By vgosalvez11
Things are starting to fall into place little by little here in Chile and I have been able to take in some of the most interested differences which I have been able to note between our cultures.
I have found Chileans to be very self-deprecating of their city and their country. One of the first questions you often get asked while introducing yourself to a Chilean is an incredulous “¿Porque viniste a Chile?” with an insinuation that no one would usually choose Santiago as their travel destination.
They tend to describe their country as less interesting and see Europe as the correct choice of destination. Another comment that Chileans will often openly make is how “machista” their society still is. Machismo, which is commonly related to Latin America, is defined as, “a strong or exaggerated sense of manliness; an assumptive attitude that virility, courage, strength, and entitlement to dominate are attributes or concomitants of masculinity.” In practice it usually means a patriarchal society where it is very important for men to display their strength and masculinity often over women.
I have noticed the machismo attitude in this city already. Women are still mostly expected to do all the house work and men are expected to work and provide for the family. Fathers are not expected to change diapers or participate too heavily in the care of the house or young children. Further in dating and with young men they have specific and sometimes intense expectations of women. Chileans even have their own word for catcalls with what is almost a positive connotation. These comments, whistles or interactions usually experiences on the street are called “piropos”. They range from anything as simple as a whistle to a complex pickup line or being followed down the street by an “admirer”. Chilean women consider this a way of life and know to just ignore and avoid and not to reply back. It is even said that some Chilean women take it as a point of pride. Foreigners are warned not to expect help or sympathy from others on the street if they are receiving piropos, as it is considered normal.
On the other hand, the machismo culture supports mothers and matriarchal figures. The mother is considered the leader of the household and is treated with much respect, kindness and love. This is particularly noted in how children, even the teenagers unashamedly show affection for their mothers even in public. This seems to me starkly different from the American archetype of the sullen teenager who goes through a phase of pretending his parents don’t exist. Of course not all Chilean teenagers are perfect to their mothers but overall the culture of respect is much more prevalent.
Even with these levels of machismo, I have so far seen a large amount of feminism and strong women. The current Chilean president is a woman, which is obviously an accomplishment that the US does not share. There are clearly rising tides of social liberalism among the younger generation; a generation which supports women’s rights and gay marriage much more than their parents’ generation.
The thing that strikes me as interesting is how open Chileans are about this problem. They are aware that they still have a culture of machismo, and that it is not something that is necessarily accepted by the rest of the world. This awareness of their culture is very important and I think allows for reflection, and hopefully growth. Meanwhile, I can compare with the American attitude which generally says that “we as a country believe in equality”, while as we say this there are always going to be injustices going on within our borders. By telling ourselves as a nation that we not advanced and believe in these rights maybe it makes it easier to let small injustices slip by. So while it may seem odd that the Chileans are so open about the machismo in their culture, at least it seems they are aware of these issues and biases, and work to avoid them.
Despite the fact that Chileans often devalue their own city and culture, Santiago has many admirable and important attributes. Points of pride usually include their soccer teams, the natural beauty of the mountains, their wine, and even their food. (The food thing is a little surprising since I have found the only spice Chileans use is ~occasionally~ a little salt). I have found these same things to be so wonderful about Santiago, and so much more— from the surprisingly open and friendly people to the incredibly interesting political and social history which surrounds the city. I really think that despite some of the issues which this country faces, Santiaguenos have a lot to be proud of here!