Lotería Afrolatina

Lotería is a Mexican game of chance that is similar to bingo, but it uses images of Mexican objects and people rather than numbers and letters. Cards are drawn from a deck one at a time, and any player with that image on their game board covers it with a token, bean, or other marker. The first person to cover four spaces in a row wins. 

The game of chance likely originated in Italy in the 15th century, and was brought to New Spain (now Mexico) in the 18th century. At first it was a game for the elite, but over time it became a family game played by everyone. 

The "El Negrito" Card in Classic Lotería

In the Spanish language, the suffixes -ito and -ita are used as diminutives, or add-ons that label something as small and cute. -Ito and -ita words can also function as terms of endearment, like mi sobrinita (my little niece) or mijito (little boy). But the meaning and intention in using the term negrito is less clear.  Mi negrito (my little black person) and negrita were historically used in reference to  enslaved persons. The mi (my) in this case was a declaration of ownership, and the diminutive reflected a hierarchically subordinate status. But what does it mean to say things like negrito or mi negrita today?

Many in Mexico find these terms to be socially acceptable expressions of endearment for darker skinned family members and friends. Others, however, see the use of this language as insulting and a continuation of colonial-era racial relations. Since the 1960s there has also been a move by Afrodescendants to reclaim the negrito and negrita diminutives and use them with pride. 

Today, some are calling out the classic Don Clemente version of Lotería (recognizable by its yellow box) as an exemplar of Mexico’s entrenched anti-Blackness. The “El Negrito” card not only uses a diminutive that many Afrodescendants find offensive, but it depicts the game’s only visible Black character as a tap-dancing entertainer akin to Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. In this way the game mimics broader discriminatory practices, where Black persons are permitted to enter traditionally White spaces only as performers or the help.

Lotería Afrolatina was made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [GSM-251848-OMS-22] and with support from California Humanities, a nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities [HFAP22-129]. Visit www.imls.gov and www.calhum.org for more information. Views expressed in the game do not necessarily represent those of its funders and other supporters.