¡Bienvenidos a Argentina!

Hi students and welcome to Argentina! This blog is an introduction to modern Argentina and its culture. Below you will find thirty-six entries about various parts of Argentine culture from soccer to politics and many things in between. This is by no means a full commentary on Argentina culture, but instead a journey to introduce you to many, though not all, of the culture's key aspects. ¡Buen viaje! [bwen vya-hey] Enjoy your trip!

The Economic Crisis of 2001

Traditionally Argentina has been one of South America's strongest economies and was even one of the strongest in the world in the early part of the twentieth century. However the past twenty-five years have not been so good for Argentina. The military regime of the late 1970s and early 1980s (see "The Dirty War" below) took on a lot of debt for a lot of its military plans. All of these loans eventually created a big burden on Argentina that it could not handle. It was like an individual in our day taking on thousands of dollars that he or she cannot pay back just to get a new house, a car, and other things. This was just the beginning of the problems. Inflation was huge during the 1980s and 1990s. This meant that everyone's money kept becoming worth less.

Argentina's government tried to fix all of this. It did ok for a while, but also had other problems. Corruption was a big problem. Important people in the government would make business deals for Argentina that would get a few people rich while hurting the country. Unemployment was also on the rise. All of this created an economy that was not very stable. Things got worse at the end of the 1990s. Argentina had all these debts it could not pay because it was not making enough money, corruption was terrible, and people were getting frustrated. They were scared and starting going to the banks to take out all their money so that they did not lose it. The government knew that this would not be good and placed limits on how much money could take out. People got mad and started to riot all over the country. They broke stores open, stole food, protested everywhere, and fought with the police.



Five presidents ruled the nation in a span of two weeks (see "Five Presidents in Two Weeks" below). One after another kept resigning until one, Eduardo Duhalde [ed-wuar-doh doo-wual-day], stayed for over a year and helped stabilize the situation after it got even worse in 2002. In 2002, prices went up for everything, but wages stayed the same and unemployment was still a huge problem. However, the 2003 election brought in Néstor Kirchner [nest-ore keerch-ner]. He has helped pay off the debts, stop inflation, promote growth, and help unemployment. Things have been better for Argentina since 2002 and there is still much work to be done. Yet this crisis has made many Argentines upset and bitter. A part of Argentina's culture is pessimism, especially in politicians. They want their government to do a better job at taking advantage of Argentina's rich natural resources and incredible potential for growth.

Climate in Argentina

Argentina is a huge country with quite a variety of climates. From the humid Buenos Aires to the dry deserts of San Juan to the cold glaciers of Patagonia, temperatures range as frequently as the landscape. Here is a breakdown of a few major regions in Argentina and their climates. Remember that the summer in Argentina is December, January, and February because the country is in the Southern Hemisphere.

Pampas [pahm-pas]: This region includes the city of Buenos Aires. It is flat and near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and Río de la Plata [re-oh dey lah plah-tah]. The summers are hot and humid in the summer while the winters are somewhat cold. Temperatures can get into the 90s, but the humidity makes it seem hotter. This region is flat and has no snowfall. It does rain, however, more than in the dry west.

Patagonia [paht-ah-gohn-ya]: While temperatures in this region vary, it is much colder than the rest of Argentina. This is the southern part of Argentina, making it farther away from the equator and closer to Antarctica. It snows in many places here and temperatures can easily get below freezing. The region is home to some beautiful glaciers as well.

Cuyo [coo-shoh]: This region is on the west of Argentina and borders Chile. It is hot and dry in the summertime with temperatures reaching well over 100 degrees. It is covered with desert until it turns into the Andes Mountains. The winters bring snow to the hills and mountains, but not as much to the areas in the plains. The temperatures do get cold, though, sometimes reaching the 30s.

Northeast: This region is extremely hot and humid. Many different kinds of tropical plants can be grown here because of it. Yerba mate, which you will read about below, is grown in this region.

As you will see in this blog, Argentina is a land full of variety. Its various climates are no exception. A person can find anything from beautiful beaches to amazing ski resorts in this wonderful country.

La Boca

La Boca [lah boh-cah] is a neighborhood in Buenos Aires that shows the color and flavor of the Buenos Aires [bwen-ohs ay-rays] and Argentine culture. Check out these pictures of La Boca and enjoy the richness of this neighborhood.

Brad Pitt . . . in Argentina?

