In a multiethnic territory, various ethnicities coexist.
The adjective pluriethnic is used to describe that which encompasses or brings together different ethnicities . An ethnicity, meanwhile, is a human group that is defined by cultural, racial or other similarities.
The idea of multiethnic is used with reference to the State, association, entity or movement that includes different ethnicities . This means that it presents diversity , since it has members who show varied characteristics.
Examples of multi-ethnic countries
Bolivia , for example, is a multi-ethnic country. Or plurinational , as it is officially called due to the recognition of the pre-existence of nations in its territory before the Spanish conquest. These nations refer to Aymaras , Quechuas , Guaraníes , Ayoreos and other ethnic groups.
Another case is Colombia , which went through an extensive process of miscegenation that began with the Spanish conquest, which resulted in great cultural wealth, combining customs from various origins. Human beings do not usually accept cultural or racial diversity easily, at least not right away. This leads to discrimination, which can manifest itself in many forms, all of them regrettable.
In Colombia, the Conquest led to the mixing of three cultures: African, indigenous American and European (mainly Spanish). In this way the emergence of the mestizos, the mulattos, the zambos and the cuarterones took place.
Bolivia is a multiethnic country.
Mestizos, mulattoes, zambos and cuarterones
A mestizo is defined as the son of a white man and an Amerindian; In other words, one of the parents must be of white race (a term that today would not be precise enough to identify them) and the other, of Amerindian race.
A mulatto , on the other hand, was the son of a black person and a white person. Then we have the concept of zambo , the process of miscegenation that took place when the parents were one indigenous person from America and the other, black. Finally we have the cuarterón , the individual that was born on the American continent from a combination of mestizo and Spanish genes.
Respect for the multi-ethnic component
Deep awareness-raising work is necessary to show citizens the richness hidden behind diversity , so that they leave contempt behind and change it for an acceptance that may be natural. A multiethnic country should be preferable to a monoethnic one, precisely because the variety of origins enhances its cultural development and propels it to unpredictable horizons.
In many cases, the rejection that certain ethnic groups receive from the majority leads them to despise themselves. This is a very dangerous situation, because it threatens the continuity of their cultural heritage in pursuit of a conversion to reduce hostility . No one should feel less valuable or worthy of respect because of their race; On the contrary, discovering oneself different should be a reason for joy and encourage the disclosure of one's own differences to enrich others.
State recognition
Throughout history there have been many cases of multiethnic (or multiethnic , which means the same) states . Coexistence between ethnic groups was more or less harmonious depending on each one, there were even acts of violence between communities.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , which emerged after the Second World War , was a multi-ethnic state that dissolved in 1992 . In their search for independence and territorial control, the Croats , Serbs , Albanians and Bosnians were involved in armed conflicts that left thousands dead.
It is important to mention that, beyond official recognition and immigration laws, most countries are currently multiethnic. This is due to migrations that lead people of multiple nationalities and cultures to live together in cosmopolitan cities, such as New York or London , to mention two possibilities.