I recall a few years ago when we first visited Peru Father Leo Donnelly posing the question, “Whatever has happened to Miss Peru?” Having been here for the past number of months I am beginning to comprehend his concern as well as understand the issue.
Virtually all the billboards, all the television commercials and all the print media advertisements display the same message – western images and western values to the fore! Beautifully manicured white women promoting a variety of goods and services ranging from cosmetics to car washes. The partly clad women advertising car washes are something else! Why do they use these western images in a South American country? Is there a racial issue involved in the sense that white is better than coloured? Again the question is posed, “Whatever has happened to Miss Peru?” Or maybe what is wrong with their own?
Historically the Peruvian people have suffered sufficiently without adding further insults to their race and culture. This perceived attitude of western preference could be seen as just another put-down in a long line of other previous put-downs. Persist along this pathway for sufficient enough time and you would have severely eroded the self-esteem of the people, especially in some of the more marginalised areas of Peru such as where we are presently living. You can normally assume that people will end up believing that “I am not good enough” or “I can’t do that”. And yet we have found in our English classes that if our students receive sufficient, positive encouragement – just like anyone else - they are able to achieve. And then when that happens you notice some supremely happy and contented faces! Their joy and gratitude when they received their certificates at the end of the three month course spoke volumes.Is it possible that this lack of self esteem could lead to something else? I sincerely believe it does. I believe that in a lot of situations it leads to an ever growing lack of trust in others. You do not have to look too far to witness this attitude of mistrust, especially when it comes to the handling of money. People are constantly checking all the notes and coins, fingering them and holding them up to the light. I can appreciate that they may have been duped in the past; however, the fact they check every coin and note so thoroughly and openly is at times difficult to understand.
Apparently I surprised a lady the other morning in our market, she was selling rosemary plants for $/-2.00. Not only did I buy one but I left her with both the money and plant until I regreso – return. She may well have taken this as a huge act of trust on my part leaving her with the plant and money; sadly my sole intention was based on the fact that I did not want to carry the plant all around the market!
The classic example of this mistrust is seen regarding the procedures involved within the retail business sector. In the first instance you identify and order an item by number, this is entered into a computer by an employee; you are then presented with a docket to take to the cashier to pay for the item. After you have received your receipt you make your way to the area where your docket and receipt are checked again and the goods are finally packed and presented to you by a third employee. And believe it or not, your goods and receipt receive a final scrutiny by the security person as you leave the store! In the minds of the people it is not thinkable that only one person would handle the entire sale. It is just presumed by all and sundry that this is the normal procedure!
You may respond quickly by saying that at least this process has a significant effect on the numbers in the workforce. I do not believe that is the issue, I believe it all comes back to this basic lack of trust.
Is this lack of trust just another reason why they do not believe in images of their own when advertising or promoting? Why the manicured blonde is preferred to the native Peruvian? Can you stretch this theory far enough so that a link is able to be made between poor self image on one hand and a lack of trust on the other? Or am I being a little over dramatic and simply failing to realise that from a very early age the people of Peru have become used to this marketing ploy and have just allowed it to continue to happen?
Nevertheless, that initial, puzzling question still remains unanswered, “Whatever has happened to Miss Peru?"
