Final Reflection

"The Motorcycle Diaries" by Che Guevara was an interesting book, but it wasn't very eventful. It doesn't have any larger purpose, it's just one man's inner journey. And to be honest, it's not a very special one. It's kind of funny, but when it comes down to it the book is overall just boring. The adventure is extremely ordinary, because well, it is. It's just two dudes driving around, and what they see.

After their adventure, Che became a revolutionary, so why not just write about that? It's like watching a Batman movie, and the movie ends before Bruce becomes Batman. Yes, his parent's death was important, and without it there would be no Batman, but really without Batman it was just a tragic murder. That's how I feel about the book. Sure, without the road trip Ernesto wouldn't have become Che, but without Che all the book is is a description of poverty. Why not apply his experience to what he goes on to do? Because without his actions as a revolutionary, his story is meaningless. And the book stops right at the meaningful part.

Quote of the Day- 5/22

"Latins are tenderly enthusiastic. In Brazil they throw flowers at you. In Argentina they throw themselves."

-Marlene Dietrich, German Actor

Spencer’s Response to Thomas Riggin’s Blog:

The book “the Motorcycle Diaries” was written by Che Guevara, and it is a story about a journey he made from Córdoba in Argentina to Caracas in Venezuela in late 1952, with his friend Alberto Granado. Midway through their journey, their main and most important mean of transportation broke down, which was a motorcycle named La Poderosa II. They had to abandon the motorcycle in the southern part of Chile, and their journey began. Overall, this book was a very easy read, and also very easy to understand. The two men go through many crazy adventures with each other, Che, who is a year away from graduating medical school, and Alberto, who is slightly older and Granado, who is specializing in the study of leprosy.

“But what makes it particularly interesting is the hints the book contains of the future "Che." I found this to be extremely important throughout the book. What Che says and how he reacts to what he see during his journey, is very important for his future. I strongly agree to this point that Thomas made.

To be totally honest, I do not recommend this book. I feel as if it is very boring to read, and I could not lie about that. In the beginning of the book, Che and Alberto have a very boring journey, with the same things happening over and over again. They always arrive in a new town or city and that following things always seem to happen. First, the motorcycle encounters a problem, and it has to be fixed in the shop. Then, they find a new “friend” to stay with, who always offers them mate. I hate to be a Debbie downer, but I did not enjoy reading this book.

You can read Riggin's review here.

Wyatt's Response to "The Motorcycle Diaries" Book Review by Thomas Riggins

This review is a great reflection of The Motorcycle Diaries. I really like how Thomas talks about the background of the plot and Ernesto before the review. Then he goes on to talk about how the book and Ernesto's trip changed his life. He talks about the old woman who is dying in Valparaiso and how it affects Ernesto. I think this is the first part in the story where Ernesto realized what is wrong with South America. When Ernesto get to the part where he meets the coal miners this is what Thomas says, "A few days after they arrive in Antofagasta they make it to the great copper mine of Chuquicamata." Here Guevara meets communist workers. At this time the Communist Party was illegal and repressed. Communists were imprisoned, denied the right to vote and many had just disappeared "and said to be somewhere at the bottom of the sea." He touches on communism which is the root and claim to fame of Ernesto (Che) Guevara. Thomas explains that well and then talks about the Leper colony in Peru. The book shows how a certain thing or cause can change one person. What Che sees in South America he takes with him to Cuba to start a revolution. I think Thomas's review is a amazing review of Che and the book.

You can read Riggin's full review here.

Quote of the Day 5/21

As usual, here is the quote of the day. For those that are new, we like to post the quote without any explanation, for readers to interpret themselves. After all, we're all capable of some independent thought every once and a while. Feel free to leave a response in the comments section.

“If any person has a good word for the previous government that is good enough for me to have him shot.”

-Che Guevara

Soccer in South America

Soccer helps the South American economy because it is the national sport. It dominates the culture. South American countries have won half of the World cups ever played. They care a lot about soccer and are very competitive. Every Political thing can be tied to soccer. The economy makes money by people buying tickets to games. It also makes more people rich to even out the top 1%. Every decision made in Brazil and other countries is tied to how well their soccer team is and if can they benefit. They build new stadiums, rather than new houses for people. Every conversation will probably end up relating to soccer. Also poor kids find it fun thing to do. They meet new people and can play soccer to relieve stress. Most of the population play soccer even if it isn't organized they play in pick up games.



