THE EAST AND THE WEST TOGETHER IN THE SOUTH. South African in Argentina, how do they do?
- Romina Mazzaferri
- 5 feb 2013
- 2 Min. de lectura
(Published at The Asian World)
In South America, at the beginning of the last century, Argentina has been called the “melting pot” due to the immigrant waves. In that time, people came mainly from Europe.
Nowadays, from a total population of 40 million people, two millions are foreign. And, according to the last census, five thousand of them were born in the countries of South Asia.
Despite this diversity, most of the foreigner living here feels that the Argentine people acts with arrogance or rudeness and not always make them feel like home. Something like that described Asjad Iqbal, a Pakistani who traveled to Argentine for business and had to deal with bad-temper Argentines. He has been living in Buenos Aires, the capital city, for a year and two months but he misses his country because he found the local culture too different with his own. Perhaps in order to feel his culture closer to him, Asjad owns a shop of typical clothes and jewelry accessories. He also works with Indians living in Argentina.
Both Pakistani and Indian are awakening the interest in the local people for the millenary traditions of the East. Restaurants, shop of clothes, institutes of bollydance, music and sitar playing are increasing the Argentine followers, who are also interested in the East philosophy. Most of the teachers are from South Asia. They use to be invited by their Embassies for the National holidays, where festivals of classic dances are held.
The Asian food is one of the most popular in the Plaza Serrano, in the multicultural neighborhood of Palermo. There are a few restaurant attended by their owners who delight local and tourists such as Taj Mahal, Mumbai, Tandoor and Krishna, all Indian eateries. The vegetarian food is earning local followers.
By his side, Asjad enjoy the “asado”, the typical roasted meat in Argentina, the country of her daughter Nadia. The shop of Asjad is named to her daughter. By the way, Nadia means “mist” in Persian and “hope” in Slavonic. Maybe a “mist of hope” of understanding both cultures since that named is used in both East and West and now, as a shop, it is located in the South.