Brad Pitt starred in the 1997 movie Seven Years in Tibet which is supposed to take place in Tibet. However most of the movie wasn't filmed there. Tibet is owned by China and the movie is somewhat critical of communist China. For that reason, the movie could not be filmed there. The directors had to find another mountain range similar to the Himalayas. They chose the Andes and filmed quite a bit of the movie in Argentina. For this reason, Brad Pitt came to Mendoza, Argentina and stayed in Uspallata [oos-pah-shah-tah]. Argentina's mountains are not only pretty but they also attract movie stars and crews for famous films.

La Buena Carne

Have you ever cut a steak without a knife? Have you ever had a piece of meat melt in your mouth? Have you ever tasted meat that needs no barbecue sauce or additional spices? If you haven't, you need to go to Argentina and try some of la buena carne [lah bwen-ah cahr-nay] or "good meat" of Argentina. Argentine beef is well known for its tenderness and taste. Why is that so? Many say that it is because Argentine cows are fed grass. Whatever the reason, the meat is just plain good. The next time you get a chance, be sure to eat some buena carne like these delicious-looking steaks:

Five Presidents in Two Weeks

How many US presidents have there been since you were born? The earliest you were probably born is the late 1980s or early 1990s. George Bush or Bill Clinton was probably president when you were born. If you were born during George Bush's presidency, you have been alive for three American presidents. If it was Bill Clinton, then you have been alive for only two. There was a period of two weeks once in Argentina's history when there were five presidents. It was at the end of 2001/beginning of 2002. The country was in a terrible financial crisis (see above) and president after president resigned because he knew he could not solve the economic problems. Eventually one was able to stay on for about a year until elections came in 2003. Here is a rundown of the presidents and their length in office.

• Fernando de la Rúa (fair-nahn-doh day lah roo-ah]: December 10, 1999 to December 21, 2001
  


• Ramón Puerta [rah-mohn pwair-tah]: December 21, 2001 to December 22, 2001
  


• Adolfo Rodríguez Saá[ah-dole-foh rohd-ree-ges sa-ah]: December 23, 2001 to December 30, 2001


• Eduardo Camaño [ed-wuar-doh cah-mahn-yo]: December 31, 2001 to January 1, 2002


• Eduardo Duhalde [ed-wuar-doh doo-wual-day]: January 1, 2002 to May 25, 2003

While the economic situation continued to get worse, Duhalde was able to hold Argentina together in time for elections in 2003. This is another example of something that discourages Argentines from having faith in politics. If the presidents of a country don't have faith in the situation, why should the people? For this and other reasons, Argentines are fed up with politicians and have a very skeptical view on politics. It is an important part of their culture and helps others understand their frustrations. Here is a picture of Duhalde, the man who was able to keep everything from going overboard in 2002.

Pesos

Argentina's currency is called the peso [pay-soh]. Over the past few years, one peso is equal to about thirty-three cents in American money. Since American currency is stronger, it offers those with American dollars a good exchange rate in Argentina and thus a good deal on everything. Just like in many countries around the world, Argentina uses its money to honor important characters in Argentine history and culture. Here is a picture that shows all the bills and following that will appear a description of each hero on each bill. The 1 peso bill does not exist; it is instead a coin and does not have any Argentine's face on it.

Billete de dos pesos [bee-shet-ay day dose pay-sohs] or "two-peso bill": This has the face of former president Bartomolé Mitre [bart-oh-low-may mee-tray]. He was president during the 1860s, when Argentina gained valuable land from Paraguay and grew richer. He was a journalist and was very influential with his writings before and after his presidency.

Billete de cinco [sink-oh; "five"] pesos: Here is shown the face of José de San Martín [hoe-say dey sahn mar-teen], the liberator of Argentina (see below). He is Argentina's greatest hero and is a national icon.

Billete de diez [dyes; "ten"] pesos: On this bill is the face of Manuel Belgrano. He designed Argentina's flag and helped win some of the independence battles.

Billete de veinte [vain-tay; "twenty"] pesos: Juan Manuel de Rosas [whuahn mahn-well day rose-ahs] was president of Argentina for various periods between 1829 and 1852. He prevented foreign exploitation of Argentina and was a strong-willed leader.

Billete de cincuenta [sink-went-ah; "fifty"] pesos: Another president appears on this bill. It was Domingo Faustino Sarmiento [doh-mean-goh fow-steen-oh sar-myen-toh] was president from 1868 to 1874. He was an advocate of progress and making Argentina open to the world. He was also a very influential writer.

