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Casta

A casta (, ) was a hierarchical system of race classification created by Spanish elites (españoles) in Hispanic America during the eighteenth century. The sistema de castas or the sociedad de castas was used in 17th and 18th centuries in Spanish America and Spanish Philippines to describe as a whole and socially rank the mixed-race people who were born during the post-Conquest period. The process of mixing ancestries in the union of people of different races was known as mestizaje. A parallel system of categorization based on the degree of acculturation to Hispanic culture, which distinguished between gente de razón (Hispanics) and gente sin razón (non-acculturated natives), concurrently existed and supported the idea of the racial classification system.

Created by European elites, the sistema de castas or the sociedad de castas, was based on the principle that people varied largely due to their birth, color, race and origin of ethnic types. The system of castas was more than socio-racial classification. It had an effect on every aspect of life, including economics and taxation. Both the Spanish colonial state and the Church required more tax and tribute payments from those of lower socio-racial categories. Related to Spanish ideas about purity of blood (which historically also related to its reconquest of Spain from the Moors), the colonists established a caste system in Latin America by which a person's socio-economic status generally correlated with race or racial mix in the known family background, or simply on phenotype (physical appearance) if the family background was unknown. From the colonial period, when the Spanish imposed control, many wealthy persons and high government officials were of peninsular (Iberian) and/or European background, while African or indigenous ancestry, or dark skin, generally was correlated with inferiority and poverty. The "whiter" the heritage a person could claim, the higher in status they could claim; conversely, darker features meant less opportunity.

Casta paintings were a new, secular art form primarily produced in eighteenth-century Mexico. A notable exception to the secular nature of the genre is Luis de Mena's 1750 painting of Virgin of Guadalupe with castas.

Casta (disambiguation)

Casta may refer to:

  • Casta, a term used in 17th- and 18th-century Spanish America
  • Častá, a Slovakian village
  • Castes in general
  • Casta 2E1 a Russian surveillance radar
  • Laetitia Casta, French model and actress
  • Candida albicans skin test antigen

Usage examples of "casta".

It was not generally used by Comyn except to outsiders who did not understand casta, BS 71-72.

Trailmen speak archaic casta, retaining word forms elsewhere long obsolete.

Female given name in casta corresponding to Terran Marjorie or Margaret.

The casta term is directly from the Terran Standard, a fact well noticed by the Terrans but ignored by natives.

The text here given is based on the most ancient sources available, some of them apparently dating from the Ages of Chaos to judge from their archaic casta forms.

You said that Casta has promised the old man an heir, that he has made a prophecy that a boy will come to inherit Zir and lead it to new glory.

I am not the fool that many, especially that Casta, take me for, and I have never really believed in miracles or wizardry.

So, Blade, as I say, you will have to prove yourself to me or I will save Casta the trouble of killing you.

I will introduce you to all my wise men and my statesmen, bah, and certainly to Casta and the Princess Hirga.

I think that she is as awed as the people and that her faith in Casta is somewhat shaken.

My own spies say that the boy had been seen with Casta from time to time.

I do not think, Izmir, that this Casta and I are going to get along when finally we meet.

It would only mean defeat and give Casta a chance to gloat and point you out as a failure and an imposter.

Or, rather, what does Casta want, for it is my guess that he sent you.

You cannot know the truth about Casta until you see and meet him and judge for yourself.