Peace to everyone
This summer I decided to go to Panama for awhile to improve mi español, learn more about mi familia and subsequently myself. Much of my family has already left Panama as quickly as we entered during the building of the Panama Canal but as before we still have a few stragglers with whom I will be spending time. Those who know me, know that I have a lot to say about everything so when I have time to kill I’ll probably be hitting up the Internet somewhere to keep yall abreast.

¿Entonces empezarémos?

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

Ever since 9-11, I always make sure I don´t have anything that would hinder me from getting on the plane. I carry a lot of nik-naks in my bag, so I always check it. I went thru it and the only thing that might have been a problem were the bicycle tools. I took them all out and put them in my luggage (as I planned to rent a bike in Panama).

So the time comes for me to go thru the security line. I go thru and my person is clean but they ask if they can put my bag thru again. They put it thru again and then ask to search it. They search it and still nothing. At this point I think their equipment sucks and they are just giving me a hard time. But they put it thru again and the young lady insists there is ¨something¨ there.

They look in my bag again and lo and behold they find what else but a… BOX CUTTER! I´m like oh shit, I messed up BAD! The guy who pulled it out said ¨this is not allowed sir!¨

(((Öh really dumbass! Thanks for telling me!)))

So he hands it to another guy and the guy asks ¨Do you wish to check this in?¨

No.

So they gave me my bag and I was on my way. I quickly realized that I was not going to reprimanded any further. I first was surprised but then realized that I don´t look like a terrorist. Maybe a thief, gangbanger, or drug dealer but definitely not a terrorist. Black folks ain´t sophisticated enough for that. The most I could be is a Jamaican kingpin (darkskin and locks> common stereotype for me) but with my inexpensive clothing I don´t fit that bill for long. Plus considering that everyone of the workers was Afrikan in some sense of the word (American or Continental), that gave them a sense of familiarity with me.

They pretty much just tapped me on the hand and were like¨:

¨What´s wrong nigga you sleepin or summin?¨

Shit if I was Arab or looked like it, I would have prolly been hemmed up and stripped naked in a room with a bunch of soldiers with M-16´s takin turn going upside my head.

I´m PROUD to Be BLACK!

The first flight was pretty smooth and went by in no time. I flew from Washington to Newark to connect to a no-stop flight to Panama. The Panama flight was HUGE! I everybody and they momma was on that flight. I also noticed a lot of heavily-indigenous American-looking people (like Mayans) on the flight and thought that was pretty odd. Sure there are many people who fit that bill in Panama but the native peoples have very small numbers these days with many tribes wiped out thru the years with a few holding strong. And the ones that do hold it down are not likely to be getting on planes and flying out of Panama en masse. I found out later that this flight would go to Ecuador after it stopped in Panama. ((ONE DAY IT’LL ALL MAKE SENSE)))

So while the flight was pretty smooth and nothing very climatic happened (except maybe for the 2 foot tall Chinese woman who only spoke Cantonese and espanol and asked me to switch my aisle seat with her, dumbass), I talked to a guy from Switzerland who sat next to me. He didn´t look Swiss to me but more Latin, like a Spaniard. He said that he was mixed as his mother was Panamanian and he was going to visit her. He told me about the difficulties he had been having going to Panama. He had been on route to Panama for over 20 hours, mainly because he missed several flights because of being held by airport security. One of the problems was that he was carrying some very hi-tech computer equipment as he was a computer technician. The other problem was his complexion. People didn´t believe that he was Swiss and thought he was probably Arab or Muslim and had acquired a Swiss passport illegally. (He could have passed for a Moroccan or Algerian in my opinion.) He told me how they stripped search him, verbally harassed him and did other illegal searches. He also informed me that the Swiss Embassy was going to financially compensate him through a $5000+ fine that Continental Airlines had to pay. Hmmmm…
Would I let someone strip search me for $5000???

Oh yeah, Continental Airlines really does suck. I got there but my luggage didn´t!?

...continuaré luego...

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

The last time I was here was in 1990 right after the Christmas of ´89 when the US invaded Panama to bring their prized pupil, Manuel Noreiga, to ¨justice.¨ (Wait a minute didn´t this just happen?)

US = Broken Record

Anyways right now I´m staying with my mother´s cousin who is now a 60ish grandmother who stays with her husband, two daughters and two grandkids from anoter daughter who is a work-by-day, school-by-night single mother. My prima de mama lives at the same house she did 12 years ago that is only about 10 minutes from the airport. I plan on staying here for only a short while until I contact my other relative and family friends (and until I get my luggage).

For those that don´t know, the US once had military bases in Panama and controlled the Panama Canal. Since 2000, they left the bases and turned control of the Canal back to the Panamanian government. But the heavy footprint of America is still very blatant, almost moreso than before.

Mi prima de madre lives on the outskirts of Panama Province, which I remembered as being in the “boondocks.” Now there are KFCs, McDonald´s, Blockbusters and imitation American stores all around. One clothing store in the area had a huge sign for all to see saying, “American Clothing Has Just Arived!” (in español of course).

Even the neighborhood that mi prima lives in has changed. Her house didn´t but more houses have sprouted up in the area, that are bigger and more expensive. This used to be a “poor” neighborhood as pre-”US exodus” there were 2 classes “rich and poor” (have and have-nots). Now there are 3 classes “upper, middle, and lower” (have a lot, have something, don´t have shit) of course with its varying degrees but not as extreme in variations as in the US. Although that may sound like an improvement, all I´ll say now is that things have changed and I can´t necessarily say for the better.

...continuaré luego...

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

can't wait for more info.

-------------
avatar?
Burning Spear...likya fiya fi bun nuh !?!

"Well, when your every breath and will to live is an act of resistance, you cannot help but be 'too political'. To do otherwise is to hide, to live in denial and defeat." --ArabHottie

" If we can't learn to live together despite the turmoil of past generations we are doomed." -Stern


"And where today is the stable community that would sustain such a couple, where one can be both poor and diginified and raise one's children with decency and hope... If the answer is education, does our society adequateley provide that tool of self-improvement to the less well off?"-- Sidney Poitier

" I'm not mad 'cus I'm losing! I'm mad 'cus I don't know how to win!" --Kevin Curtis Daniels Jr.

"And herein lies the tragedy of the age: not that men are poor,-all men know something of poverty; not that men are wicked,-who is good? Not that men are ignorant, -what is Truth? Nay, but that men know so little of men."
W.E.B. Dubois

"Slaves got options...cowards aint got shit." --PS
"Once upon a time, little need existed for making the distinction between a nigga and a black—at least not in this country, the place where niggas were invented" -- Donnell A

box cutter?!? tha fuck?!?