In  the 1970 World Cup Argentina played England. Prior to the game they were fighting over islands off the cost of Argentina. People said that this was more then a game. The tension in the stadium was very ecstatic. A big problem in the country was being expressed and solved through a soccer game. They ended up solving the solution through the soccer game.

"In much of Latin America, soccer is more than a game. It is linked to each nation's identity in similar yet unique ways. Nadel offers a comprehensive look at this process."--Joseph L.
Arbena, coeditor of Sport in Latin America and the Caribbean. This is a quote from the book Futbol. The book is about soccer in Latin America, and how it plays a role in the culture.
 You can find it here.
Another review of Futbol

Che's Thoughts on Education

One of the less known problems Che fought against was the education system. “The walls of the educational system must come down. Education should not be a privilege, so the children of those who have money can study”, Che says to the students of Central University in Santa Clara, Cuba. What he was saying is that cost of education is one of the many things that keeps people stuck in poverty. Those who are in poverty have no chance of escape because they can’t afford to be educated, and neither can their children. Then their children have children, and so on, and no one can break the cycle of poverty, get educated, and get a good job. The way Che put it, the walls of the education system were built to keep out the poor, and they should come down.

The Countries Che Visited: How are they now?

After reading Che Guevara’s The Motorcycle Diaries, the thing that stuck with me most was the extreme poverty and suffering described. It made me wonder if things had improved in South America, and why. So, after a bit of research, I decided to write about each country and how it improved (or didn’t) since Che’s travels.

Argentina: Che’s home and birthplace, Argentina, wasn't really featured in much of the book. Compared to the rest of South America, Argentina had a relatively low poverty rate in the 50's and 60's. In a few instances, the poverty rate jumped up during the great depression, but overall Argentina did okay, poverty-wise, for a South American country at the time. Now, Argentina is doing better than ever. Since just 2001, Argentina has seen great improvements on poverty rates, with extreme poverty being 11.6% in 2001, and now at 4.4%. This was probably because of economic growth, which started around 2003, when Néstor Kirchner was elected as President. Argentina also had a massive growth in foreign currency reserves, partly due to large, expensive soy exports to China. Despite the growth, the largest problem in Argentina now is the police force, or lack of one. A while ago the budget for the police force was cut in half, pushing most cops to take bribes and become crooked. Since then the police haven't been very effective, and crime is at an all time high. Recently citizens have become fed up and started to publicly beat suspected criminals.

Chile: Chile has seen a stable decrease in poverty rates, but inequality is still as bad as ever, with a Gini Index of around 50. The Gini index is a way of measuring inequality, and is made up of many things. But basically, 0 is complete equality, and a 1 would have all the wealth belonging to one person. A score of 50 is not a great one, but for a South American country it’s only a little above average. There are also some major environmental problems, the main one being deforestation. Deforestation causes rapid soil erosion, which happens too fast for the soil to naturally regenerate over time. Soil erosion is actually a worldwide problem, but it affects Chile especially.

Peru: In the last five years, 5 million Peruvians escaped poverty. It has the 8th fastest growing economy in the world, with a growth rate of about 6%. Despite the huge economic growth, there is still a large poverty gap between the urban and rural areas. Like in Chile, inequality is still as bad as ever. Even though the poverty rate dropped from a ridiculously high 50% to 26% in just over 5 years, its Gini index is still at a 48.1. One thing that could be contributing to this is the gold mining. Peru is one of the largest exporters of gold in the world, and around 20% of that gold is mined illegally. Unregulated, illegal mining causes rivers to be contaminated with mercury, and it also causes some deforestation. The miners are often underage, over worked, and abused, all for less than minimum wage. Of course the mining companies and executives want the workers to stay in poverty, so that they will continue working in their mines. And so inequality quickly became a problem, especially in the more poor, rural areas.

Colombia: Colombia has the worst inequality problems in all of South America, and it is only getting worse. Its economy is running off of monopolies, and it is the seventh most unequal country in the world. “The poorest 10 per cent of Colombians pay 8 per cent of their income in taxes, the richest 10 per cent pay just 3 percent”- James Robinson, Harvard Professor. Colombia is just as bad, if not worse, since Che was there. And the drug trade doesn't exactly help either, empowering guerrilla groups and causing further inequality.

