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What will become of Argentina and the new Pope she offers the world? Your guess is as good as mine.

Notes on Argentina and the New Pope



1. The New World: Pope Francis is the first Pope from the New World. This is significant because for almost 1,500 years the continents of the New World were not supposed to be where they are. The world for the Romans and many who followed them was made up of Europe, Africa and Asia. Now, we have a Pope from a country no one imagined at the time of St. Peter, a Pope who has the ability to see the whole world, not just in his imagination, but as a NASA photograph, spinning in the darkness of outer space.
2. Argentina is not Mexico: Most Americans have a limited view of Latin America. It's important to note that Argentina is not Mexico, our closest Latin American neighbor. A look at the flags of the respective countries clearly shows the differences. Argentina's state symbolism derives from Europe while Mexico's has indigenous roots. Buenos Aries is farther east than New York City and in the southern hemisphere, where the stars in the sky are different and the seasons of the year are reversed. It's always summertime at Christmas in Argentina. Yes, Argentina is far away, but if you know English and Spanish you can walk to Buenos Aires from Toronto and be able to talk to people along the way. So who is an Argentinean? Some say, "An Argentinean is an Italian who speaks Spanish and thinks he's English." Our new Pope comes from a culture that is more Roman Catholic than many realize.

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3. The Tango is from Argentina: If you haven't heard a tango or seen a couple dance the tango, the traditional music and dance from Argentina, then you should. They say the tango began life in the brothels of Buenos Aries, moved to Paris, became respectable and then traveled the world. The most famous tango is "Adios Muchachos." This tango exemplifies the essence of tango music, a music that is sensual, and like all things sensual, it carries a note of sadness. The most famous tango singer of all time was Carlos Gardel. Son of a French immigrant from Toulouse, he grew up in Buenos Aires. It is almost certain Pope Francis knows about Gardel and has heard him sing tangos, especially Adios Muchachos. You should hear Adios Muchachos, too. Below are the lyrics to the first part of the song.
Adios muchachos, compañeros de mi vida, Barra querida de aquellos tiempos. Me toca a mi hoy emprender la retirada, Debo alejarme de mi buena muchachada. Adios muchachos. ya me voy y me resigno... Contra el destino nadie la talla... Se terminaron para mi todas las farras, Mi cuerpo enfermo no resiste más...
(Goodbye comrades, my lifetime friends...my sick body no longer can resist.) 4. Dulce de Leche and Yerba Mate are from Argentina: There is really nothing like the dark, sweet caramelized milk that is ducle de leche. It's great on toast at breakfast or served as a topping over ice cream for desert. Yerba Mate is the traditional "tea." of Argentina. I'm sure Pope Francis has tried it, but he may not like it, because some say it is a bitter drink, yet it is full of beneficial antioxidants. Like the Zen tea ceremony, there is a ritual and special implements required for the proper making and drinking of yerba mate. The drink is usually prepared in a gourd cup by pouring hot water over the yerba mate and then drinking it with a bombilla, or metal straw. Who knows, they could be serving yerba mate in the Vatican even as you read this. 5. Gauchos Are from Argentina and the Pampas Are Found There, Too: What to say about the gauchos? They are often seen as heroic figures of the pampas (wind swept plains). The gauchos are somewhat in the mold of US cowboys, but without the six-shooter gunfights. In many ways the gauchos are an antidote to the urban sophistication and alienation of Buenos Aires. The gauchos also are famous for "carne asada" and "bolas." Dr. James Horn has taken the attitude of the gaucho and their particular Spanish accent and uses it in a humorous way by offering us and the new Pope a gaucho translation of the Lord's prayer. The English translation is not as humorous as is the "gaucho" original, nevertheless, an inexact translation follows:
THE]http://jimhornnews.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/argentine-pope-starts-church-reform-with-gaucho-version-of-our-father/">THE[/url] OUR FATHER (Spanish) Che Padre, vos que estes en el cielo, Ven aa con nosotros, donde esa Tu Reino. Hacé Tu voluntad en las Pampas como en el cielo. Danos el asado y el mate nuestro de cada dÌa. Perdoná nuestras ofensas, aunque reconocemos que... no tenemos ninguna. No nos dejés caer en boludeces, Y librá las Malvinas de los ingleses. Amén (English) Hey Father, you up there in the skies, Come here with us where your kingdom lies. Thy will be done on the Pampas as in heaven. Give us each day your mate tea and our barbecue pits, Forgive us our trespasses while recognizing none exist, Don't let us act like foolish twits, And Free the Malvinas from the Brits. Amen.
6. Islas Malvinas or the Falkland Islands? There are those who argue that Argentina is falling apart under its current political leadership (see the Our Father above). Another war with Britain may be on the horizon over Las Islas Malvinas or Falkland Islands. Like the Rio Grande or the Rio Brava that separates the United States from Mexico, its the same islands and the same river, but with different names depending on what side you stand. A referendum was held recently and the people of the islands voted overwhelmingly to remain a United Kingdom overseas territory. Nevertheless, for many the issue of the islands is far from settled. Pope Francis may be caught up in this ongoing controversy. 7. Ducle de Membrillo is also from Argentina: This fruit paste, made from quince is often served with manchego cheese, but dulce de membrillo will also taste good with slices of cream cheese. Think of dulce de membrillo as a metaphor. For many of us, living in the northern hemisphere, the quince is a fruit we overlook. What else do we overlook? 8. Of Slaves and Indians: There are two aspect of Argentinean history that may shape Pope Francis' view of poverty. If anything his view of poverty may be described as more biblical than someone from the United States may imagine. The reason for this is that Argentina lacks a history of slavery and a disastrous civil war like the United States. There had been slavery in Argentina, but today there are few people of African origin in the country. Furthermore, Argentina never had a large indigenous population like Mexico, an indigenous population who were conquered by the Spaniards and remained poor for centuries. Certainly, there is poverty in Argentina but Argentineans have often looked to European political theories for a solution to this social problem. 9. Poverty and Wasting Food: Recently, Pope Francis spoke about how wasting food is a sin. This reprimand may sound trivial to the wealthy in the United States or Canada, but I remember my mother saying the same. We were a poor and fatherless family while I was young. When the Pope sounds like your mother, how can he go wrong? 10. Misa Criolla: The Misa Criolla by the Argentina composer Ariel Ramírez (1964) was born from the rise of the Mass in the vernacular that came with changes in Catholic liturgy in the 60s. Yet, it would be mistaken to hear the Misa Criolla as a guitar mass that has so diminished Catholic worship in the States. The Misa Criolla transformed folk melodies from Argentina the same way Brahms did in his European music, to make something that is high and spiritual. I'd argue this music, like the tango, offers us an insight into the soul of the nation that gives the world Pope Francis. There are various versions of the Misa Criolla on vinyl and CD. Listen especially to the version of the Gloria by tenor José Carreras. What will become of Argentina and the new Pope she offers the world? Your guess is as good as mine. Let the famous Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges have the last word: ''The future is inevitable and precise, but it may not occur. God lurks in the gaps.''


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Robert Klein Engler -- Bio and Archives

Robert Klein Engler lives in Omaha, Nebraska and sometimes New Orleans. Mr. Engler holds degrees from the University of Illinois in Urbana and The University of Chicago Divinity School. Many of Robert’s poems, stories, and paintings are set in the Crescent City. His long poem, “The Accomplishment of Metaphor and the Necessity of Suffering,” set partially in New Orleans, is published by Headwaters Press, Medusa, New York, 2004. He has received an Illinois Arts Council award for his “Three Poems for Kabbalah.” Link with him at Facebook.com to see examples of his recent work. Some of Mr. Engler’s books are available at amazon.com..


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