*cue the music*

Your a smart guyyyyyy, smart guyyyyyy, smart guyyyyyyy.... whoah-a-whoahhhh.

Red, Black, Green

My granpops is from Panama.. I was thinking about taking him back there to visit, being that he will be 78 this year & hasnt been there in a while...

In addition I would also like to broaden my spanish.. hopefully i can do some of that before I go so I wont sound like an idiot!

I'm not sure about the accomodations.. hopefully we can stay with some family..

Being that I have never been... It would be good to hear some suggestions on what there is to do..

Peace

it makes a difference......

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

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why does it make a difference.... you mean as far as the english speaking? or what?

as far as how rural or urban or americanized or unamericanized it is and weather it's around mountains/water/etc...

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

i dunno where he's from.... i'd hafta ask...
talking to my momz... she said she didnt think that he would be up to flying..

whatever... a few cognac on the rocks & he gonna roll with me

getting outta the country changes yr perspective in great ways, and panama is a great place to visit on many levels

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

A friend from Panama during Kwanzaa of 00 said that during his generation that Afri-Panamians because of the history, music(r&B and reggae)identified strongly with African Americans but now they seem to identify themselves as Latinos. Have you found this to be tru.

"Forget Black History Month, how about live an African History Life"-Ansley Burrows

How does being latino preclude from being black?

In the minds of many it does preclude. Example:
In my neighborhood if your your father is Guyanese and your mother is African-American then a common response would be my father is Guyanese and my mom is American or from down South. The recognition being that there is a nationality difference not racial. One would not commonly say my mom is Black and my father is Guyanese even though everyone from Guyana is an Afriken. People often say in an african-American Latino coupling, well my moms is Black and my pops is puerto rican/spanish/Dominican/latino which gives the impression that one can not be Black or of African descent and speak spanish at the same time. That is not to say all Latinos are Black but many are and all Gauyanese are not Black but one does n't say my mother is Black or my pops is Guyanaese. So unfortunately in the minds of many the two groups are mutually exclusive. Futhermore check out okayhomo's Multiculturalism and assimilation must cease thread.


more at 11......

"Forget Black History Month, how about live an African History Life"-Ansley Burrows

>my pops is puerto rican/spanish/Dominican/latino >

I see your point. However, I think that it's only when the person would say that his father is spanish or latino that it would be wrond since being latino is not an ethnicity but a culture. So often,people of African descent from Latin America are denied a voice and their extremely important contribution to latin culture is hidden. Most of what we think as latino culture comes from AfroLatinos like salsa,merengue. The white populations were too busy aping Spaniards to create a culture of their own. Some Afrolatinos are unfortunately confused and would deny vehemently that they are not black,etc... Well, the concept of race is not one that has dissapeared in Latin America, only in the minds of some wishful thinkers.

yeah some people are ignorant like that (not you)... recently i took a few of my cousins (from down south - boondocks, bammaville up to NY. & was showing them aroung. blah blah blah... so one of them was like how come that black man was speaking spanish... he didnt look spanish.... Geez.... what the heck do they teach in the schools south of the mason dixon?

It ain't just the South bruh. Scan the complexion of Spanish TV. It has more blonde hair blue eyes than its American counterpart. So you can not blame folks for some of the false perceptions they have.

https://twitter.com/onnextlevel

you aint lie

you DO talk alot:)

bring me back some sugar canes...

does it look like ghana over there?

"However, the village mentality, and understanding what worked for us before injustice, before yurugu infection, before colonialism is what will save us now. "-Firebrand

"The only thing we wanted for our country was the right to a decent existence, to dignity without hypocrisy , to independence without restrictions... The day will come when history will have its say."-Lumumba

i misunderstood the post....lol

reading now...
_____________________________
~Remember you are not the general manager of the universe~

