Postcards from Chile: Peanut Vendor (Manicero)

El "Manicero." Old-time peanut vendor.

Bicentennial: Chile Está de Fiesta!

Chile’s on holiday… celebrating it’s Bicentennial (September 18, 2010).

Four legal holidays, from Friday September 17 through Monday September 20…

Happy Birthday Chile!

Tiki Tiki Ti!!!

Chilean Arpilleras: A chapter of history written on cloth

Decorative arpilleras reflect the idyllic tranquility of country life, Chile 1992

Arpilleras—colorfully enchanting patchwork images depicting daily life—you’ve probably seen them in crafts fairs in Chile and even in Peru. Maybe you’ve even bought some. They’re bright and cheerful, perfect little gifts and ideal for children’s rooms—but they didn’t start out that way. These colorful appliques–arpilleras de adorno (decorative arpilleras)–were born of a much darker past.

Chile’s Bicentennial: Celebrating what we are

Can a country as diverse as Chile be summed up in a single graphic image? Today some thoughts on the official Bicentennial Poster.

Chile loves “concursos”—contests, competitions—of all sorts. They may be of the playful, champion-determining type (sports, games, dances, etc.); the best-of type (the arts, literature, music, etc.); the who-shall-we-hire type; and the who-gets-the-bid type. So it really wasn’t surprising to see that the Bicentennial Committee sponsored a concurso for the official Bicentennial Poster. The theme was declared “Celebrating what we are,” and here is final result.  Take a look. How well does the poster  represent Chile to you?

September in Chile: Una Rica Empanada Caldúa

Who doesn’t love a good empanada?
Well, me, for one… as much as I hate to admit it.

But before all you empanada lovers come to their defense–I know they’re delicious! And it’s not that I don’t like them really as much as it is that the particular combination of ingredients, especially onions, just do me in.

Talkin’ Empanadas

To speak true Chilean, you must refer to these savory delights as “empana’as” (because Chileans “eat” the d while waiting in line for fresh empana(d)as to come out of the oven). You get extra points if you dream about biting into a “rica empanáa caldúa” (a delicious and very juicy empanada).

Viva Chile, Mierda! (It’s a good thing)

Yes, I know that Viva Chile, Mierda is an unlikely title for  a post about a country one loves, but it’s an expression that truly bears comment—especially since Chilean President Sebastián Piñera himself used it on camera recently when he announced that all 33 miners were alive and well 700 meters beneath the ground 17 days after the mine they are in collapsed.

A Chilean flag hangs from the remains of a house in Constitución destroyed by the tsunami that followed the February 2010 earthquake

I’ve heard this expression a zillion times, but have to confess that I never really thought much about it, and certainly did not understand it until these past couple of weeks…

Trompo: Give it a whirl!

Ever spun a top? A real one made of wood, wrapped in string, and thrown to make it spin? In Chile it’s called a “trompo” and is popular with men of all ages…and certainly not as easy as it looks!

A spinning "trompo" or top at a typical Chilean fonda

The  sense of Chilenidad—Chile’s national identity—the collection of all that makes up a spirit of being Chilean—is composed of many different aspects, one of which is games, and one of the oldest is the trompo, a simple wooden cone-shaped yet rounded toy with a metal tip that is thrown so that it spins upright. Once you get the basic tossing down, you start with tricks, such as picking it up to spin on the palm of your hand or even throwing it so that it lands—spinning—in your hand without ever having touched the ground.

September: the month of Chilenidad

September: the month of Chilenidad

Chilenidad. What a great word. It means “Chileanness,” and Chileans take it very seriously indeed. And September, the month of Independence Day on September 18 (also taken very seriously) AKA “El Dieciocho” and Fiestas Patrias (ditto) and especially this one, the 200^th 18^th, makes for some pretty good reasons to think just exactly what Chilenidad is all about.

A small Andean town deep in the Elqui Valley prepares for "18" with Chilean flag banners

Wikipedia (c’mon, admit it, we all use it!) says Chilenidad is: