Tag Archives: immigrants

Aqoon la’aani waa iftiin la’aan.

-Somali Proverb

-Translation: “Without knowledge, there is no light.”

Khalif was born to Somali immigrants in Minneapolis, MN. “My parents told me this all the time,” he said of the proverb, which he believes is quite common among Somalis. The phrase translates in English to “Without knowledge, there is no light.” He grew up hearing it as a reminder to put effort into learning and pursue higher education. 

The proverb serves as somewhat of a cautionary warning. It brings up the widespread but elusive concept of “light” as a metaphorical synonym of, perhaps in this context, goodness, wellness, success, joy. It also implies that without knowledge, one’s life will be, in contrast, dark–messy, ugly, difficult to navigate. Therefore, this Somali proverb is also saying that without knowledge, one cannot see. In that, one cannot make decisions, at least informed ones, that improve his or her life (or the lives of others). 

It evokes the lightbulb imagery associated with ideas. Knowledge lights the way. 

La Casa Matusita B

Nationality: Peruvian
Age: 62
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Performance Date: December 17,2012
Primary Language: Spanish

During the 19th century, the house was inhabited by a migrant Chinese (sometimes Japanese) family. The father worked very hard and came back late at night every day. One day, he came back earlier and was surprised to hear strange noises coming from his and his wife’s bedroom. He went there and fount his wife in bed with a lover, irate, he grabbed a knife and hacked them both up into pieces. When his kids got home, he decided to kill them as well since he saw no feasible explanation of his deeds and he didn’t want them to hate him. After that, he committed suicide.
While property records show that a Chinese family did indeed live in the house during the early 19th century, there is no proof that the above events transpired. This story’s popularity however could be attributed to lingering xenophobia, staring from the mid 19th century to the early 20th century, there was a very large wave of Chinese migrants to Lima. These immigrants were brought to Lima under false pretenses of wealth and opportunity when in reality, they were brought to collect guano since there was a dearth of cheap labor in Lima (the remaining Africans who were brought over as slaves were too few and the indigenous population had fled to the Andes to avoid being enslaved). These Chinese immigrants suffered horrendously and died by the thousands; however, there was a good number who survived the Guano age and established themselves in the city. In spite of their work which had brought an immense level of prosperity for Lima, these migrants were viewed with distrust by the Peruvians of European descent and were actively discriminated against. This version of the story is a vestige of that sentiment.

La Casa Matusita D

Nationality: Peruvian
Age: 62
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Performance Date: December 17,2012

In the late 1970s, Argentinian comedian, Humberto Vilchez Vera made a bet on his television show that he would stay in the house for seven days without incident. However, on the the fourth day, neighbors called police because of the horrible screams that could be heard inside the house. The police and ambulances arrived and took Vera away who was still screaming, speaking in tongues and acting erratically. He was also frothing at the mouth. He was sent to an insane asylum for 13 months and after his release forever declined to speak of the house.
While the previous versions about the Chinese family and the cruel master are not supported by any evidence other than property records which show that the house was indeed inhabited by Chinese migrants, the Vilchez Vera case re is the most recent occurrence that is well-documented and would seem to corroborate the stories of the hauntings. However, Vilchez Vera denied having entered the house in his autobiography and said that while he made the bid, his intention was only to fool people into believing he’d entered the house. Vilchez Vera was very vague in his autobiography which was published shortly before his death, and he doesn’t state exactly how he pretended to enter the house nor does he address his documented rescue by the police or his disappearance after the incident (the insane asylum story has never been proven since no documents have been found). Over all it’s a very puzzling case.