Billete de cien [syen; "one hundred"] pesos: Former president and military leader Julio Roca [whoo-lyo roh-cah] appears here. He was president twice, from 1880 to 1886 and from 1898 to 1904. He led the "Conquest of the Desert" (see below) to modernize Argentina. In general he promoted a lot of progress in Argentina.

In one sense or another, these men are all national heroes. They have helped Argentina become what it is today and are thus remembered on the bills Argentines use every day as their currency.

Music and Dancing

Argentines love to dance! People your age love nothing more than going to the boliche [boh-leach-ay], or "discotheque." There are many different types of music in Argentina. Many of the people enjoy American music, but most like the various types that exist in Argentina. Here is a sampling of the three most prominent music and dancing styles in Argentina.

This first one is cumbia [coom-byah]. There are different kinds of cumbia, but young people love to dance to all of them. It usually has a strong beat and an interesting mix of instruments, like an organ for example. This is a dance that people can dance alone. Watch this video of Argentine soccer player Carlos Tévez dancing to cumbia music.



The second example is called cuarteto [quar-tet-oh]. It uses more traditional instruments like the accordion, the violin, and more. It is fast paced and so is the dance, which is done by a pair. Watch this video to see and hear cuarteto.



The last example is called folclore [fohl-clore-ay] and is a more traditional dance and music style. It has specific steps and is danced usually in traditional clothing. The music includes a variety of instruments and a strong lead singer. Some would argue that cumbia and cuarteto are sung by people who can't sing very well, while folclore includes a singer with a better voice.


Dancing is a way for Argentines to express themselves. Most love to do it and are not ashamed by an opportunity to get on the dancefloor. This makes the culture rich and creates an Argentina of many different types of music, dancing, and entertainment.

The Dirty War

During the twentieth century, Argentina has had a long and problematic history of military intervention in politics. This is something we are unfamiliar with in the US. Can you imagine the leaders of the army, navy, and air force invading the White House and telling the president to leave the country? That happened in Argentina in 1976. The military was fed up with President Isabel Perón [ees-ah-bell pear-own]. She couldn't control a big problem. There were lots of supporters for communism that often fought with those who did not want communism. These conflicts were out of control. The economy was also struggling and the military seemed anxious to step in to resolve the problems. This is what they did. The leaders of the navy, army, and air force formed a ruling group led by Jorge Rafael Videla [hoar-hey rah-fah-el vee-del-ah].

Once they got into power, they began what is known as la guerra sucia [lah ge-rah soo-sya], or "the Dirty War." This refers to the arrests and disappearances of thousands of Argentines who supposedly supported communism. The regime severely opposed communism and saw the solution to the conflicts as "getting rid" of all opponents. Between ten and thirty thousand people disappeared. Many families (see the post below on the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo) never knew what happened to their children and are still trying to figure out.

This was a terrible time for Argentina. While the military solved the conflict between communists and anti-communists through tyranny, they never resolved other problems such as a failing economy. They tried to get some support through an attack on the UK-owned Falkland Islands in 1982 (see the post below), but the invasion eventually became an embarassment. The regime was humiliated and gave up power in 1983. While this is a time period that many would want to forget, Argentina does not forget what happened. The result is a lack of faith in their government. Before, during, and since the Dirty War, Argentina has struggled to overcome challenges of power-hungry and corrupt men that want to rule Argentina for their own gain and benefit. Only with a good string of trustworthy presidents who work for the benefit of Argentina can this attitude change.

Mate

The two most famous drinks from Argentina are probably wine and mate [mah-tay], though not necessarily in that order. Mate is a very important drink in Argentina. It comes from the leaves of a tree in parts of Argentina. The leaves (in this form known as yerba mate [shear-bah mah-tay] are taken and put in a matero [mah-tear-oh].


A matero is like a cup, but usually thicker and made of more durable material like wood. After the leaves are in the matero, hot water is poured into the matero and the drink is ready to drink!