Venezuela: Venezuela is the fastest improving South American country. It has the smallest gap between the rich and poor in South America, with a Gini Index of 41. But for whatever reason, when the economy grew, the so did violence. In 2012, it was estimated that 59 people were murdered everyday. That is a lot of people. Compared to other countries Venezuela is still very unequal, but for a South American country Venezuela is fairly equal, despite the murders.

After my research, I found that some countries, such as Venezuela and Argentina, had improved greatly since when Che was there in 1952. But even so, they are far from equal. Compared to other countries in Europe and North America, even the best South American countries don’t compare. Colombia is the seventh most unequal country in entire the world, and no one is aware of any of the inequality in South America. Even though some countries have improved since Che’s adventure, most haven’t. The same South America that inspired Ernesto Guevara to become a revolutionary still exists today, but no one is doing anything about it.

Quote of the Day- 5/20

As usual, here is the quote of the day. For those that are new, we like to post the quote without any explanation, for readers to interpret themselves. After all, we're all capable of some independent thought every once and a while. Feel free to leave a response in the comments section.

They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America?

-Fidel Castro

Quote of the Day- 5/19

As usual, here is the quote of the day. For those that are new, we like to post the quote without any explanation, for readers to interpret themselves. After all, we're all capable of some independent thought every once and a while. Feel free to leave a response in the comments section.

“The bird of youth flies away and doesn't come back. Fly, boy, fly!”
-Alberto Granado

Argentina soccer; preview for Brazil

Argentina soccer; preview for Brazil

Projected Starting XI

Position	Player	Club
GK	Sergio Romero	Monaco
D	Pablo Zabaleta	Manchester City
D	Federico Fernandez	Napoli
D	Ezequiel Garay	Benfica
D	Jose Maria Basanta	Monterrey
M	Javier Mascherano	Barcelona
M	Angel di Maria	Real Madrid
M	Lucas Biglia	Lazio
F	Lionel Messi	Barcelona
F	Gonzalo Higuain	Napoli
F	Sergio Aguero	Manchester City

---

Argentina is a consistently good team. Last world cup they lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarter finals. In past year they have been the champions of the world and lifted the trophy twice, once in 1978 and 1986. Currently they are 7th in the world behind Spain, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay. For the 2014 World Cup in Brazil they are in group f with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nigeria, and Iran. They are the heavy favorites of their group and are hoping to advance. Their star, Lionel Messi, is number 10 and plays on Barcelona. He has won 4 Ballon d’Or which is the award that goes to the best player in soccer. Some argue he is the best play to ever play the game. Argentina also has another weapon. It is their coach, Diego Maradona. He can also be argued to be one of the best players in history.

With an entire nation on their toes to watch the 23 best player play in their nation compete at the World Cup stakes are high. In the Cities, specifically Buenos Aires, people line up on the streets to watch the games broadcasted on big screens in town.

In Argentina soccer is the national sport. To be on the national team is like to be the president. It takes a lot of dedication to get there but the reward is people love you. With Messi hungry for a world cup final they will be a secret power that can knock anyone out. Keep a look out for them in this years world cup. In 24 days the first game will be played.

Quote of the Day- 5/16

As usual, here is the quote of the day. For those that are new, we like to post the quote without any explanation, for readers to interpret themselves. After all, we're all capable of some independent thought every once and a while. Feel free to leave a response in the comments section.

"The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall!"

-Che Guevara

Our Favorite Political Cartoons

“Society should do their part in the fight against poverty."
"And what does the government do?'
"More poverty.”

This is showing that the government only cares about their top class and doesn't want to educate most of their population. The government only cares about themselves so they can be wealthy and live a good life. The poor people feel disrespected and not treated like humans.

When Che was on his journey he visited many people that didn't feel like humans. For example, when there was the people that got thrown off their land so the landlord could have all the land.

 

The top percent of people in South America are very wealthy and enjoy life. They get a nice couch and a TV with a lot of space. Most of the other population are crammed into the stands with no room and no one paying attention to them. When they call out for help it goes unrecognized by the government. The rich people aren't aware of what is going on in their country because they only listen to their life.



This shows that one person has more power than the others and it is a death scene if you are poor. The poor people are almost guaranteed a death sentence and will never escape poverty because of the fence. The fence is their will to escape because they don’t have the money or transportation to escape.

