Race in Colonial Latin America Guided Questions Can you Purchase Whiteness?!? Pedro de Ayarza

Who was Pedro de Ayarza? 

He was a well-respected Panamanian merchant with many connections through the region. He was not white; he was a rich, and a dark skinned captain. Although he was not white, he was treated like a white. 

Why did he begin a legal petition? 

To let his pardo sons be considered for college and not have their skin color even affect the chances of his well-educated sons. Also to have society accept him and his family no matter what their skin color is. 

Why did “Pedro, a pardo from Panama believe that he could get the Spanish king  to make him white”? 

     He had many reasons, like a historic Hispanic mentality that had always validated the monarch's power to alter an individual's rank. Another reason was to purchase a favor known as gracias al sacar. Lastly, there were precedents of others who have been whitened. 

In the first petition, Ayarza’s neighbors describe his standing in the community.  How do they describe him? 

The neighbors used their own voice and comments in the petition; they described Ayarza and his family as having service and wealth but also demonstrated the degree to which the Ayarzas were accepted by the white elite and thus the extent to which a gracias al sacar might not disturb the social and racial status quo. 

How did Spanish royal officials respond to this first petition? 

The royal officials validated Pedors social acceptance. They saw his reputation, and it really came in handy. They also said Ayarza's children won the esteem of the most prominent persons because of their “proper conduct,” “modesty,” “good education,” and “Christian behavior,” which pushed the petition to be forwarded through the viceroy in Bogotá. But next was for the decision to be made by the Camara of the Indies.

In the second petition, we learn that the Ayarza family is still having trouble. What is the problem

First of all, in 1800 a debate erupted between the two most senior lawyers in the viceregal capital as to whether the Panamanian should be admitted to the bar.  Another minor issue was that Pedro was planning for the graduation of his two younger sons and was determined to get them degrees no matter what their skin color was. In the 2nd petition, the judge agreed for Josef Ponicano to become a lawyer, but his two younger brothers would be refused admission to the whitenings, leaving the family to be split from multiple opportunities for their family.