remember why you came/ and while you're alive/ experience the warmth/ before you go (c)incubus

~~~~
http://omidele.blogspot.com/
http://rahareiki.tumblr.com/
http://seatofbliss.blogspot.com/

There have been several discussions about "race" in the Caribbean and Latin America on this board. Many have often said "There is no such thing as race" in these areas. Well the persons who said this DEFINITELY have not been to Panama.

First we need to breakdown the types of people in Panama. Panama has alot of different people from alot of different places in it. Asians such as Chinese and Indians, represent well here as do Europeans. But as far as the dominant groups (the ones who have been here longer), they are the

"Latins" or "cholos"
Blacks (Antillean) or "chombos"
(indigenous peoples) Indians (I haven´t heard them called by a Spanish name yet)
Whites or "gringos" y "rabiblancos"

By far the nation is run by "Latins" or cholos. Qualification to this group is based on appearance (as are all of the previously stated). In general this group is primarily a "mestizo" group as they are mixtures of the above groups. Generally they look like a typical Mexican would look like in the states. The thing is that their hues vary depending on how much or less of black or white they have in them. Many blacks intermarry with LAtins to erase the blackness out or blacks that could probably pass take extra measures to ensure so such as varying hair straightening techniques.

My uncle jokingly said that I could have all the black women in Panama because are of the brothers here go after the Latin or any white women they can find, thus leaving all the sisters with no men. Back in the days the American soldiers would get all the women, black or latin, and take them home as wives as the women always wanted a way out of Panama but since the Americans aren´t here anymore, that has changed.

The whites generally are Europeans or Americans that have stayed and made Panama their home. The indigenous Indians generally seem to keep to themselves and change little of their culture, but of course their are a few who may delve further into mainstream Panamanian culture and they would more or less be accepted by and placed in the "Latin" category.

Blacks in general are the first to be harassed by police and thrown in jail for no reason. They are also the ones looked at when going into any store or the first to be suspected of being a theif. I saw a local comedy show the other day where a skit was done by two cholos dressing like some hip hop cats with brown paint on their faces doing a local dance called "la pica" which looks like rappers facing off against each other. They also had powder all over their necks and chest which is something that I noticed amongst the blacks here. My family does it all the time. Basically the baby powder is put on for hygenic purposes, I guess to keep you cool and smelling decent despite all the sweating that one will do. Blacks may not be the only ones that do it but it is more noticeable amongst the darkskin blacks moreso that anyone because of the contrast of the powder to the skin. So the guys on that comedy (minstrel) show put on ALOT. My family loves the show and were laughing there asses off...

Oh yeah let me not forget about hair. Wearing locks down here is pretty much like how it is in the South of the US. PEople look at you funny, are afraid, think you are a criminal and/or think you are on drugs. It is probably different in Colon because there are alot more blacks and alot of Rastas. I also found this to be slightly not a problem in black areas of Panama Province but my mother´s cousin lives in an area with mostly Latins so this is not the case.

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

y most continental africans don't sport dreads. i remember bringing up the idea to my moms once-and she was on some well not in my house will you put that "rasta" in your hair.

they still *negatively* associate dreads with so called "voodoo"-and look down upon it *now* because they are devoted "christians"

its sad to me...

"However, the village mentality, and understanding what worked for us before injustice, before yurugu infection, before colonialism is what will save us now. "-Firebrand

"The only thing we wanted for our country was the right to a decent existence, to dignity without hypocrisy , to independence without restrictions... The day will come when history will have its say."-Lumumba

we saw a lot on the caribean coast but none elsewhere..... except maybe panama (panama city).......?

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

to see your experiences vs. mine. Cuz I was mostly around black Panamanians when I was there, and I was only in the Panama provinces maybe twice...at the afro-antillano conference, so I really didn't see that much of what it was like there.

I really liked being in the Colon province, though. It was nice to just be...anonymous (as anonymous as an American can be)...to have my face not be something strange.

and due to a computer crash, when I find the disk, I have something to send you.

Interesting...so it is the same in panama as in Jamaica as far as the Dreds go eh? Most regular folk aint having it, and many rastas are looked upon with disdais- cept fi de ute dem.

As far as the racial dynamics...yeah. It's a trip to see the diversity for the first time, when u always picture the islands as a homogenouse group. In Jamaica the Chinese population has dwindled since the implementaion of Anti-Chinese immigration practices, but you still have East Indians, Blacks, Jews, A few spainards, and some English holdovers.

I never left the back country when going back to JA- so I coudn't tell u how the racial shit worked. Out tv only picked up one channel, and all I saw were blacks.



-------------
avatar?
Negril Sunset...

"Well, when your every breath and will to live is an act of resistance, you cannot help but be 'too political'. To do otherwise is to hide, to live in denial and defeat." --ArabHottie

" If we can't learn to live together despite the turmoil of past generations we are doomed." -Stern


"And where today is the stable community that would sustain such a couple, where one can be both poor and diginified and raise one's children with decency and hope... If the answer is education, does our society adequateley provide that tool of self-improvement to the less well off?"-- Sidney Poitier

" I'm not mad 'cus I'm losing! I'm mad 'cus I don't know how to win!" --Kevin Curtis Daniels Jr.

"And herein lies the tragedy of the age: not that men are poor,-all men know something of poverty; not that men are wicked,-who is good? Not that men are ignorant, -what is Truth? Nay, but that men know so little of men."
W.E.B. Dubois

"Slaves got options...cowards aint got shit." --PS
"Once upon a time, little need existed for making the distinction between a nigga and a black—at least not in this country, the place where niggas were invented" -- Donnell A

that was the main difference i saw regarding race in jamaica

eg.
yellow man

etc.

i thought it was funny the way they just said right out things that we have so many complexes about

"dat jiggle mek mi giggle"

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

tell us about the economy... or relocating... if one wanted to relocate to panama.. could he/she do it & live confortably? job, etc.. etc?

yours to Uta!

my avatar?

you cant see it?

geez

its a white square outlined in white..

lemme see if I can draw it again so you can see it

lol

peace

Staying with my mother's cousin hasn't been fun, to say the least. I didn't expect to stay there long but I had to shorten my stay even moreso than I expected to. I mentioned before that there are several people in the house and that she stays in an area that is mostly latin. Well when I first arrived I got up early one morning and walked around the neighborhood to see the changes because I had been in this same neighborhood 12 years ago. Things didn't look too different but I did notice the fact that there were few black people in the area (I don't remember seeing black folks in the area as a youth but then I didn't think too much of it).

When I got back to the house my cousin was up and she told me not to go out again. She explained that the area was mostly latin and that because of my appearance and the fact that I am a stranger to the neighborhood, the residents would call the police on me and I would be taken to jail. Because of my non-mastery of the español and my hair, they would take advantage of this and tear up my passport, put me in jail and cut off my hair. (I've heard these stories before but only by my mother{s side of the family would come from the Panama province, but my family in Colon Province laugh at this and say it is nonsense.)

She told me that I can only go out if someone accompanies me. I didn't mind that at the moment because I hadn't really learned the bus system (this was the night after i arrived) and didn't know my way around, so I agreed with her. So this means that unless I go somewhere with her husband or one of her daughters, I really can't go anywhere. Like i said I wasn't planning on staying with her for long as I have other relatives. I was just there cuz she lives near the airport and picked me up, and I decided to at least stay until I got my delayed luggage.

Both she and her husband are retired but her husband volunteers at a credit union in Paraiso during the week so he takes the only (working) car during the weekdays. My cousin stays at home all day and never goes outside except to hang up the clothes to dry. Anywhere she goes she is driven. The daughter, Bambi, that lives with them sits around the house all day doing chores (its not that much to do cuz this ain't the country) and running errands for her mother, while the 12 yearold granddaughter, Linny, helps and the 4-year old grandson,Eán, plays.

If I went anywhere its was with Bambi and that was only to the local stores and stuff. My aunt met me and Bambi and the bus stop one day and we went to Panama City but that was it. My days of boredom were long but I sustained myself with playing with Eán along with my capoeira. I practiced in the gated area in front of the house when the car was gone and early in the morning I went to the side of the house which is a small neighborhood playground tha ti can tell is not used anymore. A sign says "no jugando futból" and back when I was last here that is all that was done there. Oh well...

So 6 to 8 in the morning i was out practicing my movements and the early morning neighbors got to see the strange, scary man dancing? Bambi and Linny are friends with some of the neighbors and told me that they were curious about me and what i was doing (of course they would be). One neighbor said she saw me and told here daughter to come back inside the house. LOL! Throughout the day I would go and practice more in the gated area or I would just play my berimbau for hours at time. Passers by would look with curiosity and keep walking. Never would they greet me or smile. Not very friendly...

So last Sunday it all came to a boil. When i got up in the morning to practice, my cousin told me "Don't go out there this early, someone will snatch you up, do it inside" (inside includes the outside gated area. I reluctantly concede. One of the reasons I got out to do it is because the car is in the gated area in the morning and there is no room. ¡Demoncio! I did a few pushups and other stuff then went to the shower and back to bed.

Later my cousin tells me that people are talking about me and asking alot of questions. She claims that I'm creating a disturbance in the neighborhood and that when I leave I will be the "talk of the town." She claims that Panamanians have a different culture and don't get up that early and don't do things like that (all bs but i let her talk.)

"In the states you can do that and people will crowd around you and cheer but here people look at you and think you are a fool," she claims.

Can somebody please explain to me WTF she is talking about? Where the fuck does this happen? Think I'm a fool? If only she knew the looks I get from people everyday in the states when I do shit.

Eventough i know she is talking nonsense, to correct in ANYWAY would be totally disrespectful. I learned the hard way from my grandfather as a child when i told him that Kareem Abdul-Jabaar was the name of the Lakers player ( he said somethin else that i can't remember ahora). So I let her talk said ok and watched tv. Later on when I couldn't make myself watch anymore tv I went and go my berimbau and went outside to play.

I played for awhile and then heard "Lando, what is da meanin uv dat?" Uh, oh... I went inside and she said that she has seen guys playing that and they were "llamando sus dios." Dios = God. She claims that the instrument is calling the "spirits" and that she is and Episcopalian and only believes in the Episopal and Catholic God (that white mofo that she has plastered up all over her house). I don't tell her that she is wrong (because in all honesty she isn't this time) but i tell her that the berimbau tells the people playing capoeria what kind of game to play. Whatever. She doesn't care and tells me not to play it anymore... (At this point I know i must leave soon)

(BTW didn't we just have a discussion about this in the "Religious Justification" post? Weren´t there some people claiming that playing capoeira doesn´t interfere with one´s religion? Yeah yall need to get real.)
Later when I'm sitting on my ass not doing shit, bored out of my mind and trapped in the house. I go to the gated area to play around with Eán. I go and play with him doing capoeira movements while he runs around. My cousin calls me in and scolds me for doing that. She tells me that I can't do that anymore and tells me that she just heard a little girl pass by and call me a "resbaloso" (panamanians leave the "s" silent). She explains that a "resbaloso" is a one of those people during carnival who jumps around.

"is it a bad thing?" I asked.

"Orlando you{re not listening to me, don't do those tings here, this is not the states, this is a different culture!"

I found out later that resbaloso means "slippery". These men during crnival are usually covered in oil and appear slippery. They playfully chase you around for money (small change) and wear scary masks or weird wigs. I remember them now as when I was young I remember seeing this guy greased up with his shirt off and wearing cut off jeans. It looked like he had a wig on (looked like a james brown wig) and he was covered in red paint which I think my mother said was pig blood.

That night I called my uncle and told him to pick me up the next morning and so I am there now. I had my luggage so I didn't need to be there anymore. Now I can play my capoeira again.

...continuaré luego...

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

guess it's just different kinds depending on where you're at at the time.

do you think the people might be a *little* more progressive where your uncle is?

_____________________________
~Remember you are not the general manager of the universe~

go listen to some jamiroquai. now. i mean it.

