Soy Chiricano
May 21st, 2008 by Don Ray
The other day I was walking by the David Public Library and noticed another plaque with a different poem written by Santiago Delgado Anguizola. This one is “Soy Chiricano”. You may remember his poem Al Volver from a previous post. While another translation would be appreciated, that is not the theme of this post.
You will find that Chiriquí is a province, in Panama, with people of tremendous pride. You can almost see a Panamanian’s chest swell, when you ask a him where he is from and he replies, “Soy Chiricano”. Now Santiago was a true Chiricano and his pride was exhibited in many ways. His poems were just some of them.
Super Baru uses the phrase in its billboards, which say, “Soy Chiricano – como tu”. However, today many Chiricanos appear to me to be Chiricano in words only, when it comes to showing reverence to their province. I would like to see the media, the schools, and the government officials in Chiriquí start a program to raise the awareness of how an individual can improve the beauty of this part of Panama.
The reason I say this is because I see so many residents of this beautiful country driving and tossing trash out the window. You may be behind a bus going from David to Boquete and out the window flies more stuff. It happens in town. You can be following people and they will toss a candy wrapper on the ground. It happens everywhere. Gum is tossed on the walk areas, of the new Parque Cervantes, staining the bricks. There seems to be liter everywhere you look.
I was living in Texas, when Texas started the “Don’t mess with Texas” campaign. It was amazing how the pride of all residents of Texas kicked in and liter stopped being tossed out cars on the highway. It doesn’t take much to keep the trash in the car or bus and put in it the trash container when one reaches home.
Of course the officials have to set an example and provide the posting of reminders not to liter. Police need to hand out fines to offenders. Chiriquí has big plans to tap into the growing tourist business. Stopping litter would be a good start. Considering how beautiful Chiriquí is now, think how much more beautiful it would be without beer cans and trash along the highways and along the sidewalks of David.
I walk by a creek which is near downtown. People use it as a dump ground. A recent development is some one posted three handwritten metal signs which say please do not throw trash in the creek. That is a start.
The Estrella newspaper has an English language insert. Recently they had an article about all the stray dogs in Panama City….on the order of 70,000 strays. I quote one sentence in the article…”The city council is in charge of this issue, but they deny any responsibility.”
It takes the parents and teachers to encourage the youth to be concerned about the problem. Or it takes some one to go to the schools and teach the children. Then the children go home and influence their parents.
It is all about attitudes.
As I think I mentioned in my own blog (but maybe not!), on sunday, I believe, there was an article–a good one–in La Prensa about the dump/landfill near Panama City and recycling efforts. An adjunct to that article gave the slogan for the new country-wide cleanup campaign “Si la botas, se nota”. I could translate the first part, “If you throw it” but couldn’t figure out the rest. According to the Espinosas, it’s a slogan that is sort of shorthand for “If you throw it in a garbage container, take a look around and see how beautiful your surroundings are”.
Hey, if you want to know the players, you gotta have a scorecard, right?
And by the way, there is already an environmental awareness program in the public schools.
Yet another post I want to do.
Joyce
Hi John and Joyce. I just asked for the translation of the new slogan and not translating literally, it means , “If you throw your garbage in the container, others will take note”. The implication is that others will do likewise. I hadn’t noticed the slogan. Thanks for pointing it out. I guess my post was a little behind the times, but what else is new.
That’s probably one of my favorite poems ever. Every time I read it, it brings me to tears. About your post, I agree with you 100%. It’s a shame that we (and I say we even though I haven’t lived in Panama in almost 20 yrs) have allowed these to go on for so long. Definitely needs to come from the government officials first, and a campaign needs to start at school level. I’m quite out of touch, but I’m sure there are environmental groups (independent ones) that could start a campaign that visits schools. I know here (MS) the government has a campaign that goes to schools and talks to kids about disposing of trash and such. They are succesful at getting the message across, I have a 6 yr old and I can tell you firsthand it works.
Don Ray:
Misty eyes after reading the poem form “Don Chago”. Thanks for posting it. Regarding the trash: after living in US for > 16 years I have gotten used to clean after myself at fast food places, and pick up my trash, etc, because that is the norm here. When in Panama I keep doing it despite the funny looks, but my fellow panamanians continue doing so. I used to trash and litter (and burn trash/leaves -shame-) myself, imitating what I used to see around me. But if the kids see a clean city and are taugh not to trash, they will grow up doing so and will teach their kids the same.
I doubt penalties will do any good, but setting an example will.
Saludos.
Jaime^
Hi Kayra and Jaime. Thanks for taking the time to leave your comments and viewpoints.
Hi Don,
When I walk thru the new park I pick up trash as an example to the other visitors.Thank you for the great site. Tom
Hi Tom. Haven’t heard from you in a while. Thanks for dropping in.
I totally agree with you and your article about tossing trash out of the window while driving a car. It is about time my people start changing that third world mentality. I am optimisitic about it.
Juan
Hi Juan. Thanks for dropping in and taking the time to leave a comment.
Hi Don,
I have to agree with you about the trash problem in Panama. When I was on holiday there a couple of years ago I was amazed at all the trash and garbage in the beautiful mountainous area above Boquete. I had hired a guide who took me through the park and over the mountain to Boquete. It was upsetting to see such a lovely area filled with trash. I also noticed few if any trash bins around. Many of the few I saw were spilling over. So yes, provide public education but make it easy by providing needed trash cans that are emptied regularly.
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for dropping in and adding a comment. You are correct in that more trash receptacles are needed.
Don,
Again I am thanking you for posting the best known poem of my late father, “Soy Chiricano.” When he wrote it, the province was much less populated and its people were very civil and polite. And there was no problem with the trash! Is throwing out garbage a new trend? I ask because when I first came to live in North Carolina, one didn’t see a piece of paper on the streets or highways… not so now. Trash is everywhere!
In today’s newspaper La Prensa, (www.prensa.com) there are two articles: a short one about my father, and a longer one about my sister. Please read them. My sister is in a permanent campaing to clean David and against noise pollution, in spite of not receiving any (or very little) support from the local authorities. Sincerely,
Leda Anguizola Hardesty
Hi Leda. Yes, there is a lot of work to change the mentality that I see here related to trash. I also had a disappointing day today watching the Davids parade celebrating its 159th year of existence. It will justify a post.