Just don’t mention the war. Being British in Buenos Aires.
In 2003 it was near impossible to travel without a stamp of shame in my passport; Britain had gone to war, and the world was outraged.
A similar sense of anxiety accompanied my journey to Argentina. Not only had we gone to war with the eighth largest country in the world, but as a result we had taken something which was (and still should be) theirs. Within my first week of arriving there was a front page reminder of the war, marking the 176th anniversary of the British “illegal occupation” of the Islas Malvinas. I held my breath and swiftly eradicated the term ‘FalklandsIslands’ from my mind.
However, not only did I receive an unprejudiced welcome from porteños throughout Buenos Aires, but I began to see a city bursting with Britishness. Unsurprisingly a British pub has a firm place on the backpacker map, but the phenomenon goes far beyond the pints at Gibraltar (an ironic reference to another stolen territory?).
Within a block it is possible to stroll past a piece of Banksy graffiti, drop your letters in the circular red post box, and pop into the bright red telephone box. After which you may head to the theatre for a J. B. Priestly play, to The British Arts Centre for some FaultyTowers reruns, or maybe just for a drink in Soho.
Despite this overwhelming influx of British culture, the truly patriotic porteños have at least one site of resistance. The Plaza Británica, and its resident Toree de los Ingleses, were swiftly renamed Plaza Fuerza Aérea Argentina and Torre Monumental in the post-war era.I admire this statement, and if the power was bestowed upon me, would permanently replace the British name of those distant islands.
However, there is a more subtle work of resistance that I cannot support; Cadbury’s dairy milk fills the supermarket shelves, but it simply tastes horrible. Sabotage!
Do you know anything about the history of the Falklands/Malvinas Islands?
Give me one good reason why the Islands should be Argentine. And then try telling that reason to the people that live there, and have done for generations, none of whom wish to be Argentine.
PS - The "war" in 1982 did not involve Britain stealing something from Argentina. It involved Argentina invading the islands for 10 weeks before being kicked out - with the islands returned to the long-term residents there - the Falkland Islanders.
Do you know anything about the history of the Falklands/Malvinas Islands?
ReplyDeleteGive me one good reason why the Islands should be Argentine. And then try telling that reason to the people that live there, and have done for generations, none of whom wish to be Argentine.
PS - The "war" in 1982 did not involve Britain stealing something from Argentina. It involved Argentina invading the islands for 10 weeks before being kicked out - with the islands returned to the long-term residents there - the Falkland Islanders.
Oh - when I came to Argentina I had a similar feeling of shame. Then I educated myself on the history of the Islands.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of things to feel shame for that Britain has done, but I would say that the Falkland Islands situation is not one of them.