~~~~
http://omidele.blogspot.com/
http://rahareiki.tumblr.com/
http://seatofbliss.blogspot.com/

Many of the people, especially blacks in his area are Panamanians that moved back to Panama. It is a new area and all the houses are new (5 years or less). It is more of an upper middle class neighborhood compare to my cousin. The houses in his area start at $34,000 and big 2 stories are like $80,000. So alot of folks came back to Panama and are living it up now. Besides that the people in this area are more likely to be seen outside exercising in the morning and they are overall more friendly, black and latin alike. However a big difference was my aunt and uncle. They know their neighbors and introduced me to alot of folk, my cousin didn't do that and it really seemed that she was trying to hide me away from everyone.

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

I'm learing alot. Was the neighborhood you were staying a middle class area?

lower middle class. The thing is in Panama though, "lower class" is pure shit if you are in the city. Folks out in the bush would prolly be considered "lower class" or poor but it is not as bad as being in the city. Out there people make there own makeshift homes but never have to go hungry as there is food everywhere. Everywhere i go there is something growing on the trees i can eat. The city poor folk live in unsanitary conditions and have less access to food that they can pick or catch for themselves.

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

Anywhere you go write an Okay thread f your experiences. I'm feelin this.



"the truth is more controversial than lies" Anonymous

I learned the hard
>way from my grandfather as a child when i told him that
>Kareem Abdul-Jabaar was the name of the Lakers player ( he
>said somethin else that i can't remember ahora). -------------
----------
havent we all!

What music is popular in Panama?

to the uninitiated, all the songs sound the same

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

I know there is a lot of reggae comiong out of Panama,no?

and merengue, salsa, soca, .....

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

Lo llamamos plena, but yeah a lot of that, and plenty Salsa...and surprise surprise, we love that U.S. pop phenomenon

____________________________________________________________

"One writes, in reality, for the people whose luck or misfortune one identifies with - the hungry, the sleepless, the rebels, and the wretched of this earth - and the majority of them are ill

the only band i know of is "los rabanes"....who else do people listen too that play reggaespanol??

One man...sums it all up...

Ruben Blades....!!!!!!!

The man ran for the presidency...obviously..didn't have much "apollo"...but his intentions were greatly appreciated..!!
Wanted to make a difference, yet most of the countries (Panama) "interests" weren't for the people...but for the state...y otro "metido"...that I rather not mention...!!!

Mr.Blades music is one that makes u reflect...and makes u imagine the REALITY of what Latin America goes through....each and everyday...!!

The REALITY that most of us dont get to see...on this side of the ...Rio Grande...!!!

Bendicion...

Giselle...

PS...y pa' el muchacho (Solarus) que esta escribiendo su vaina aca...Looks Lovely Man...keep it up !!! =o)

Panama is one of those places that makes vegetarianism fun AND AFFORDABLE! Produce down here is done how it should be done: Cheap and Organic (Mostly). I don´t know and doubt there are any true organic certification boards here but alot of the stuff here grows with little human intervention thus I know alot of this stuff is organic. There are banana,plantain, coconut, papaya, and mango trees everywhere. I can say I´ve noticed that there are alot less of these trees since I was last here mainly because of the increase of building and road construction here but there are still alot around. especially when you go into the residential areas. I went to one person´s house who had 2 huge mango trees both with trunks with more than 2 feet diameters. There were mangos all over the yard.

