View Full Version : History of Lunfardo and Glossary
I'm no expert on Lunfardo but I have always had an interest in it. This short history of Lunfardo is just scratching the surface but I hope it'll help those here who are interested. All I post here is open to discussion and anyone who can add to it is welcome and so are any questions.
In the coming days or weeks (depends on how lazy I am) I'll post a glossary of Lunfardo terms translated to English. I'll do this alphabetically but if anyone has a word he doesn't understand just shoot away. There is no need to wait for the right alphabetical moment!
I'll also try to put the more relevant words into a sentence.
PS - I hope the board allows multiple postings from me one beneath the other. I know some boards don't as they are considered spamming.
I must begin by making it clear that Lunfardo is not considered a language or a dialect. It's a vocabulary. Those who use Lunfardo simply replace the correct Spanish words for ones understood only within their circle so that outsiders to this circle won't. Thus, the ultimate meaning of the speech does not change, but takes a different nuance.
Lunfardo and Tango go hand in hand. As, is needless to say, prostitution and crime. Today as Tango has lost a great deal of its popularity so have many of the original Lunfardo terms. Though, as in any language, this vocabulary is a live dynamic thing that changes and evolves so many new terms have been adopted. Many of these words are as result of the Pop culture from the 60's and 70's and many more from the more recent Cumbia generation.
Lunfardo could be defined as a vocabulary composed by voices of a different origin that inhabitants of Buenos Aires use in opposition of general speech.
Another important aspect is that the speaker uses Lunfardo in absolute awareness. By that I mean the speaker knows perfectly well the word "mujer" (woman) but chooses to use "mina". This is opposed to Argentinisms where, for example, the speaker uses the word "manteca" for butter while most of the Spanish speaking World uses mantequilla – a word unknown to most Argentines.
In the last decades of the 19th century and in the early 20th century (approximately between 1875 and 1914), three million three hundred thousand immigrants reached Argentina, which in a great percentage settled in the growing city of Buenos Aires, especially in its suburbs, or in tenements (conventillos), where only the lower classes lived. 38% of these immigrants were of Italian origin. As can be expected these left their imprint on the language.
Many of these immigrants were single men and they ended up going to the brothels where they mixed with the native youth, the "compadritos" These immigrants went there as clients while the natives went as pimps (fiolo). As time went bye many of these immigrants also got involved in the business, especially the French and Polish Jews.
Contrary to common belief this vocabulary didn't have it's origin in crime. Most of the words are of common day use and only a percentage is related to crime or criminals. This error is due to the journalists of the day baptizing it as "Lunfardo" from "Lunfa" which means / meant crook or criminal. Apparently this word comes from the word "Lombardo" a Roman dialect meaning criminal. The transmutation of the letter O for you is quite common (Comparsa for Cumparsita) due to the Criollos misunderstanding or mispronouncing Italian words. The Lunfardo term "Acocolichado" (meaning in the style of those immigrants) comes from the surname of an Italian working in the Jose J, Podesta theatrical company: Antonio Cuccoliccio.
The main reason Lunfardo is often uniquely related to crime is because the first appearance of a vocabulary or list of Lunfardo words appeared in the La Prensa newspaper on the 18th of June 1887. It was penned by an unnamed police comisario as a warning to the readers that if they heard the listed words being pronounced they were undoubtedly in the presence of a criminal. Amongst these words are "Marroca" (chain – as in handcuffs), "Mina" (woman), "Bobo" (watch) and the word itself: Lunfardo (crook).
In the 6th of April number of the La Nacion newspaper, Benigno Baldomero Lugones wrote an article titled "The Gentlemen Of Industry" where he mentions many Lunfardo words with their meanings. Amongst them we can find: Angelito (fool), Atorrar (sleep), Bolin – today changed to Bulin (room), Brema (playing card), Bufosa and Bufoso (pistol and revolver), Vaiven (knife).
So, Lunfardo was born, a hybrid of gaucho terms incorporated into the Porteño's speech and foreign words in many cases deformed to be almost undistinguishable from the original. A great many of these foreign words come from one Italian dialect or another; many of the words relative to prostitution or pimping originated from French and finally words borrowed from the black (Portuguese speaking) slaves and local aborigines.
