The so-called Dance of the Little Blacks (Danza de los Negritos) is performed in different regions of Mexico, each with its own iconographic and stylistic variations, yet all sharing a common theme: the Afro-descendant colonial legacy associated with slavery and the sugarcane and cattle economies. Among the communities of Michoacán, the dance constitutes a direct remembrance of that past, but it has also been reworked symbolically to represent historical experiences of domination, resistance, and cultural adaptation.
According to municipal council records dating through the nineteenth century, these dances were considered both economic and spiritual obligations within religious celebrations. According to these sources, the dances performed by these groups incorporated elements, symbolism, and movements of African origin, and funding was provided for the costumes, which included masks, although no details regarding their facial features were recorded. During the eighteenth century, the Afro-descendant population increased, and to this day several mulatto communities, who self-identify as Indigenous communal communities, continue to maintain their social organization through the colonial dance tradition, as is the case in Jiquilpan.
In this community, the so-called Dance of the Blacks (Danza de los Negros) is performed in honor of the Feast of the Child of the Brotherhood from December 25 to February 2. The dancers wear costumes resembling those of the charros, figures characteristic of the Bajío region. The mask is carved from colorín wood and painted black with red and white motifs. It is decorated with ribbons, poinsettias, and sheepskins that simulate hair. As part of their attire, the dancers carry a braided rope used as a whip. Some interpretations suggest that the dance served as a means of bringing together groups dispersed throughout the hills and, therefore, functioned as a foundational element in the formation of the present-day municipality.
In Acuitzio, this dance is performed on Christmas Eve and was formerly known as the “Frasicos.” The mask is also painted black, with red lips and certain facial features highlighted in white. Some examples display decorations resembling the tribal markings or facial tattoos of enslaved Africans.
One variation is documented in Uruapan, where the masks are notable for incorporating maque, a decorative technique of pre-Hispanic origin. In the municipality of Tingambato, the Dance of the Little Blacks is distinguished by masks with opposite features: white skin, blond hair, and light-colored eyes. The costume includes a black tailored suit and a military-style cap adorned with religious elements, flowers, and decorative stones, alluding to the wealth of the characters. According to the participants, these elements embody the North Americans who arrived in the community several decades ago for business purposes. The mask serves as a satire of this alterity and of the extractive practices associated with it, particularly those based on the deforestation of the territory. Within the context of these socio-environmental processes, the mask functions as an instrument of resistance.