Author Archives: Anthony Gonzalez

Locro

AGE – 18

Date_of_performance: april 28th 2025

Language: Spanish

Nationality:  Argentinian 

Primary Language: English

Locro for holidays and other special occasions

text:

“This traditional food, I don’t remember when I first heard of it. It was probably just my family doing it, and I have a good relationship with it, as I enjoy eating locro a lot. Although I gotta be honest, the first time I started doing the tradition was last year, and basically in this tradition, what we would do is gather around with friends and/or family and prepare and eat locro for any of Argentina’s national holidays. It can be for National Independence Day or Homeland Day. This Friday I’m gonna eat locro for National Workers Day, and the point of it is to pay honor to the locro, which is a regional typical and traditional dish from here, and at the same time celebrate the holiday. It’s like a stew, and its primary ingredient is white corn. You can add stuff like cow meat or red chorizo. We eat Locro to celebrate the holiday and pay honor to the locro and be grateful for the person who made it. “

Analysis:

Locro looks like an appetizing dish. It is a hearty, thick squash or potato stew found commonly in Argentina. Much like C’s description, the most common ingredient is corn, but there are different ingredients added in as well, in different parts of the country, such as some parts having some squash, potatoes, meat, beans, etc. This traditional dish reminds me of a traditional dish I eat now and then called “Caldo.” It is a Mexican stew/broth we eat on holidays, much like C does here. It mainly contains chicken, corn, and vegetables, and sometimes comes with tomato soup. I imagine part of the reason C enjoys this soup so much is that not only is it good, but he also shares it with the people he loves. 

Mano Po

AGE – 23

Date_of_performance: april 28th 2025

Language: Tagalog, German, Romanian/Filipino 

Nationality: Bisaya

Primary Language: English

Text:

“I heard this from the teachings of my family from generation after generation, This is where I learned it from. Tradition-wise wise we bless the elderly and help others like family members. The point is about having a strong bond with family and blessing them, taking care of the elderly and the young ones, etc. Mano po is a blessing we perform to show respect to our elders. We gently grab the hand of the eldest person and move it to our foreheads. You don’t normally do this to strangers, as they might not want to be perceived as old; this is more so for families of friends, partners, and yourself. “

Analysis:

Translated, the word “mano” means hand in Spanish, while the “Po” is a Filipino honorific. Together, they summarize the ritual performed by Philippinos, which can be traced back to 1493-1898 with a book called “The Philippine Islands.” Other countries have also adopted this ritual, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. As Marcel said, it’s tradition to greet someone old with Mano Po, as it’s a great form of respect for someone.