Because of the high accessibility to produce most of it is extremely cheap in comparison to U.S. prices. Bananas and plantain are usually 10 cents a lb.; coconuts for 25 cents each; mangos 25 cents for 4 ; pineapples for $1.00 each; and the lists goes on. Then there´s all the new stuff I´m learning about and old stuff that I don´t get to eat too often because of inaccessibility in the states or just extremely high costs.

I´m also takign this opportunity to learn how to prepare some panamanian dishes that I didn´t know how to prepare before. There are dishes that are traditionally vegetarian and a few that can be altered a little bit. There is the coconut rice and guandu peas dish that is common amongst WEst Indians, then fried mash green plantain called patacones, a myriad of ways to prepare yucca and plantain, a dessert called yucca pon (used to love it as a kid), a porridge made with okra and cornmeal called coocoo, etc.

Oh then there is a vegetarian restaurant here called Mireya that I went too. The owners´have two locations but I´ve only been to one in El Dorado. That place have to be the least expensive veggie joint I´ve ever been too. THe food is good, cheap and vegan (besides the honey). I got a big plate of food for less than $5.00. That is unheard of in the states. In the states one is virtually punished for choosing not to eat meat. That isn´t the case down here.

All this talk about food... I think I´m hungry.

...continuarè luego...

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

I´ve been noticing an interesting sentiment with my family and other chombos. Many of the chombos, especially those that still speak English, want the United States to come back to Panama. The reason largely surrounds the fact that the Panamanian government is corrupt and incompetent. Since 2000 the only public projects that have taken place are those that usually involve the overall financial benefit for private investors, such as better roads in commercial areas. Although, Panama is in a state of growth and development (moreso than pre-2000), there are still a lack of jobs.

ALL of the American bases (an Airforce, Army and naval base), were given to the Panamanian government free of charge. I´ve been to the Airforce and army bases in the past and recently. They were huge were mini cities within themselves. The Clayton Army base could easily be a university as it has athletic equipment/buildings and office buildings. It would be a perfect addition to el Universidad de Panama. In fact the whole school would be better off there as the buildings at its current location are shit. They look like they are about to be condemned.

But in the real world, the Panamanian government is money hungry. All of the bases are being underused with parts not used at all. Many decent homes (nice compared to some of the areas I´ve been too) have been abandoned as are office buildings. They are there just collecting dust. The government is basically waiting for buyers for the bases. I´m not sure but I think they are not selling for ownership but simply leasing the space. A friend of the family is in charge of everyting that goes on at the Clayton location and he has told me that he works for La Cuidad Del Saber, a governmental organization created to deal with the use of the bases.

Then Panama has never been a tourist country but now moves are being made to make it so. Most of these moves are being made by a few of the Panamanian rich and many foreign investors. Add it up together, very little of the movers and shakers are black. Thus many of the chombos feel trapped. It is hard to find work and pay for a good education in Panama and is even moreso for the blacks. When the US was here, many of the chombos found there escape through the US. Many joined the military or worked on the Canal Zone and gained American citizenship. With easy access to American citizenship, they could come here to school, and/or live. In America it is alot easier to climb the socieconomic ladder than it is in Panama. In fact it very advantageous to move to America, climb the ladder and MOVE BACK to Panama.

Everyone in my family that is still in Panama lived and worked in the US for at least a year. My retired uncle is planning on living with his son in the US (free of charge of course) for a year, while working, so he can buy a new (used) van. Once he gets his van, he´ll have it shipped back to Panama and return. It doesn´t cost that much to do so and back pre-2000, canal workers could have it done for free.

If you think about it in a historical context, the West Indian blacks were brought (came) here because of the US and were loyal workers for years and now the US is gone. Even though years of assimilation and acceptance to panamanian society has occurred, the fact remains that they are still at the bottom of the totempole in somewhat of a "foreign" place. I´ve been finding out recently that many of my relatives and other West Indians are RETURNING to the islands, if not to the US itself.

Oh well, Jamaica here we come.

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

>I´ve been noticing an interesting sentiment with my family
>and other chombos. Many of the chombos, especially those
>that still speak English, want the United States to come
>back to Panama.

Really? Most of my family and friends in Panama were damm happy the gringos left and are even happier now, not for any economic or political reason, just the symbolism of it all. You should have been there on the Millenium, patriotism was at an all time high, "!El canal es nuestro!"

The reason largely surrounds the fact that
>the Panamanian government is corrupt and incompetent.

Replace the Panamanian government with that of Mireya Moscoso, shes a dumb bitch milking her husbands name for her benefit, shes the corrupt one...noone knows how she won the elections now, and they all want her out now.

Since
>2000 the only public projects that have taken place are
>those that usually involve the overall financial benefit for
>private investors, such as better roads in commercial areas.

Its always been like that, first with the drug dealers (check out Punta Paitilla en la Ciudad de Panama), and now with the wealthier people. Banks have few restrictions and turn a blind eye to investors business just to make money, so theres a lot of dirty money in Panama. And the free zone is all beneficial towards private investors as well, thats where Panama's wealth comes from.

> Although, Panama is in a state of growth and development
>(moreso than pre-2000), there are still a lack of jobs.
>
>ALL of the American bases (an Airforce, Army and naval
>base), were given to the Panamanian government free of
>charge. I´ve been to the Airforce and army bases in the
>past and recently. They were huge were mini cities within
>themselves. The Clayton Army base could easily be a
>university as it has athletic equipment/buildings and office
>buildings.

Nobody wants to move there because el gringo used to live there, and because its hella expensive.

It would be a perfect addition to el Universidad
>de Panama. In fact the whole school would be better off
>there as the buildings at its current location are shit.
>They look like they are about to be condemned.

Hehehehe, when I was there 3 weeks ago, the graduate department had daily blackouts because they had failed to pay their electricity bills for all of 2002

>
>But in the real world, the Panamanian government is money
>hungry. All of the bases are being underused with parts not
>used at all. Many decent homes (nice compared to some of
>the areas I´ve been too) have been abandoned as are office
>buildings. They are there just collecting dust. The
>government is basically waiting for buyers for the bases.
>I´m not sure but I think they are not selling for ownership
>but simply leasing the space. A friend of the family is in
>charge of everyting that goes on at the Clayton location and
>he has told me that he works for La Cuidad Del Saber, a
>governmental organization created to deal with the use of
>the bases.
>
>Then Panama has never been a tourist country but now moves
>are being made to make it so. Most of these moves are being
>made by a few of the Panamanian rich and many foreign
>investors.