Quote of the Day- 5/15

As usual, here is the quote of the day. For those that are new, we like to post the quote without any explanation, for readers to interpret themselves. After all, we're all capable of some independent thought every once and a while. Feel free to leave a response in the comments section.

“If you tremble with indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine.”

-Che Guevara

Interview- Julia Comb’s Trip to Peru

Julia, when you visited Peru, what things surprised you the most?

Definitely their form of transportation, that was huge. It was not typical transportation, they rode motorcycles with little cartons attached. Another thing that surprised me was there culture, especially with girls who want to get married faster and get going with things very quickly. Also, the poverty in general was huge, and very surprising.

Where in Peru did you visit?

I went to Lima, Iquitos for a majority of the trip, and Cuzco as well, where I went and visited different little tribes along the Amazon River.

Did you visit Machu Picchu?

Yes, I visited Machu Picchu on the last day.

Did you see any inequality while on your trip? What are some examples?

Definitely. Not only did I see inequality by the ability to get jobs for the males compared to the females, but also children and adults. Also, there were people who had much better connections, and those people were able to help their tribes, whereas people who did not have those connections were in poverty.

What exactly did you do in Peru? Why did you go?

I went on medical mission, and we went with a plastic surgeon, and a medical surgeon. We mostly just fixed cleft palates, and other surgeries for free, for those people who were in need.


Were there any requirement to be allowed to go visit the doctors. A certain income?

No, they were advertising it around the area for a long time, and once we got there, the patients would visit the general doctor, and see if they could do anything to help them. Everything was totally free, so anyone could go. A lot of the patients were not seriously injured or sick, for example, there fingers were just stuck together and we just opened up the spaces between the fingers. Some others had hernias which were the size of their gut, which was a much harder surgery.

What were some of the groups who went through inequality?

The tribes who had access to the big city were much better off, and they had better waterway access, because of their location. The tribes with better education did a lot better, than ones who did not. They had ability to speak English. I went to tribes where they just spoke a language called Quechua, and it was very hard to communicate with them, and give them medical help.

What were some of the major cultural differences in terms of high class and low class?

Most of the working class in my area were in extreme poverty. One of the doctors that I worked with was native to there and was probably of the higher end of the middle class. I did not meet anyone who was wealthy just because I was in the suburban areas, where there was mostly poverty. Usually, the mayor of each tribe were the most well off in the area. It was crazy because here everyone has what they need, and the people there do not. When most of the middle class from the United States go to Peru, they are usually the wealthiest.

Where were you staying?

For a few of the nights we stayed with a family who offered us to stay in there hut. In Iquitos we stayed in a moderately nice hotel.

What food and music was most common?

I ate a lot of chicken and potatoes, that was the biggest thing. We could not eat a lot of the fish, or fruits and vegetables because of the water issues there. There are some very interesting and cool fruits there though. The pan-flute was a very popular instrument. Most music was all instrumental as well. There were not a lot of lyrics, but there were many vocals in the music.

Top 5 Most Influential Chileans, Argentinians, and Peruvians

1. Simón Bolívar (1783-1830)- The “George Washington” of South America, led millions of South Americans to freedom. His thoughtful personality, along with a great military skills, led Latin America on its independence movement. He helped to liberate present day countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

2. Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006)- Chilean dictator between 1974 and 1990, Pinochet was one of the leading figures in Operation Condor, an effort to intimidate and murder leftist opposition leaders. Operation Condor was a joint effort among Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia and Brazil, all with the support of the United States Government. Much of the book "Motorcycle Diaries" takes place in Chile.

3. Che Guevara- Che had power in Cuba and wanted to bring communism to the world. He killed thousands of “wealthy” people in the country, in order to try to make everyone equal. This was successful-, because Cuba in still Communist, but they are struggling to maintain it, and people want a change. Che Guevara is also the author of the book "Motorcycle Diaries".

4. Jose de San Martin- Jose de San Martin helped lead the revolutions against the Spanish Rule. He seized partial control of Lima on July 12, 1821. He is regarded as a national hero in Argentina. He was a lifelong soldier, and he fought in Spain, until he moved to Argentina and fought for them against the Spanish in the war of Independence.

5- Rigoberta Menchú- She was a native from Guatemala and her family struggled from injustice because they were an indigenous family. She rose to prominence in 1982 when she wrote an autobiography about the struggle that indigenous people suffer through. She gave this issue international attention, and became an activist with this issue.

