Archives for October 2015

Porteño Corner: Father Sebastián Risso

Name: Father Facundo Sebastián Risso
Parish Vicar, Maria Madre de la Esperanza
Age: 39
Lives: Villa 20

• At what age did you decide you want to dedicate your life to religion?

When I was 16 years old my brother died in a fatal accident. I don’t come from a religious family, they don’t go to church or anything – maybe they have their religious beliefs but they don’t go to church. This situation made me seek God.

I got older and soon after I was invited to a parish – it started there.

• Can you tell me a bit about the work that you are doing at the moment?

The parish is a place where people come and stay, in other parishes you just go and attend religious services. They come here to study. They come here to play. The parish is a place of refuge and safety.

I try to help them to grow in a safe place to widen their horizons. I’m thinking about this at this moment, to let them go out of here or not. I think I have to respect them to also let them grow and decide.

I find that the poorest thing is lack of education, not lack of material things, but lack of education. They just don’t know they can study or earn a lot of money, or apply for a position that could give them a more comfortable lifestyle and they just do what their parents have done.

The families are broken here, most of my time I accompany young people. I find that all of them are sons and daughters of fathers who abandoned their family. There is a lot of physical violence and other kinds of violence. Alcoholism is huge here. There are many who were raped in childhood.

The most horrible thing is that they have naturalized that behavior. One is just used to being hit — the boy is just used to seeing his father hit his mother, who is drunk and drunk for a week. It’s tough.

• So most of the work you do is with young people?

Yes – with young people because I think they need it more, in my assistance, I can help them.

• So the church offers them a place of refuge. What do you hope to achieve in the future and are you seeing any changes?

Yes – for example this – (pointing to the homework of a young boy studying in the parish).

I think that, of course, I can’t teach them everything. Many times (it’s about) the lack of this being with the ‘other.’ The mother has to go to work and there is no father. Simply when the boy comes back home after school there is no mum to do homework with the boy. So they don’t do their homework.

This simple thing means the boy is educated here. Maybe he does not pass his exams, by 16 when he or she has to retake the year – (they) abandon their studies, go to work or are about to be themselves a father or mother because they got pregnant. It’s very difficult. I find that I can be with them maybe, but I cannot make them do another thing. Maybe with my advice and presence and just my hugs I could make a difference. I don’t know if I have to change their lives, I don’t think I have to do that because they have to live what they decide to live and what they can live. I mean it’s not them and us, (that) their lives our horrid and we have the power. I don’t think in that way. I think you can live better and I can show you that, but you decide. It’s difficult because they are not my ‘patients’.

• Describe your typical day

I have many tasks. In general, I get up early and pray. After my prayers I have many places to visit. Maybe I go to bless a house of one of the families who called me. Maybe I go to a meeting with one of many institutions here. I work together with the justice and health system also and education as well, different schools here.

So I have to go, for example, to one of the schools to talk with one of the headmasters. We are working with a project that has to do with Nazism and the Holocaust and also the last dictatorship here in Argentina and human rights with teens. Human rights are important, they need to know the rights they have. If they don’t know the rights they have they just do not ask for them. I do this one-on-one, in confession or just people who come to speak with the priest. I try to help them in whatever I can, not only religious things, (with) what they need in general. There are many activities here in the parish that has to do with culture, sports, art. I visit the different groups and relate with the people who come to the groups and also try to give them what they need.

Also the religious part: mass, baptisms, visiting them in their houses, attention when one dies – that’s very important.

• How large is the Parish?

About 50,000 I think, I have heard — it is too much.

• Are you the only priest in this parish?

There are two of us, but we are very tired and the people here are very religious. For the catechism we have 600 children every Saturday — it’s a lot. For all the activities with the children they receive something to eat because it is very important for them. We need a lot of milk, chocolate and food and it is not that easy to find. No one gives us money. That is important because for some it could be the only meal they receive in the day so it is very hard. I think my place, what I do is also to help them to fight to be hopeful. I think it is very important, just being there beside them, praying with them and showing them that they can be better. God’s will is for them to be better.

• Are the people here are very religious and attached to their faith?

Yes, because they are very poor and because most of them are from Bolivia and Paraguay and they are not from the cities, but from the countryside. They were very religious in their countries so they bring that with them. They come here with those same roots of the faith. They live here as they live in their countries, with the same religion, the same traditions, with the same dances, music, language.