The foreign investors are all Colombian, and the Panamanian rich are all Colombian first generation as well, all the movers and shakers are Colombian, the white and mulatto Panamanian aint getting much of that money either, Colombian bussiness men and drug dealers are taking over the country, Have you been to the Decameron resort?, owned by Colombians...
Btw....we're not very good at this whole tourist thing, our resorts suck

Add it up together, very little of the movers
>and shakers are black. Thus many of the chombos feel
>trapped. It is hard to find work and pay for a good
>education in Panama and is even moreso for the blacks. When
>the US was here, many of the chombos found there escape
>through the US. Many joined the military or worked on the
>Canal Zone and gained American citizenship. With easy
>access to American citizenship, they could come here to
>school, and/or live. In America it is alot easier to climb
>the socieconomic ladder than it is in Panama. In fact it
>very advantageous to move to America, climb the ladder and
>MOVE BACK to Panama.
>
>Everyone in my family that is still in Panama lived and
>worked in the US for at least a year. My retired uncle is
>planning on living with his son in the US (free of charge of
>course) for a year, while working, so he can buy a new
>(used) van. Once he gets his van, he´ll have it shipped
>back to Panama and return. It doesn´t cost that much to do
>so and back pre-2000, canal workers could have it done for
>free.
>
>If you think about it in a historical context, the West
>Indian blacks were brought (came) here because of the US and
>were loyal workers for years and now the US is gone.

Hey, sounds like some of my fam...

Even
>though years of assimilation and acceptance to panamanian
>society has occurred, the fact remains that they are still
>at the bottom of the totempole in somewhat of a "foreign"
>place. I´ve been finding out recently that many of my
>relatives and other West Indians are RETURNING to the
>islands, if not to the US itself.
>
>Oh well, Jamaica here we come.

Jamaica, gorgeous place, loadsa problems as well, you think politics in Panama are corrupt?, You aint seen nothing yet, just to think, I'm half Jamaican as well

____________________________________________________________

"One writes, in reality, for the people whose luck or misfortune one identifies with - the hungry, the sleepless, the rebels, and the wretched of this earth - and the majority of them are ill

That school looks pretty sad. My cousin goes there for grad school and she told me about their inability to pay bills. A guy I know that is the supervisor for the entire Clayton Airforce base (now called El Ciudad del Saber) told me that a that an intra-Central American fencing tournament was that was originally scheduled to be at the universidad was relocated to Clayton because the universidad had no lights.

It´s a damn shame.

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

Mi abuelo de mi papa es de Panama, y although shit might be bad, and he left way before shit really hit the fan, shit in JA is fucked up too. The Dons run things, the cops don't fucking care, and the government isn't that powerful. In certain areas it is str8 up lawlessness, and while that might sound refreshing to us who deal wit police brutatlity and profiling, it is refreshing to know that for the most part "justice", and protection is a phone call away.

My uncle has like 6 killer dogs, 2 gaurds, bars, and a system, and de dread dem still found a way to break in, and do some unspeakable shit. He knows who did it, and can do nothing, and these men still roam the streets...

...it's frustrating. The diaspora needs us to find solutions.

-------------
avatar?
"...take you back in time like sankofa- sankofa"

"Well, when your every breath and will to live is an act of resistance, you cannot help but be 'too political'. To do otherwise is to hide, to live in denial and defeat." --ArabHottie

" If we can't learn to live together despite the turmoil of past generations we are doomed." -Stern


"And where today is the stable community that would sustain such a couple, where one can be both poor and diginified and raise one's children with decency and hope... If the answer is education, does our society adequateley provide that tool of self-improvement to the less well off?"-- Sidney Poitier

" I'm not mad 'cus I'm losing! I'm mad 'cus I don't know how to win!" --Kevin Curtis Daniels Jr.

"And herein lies the tragedy of the age: not that men are poor,-all men know something of poverty; not that men are wicked,-who is good? Not that men are ignorant, -what is Truth? Nay, but that men know so little of men."
W.E.B. Dubois

"Slaves got options...cowards aint got shit." --PS
"Once upon a time, little need existed for making the distinction between a nigga and a black—at least not in this country, the place where niggas were invented" -- Donnell A

>Mi abuelo de mi papa es de Panama, y although shit might be
>bad, and he left way before shit really hit the fan, shit in
>JA is fucked up too. The Dons run things, the cops don't
>fucking care, and the government isn't that powerful. In
>certain areas it is str8 up lawlessness, and while that
>might sound refreshing to us who deal wit police brutatlity
>and profiling, it is refreshing to know that for the most
>part "justice", and protection is a phone call away.
>
>My uncle has like 6 killer dogs, 2 gaurds, bars, and a
>system, and de dread dem still found a way to break in, and
>do some unspeakable shit. He knows who did it, and can do
>nothing, and these men still roam the streets...

Talk about fucked up, when my mom lived in Kingston, way back, she got mugged 3 times in the driveway of her own house, once when she was pregnant with me and then another time she was beaten to an inch of her death. And the woman still claims she loves that place and would go back in a second.....

>
>...it's frustrating. The diaspora needs us to find
>solutions.
>

____________________________________________________________

"One writes, in reality, for the people whose luck or misfortune one identifies with - the hungry, the sleepless, the rebels, and the wretched of this earth - and the majority of them are ill

I´ve been exploring all the nooks and crannies of Panama Province for the past few days. Right now, my going and staying in Colon is looking very bleak. I definitely will go to Portobelo before I leave but my contacts in Colon have´t fell through.

Anyways, I did a few touristy things like go to the zoo. First El Parque de Summit (the zoo) is seriously lacking in financial support. The average Panamanian hasn´t been and probably will never go to the zoo. It costs a dollar to get in and is way out in the bush, past Paraiso (where my mother grew up), right before Gamboa. Gamboa is actually pretty nice. It seems like a small neighborhood that has been cut out of the jungle right along the Panama Canal. There is a Smithsonian Tropical institute out there and some homes. I noticed alot of Directv dishes on the homes and I found out from the bus driver that alot of americans live out there. Oh well...

The Summit have a few animals there but most of them looked lonely and frustrated. Some had better living spaces than others and then a few of the animals were all by themselves with no other animals in there species to accompany them. Those animals in particular seem to take a great interest in me as I was like 1 of 4 visitors in the whole park. And as i walked around I never saw the other vistors, except when leaving. At least I finally got to see the gato solos that I have been hearing about. Also known as the coatimundi, they look like a mix between a raccoon and possum and live much like racoons. However they are a little more dangerously than racoons as they are a little bigger and have sharper claws but from what i hear they are generally not aggressive, only when provoked.

