Argentina's Italian heritage

[Judi Lynn]

CBS NEWS August 25, 2019, 9:41 AM

Buenos Aires, Argentina is the most-visited city in all of South America. And no visit is complete without a trip to La Boca, the colorful neighborhood at the mouth of the Riachuelo River. While today the neighborhood is mostly populated by tourists, in the late 19th century, the port of La Boca was the first stop for Italian immigrants in search of a better life in Argentina.

From 1880 to 1920, Buenos Aires experienced a massive wave of Italian immigration, similar to the one that was happening simultaneously in New York City.

"In the 1900s, 12% of Argentinian population was actually Italian," said Adrian Glickman. "So, Italians pretty much set the pace not only for migration but for the vibe, specifically of Buenos Aires."

Correspondent Conor Knighton said, "I asked for someone to point me to the Italian neighborhood, and they were like, anywhere!

More:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/argentinas-italian-heritage/

[abqtommy]

1. Thanks, I didn't know that! Education is the cure for ignorance.

[sandensea]

2. Half the immigrants were Italian, and they helped shape the culture. You see it in people's accents

In east-central Argentina particularly, you'll still notice the Italian influence in people's accents - even in people without an Italian last name.

I should note that La Boca has few Italian-Argentines anymore (it did until the 1960s or so). Sadly it's since become something of a ghetto, with most of its inhabitants being poor migrants from the northern provinces or neighboring countries like Bolivia.

And while there isn't a distinctively "Italian" neighborhood in Buenos Aires, the closest these days is probably Palermo.

Lots of pizzerias, bistros and Italian-inspired fashion stores - though many have recently been going out of business thanks to Macri (who's 3/4 Italian, ironically).

But no doubt the most Italian thing about most Argentines, is their accent. Here's a recent roundtable with Congressman Leopoldo Moreau, one of the country's leading progressive voices.

His last name, of course, is French; the others' are Italian, Spanish, and Russian - but the Italian influence in their accent, syntax, and mannerisms in unmistakable.

Thanks for posting and posting this, Judi. Ciao!

[Judi Lynn]

3. Absolutely love these videos! Palermo, Buenos Aires, is wonderful! It has tremendous "vibes" there,

so inviting, and interesting.

The "roundtable" discussion was amazing, too. Right away you could see Leopoldo Moreau leans very heavily on the character of his Italian background. He, as someone who has lived longer, has sublimated and integrated a lot of it already, and is more subtle, but it is very distinctive, for sure, in a pleasant way, I think. It's interesting!

Florencia Arietto is a riot! For one thing, she definitely has to overcome her shyness! I would think her allies just love her! It would be so hard, if not impossible, to get the best of her in an argument, psychologically. She seems tough, but he seems able to hold his own, too.

Have never seen Spanish speakers overcome by another European nationality before. Spectacular. Thank you.

[sandensea]

4. Glad you enjoyed it Judi.

Hopefully you can visit someday.

Here's hoping the many small business that give the area so much of its flavor (as in most cities in Argentina) can survive all this - and even begin growing again.

Lots of empty storefronts and For Rent (Alquila) signs there these days; a record number of homeless people too.

It's a lot like what one imagines New York might've looked like in the last months of the Herbert Hoover years.

And like Macri, Hoover thought that flattering treatment by Big Media could somehow keep voters on their side - though, to be fair, I doubt old Herbert Hoover was as delusional as Macri.

Certainly not as duplicitous or corrupt.