Travel: Afro-Latino culture adds color to Panama tapestry
| MAYRA PARRILLA GUERRERO | THE CHARLOTTE POST |
| Street vendor Maritza Mejia Valdez sets up for business in Panama City, Panama. |
Afro-Latinidad is Blackness mixed with Latin America or Caribbean culture.
Though the cultural differences are there, Afro-Latinos and Black Americans have much in common. Both have been discriminated against based on color, know the difficulty of finding the right shade of makeup and how time-consuming and expensive it is to maintain their hair.
Panama is a country filled with culture, and Afro-Latinos are prominent to its identity. More than 30% of the population identifies as Afro-Latino.
Aniyi Alemán, 21, makes a living braiding hair for $40. She lives in Punta Chame, which is in the Oeste (West) Province.
The braids are also a bit different from what’s typically seen in the United States. Alemán specializes in the knotless method, a luxury people in the U.S. pay more than $100 for. She also seals her braids often with rubber bands, something professional braiders in America do with hot water.
Alemán’s mother, Yusara Mayorga, often assists. Mayorga, who splits fees, said she worked in a government office but was let go during the change of government.
Alemán said business slows during the holidays, and Mayorga said it picks up in February.
“Here they do during certain seasons like during carnivals,” Mayorga said. “(Alemán) would see three to four clients per day during that time.”
While working on a client, Alemán was very focused on her work, so Mayorga did most of the talking.
“This job demands a lot,” Mayorga said. “There are many people who charge way more, and I feel that in the place where we live, charging $50 balboas (Panamanian currency) or more they won’t pay it. It also depends on the person, because if it is someone she appreciates a lot, she would charge them less.”
Mayorga and Alemán said the price also is based on their lack a brick-and-mortar site – something they hope to change in the future.
The sight of Afro-Latinos may not be the only thing that surprises you about Panamanians. Some have Americanized last names – more than likely as offspring of American soldiers who were once stationed in the country. The cultures are different, but some American imprints still linger.
Maritza Mejia Valdez, who has been living in Panama City, for more than 10 years, is one of the many street vendors that introduce tourists to a bit of the local culture.
Though she is not a native, Mejia Valdez embraces Panamanian culture daily. She moved to Panama City from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and makes her living as a meat vendor.
“Sometimes you have to go to another country to progress,”, she said. “Panama is a country that I like, and I came to do a change of life.”
One of the differences Mejia Valdez has noticed about Panama is the people. Panamanians treat people very well.
“I give them a lot of love, that’s what they need,” she said. “With a lot of respect, that’s the first thing every human being needs to have.”