Adding to these principal roots there are also an important amount of words invented by the locals. Some of these are the result of interchanging the position of letters in the word such as "Feca" for "Café". Others are of an uncertain origin – "Trolo" for homosexual and finally the redistribution of meaning; "Marróand" (brown) for anus.
Over the years Lunfardo has extended to all social stratus. It is no more an exclusive set of words or synonyms used by the lower class or criminals. This is due to many reasons: The tango lyrics, the theatre, magazines and newspapers, social mobility and free public schooling.
A great deal of Lunfardo words have fallen into disuse. Actually Lunfardo itself almost died. In the mid 20's many tango lyrics stopped using Lunfardo. Homero Manzi and Discepolo are two well know tango composers who extremely limited the use of this vocabulary; In the 40's the radio prohibited the use of Lunfardo though towards the end of the decade Peron lifted this prohibition; and finally during the 50's Tango itself lost much of it's popularity. This was mainly because many of the iconic places mentioned in the lyrics were being torn down. Tango stopped talking about places in existence and became a historic reference of no interest to the young men of the day. A new skyline also brought new characters to the city. Some of the upward social mobile European immigrants who wanted to disown or forget their past considered the "compadres", the "cafishios" and the "fiolos" as embarrassing skeletons to hide deep in the closets of their new modern World of apartments.
Despite this the Lunfardo never completely extinguished. Though many words have died or gone into disuse others are still in common use almost a hundred years later; "Cana" or "Yuta" (cops), "Pete" (Blow job) for example. Others have changed their meaning like "Grela" (woman has changed its meaning to dirt or filth). Others such as "Fumanchero" (smoker) have changed from a cigarette smoker to marijuana smoker.
Today, many consider Vesre (interchanging vocals) as not really Lunfardo but as another Porteño slang unrelated to Lunfardo.
There is also another slang mainly used by children as a game but which can be extremely difficult to understand if spoken quickly. It's called jeringoso. This means separating words into syllabus and adding the letter P and the last vocal of the syllabus. For example Canto would be Canpatopo – The first syllable CAN plus P and the vocal A and then the second syllable TO plus the P and the vocal O.
Both vesre and Jeringoso can be combined with Lunfardo making it almost impossible to understand. For example: Cop is Cana in Lunfardo. Vesre changes it to Naca and then Jeringoso to Napacapa.
Very interesting! Keep it coming please!
TejanoLibre
03-13-14, 11:51
2 minute Tango in Lunfardo talking about the pimp that would pop his girl with a salted wet towel.
Sings about a place that was near Corrientes and Parana I think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n87EybdCZKU
Lyrics in Spanish but our teacher can translate them for us.
http://www.todotango.com/Spanish/las_obras/Tema.aspx?id=paUW+Eek1 p0=.
Keep it Up!
TL.
You can Always get a crash course of Lunfardo in Jail down here .
It's a very interesting song. A milonga and not a tango. It has some very good lunfardo terms worth analyzing. I'll translate it tomorrow.
TL. Where did you get the salty part from? It's just a wet towell!
Era un ambiente turbio de nocheras.
Cerca de la cañada.
Había una milonga, El Chantecler.
Alias Toalla Mojada.
Era un ambiente espeso de varones.
Shacadores de minas why malandras.
Había un tallador why lo llamaban.
Por nombre, Aldo Saravia.
No había escruche, ni peca, ni a copera.
Que no diera mancada.
Why a la Chichi Toyufa la fajaba.
Con su toalla mojada.
Por eso era famosa esa milonga.
Por ese Aldo Saravia.
Tallador de la vida why de sus cosas.
Por su pinta why su labia.
Nunca hubo shomería en sus acciones.
Ni taquero que sacara tajada.
Cuando él incursionaba papelitos.
Sin darse la fajada.
Por eso me gustaba la milonga.
De la Toalla Mojada.
Porque estaba el ambiente que yo quiero.
Why el macho Aldo Saravia.
Que le fajó hasta el nombre al Chantecler.
Con su toalla mojada.
It was a murky night atmosphere.
Near the glen.
There was a milonga, The Chantecler.
Or better know as The Wet Towel.
It was a male environment.
Of robbers, of women and of lowlife.
There was a carver and they called him.
By the name of Aldo Saravia.
There wasn't a robbery, a fixed game or a hooker.
That he didn't know of.
And he used to beat the unfaithful girls.