Top 5 quotes from The Motorcycle Diaries

“And I began to realize at that time that there were things that were almost as important to me as becoming famous for making a significant contribution to medical science: I wanted to help those people.”
When Che set off on his trip he was an innocent young man that didn't know what to expect. After he set out, not shortly after he left he could see how much poverty and inequality there was throughout South America. Che felt like his mission was to help people and use his power to help others. His trip through South America changed his political views and became a communist.

“And then many things became very clear... we learned perfectly that the life of a single human being is worth millions of times more than all the property of the richest man on earth.”
When Che was in the Leper camp in San Pablo, a woman died of leper disease. Che said that quote. Che didn’t like when people died and it touched him. He treated a sick woman earlier in the book and knew she was going to die but did as much as he could.

“The deeper we go into the Andes, the more indigenous people we encounter, who are homeless in their own land.”

When Che and Alberto were on there way to Machu Picchu, they passed through farming land. They talked to a man who farmed on the same land all his life and just recently got kicked off by the landlord. He brought the police and took all of his crops and land so the man couldn’t provided food or education for his five children.


“Mariategui speaks of the the revolutionary potential of the natives and the farm workers of Latin America. He says the problem of the Indian is the problem of the land, and that the revolution should not be an imitation. It should be original and indigenous.”

The people of South America needed a revolution but if it was done normally it would fail. They needed to do something indigenous to work. All of the poor people would need to join together for it to work and Che wanted to do that. Che didn’t have the power or time to do that.


“You know, Mial, all the time we spent on the road, something happened, something ill have to think about for a long time. So much injustice.”
This quote came in at the end of their journey when Che was on his way back to Buenos Aires and Alberto was staying in Venezuela. Che finally told Alberto what he was feeling. He was so shocked by what he saw on his trip he had to do something about it. Eventually he went to Cuba to try to make it communist.

Quote of the Day- 5/14

As usual, here is the quote of the day. For those that are new, we like to post the quote without any explanation, for readers to interpret themselves. After all, we're all capable of some independent thought every once and a while. Feel free to leave a response in the comments section.

“To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary … These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution!”

-Che Guevara

Check out these cool pictures of Che!!! Click the link to see more.

http://www.photosnack.com/9C769D6569B/pd1jwi88

Video Walkthrough

This is a walk through of all the places Che Guevara visited on his 9 month journey in 1952 through South America.

Corazones Para Peru Non-profit

As seen in our latest blog post there is a lot of inequality in Peru, as well as all around Latin America. Telling you about these issues is great and will hopefully raise awareness for the inequality that is going on, but there is more we can do. Our hope here at the Argentina and Chile Diaries is that these problems that South America is facing will eventually cease. That is why we are going to promote and tell you about Corazones Para Peru. This non-profit’s goal is similar to ours and that is why we are telling you about it. This non-profit has already made a huge impact in the lives of many Peruvian citizens. They have already successfully built and maintained schools. Over the past 15 years Corazones has put over 2 million US dollars into education in Peru.

 

However education is not the only focus of Corazones. They also are fighting for everyone to have clean drinking water, substantial food, and necessary medical care. Their efforts to change the world and Peru have been valiant, however they can not do this work without your support. Whether it is just donating money to support the purchases of necessary items, taking a vacation to volunteer in the Andes, or just spreading the word about the organization, anything would help. That is why if you could go check out their website http://herzenhelfen.de/index.php?lang=en or like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/corazonesparaperu please show your support and do your part in this noble fight against inequality.

Peru Inequality

Today in Peru there is massive amounts of inequality. When Che went on his journey there was a lot more but it has been on the decline lately. One of the main things that the trip did to him was, change the way he looked at South America. He hated the inequality more than anything he experienced. He wanted to change that.

Currently in Peru the inequality has been on a decline due to labor markets growth. Also the per capita is increasing and the lower standards of living are increasing which is more important. The results are astonishing because over 500,000 people were lifted out of poverty in 2012. In 2009 UNICEF calculated that 78% of children whose first language was Quechua or Aymara lived in poverty, compared to 40% of those whose mother tongue was Spanish. In Che’s journey he encountered a family of Quechua who were living in a run down town. They were sitting by a brick building eating leaves from a plant. Che first hand encountered raw inequality. Each time he encountered a different perspective of inequality it changed him a little. When Che and Alberto were walking to the coal mine, they meet a couple that was homeless. They spent the night with them and realized how many people lived in poverty. Since Che and Alberto lived in the upper class in Buenos Aires, they never realized what the inequality was like.

