Final answer:
The "shibboleth" used in Danticat's 'The Farming of Bones' is "perejil" (parsley). This word was used in the 1937 Massacre to differentiate Dominicans from Haitians. Descriptions of Spanish cruelty toward Native peoples contributed to the "black legend" used by the English to justify their own colonial endeavors.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Edwidge Danticat's The Farming of Bones, the "shibboleth" used during the 1937 Massacre, which is historically known as the Parsley Massacre, was "perejil"—the Spanish word for "parsley". Haitians who could not pronounce the rolled 'r' sound in the word were identified as non-Spanish speakers and often suffered brutal consequences. This historical fact is woven into Danticat's narrative, providing a chilling reminder of the impact of language and pronunciation on one's fate during the massacre orchestrated by Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo.
The writings describing the Spaniards' horrific treatment of Native peoples were used to fuel the "black legend" against Spain, depicting Spanish colonizers as particularly ruthless and inhumane. This served as a contrast to the English who leveraged these accounts to position their own colonial efforts as more humane and benign. The manipulation of these narratives helped justify English exploration and colonization as bringing more civil and democratic values to the New World.