Aires – what a great city! Immediately we have felt at home and fascinated by the place.So far we've wandered around and just taken in its charm. Buenos Aires has large, wide streets and busy shopping centres, like any large capital, and has lots of interesting suburbs too. We are staying near San Telmo, which we heard is the centre of the Tango culture in Buenos Aires, and found it is also a centre of art, antiques and music. The back-streets remind you of Paris and the whole area is quite untouched. It's dirty, messy and run-down, and oozing with charm.
At the little market around Dorrego square, we were drawn in by real local-made goods. Many of the market-people had a genuine story about what they were selling – I was given a full 5-minute explanation of the benefits of each of a stand full of wallets, not having realised before there could be so much difference – and Nicki was beguiled by a Ukrainian woman who had great bag-technology. Her story was impossible to ignore and she easily captured our 50 pesos (7 GBP/8 Euros) for her beautifully hand-made bag.
As for me, I was taken in by a writer. The book that caught my attention is called “Tango – The Truth” by Sally Roddy. She had been doing Latin American studies in England and came to Buenos Aires to finish her thesis, fell in love with the city and the story of Tango, and stayed.
Her book says that the history of Tango and the city are interlinked,
and she tells something of the story of both in her self-published story, which I read over lunch sitting on the square and drinking Quilmes beer. My knowledge of Argentinian history is almost non-existent and the book helped fill in some important stuff.We have been wondering why the locals look so incredibly different to Peruvians – much lighter, despite a similar climate. Sally explained that this is because there was huge immigration in the 1800's and early 1900's, as the Argentinian government looked to America as a leading light. Argentina was second only to USA in the levels of immigration in this period, and they had hoped to capture all types of people from across Europe, with offices set up in Wales and Ireland as well as on mainland Europe (which explains why there is a Welsh community in Patagonia.). However, the majority of immigrants were from Italy and Spain, and almost 90% were men. This led to a heightening of an already macho culture and a big development of brothels as well as much more competition for the attentions of women.
Tango is a form of music and dance which is much more structured and formal than Salsa. It's a cool, surly looking form of movement and incredibly macho. It seems to me to be designed for the man to show supremacy and the female to demonstrate submissiveness, an out of date concept at odds with Tango's increasing popularity. Surprisingly, there have been periods when it has been suppressed by governments or song-titles have had to be toned down during the 20th century, when Argentina went through a series of military coups, interrupted by Juan Peron in the middle of the century. Tango's origins in the brothels and bars gave it an edgy side in lyrics and sound, the sort of thing oppressive governments are always against.
What I hadn't realised was how recently there had been military rule here. From 1976-1983, there was the “Dirty War” when 1000's of people were killed or disappeared – of course, it was during this time that the Argentinian government decided in late 1981 to play the Nationalist card and claim the Falkland Islands back. Apparently support for the government lasted a week until it became clear that Maggie Thatcher was no wallflower and was ready to fight back. After the loss of that war (described by Marquez as “two bald men fighting over a comb”) the government fell within a year. Today I saw a poster claiming that veterans of the war 27 years ago had been forgotten with no recompense. That period is still something remembered by the people here, although I have felt not one second of animosity towards us as English people.
In the periods when Tango was repressed in Argentina, its reputation grew outside – in Paris in the early 1900's, it was the dance. Since 1983, it has experienced a re-resurgence in Argentina and beyond.
This book, with its evocative photos, solid silky cover and exce
llently researched text has been an inspiration for me. Sally found something about the city that helped her express her love for the city, its people and its history. I guess that's what I have been searching for regarding Amsterdam. She published the book herself and its presentation is so attractive (who wouldn't want to explore a little red book titled “Tango – the Truth” in Buenos Aires?) and has caught my imagination.Who knows – maybe coming to Buenos Aires may be the ultimate inspiration to make my dream of a book become reality.