Near the end of their journey they stopped at a leper colony in San Pablo, Peru. The sick people would stay on one side of the river while the healthy doctors and nuns stayed on the other. The lepers were treated as less equal and even not human. Che had a big problem with that but could tell that not many, if any at all, of the healthy people did. He ended up swimming across the river one night to spend his birthday with the lepers. I believe this is what changed Che’s life to the turning point where he had to do something about it.

The Motorcycle Diaries Film Review

The Motorcycle Diaries, directed by Walter Salles, is a visually stunning movie about the travels of a young Che Guevara and his older friend Alberto Granado. It’s based on the book written by Guevara himself, and it got a fairly positive critical response.

To start off, the movie has great scenery, great acting, great dialogue, and just quality production overall. The character’s interactions are natural, entertaining, and sometimes hilarious. Everyone was well casted, with Gael Garcia Bernal playing a believable Che Guevara. While there wasn’t anything terribly dramatic, the acting was good for what it was. The movie’s real strength was its writing. The flowing dialogue kept the movie interesting and dynamic, saving otherwise boring scenes. But good dialogue doesn't necessarily make a good movie, and it's underlying themes left more to be desired.

The movie never really blew me away because it saves the inner journey of Guevara for the end, filling the rest of the movie with motorcycle crashes and dancing. And that’s not too bad, but when the end does come it isn’t very effective. The black and white images of the men and women stuck in poverty remind me of a sad commercial asking for donations. Sure it was sad, but it was only worth a commercial, not an entire movie. On top of that, Salles never takes any time to develop any characters at all. The two main characters are so blatantly oversimplified it’s ridiculous. Guevara is portrayed as a perfect young hero who is very honest and determined, while Granado is a horny, lying, funny guy who is basically just there to make Guevara look better. Other than those two there are no characters worth mentioning, which is disappointing because there were so many opportunities. Che’s girlfriend, Chichina, is as close as the movie gets to adding a full third character. Which isn’t very close. And while there are many other people Guevara and Granado meet along the way, pretty much all of them are nameless and impersonal.

Without reading the book, the movie wouldn't be nearly as meaningful. Che’s inner thoughts and motives are never touched on, and the brutal details of the poverty he told of in the book were left out (probably to keep the targeted audience). Like I said before, there also could have been a lot more character development and complexity even in just Guevara and Granado. Really the movie sacrifices the most moving elements of the book to produce a more enjoyable watching experience for the general public. Which is fine because the movie is very fun to watch. But for the full story I would suggest reading the book, preferably first. Without it the movie just isn't as meaningful. The extreme poverty and inequality Che wrote about in the book, along with his thoughts along the way, are barely touched on in the movie. And those were the things that made the book important in the first place.

Overall, most of the film is just two men traveling around South America, and it basically just cashes in on Che's name. In the movie Guevara could be replaced with any other traveler, it just wouldn’t be as intriguing to watch. The film also removes the first person narration that was in the book, making the adventure much less personal. Even so, the entertaining dialogue, beautiful scenery, and solid acting make it well worth watching. It's just not worth thinking about afterwards.

Music in Argentina

Nueva Canción- In the 50’s and 60’s this musical movement became extremely popular. The music was influenced by Cueca, latin american folk music, and parts of British rock. The music usually talked about the political problems of the 70’s. The harsh leadership during the 70’s caused the public to really connect with the lyrics of the songs and have unity despite political hardships.

Folk Music- Folk music in argentina is influenced by many different cultures but mostly by indigenous and European influences. This genre was revived in 1950 by Los Chalchaleros, Los Fronterizos, and Ábalos brothers. The Cosquin National Folklore Festival is an annual event in Argentina were many musicians gather.

Cuarteto- This form of music was made in Corbata. This music and dance was derived from Italian and Spanish dance ensembles. Some famous artists are Cuarteto Leo, Carlos Mona Jiménez, and Walter Olmos.

Cumbia- This popular genre of music is from the Caribbean coast of Colombia and Panama. It started when the African slaves practices a courtship dance that was then infused with African and European music and instruments. The Cumbia is a more popular than the salsa in many regions around the Andes.