There were spiders all over the zoo that looked like THEY should have been in cages. DAMN they were big. Other than that the spider monkeys were pretty cool. Most of the cages at this zoo weren´t very secure. Even though the animals were in cages, one could easily stick a finger or arm close enough to the gate to get bitten or clawed. I grabbed one of the coatimundi´s claw myself but it didn´t seem to mind. At the spider monkey cage i had a ball. They were so cute, grabbing and begging for something. They looked like little black kids beggin for somethin. Yeah i said it. Niggaz is monkeys.

I had two huge leaves that I was using as makeshift umbrellas and they kept grabbing for it. One persistent monkey snatched it away from me. I could tell they were wanting some attention because they knew i didn´t have anything after awhile but continued to follow me. I would run back and forth around the cage and they would follow me around the fence.

I could grabb their whole arms because they were so close. There were warning signs everywhere saying don´t get close but I know that some young children could easily get hurt there if not careful. My uncle told me that he fell into the crocodile pond as a kid and almost ended up caiman food. He didn´t though.

Although I had fun with the monkeys, this was a pretty pitiful zoo and just further exposes the fact that people of Panama are poor as hell and the government doesn´t give a damn.

...continuarèmos luegos...

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

Solarus,

You said Blacks were at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder in Panama. I thought it was the Indigeneous people!?

Hmmmmmmmmm

"Forget Black History Month, how about live an African History Life"-Ansley Burrows

From what I´ve seen here, the indians seem to not even EXIST in the ladder as they stick to there own communities and some live as they have lived for years. THe ones that leave and join the Panamanian rat race often blend in to the cholo team with ease. Also some indian groups seem to have alot of solidarity which always will improve one´s situation. THe Kuna Indians in San Blas have been making strides at economic development and own their land. I don´t much about others as of yet but I´ll see what i can find.

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

didn't mana sing a song about "el muelle del san blas"...sounds familiar...

and this post has been around for a long muthatruckin' time....i read one of your posts..and your familia is weird..i like reading some of the things are said and done in the colonia...

you really goin to JA or are you teasing, cuz i would just beg u sen' mi some roast breadfruit.

did i tell you you are in the acknowledgements of my thesis? thanks for your help.

Kemetian
--------------------------------------
check it out:
www.natureworksforyou.co
m

"Pour libation for your father
and mother who rest in the
valley of the dead. God will
witness your action and
accept it. Do not forget to
do this

I´m not going to JA anytime soon, I just said "Oh well, off to Jamaica..." as a representative of the sentiment that seems to being going on in the minds of many chombos, along with going to Barbados and the US for that matter.

I´ll make it to JA someday though, although it is pretty far down my list.

Besides there are too many ugly tourists and silly RAstas in JA. If I felt like being surrounded by white tourists (and tourists in general) and having mofo after mofo coming up to me saying
"SELASSIE I! I n I JAHRASTAFARIEADAFSDJFOSDFJOAFJLREJKFDLAF," I would just stay in DC.

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

depends on where ya travellin

the only white people i saw in jamaica who weren't at the airport were me an my friend

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

>I´m not going to JA anytime soon, I just said "Oh well, off
>to Jamaica..." as a representative of the sentiment that
>seems to being going on in the minds of many chombos, along
>with going to Barbados and the US for that matter.
>
>I´ll make it to JA someday though, although it is pretty far
>down my list.
>
>Besides there are too many ugly tourists and silly RAstas in
>JA. If I felt like being surrounded by white tourists (and
>tourists in general) and having mofo after mofo coming up to
>me saying
>"SELASSIE I! I n I
>JAHRASTAFARIEADAFSDJFOSDFJOAFJLREJKFDLAF," I would just stay
>in DC.


there are plenty ugly tourists in JA, but you don't have to see them. the same w/ rastas, they are not as prevalent in society as tv would have us believe. they pretty much stay in their own communities. and you will definitely NOT have anyone coming up to you like that. altho' when i touched down in ethiopia, many of the children, who came up to me to beg for $$ at the airport said that exact thing. i guess the headwrap fooled them.

Kemetian
--------------------------------------
check it out:
www.natureworksforyou.co
m

"Pour libation for your father
and mother who rest in the
valley of the dead. God will
witness your action and
accept it. Do not forget to
do this

Hey Solarus, I've really been enjoying your commentary, especially because I spent so much time in Panama as a kid back in the 70's. Back then both sides of my family were based in Panama. My paternal grandfather was a ship's captain who was paid to guide vessels through the canal. And my maternal grandfather was an engineer who worked on the Gatun locks. Both of my parents and all of my aunts and uncles graduated from Cristobal High School. Over the years everyone of them has moved to the States, but at family gatherings Panama is always a prominent topic. Everyone of us misses it so much.

I used to love to venture through neighborhoods that had no fences, pulling fruit from any tree. A walk into the jungle is never too far away. My grandpa used to capture insects and then embalm them. My uncle still has a huge wooden case filled with some of the freakiest bugs anyone in the States could ever even imagine. Have you ever seen a giant rhinosaurus beetle? Holy shit. And I can still say that some of the best fishing that I've ever done was in Gatun Lake. Also I got a chance to visit the San Blas islands, where Molas come from. That was a great trip not only because I got to interact with such a primitive culture, but also because of the snorkeling. Indeed the Pacific coast is gorgeous. And you're right to think that Colon is a hip city. Too bad that the train connecting the coasts got shut down a few years back. That really hurt Panama in a big way. What I remember the most about Panama City, aside from playing in a basketball league there in 1981, is the altar of gold and eating at some Italian spot that served up the best clams that I have ever had.

Anyway I could go on for days. But it does hurt that it's been 21 years since I last visted Panama. So in the meantime I am living vicariously through you. I just hope that you get the chance to see other parts of the country, because there is much beauty all around you.

Interesting adventures.

Te cuidas.
Paz a ti y tu familia.

you got people in Panama too?

that's freaky

(this is/was BooDaah)

a friend of my aunt´s down here who told me i look just like her son in California who has locks. His name was "Orlando."

What´s more freakier???

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

Most of mi familia is from Trinidad. My mother's father is Bajan and he's from Christ Church Barbados. I just found out that they're Brewsters in Panama. How can I find out about them?