It is a little bitter, so many people put other things in to sweeten it up, like sugar. However, now you have a problem. How do you drink the mate without drinking the leaves? This is where the bombilla [bohm-bee-sha] comes into play. This is a metal straw that has a flat bottom, about the size of a nickel or a quarter. This bombilla has small holes in the bottom so that the drink comes up the straw and not the leaves. When one finishes the cup, he or she passes it to a friend and just refills the water. The leaves last for a few cycles of hot water. Here is a mate kit:


More than anything, drinking mate is a social activity. After a meal or after work, families and friends get together to talk and drink mate. People can easily spend a few hours passing around the matero. Besides, drinking mate is very inexpensive. Yerba mate, sugar, and hot water are cheap! This represents an important part of the culture: social activities are very important to Argentines. They love to sit, drink, and discuss to pass the time and enjoy each other's company.

Los Gauchos

One of Argentina's most well-known groups is the gauchos [gow-chose]. Gauchos are in a lot of ways like the cowboys of the old West in that they rode horses, had a specific style of dress, and lived off of the land. Yet the gauchos are also different and distinctly Argentine. While some still exist, more were around during the nineteenth century. They opposed progress and instead liked to live in isolated settings where they could work and live for themselves. For this reason, they were part of the people that Julio Roca and others tried to defeat in the "Conquest of the Desert" (see below). See the paintings of Molina Campos below to see how he depicted the gauchos of the Argentine plains. Their lives were generally carefree as they lived for themselves.

The gauchos lived on the plains; that was where their specialty was: cattle. They mostly made their living off of cattle and sustained themselves on the plains. Thanks to them in part, Argentina has a great tradition of amazing beef (see above). The gauchos are now more of a tradition than a group as they were in the nineteenth century. They are mostly a tourist attraction now. For this reason, much of the gauchos' attire is what the tourists love when they come to Argentina. The gaucho handkerchiefs, knifes, and other things are favorites of visitors.

Here are a few items of gaucho attire.

1) bombachas [bome-bach-ahs]; these are pants that are wide in the middle and slim at the bottom.


2) facón [fah-cone]; this is a long knife the gauchos could use for many purposes.


3) rebenque [reh-ben-kay]; this is a piece of leather attached to a wooden handle that the gauchos could use to slap a horse to make it go faster.

The gauchos are an important part of Argentine history and folklore. They represent a mixture of the old and the new in today's Argentina. They are not just a tourist attraction, but a representation of an Argentina full of many different peoples and customs.

¡Las Malvinas Son Argentinas!

The Falkland Islands are a group of islands owned by the United Kingdom just off the shore of Argentina in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The UK has owned these for many years even though the islands are thousands of miles away. Argentina, on the other hand, feels like the islands should be Argentine. If you ever talk to an Argentine about it, don't call the islands the Falkland Islands. Argentines not only don't call them that, but don't appreciate being reminded that the islands are usually referred to by the name the UK uses. Instead, ask him or her about las islas Malvinas [lahs ees-lahs mahl-veen-ahs], or the "Malvinas Islands." Look at this map to see how Argentina claims the islands. They are located to the southeast of Argentina (bottom right in the map). Also, check out this road sign on a highway in Argentina. This phrase translates to "The Malvinas are Argentine."


During the reign of the military regime (see above), support was dwindling and there were problems with the economy. The military leaders needed something to increase support and raise national morale. They decided to attack the Malvinas and take them for Argentina in 1982. The attack went very well initially and all were excited. The leaders expected the UK to just let the islands go since they were so far away. Yet Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the UK, refused to let the UK's property be taken and also needed a boost in national morale for her administration. The UK came all the way down and sent the Argentines home. It was a disaster for the military dictatorship, who gave up power the year later because of this and other failures. It was also a disaster for Argentina, who lost hundreds of young men to a war they could not win. This monument remembers the fallen soldiers.

Though Argentina hated the dictatorship, it enjoyed the idea of having the Malvinas. Today there is renewed talk about getting the Malvinas for Argentina, as recently reported by cnn.com. No one really knows what will happen, but the war and the debate over who owns them represent an important part of Argentina's culture. They love their country and very proud (and often stubborn) about what they feel is theirs. It will be interesting to see if the UK ever gives in and gives the islands back to (at least according to Argentines) the rightful owner.

Che, ¿qué hacés?

As you can read about below, Argentina has a special version of Spanish they call castellano [cah-stay-shah-noh]. Not only is the accent different, but some of the grammar and a lot of the words are different too. Here are some helpful phrases for when talking to other people of your age, like in this picture.


