortiz, first published in 1906. This book marked Ortiz's pioneering research into neo-African cultures in the Americas, particularly in Cuba. His study began with an examination of black criminals in Havana, which led him to delve into their urban subculture, religious beliefs, and practices.1

Ortiz's work was instrumental in the rise of the Afro-Cuban movement, a cultural trend that celebrated the African heritage within Cuban arts and literature. Los negros brujos is considered a foundational text for understanding the complexities of Afro-Cuban spirituality and its place within broader Cuban society.1

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Fernando Ortiz
In 1906 he published Los negros brujos (“Black Sorcerers”), his first book on the subject, and in 1916 Los negros esclavos (“Black Slaves”), in which he studies Cuban blacks according to the region of Africa from which they came. His Un catauro de cubanismos (1923; “A Load of Cubanisms”)…
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In 1906 he published Los negros brujos (“Black Sorcerers”), his first book on the subject, and in 1916 Los negros esclavos (“Black Slaves”), in which he studies Cuban blacks according to the region of Africa from which they came. His Un catauro de cubanismos (1923; “A Load of Cubanisms”)…
Read More