In the USA identity plays an important role in the lives of many. It is who they interact with, date and even influence things like where they live or what religion they follow. Identity often is so interlocked with ethnicity that they become indistinguishable. Think of it this way e-harmony boast that it matches you on a kajillion levels of compatibility yet somehow you still manage to end up with someone of the same ethnicity. So what happens when you were born in Peru, Spanish is your first language, you live in the USA but you’re of Japanese descent? Well then my friend, you are Perusian.

Sure it seems like a novel concept but it makes sense and works, besides that it’s kind of catchy and pretty accurate. This self identifying term also flies if you are of Chinese or any other Asian background living in Peru just in case you couldn’t figure that out on yourself.

Why does this have any significance? Well many people in the USA seem to be surprised about the large Japanese populations in South America, yet we are the ones who sent them there. Through either anti-Japanese immigration laws or a slightly bad USA experience in, oh I don’t know, Japanese Internment Camps many found their way in South America. What followed was an amazing blending of cultures. I mean the previous president of Peru was Alberto Fujimori, his name alone is pretty friggin sweet if I may say let alone he was their president. If you never had some Perusian food then you really know what I’m talking about and if by chance you don’t know what I’m talking about then check out Uncornered Market’s post on Peruvian food for some visual stimulation.

All in all I rather enjoy the food and self-identifying terms used by these Perusians, which I must admit consisted of most of my interactions in Peru. Who knows maybe I picked up something that will aid me when I go to Tokyo – or maybe not. Time will tell, but until then could you pass the taradito?

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In a tacky sense I just heard a Perusian joke that I felt must be added:

So there was a Japanese girl and a Peruvian boy who were getting frisky, as things were starting to heat up she yelled “Yamete!”, he being Peruvian heard “Ya mete”.

…and for those who don’t speak Japanese and Spanish to get the Joke. Yamete meants ‘stop it’ in Japanese while Ya mete means ‘put it in already’ in Spanish- you may now laugh.

Since you can’t share a drink with me, share this post with others!

Tags | Asian, ethnicity, identity, immigration, peru, perusian, peruvian, Travel