Before I went to Argentina I was very excited at the thought of immersing myself in Argentinean culture. Now I have realized that there is no such thing as an Argentinean culture. There are probably as many cultures as there are regions in this incredible country.
In Buenos Aires, I walked among buildings with impressive colonial architecture, which gave me a good idea of the past glory of Argentina. In the capital I only saw people of European descent very stylishly dressed. They were hurrying about to their busy lives, strolling leisurely on the streets, or simply sipping coffee with medialunas in one of the city's innumerable cafes. On the street I could hear the ever present rhythms of tango and milonga.
Once I arrived in Patagonia, the tango and cafes were entirely gone. The towns were simpler and subdued in comparison to the magnificent landscape around them. I felt as though I was in a ski resort town like those found anywhere in the world.
Coming to Mendoza I entered a region where the art of bien vivre is the rule of the day. The most defining characteristics of the local culture were for me wine and siesta, both taken very seriously by the locals.
And finally in Salta I encountered the Andean culture. For the first time in Argentina I could see on the streets more indigenous people than those of European descent. Arts and crafts sold in the markets are reminders that the people around Salta are direct descendants of the Incas. There are also numerous Pre-Colombian ruins in the region and its inhabitants are proud of their non-Hispanic heritage.
Before I came to Argentina the two things that came to my mind were tango and wine. This trip has been a great eye-opener. Argentina is at least as diverse in its cultures as it is in its landscapes. And the six weeks I have spent here are hardly enough to appreciate all its richness.
No comments:
Post a Comment