Mestiço, in Colonial Brazil, was initially used to refer to mamelucos, persons born from a couple in which one was an Indigenous American and the other a European. It literally translates as "", probably referring to the common Iberian comparisons of swarthy people to North Africans. The term mameluco fell in disuse in Brazil and was replaced by the much more familiar-sounding caboclo or cariboca/curiboca, given the fact that most Brazilians, even those living in ubiquitously Christian villages and towns, spoke Tupi and the Tupi-derived língua geral until the 18th century, when they were banned by the Marquis of Pombal in 1777. A young Indigenous or caboclo boy would be a piá, from Tupi pyã, "heart", the way Indigenous mothers referred to their children. In modern-day Brazil, nevertheless, this word became general slang for any boy, regardless of race. Even before the use of the Portuguese language in public became mandatory for Brazilians, nevertheless, other categories of mestiço appeared, with the introduction of African slavery by the Portuguese to Brazil and subsequent assimilation of them, whether enslaved, free or runaway, in both Portuguese settlements and Indigenous villages, as well as the Portuguese colonization of Africa and Asia. A '', the Portuguese word for a light brown color, evolved to mean any visibly mixed-race person that would not pass for any other race, to the exception of those of lighter complexion, who could be morenos or sararás.
Mestiço community in Brazil
In Brazil, the word mestiço was substituted for "pardo" in the 1890 census, alongside "caboclo", but then returned to "pardo" in subsequent censuses. The term was and is used to describe individuals born from any mixture of different ethnicities. Mainly these individuals usually have a blend in African, Native American, and European Caucasian. there are specific groups like - European/Portuguese and Native American parents are commonly known as caboclo or, more commonly in the past, mameluco. Individuals of European and African ancestry are described as mulato. Cafuzos are the production of Native American and African ancestors. if someone has a mix of all three they are known as "pardo". Brazil celebrates The Mixed Race Day to celebrate racial unity in the nation, Paraíba and Roraima. The Day of the Caboclo occurs June 24.
The Mestiço are primarily of mixed European, native bornindigenousAngolan and/or other indigenous African lineages. They tend to be Portuguese culturally and to have full Portuguese names. Although they make up about 2% of the population, they are the socially elite, and racially privileged, group in the country. Historically, Mestiços formed social and cultural allegiances with Portuguese colonists, subsequently identifying with the Portuguese over and above their indigenous identities. Despite their loyalty, the ethnic group faced economic and political adversity at hands of the white population during times of economic hardship for whites. These actions lead to ostracizing Mestiços from their inherited economic benefits which sparked the group to take a new sociopolitical direction. However, since the 400 year Portuguese presence in the country, the ethnic group has retained their position of entitlement which is highly evident in the political, economic and cultural hierarchy in present-day Angola. Their phenotype range is broad with a number of members possessing physical characteristics that are close to others within the indigenous black non-mixed population. Since the Mestiços are generally better educated than the rest of the indigenous black population, they exercise influence in government disproportionate to their numbers.
In Guinea-Bissau 1% of the population is of mixed African Native and Portuguese descent. In Cape Verde mestiço designated an individual of mixed European and African descent.
Mestiço community of Mozambique
A minority of the population of Mozambique are of mixed Bantu and Portuguese heritage.
In Portugal's colonies in India from the seventeenth century, the term "castiço" came to be applied used for Portuguese persons born in India without any racial mixing, while "mestiço" applied to anyone with any European ancestor, however remote. The mestiço children of wealthy Portuguese men were often sent to Portugal to study. Sometimes they remained there and established families. Many Portuguese-born mestiços became prominent politicians, lawyers, writers or celebrities. Alfredo Nobre da Costa, who was briefly Prime Minister of Portugal in 1978, was of Goan descent on his father's side. Similarly, António Costa, the Prime Minister of Portugal since 26 November 2015, is one-half Goan through his father, Orlando da Costa. Television presenter Catarina Furtado is also part Indian. In Portuguese Ceylon, the names Mestiços or Casados were applied to people of mixed Portuguese and Sri Lankan descent, starting in the 16th century. The locals who converted to Christianity but did not have any European blood were called, "indiacatos".