• How has the Catholic faith changed in the last few years?

That is a difficult question to answer because I know him very well (points to a picture of Pope Francis on the wall). For us in Buenos Aires and in particularly (us) priests, who knew our former Archbishop well, I am really not astonished or surprised. He is doing the same things that he was doing here. But one thing is being the Archbishop, and one thing is being the Pope.

• So you knew Pope Francis when he was Father Bergoglio well?

He was my bishop and my father. We spoke many times.

• Do you think he is more of a political pope? He is more outspoken on certain topics than other figures in the past.

I think that he is himself. Now he can just show another dimension and here he couldn’t — he had limits and now he can be himself and say what he likes. I did not read all of what he said to the U.N. and on the U.S. visit. I heard from the other priests that he just talked about the gospel; he did not say anything else. He just preached the gospel – just a simple preacher but it’s the Pope speaking to the U.N. and the U.S.

• Some say he is quite a modern pope, he has Twitter and Facebook and he’s become more accessible to the people in this way –

Here he didn’t even use email!

• Do you think it’s important to do more things to modernize to become more accessible to the people?

Yes, of course. I think there is an army of laborers and workers helping him answering things.

For instance, I went to Berlin last year to a seminar. I really miss him. The last day we ate breakfast and I went to the hotel lobby and asked them for paper to write three lines, “Thank you, now I am very well in the parish that I am in and I pray for you.” I gave it to the priest who was going to the Vatican City. He told me that he wouldn’t see the Pope but I could give to his secretary. Ten days after that I received — with his handwriting that I know very well — a card, just a card. I think, from the whole world he receives cards and letters and he found the time to read (my message) and write back.
For me it was very important and that way of being present – I think that changes the church. He is with the people, as simple as that. Like Jesus, there with the people with the suffering ones. I insist on this – he hasn’t changed – he does the same things as he did in Buenos Aires. He goes to the prisons, he goes to the work places — he does the same (things he did before).

• What do you enjoy doing outside of your faith? What are your likes and dislikes?

I love singing. I’m interested in reading everything. I like psychology and the application of psychology as to be better with others. Cultural things. I’m interested in studying. I like to study about the culture of what I do. Now I’m here with the Bolivian and Paraguayan people, so I’m interested in studying their rituals and ceremonies.

Also I like landscapes. I like traveling; I like knowing different cultures and people, like the Jewish culture. I like languages, spirituality. I like to seek and to reach and to find out how people get happiness or live happy.

My dislike — injustice.

Are you originally from Buenos Aires?

Yes – my mother was born in Paraguay, but she emigrated when she was 18.

Do you have a favorite place in Buenos Aires?

The bookshops on Corrientes. I don’t go to those places unless I have to go with another person such as a tourist, but I like doing that.

What is you’re opinion on Argentine Folk Saints such as Gauchito Gil? What do you think of them?

It’s very complex. The story says he was like a Robin Hood – people are devoted to him. Of course, if someone asks me to come and bless the image I do it, because I think God wills people to something religious.

A lot of people who come here would like to help communities such as the one you work in, what are the different ways they can do this?

I used to say that the best way is to come and visit, if you visit you can find what they need and you can give them that. Time – anyone who can come and do homework with the boys is excellent. We need food because there is no one who gives us food and there are a lot of people who eat in the parish. Money is also very important so we can buy what we need. If someone comes and says they want to help, I tell them to come here. Many people are not interested and they help (only) with food or money or whatever. But the best way is to come and visit the area and the people because they can find what they need and give it to them.

-interview: Maral Shafafy

Foto of the Week: Campora Prematurely Celebrates a Win

A group from the La Cámpora political youth group celebrate on election day, 2015 before the votes were completely counted.

Although their chants celebrate Juan Domingo Péron, Néstor Kirchner and outgoing President Cristina Kirchner, they were celebrating a presumed win by Daniel Scioli. In Argentina 45% of the vote — or least 40% with a 10% lead over the runner-up — is required to win the presidency outright.

While polls indicated Scioli led by a 10 point margin, when the votes were counted, opposition leader, Mauricio Macri surprised everyone by capturing 34.3% of the vote. Scioli only received 36.9%, forcing a run-off in November.