Chacarera- This genre was created in Argentina. Thought the exact roots of Chacarera are unknown, it is often referred to as the rural form of Tango. This genre is considered to be a “back to the roots” genre of music, that symbolizes nationalism in Argentina.

Tango- One of the most well known forms of dance from Latin America, it is considered to be the closest form to the original Argentine, Chilean, and Uruguayan dance. This dance form is still common today. In 2009 the tango was declared part of the world's "intangible cultural heritage" by UNESCO. This music and dance form is still common today.

Quote Analysis

"And I began to realize at that time, that there were things that were almost as important to me as becoming famous for making a significant contribution to medical science: I wanted to help these people."
This quote takes place when Alberto and Che Guevara are in Chile at the mines. During this time in the story, Che becomes very angry because the miners were being treated very poorly, and unfairly. Many of the miners were separated from there families, and told to do ridiculous things. Currently, Chile is said to have the widest inequality gap in all of the 34 countries in South America, according to the organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development. The OECD determines a countries inequality rate by comparing the disposable income of the richest 10 percent and the poorest 10 percent of the countries population. Education also plays a large role in the inequality in Chile. Only 9 years of education are required, and the rest of the years are needed to be payed for, which is very hard for a majority of Chilean families.

 

Chile Culture

Beef Empanadas- These are the most common dish in Chile. It is composed of a seasoned mixture of ground beef, onions, raisins, black olives, and hard boiled eggs.The way the beef tastes best if it is prepared the day before and eaten and the the next day put into the empanadas.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of oil 
• 2 lb of chopped beef (top sirloin is a good choice) 
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika 
• 1/2 teaspoon of dry oregano 
• 1 teaspoon of salt 
• Pepper to taste 
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin 
• 1/2 cup of water 
• 1 large onion chopped into small cubes 
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup of milk 
• 1/2 cup of warm water 
• 2 teaspoons of table salt 
• 1 lb all-purpose flour 
• 2 egg yolks 
• 3 oz of melted butter 
• 20 black olives 
• 40 raisins 
• 2 hard-boiled eggs 
• 1 egg, beaten (to brush on empanadas)

Porotos con Riendas- A soup that is made in Chile. It is filled with warm broth and mixed with spaghetti and beans. It is great tasting and good for a nice cold day down in the southern Chile.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of beans (soaked overnight in a liter of water) 
• 1/4 peeled and bucking kg.zapallo 
• 1/4 onion finely chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano and ground cumin 
• 2 beef bouillon cubes 
• 1/3 cup chopped noodles 

Corn Humitas- Prepared with fresh corn, onion, basil, and butter. Then a corn husk is wrapped around them while they are prepared for cooking. They are boiled or steamed.

Ingredients

• 12 large ears of corn 
• 2 tablespoons shortening or vegetable oil 
• 1 whole onion, diced 
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika or merquén (Chilean smoked chili pepper) 
• 3-4 tablespoons cornmeal 
• 3 leaves of sweet basil

Art:

Roberto Matta
A painter that was born in Santiago, Argentina. He graduated college in 1935. After college he didn’t start being an artist until 1938. His art started to become well known in 1960 and then he became a nationally recognized artist.

http://rogallery.com/matta_roberto/matta-portal-gallery.html

Claudio Bravo
A Chilean hyperrealist painter, he was known mainly for his paintings of still lifes, portraits and packages, but he had also done drawings, lithographs, engraving and figural bronze sculptures.

http://www.marlboroughgallery.com/galleries/chelsea/artists/claudio-bravo/graphics

Marta Colvin
She studied at the School of Art. She went on to live in France for more than thirty years. She was known worldwide and awarded the National Art Prize in 1970 in recognition of her works.

Events:

Semana Santa (Easter week)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaP4vnTuxWw
Chile is a catholic nation and celebrates the Easter week with a great deal of hoopla. Hoopla is a great deal of excitement and celebration. Starting with Good Friday, every town in the country holds religious ceremonies, parades and events.

Fiesta de San Pedro
Fishermen all along the coast of Chile celebrate this day in the hope of good fortune. Also to get good weather and fish for the year. They decorate their boats with candles and then float along the coast. The best town to visit for this event is Valparaiso.

Independence Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esfsc9D5T-4
Chile celebrates its independence from Spain with a day off work and partying hard. It is followed the next day by Armed Forces Day, which brings another round of partying.
Independence Day: 18 September