"Forget Black History Month, how about live an African History Life"-Ansley Burrows

mastering spanish is going to take longer than i thought. I don´t think a month here will do it. Definitely two months but a month... I dunno. If the people in my family spoke more spanish around me, that would help out but alas they are damn chombos who have to speak english all the time. It´s funny too. When i ask them about certain words, phrases, kwk., they draw blank faces and say their spanish is bad and don´t know.

However I can understand why now. The majority of my family (on my mother´s side anyway) grew up in the Canal Zone which was officially considered American territory. People born in the Canal Zone, were granted American citizenship along with Panamanian citizenship. The schools in that area only instructed in English. Alot of older chombos I´ve met learned spanish in their teens or even older because they never needed to use it.

Now things are different. There is no more Canal Zone thus the use of English is slowly fading away. It already started fading away years ago but now it is fadng more rapidly. I have plenty of relatives who speak no English. Especially those relatives who are mixed with the cholos. The Latins here very seldomly speak english.

Anyways, I´m beginning to actually "hear" the words now when someone speaks. ALthough, I may not know what they mean or do know what they mean but need time to mentally translate the words to english. At this point sentence structure is killing me when speaking. I just watched a movie in portuguese and had to read spanish subtitles and did so with ease. I can read pretty well but the difference in sentence structure between english and spanish is still hard for me to decipher orally. But everyday things get a little better.

The other thing is the lazy ass Panamanian tongue. bastards speak so fast because they drop off syllables and shit. I know the secret now. For the longest i was trying to figure out why people would say "Also" when they were in agreement with something. The word for "also" is "tambien." What they are saying is "´ta bien" short for "està bien" or " it´s good/okay." The "es" sound is frequently dropped off of words as carrying that "s" takes up time.
EG.
"ma tarde" for "mas tardes"- later
"dos dolas" for " dos dolares"- two dollars

But that is a rule in general to leave off syllables and words altogether. Noone here says "Buenos dias" or "Buenos tardes" or "Buenas noches." Usually you´ll just get a "Bueno" or "Buena." Sometimes if you are lucky, you might get a whole "Buenos" with the "s" at the end.

Another issue is the slang. People be sayin shit that ain´t in my dictionary all the time which , of course, is to be expected. The funniest term i heard was "So Pà" = What´s up. Basically its " pasó" as in "Que Pasò." I thought it was pretty creative. Then there is "caerse"= to fall down which in slang terms can me "to like someone." For instance " Me cayo su amigo." Literally doesn´t make sense as it means " I fall down your friend," but in slang terms means " I like your friend." I´ve been learnign the profanity down here too like "Chucha"=fuck or "puta"=whore/prostitute.

Let´s not even get into gross chombo Spanglish. Jeez. I´m trying to learn spanish, give me a break.

Why can´t everyone speak like those guys on those spanish tapes we had to listen too in school.

Like this:

Me llamo Juan.

**pauses for 2 seconds**

Me llamo Juan.
**************

If only... Damn real-life people.

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

definitely...and just keep playing it like you would a hip hop album. then it'll come, the speed that is.

duwayne's pretty tight, from listening to shit w/ catrice 'n all... and had these cassette tape s that were AWESOME for developing "hearing/understanding" speed. talking along with the music developes the speaking speed.

hey. if cats can say Bone Thugs 'n Harmony lyrics...they can learn spanish!

Red, Black, Green

you hear any panamanian rap? i heard it was tight!

Red, Black, Green

from the people I´ve spoken too, "rap" isn´t that popular down here. The closest you´ll find is dancehall reggae stuff. But alot of these cats down here will just sample all of the pouplar US hiphop beats and do reggae to it.

The most popular "rap" down here is usually by folks from other countries in Latin America and US. Yes they know about Nelly and Puff Daddy down here...

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

i was on one of those long, blasted air conditioning type buses where they showed hours of shakira and britney spears videos

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

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A cousin of mine who is a 12 year old tall skinny darkskinned black girl had her room plastered with Shakira, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera all over the wall and a first blonde blue-eyed dolls around the place. I stayed in her room when i first got here and slept on her bed with a white jesus hovering and watching over me as I slept. That my friend was HELL especially when I could no longer play my berimbau or play capoeira, there. I was suicidal at that point.

I hear britney spears´music everywhere i go and most of these bammas can´t speak english.

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"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

but i believe it

unfortunately

<<sigh>>

maybe next time we should bring black jesus and spread it quietly

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

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yeah...that newbirth shut in is looking a LOT better now huh?

karma...gotta love it!

Red, Black, Green

for real...I know alot of newbirth shut-ins now.

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avatar?
"...take you back in time like sankofa- sankofa"

"Well, when your every breath and will to live is an act of resistance, you cannot help but be 'too political'. To do otherwise is to hide, to live in denial and defeat." --ArabHottie

" If we can't learn to live together despite the turmoil of past generations we are doomed." -Stern


"And where today is the stable community that would sustain such a couple, where one can be both poor and diginified and raise one's children with decency and hope... If the answer is education, does our society adequateley provide that tool of self-improvement to the less well off?"-- Sidney Poitier

" I'm not mad 'cus I'm losing! I'm mad 'cus I don't know how to win!" --Kevin Curtis Daniels Jr.

"And herein lies the tragedy of the age: not that men are poor,-all men know something of poverty; not that men are wicked,-who is good? Not that men are ignorant, -what is Truth? Nay, but that men know so little of men."
W.E.B. Dubois

"Slaves got options...cowards aint got shit." --PS
"Once upon a time, little need existed for making the distinction between a nigga and a black—at least not in this country, the place where niggas were invented" -- Donnell A

They gave away five cars during the sermon

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Oooo baby I like it raw. Oooo baby I like it RAAAW!(c)ODB- Shimmy Shimmy Ya

its funny the reactions I get from alotta people here about my hair. One of my cousin asked if i could get a job in the states with my hair like this and I told her I´m a high school teacher. She was shocked and replied that that could never happen down here in Panama.

Then i asked, " What about in Colon?"

She said i would be a "dios" in Colon. Locks are practically worshipped up there. Even the hair of the Black Jesus reportedly is in locks. I´ve see pictures of the Black Jesus in Portobelo but I couldn´t tell if they were locks or not.

Anyways its interesting the seemingly extraordinary difference between blacks in Panama Province and the ones in Colon province. I have to go there for myself to see what´s up. I´m going next week.

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"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks