The Stereotypes

Yanet explains she finds it really nice seeing non-Latin people’s interest in the continent. ‘I like it when someone else wants to know about our culture and traditions, we have many problems in latin America, however there are so many things to discover there’, she says. When hearing misconceptions and stereotypes abut Cuba - the repression, the 'dictatorship' - she gets tired of explaining the situation over and over again.

Landa admits you have to put up with the stereotypes, but she takes the initiative to explain and put things in context. Colombian people are very proud of their roots, despite of the difficulties, which is what inspired her to do her festival: “It was very much inspired by my need to reconnect to my culture, by my frustration of people misunderstanding what Colombia is all about”. The lack of understanding, even amongst the new generation of British born Colombians, is because there is no educational program to counter the constant image of drugs, way and mafia projected by the British media. The role of Colombiage is also to educate and to explain that indeed bad things happen, but there are reasons why they happen. There are foreign interests, corporate and political, meddling also, including British making matters worse. “I wanted to show the more balanced face of Colombia, and she wanted to do that through culture, because the culture is what she is passionate about.”

Mauricio has more practical approach: ‘Ignoring ignorance avoids you a headache’, he says. Also Dayse prefers to ignore when people express damaging opinions about her country, without really knowing the reality.

Felix loves seeing people fascinated with his culture. When he notices some misunderstanding around that area, he always tries to explain how the situation in Colombia is not a static snapshot but is changing constantly and has many layers. Andrea does not want to educate people. She does not get involved in similar conversations. She states: ‘The politics do not reflect the way we live there’. Infact, people who know Colombians are surprised to find that, out of all Latin Americans, they are the most courteous, the most polite, the most soft-spoken, hardworking, humble and likeable, which is completely the opposite of the Colombia (and Latin America) projected by the Media, as violent, lazy and corrupt.

Tato says the best way to make people think again about the stereotypes is not by confronting them: ‘It depends of the situation, sometimes there is no point arguing with people. If I make a silly joke about the comment the person who said it usually realises that they were inappropriate and feels silly. After I give my point of view and explain what is the real situation a lot of people are really interested of Latin America. We are happy people and live in beautiful countries. Of course we have problems as well but in one or other way we always overcome them and make the most out of the situation and appreciate the people we love around us, and this is one attitude that I often see lacking here in Europe, where people are often too busy being miserable to appreciate what they have.

Landa adds: ‘We have no control over people’s perceptions. But it’s good to educate. Much of the audience of Colombiage is not from Latin America! That is a great achievement of the integration and education. We are not in a business of telling people that Colombia is great. We encourage them have a taste of everything you see here (and some of the content is tough), and then decide for yourself. But we put it in the balanced context. It’s a place full of contradictions and nuances. Rather then condemning it, we celebrate it. There are so many different perspectives. And yes, there is a hope. But you have to be aware - these things are still happening. But it doesn’t make us, Colombian but people. Festival has a positive message, but sometimes you have to go through this difficult message. We wouldn’t be hones if we forgot about it. I also struggle with this’.

Awareness of the origins

Landa underlines that, although she spent most of her life in London, although she is very English, ‘I am Colombian, more than anything else, because that’s where I was born, that’s where I had my first childhood experiences, and I feel very proud of that. Of course there are also all sorts of things that annoy me about Colombia, about what happens there, but I try to embrace them and have a very balanced experience and view of what Colombia means to me today.’

I wasn’t always like this, however, Landa says. When you are young you are scared of being different and want to be like everyone else. Being comfortable and acception who you are comes with maturity:

‘There was a time when I was younger, when I was in my teens, when to say that you were Colombian, or to speak Spanish loudly in a public place, wasn’t probably the most desirable thing, and I remember my mum was telling me, reminding me the other day how you would get weird looks, and it was almost the sense of that you have to kind of hide where you came from. But it didn’t happen for very long, because UK is a very open culture that really embraces lot’s of different cultures. But maybe there was a time when you wouldn’t be as proud to show off where you came from because also I guess you were trying so hard to integrate to the new life and the new culture’.

For the youngest generation like Tav proving your Latin-ness is not that important. ‘ I just try to be myself and make the decisions I believe are the right ones for me’. Also Julio agrees he is rather citizen of the world, and the fact that he was born in Uruguay does not define him fully, and although its important, it is not crucial to understand his identity. Mauricio adds: ‘It is anecdotal rather than important’. Deyse is equally indifferent.

Tato says: “Its, not important that others are aware of my origins, it is important for me to be aware of that.”

Changing perspectives

Almost everybody agreed that the fact of leaving your country of origins and experiencing life abroad, broadens your horizons and enriches your life. Most of the time it allows you to appreciate the culture of the home country in much deeper way.

‘I feel like I have kept in me a lot of my Brazilian identity and all the things I've learned during my life back in Brazil, That is definitely important and being Brazilian is who I am, it's part of me, I cannot deny it. However, after living in London for about four and a half years I also learned a lot of other things, maybe even more than I have in my eighteen years in Brazil and I believe in a very important thing which is to learn how to incorporate the best of English culture and lifestyle into your own’, told me Tav.

Yanet keeps reminding me how many difficulties and barriers Cuba creates for its people and how for her, living in London was a significant change and a very important experience. But despite aquiring some new freedoms, it has also made her appreciate the the things that Cubans have. ‘I know not everything is nice here, but there are many details that make life easier and safe’. But she also adds: ‘I think the entire world is changing. Sometimes as my case, one learns more about your own country when one is outside and even you appreciate more your own culture’.

Andrea, who has a very strong links with her family, tells me that they became even more solid. But she also became more open to another culture. ‘living here I appreciate more what I have there. But I will miss the ineternational education’.

Mauricio admits: ‘I do have a very different perspective, but it is hard to tell what is due to distance and what is due to age’. In terms of how his living abroad affected his national identity he adds: ‘It has helped to demolish whatever was left when I left’. He closes the interview with the statement: ‘Nationality is just a myth’.

Felix admits the fact he spent so much time living in London has changed him. ‘I am not as friendly and loud and lively as I used to be. And also I am not so worried and attached to the things like I used to be when I was in Colombia. But I am much more grateful for what we have there, I used to take things for granted. I feel very proud to be Colombian’.

Tato: ‘All decisions that I make are based in who I am, How I was educate and `I think the religion have to do with this. We are coming for a really strong religious country and that influence a lot on our lives. Probably for a lot of cultures happen the same, the religious is an important factor of conduct. The idea is be a god person. I understand a lot of things now that were not able before, I things to live outside your country make you see things more clearly, and I talking about positive and negative things. I feel more proud about my origins and I more critic about the culture. Cities change, People change even you change…I understand some things that I don’t like of my culture or I not agree, then I wont do it’.

Landa told me about cultural and generational difference between her and her mother or the rest of her Colombian family, she recalls her childhood when she felt a bit torn between cultures. She tells me how she felt when as a young girl she came to England, where teenagers have more freedom than in her country, but her mum, who is very Colombian, would still bring her up in a very traditional way. It caused some kind of resentment. But that’s what happens when you leave your country when you are young.

‘I feel like my identity is more complete, I know myself better now. It feels amazing to be a Brazilian and be proud of that but at the same time to embrace the English culture and make it part of my own,’ said Tav. ‘It’s like…you learn how to look at the picture from outside, without being in it. That’s a very liberating feeling’

Latinolife would like to thank everyone who helped to this article: Andrea (Colombia), Tav (Brasil), Felix (Colombia) Yanet (Cuba), Julio (Uruguay), Tato (Colombia), Mauricio (Chile), Landa (Colombia), Deyse (Peru) and Kevin.

Read part one of thsi article here