Don't use these phrases with adults you do not know very well; these are phrases to use with people that you are familiar with. In the pronunciation, the parts in capital letters are where you place the emphasis of your voice. Spanish is a language based on emphases on different parts of the words. If you have learned a little Spanish, you will notice that this emphasis is different than in most Spanish-speaking countries. So this is very important to remember. Che is a word that means a lot of different things, but in conversations like this it can mean something like "dude," "bro," "man," and so forth. It did not come from Che Guevara. Che is a nickname that came to Guevara because he used it so much when in other countries. It was a slang term before he made it famous. These will help you know how to say a few things if you ever meet an Argentine!

• Che, ¿qué hacés? [chay, kay ahs-ACE]; "Dude, what's goin' on?"


• ¿Cómo andás? [COH-mow ahn-DAS]; "How's it goin'?"


• ¿Cómo te llamás? [COH-mow tay chah-MAHS]; "What's your name?"


• Bueno, ¡dale! [BWEN-oh, DAH-lay]; "OK, let's do it." or "OK, go ahead." or simply "OK." This has many translations.


• ¿Qué te pasa? [kay tay PAHS-ah]: "What's your problem?" or "What's your deal?"


• Che . . . ¡no me digás! [chay, no may deeg-AHS]; "Dude, no way!"
  

Diego Maradona: The Argentine Dream

As you may already know, soccer is huge in Argentina. It is not just a sport; it's an important part of the culture. Friendships often go on hold for matches between some of Argentina's premier teams. During important national matches and World Cup matches, forget about seeing anyone in the streets. They are all watching the game. Children grow up playing after school in the street, on a dirt field, or in a driveway. They play with soccer balls (often deflated), plastic soda pop bottles, or anything else they can get their feet on. Many dream that what happened to Diego Maradona [diay-goh mahr-ah-dohn-ah] can happen to them.

Maradona grew up in a poor neighborhood in Buenos Aires. In spite of his unfavorable circumstances, he became an amazing soccer player. He was without many arguments the best of his time and, according to many, the best of all time. Below you can read about his incredible (and controversial) game against England in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Maradona's journey from rags to riches is what many Argentine youngsters hope to do. While many may fall short, they can dream thanks to Diego Maradona. Argentina loves him and, in spite of recent troubles with drug addiction, feels almost as if he can do no wrong. Songs have been written about him, his famous number 10 is seen all over, and even a church has been founded in his name.

His skills with a soccer ball were amazing. Check out these videos to see this. He represents a culture that loves soccer and where children grow up playing this sport. Watch the last video closely; he is the one passing the ball. He kicks the ball with his left foot even though the ball is on his right side. How? He brought his left foot around (behind his right leg) and kicked the ball with his left. This is called a rabona [rah-bone-ah]. Amazing!

The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo

Has your mother ever worried about you when you haven't come home from school during the usual time or if you stayed out later than expected? She probably has whether you have noticed or not. Mothers have a special love for their children and often worry if things don't seem right. Understanding this can help you understand a special group of women in Argentina. During the Dirty War (see above), many young people seen as opponents of the military dictatorship were disappeared without anyone but the kidnappers knowing what happened to them. To this day no one knows what happened to many of the disappeared. This represents a sad time in Argentine history.

Since 1977, mothers of the disappeared have peacefully protested. Every week for the past thirty years they have gathered in la plaza de mayo [lah plah-sah dey mah-sho] in Buenos Aires (right in front of the presidential residence) to ask their government what happened to their children. They carry signs with pictures of their children and the symbol of their movement is the white scarf they wear around their heads. All they want, they say, is to know what happened to their children.

During a time when protesting was prohibited, the dicatorship in Argentina never suppressed these protesters. They were older women who peacefully marched; to arrest or kidnap them would have been terrible for the government. Now that Argentina has no dictatorship, the government sympathizes with the women more but still won't say anything, if it indeed knows, about their missing children. Until the government does, or perhaps even after, las madres de la plaza de mayo [lahs mah-dreys dey lah plah-sah dey mah-sho; "the mothers of the Plaza de Mayo] will continue to march.

They have been recognized all over the world for their courage and strength. They promote freedom, justice, and compassion. Here is a part of a tribute to the madres from Bono, the lead singer of the band U2. The phrase he uses in Spanish is el pueblo vencerá [el pueh-bloh vens-air-ah], which means "the people will triumph."



Who cannot sympathize with them? These women represent an ugly period for Argentina and the importance of remembering the past. Argentines don't forget easily; they remember the past in order to try to make the future better. Here are some pictures of las madres de la plaza de mayo.