Mataderos Fair: A Gaucho Market on the Outskirts of Buenos Aires

Just outside the capital, only a few blocks away from where the city ends and the province of Buenos Aires begins, rural culture comes alive at the weekly Feria de Mataderos. Argentine cowboys known as gauchos show off their horsemanship, dancers and musicians cavort to Argentine folk tunes, and food stands offer various regional dishes.

In Spanish, mataderos means slaughterhouses. The neighborhood was once home to the region’s largest livestock market and meat processing plants. Nowadays the neighborhood is a quiet residential area, and the Sunday outdoor market is its biggest — and only — tourist attraction.

Horsing Around: Carrera de Sortijas

Gauchos perform horseback riding demonstrations and games in full cowboy garb from 2 p.m. onward at the edge of the market along Lisandro del Torre Avenue. The corrida de sortija, or ring race, dates back to the 1800s. A metal bar is strapped between two upright poles. In the center hangs a small ring, about the size of a wedding band. Players gallop from one end of the course, brandishing a small twig, and attempt to place it inside the ring. Watching giant horses gallop through parked cars creates a startling juxtaposition, a testament to traditional and modern Argentina existing side by side.

Food at the Feria

Mataderos offers cuisine ranging from classics such as chorípan and empanadas; locro, a pampa stew of maiz, beans and potatoes; tamales, corn-based flour wrapped in a corn husk, and Paraguayan specialties. In addition to lunch options, the market offers an impressive selection of high quality homemade foods to take home including cheeses, olives oils and vinegars, charcuterie, breads, wines, liqueurs, and candies, at lower prices than can be found in Buenos Aires’ central markets.

Traditional Crafts and Souvenirs

Traditional crafts on offer include steak knives, wine holders, silver jewelry and handcrafted toys. There are also many quirky souvenirs available, such as boxes made out of orange peels, origami, 3D paintings and Pope Francis memorabilia.

Live Music at the Feria De Mataderos

After the shopping is over, visitors grab a seat — or a dance partner — and enjoy the live Argentine folklore bands that perform from the early afternoons onward. Argentine folklore, including Cumbia, Zamba and Chacarera, are uplifting rural alternatives to the more famous tango. Every week a different band is invited to play, and crowds gather to listen, dance, and watch. Chacarera is the favorite here and local schools also often show off their moves in traditional costumes.

Other Sites of Interest in Mataderos

• Museo de Criollo de los Corrales

Hidden in a nook between the food stalls lies the Museo Criollo de los Corrales, a small museum that shows a slice of country life and history in the province of Buenos Aires. Cheap and worth the detour for those already in the area, the museum includes examples of traditional outfits and gaucho artifacts such as matés and horseback riding equipment. La Pulperia inside the museum offers drinks, food, and a shaded patio away from the bustle of the fair.

• Bar Oviedo

The Bar Oviedo sits on the corner of Avenida Lissandro del Torre and Avenida de los Corrales, has been an institution in central Mataderos since 1900. They serve beer, wine, the best locro in town and offer a great place to people-watch and take in the entire scene the market offers: the gauchos and folklore dancers, dressed in colorful costumes; the crowds of mostly Argentine tourists and families; and the sellers at their booths, waiting patiently for customers to ask about their products.

• The Mataderos Skate Park

Skaters and those who enjoy their gravity-defying moves won’t want to miss the Mataderos skate park at Lisandro de la Torre and Av. De Los Corrales. It’s got a street skating area, two bowls and there’s lots of action around the park with dancing and local ladies selling homemade cakes and pies. Open everyday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.

• Folklore Peñas

If you snoop around Mataderos you will come across other peñas – or folk music parties, aside from the one in the main plaza. There is often an open-air peña right outside the skate park. If it’s raining, check out the Federación Gaucho Porteña (Buenos Aires Cowboy Federation) at Lisandro de la Torre 2406.

How to get to Mataderos

The Mataderos Fair takes place every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., mid-March through mid-December.In the summer months of January and February the feria runs on Saturday nights from 6 p.m. instead of during the day. There are no horse games when the fair is at night.

Mataderos is located on Avenida Lisandro de la Torre and Avenida de los Corrales. To get there, take the 36, 55, 92, 63, 80, 92, 97, 103, 117, 126, 141, 155, 180 or 185 bus lines. The trip takes over an hour by bus. To save time you can also take a taxi or take Subte line E to Plaza de Virreyes and take a taxi from there. Alternately make a day of it and discover the secret gems of Mataderos Fair by taking our private guided Mataderos tour. — by Sam Harrison (photos: Ande Wanderer)

Ghosts of the Buenos Aires Subway

Line A of the Buenos Aires Subte, completed in 1913, is the oldest subway line in South America and according to the city’s folklore, its most haunted. Even though the elegant century-old cars were replaced in 2013, the spooky tunnels still lend themselves to ghost stories.

The Phantom Workers of Line A

Blood has been on the tracks of Line A since the beginning. Construction of the tramway, which originally connected Plaza de Mayo and Plaza Miserere, was a huge undertaking, considering the technology of the time. The 24-hour a day push to finish on deadline took the lives of two Italian workers, Salvador Vaca and Antonio Salas, when a newly constructed subway wall collapsed on them while they were working the night shift.

Since then, they gained fame as the ‘Fantasmas de los Obreros del Subte‘ (Ghost Workers of Line A). They have a legitimate gripe that may keep them from resting in peace — initially a cover-up led to reports that they fell, but it came out later that negligence caused their deaths. Workers say that while cleaning the trains, even after subway operating hours, they hear footsteps and sometimes see a reflection of weathered faces in the window — but when they turn around there is no one.

As the 20th century progressed, more souls lost their lives along Line A, adding to the number of apparitions on the trains. On April 15, 1953 Juan Domingo Perón was speaking to the crowds from the Casa Rosada when a bomb planted by anti-Peronists exploded inside Plaza de Mayo station below, killing six people. Another bomb planted to go off at the same time in the crowded Plaza de Mayo thankfully was a dud.

(In an ‘only in Argentina’ aside, three and a half decades later, a subway stop on Line D of the subway was named after one of the protagonists of the tragedy — look for Carranza stop, named after domestic terrorist, Roque Guillermo Carranza).

Sáenz Peña Station
Congreso and Lima
Monserrat

Multiple people have reported strange occurrences in the Saenz Peña station and those who wait for the train here may feel a foreboding sensation. Soon after the station was constructed in 1913, a worker alerted his superiors that there was a blood-covered cadaver in the bathroom. When security went to investigate, they found nothing unusual.

Management decided the worker was hallucinating due to exhaustion and sent him home. The next day, another worker — unaware of the previous day’s event — reported seeing the same thing. Again, another worker went to investigate the bathroom, but found nothing. Use the bathroom at Sáenz Peña with caution.

The Phantom Tunnels of Line A

Pasco (Av. Rivadavia 2200)
Alberti (Av. Rivadavia 2400) Stations
Once

Ghost hunters should keep their eyes peeled out the window when traveling on Line A between Alberti and Pasco stations. According to Buenos Aires urban lore, translucent figures can be seen in the darkness of the tunnels when the wagon lights flicker off.

Up until the 1950s, lines functioned in both directions between the two stops, even though there is only 200 meters between them. Alberti station was damaged by a fire started by a Peronist group at the Socialist Party headquarters on the same block, known as the Casa del Pueblo, in retaliation for the bombing in the plaza described above earlier the same day.

From that day on, Pasco station only functions for southbound trains, and Alberti only for northbound, meaning these so-called ‘half stations’ both have ‘phantom lines.’

Men in the early 20th century on a Buenos Aires subway platform — Some of the economic policies of former president Victorino de la Plaza (pictured with cane) still haunt Argentina

In the most threatening display of preternatural forces, subte workers say something turns off all of the security cameras at night. When turned back on, translucent figures stare close into the camera in a menacing way, attempting to scare away the subway workers, whom the ghosts of Pasco station clearly feel are intruders. Metrovías workers also report hearing footsteps, and say that after the subway shuts down at night silhouettes of people wearing old-fashioned clothing appear waiting on the platform. Several workers have blamed the ghosts for causing them to quit their maintenance jobs on Line A.

The Phantom Bride of Line A

A young woman in a lacy Belle Époque-style wedding dress also haunts these tunnels. The story of the ‘Phantom Bride of Line A’ goes that upon realizing that she had been stood up at the altar — or in an alternate version, was being coerced to marry a man she didn’t love — she ran out of the nearby cathedral and threw herself on the train tracks in a rash suicide. Nighttime workers claim she appears for a split second, but disappears when they look again. Thankfully, the young bride’s spirit is benign, but a sighting of the Phantom Bride of Buenos Aires is a bad omen for newlyweds.

→ Read about more spooky places: Haunted Buenos Aires, Ghost Stories of the City