With his wet towel.
For this reason he was famous in that Milonga.
That's why Aldo Saravia.
Carver of life and of his own Business.
With his good looks and his sweet speaking.
And never bad quality in his actions.
That no cop got a slice.
When he ventured with the little papers.
Without taking a beating.
That's why I liked the Milonga.
Of The Wet Towel.
Because it was the atmosphere I love.
And the macho Aldo Saravia.
Who beat even the name off Chantecler.
With his wet towel.
Spassmusssein
03-17-14, 01:49
A veces.
Estoy tan triste, que no alcanza el vino para mojar mis lagrimas.
A veces.
Estoy tan alegre, que casi, casi puedo iluminar el sol.
Asida that, allways liked "chabomba" and ñabo and jermu= jabru))).
This is a Milonga and not Tango (A very quick explanation of the difference between Milionga and Tango is that Milonga is faster. It's in a two by four time while Tango is four by four). -.
Chantecler was a cabaret, dance hall, brothel opened in 1924. It was on Parana street number 440 - that is between Corrientes and Lavalle. Carlos Gardel was said to be one of the usual patrons. It closed it's doors in the mid 1950's and was demolished in 1960.
Aldo Saravia is an invented character though during the later years existence of Chantecler there was an Aldo Saravia member of the renown folk group Los Chalchaleros. Others say that Saravia was someone Rivero met in Rosario.
The wet towel is commonly used for giving a beating without leaving marks. (For this reason the "salty" wet towel doesn't make sens. For the salt to be of use there must be an open wound and if you use a wet towel the idea is that thee are no visible wounds or marks.
Nocheras isn't exactly a Lunfardo term. It's a play on the word noche (night).
There was no sort of glen on Parana street even in the early 20's. I have a feeling that Rivero makes reference to it for some reason. Probably students of the history of BA will know why.
Shacadores = thieves or robbers. This word is hardly used today and most people wouldn't know it's meaning.
Minas = Almost a household name for women. Some Lunfardo words like Pibe (boy) are now accepted by the Real Academy of Spanish. I'm not sure about Mina but if it isn't, it soon will.
Malandras = Lowlife or criminals. Still in use today.
Escruche = Crook, usually a lock picker (Me escrucho la puerta) He picked (the lock) on my door.
Peca = A game (of cards) fixed.
Copera = Strictly a copera is a woman working at clubs only for the commission on her drinks. Some years back it was very clear the difference between boliche de copas and puterio. The women working at a boliche de copas were not hookers and made sure everyone knew this. Today the boliche de copas has evolved into scam joints that many here have had the bad luck of experiencing.
Mancada = This was a difficult word to translate in this song. The modern use of the word comes from mancar - (Err, mistake) and it probably comes from a horse racing term. Un manco is a person with only one hand or only one usable hand. In horse racing when a horse goes lame it is said (se manco) - It went one handed or lame. This didn't make sens to me in this context. I searched around a little and found it has an older meaning: To know or to comprehend. I have never heard it used in this way before.
Chichi = Girl, woman. Still in use.
Toyufa = Is an interchange of letters (vesre) of the word fayuto meaning false, two faced. Still very much in use. Here Rivero capitalizes both Chichi and Toyufa making us think it was the real name or at least the nickname for a specific woman.
Pinta = Good looks. Very much in use.
Labia = from labio (lip) smooth speaker. Still very much in use.
Shomeria = Ordinary, bad quality, cheap. Not much used today but you may come across it now and then.
Taquero = Police commissar and by extension policeman. It comes from taco (heel). The police use the military style hand salute and click of the heel before a superior but in a much less strict fashion. So a click of the heels is often enough without the hand salute. (It can be difficult saluting a "comisario" walking into his office with a kettle of hot water in one hand and a mate in the other).
Papelitos = little papers. Today many would think it's about the little paper squares that drugs like cocaine are sold in but I'm more convinced it is about the little papers with numbers scrawled on that a "quinelero" would carry in his pockets. Bets he'd pick up from clients for the clandestine quiniela (numbers game similar to the lottery). Drugs are not part of the Tango culture. Minas, chupi, escolazo. (Women, drinks and betting) are often found in Tango lyrics but you won't come across mention of drugs.
Fajada = from Fajar (to beat up, to punish).
Of course, this is my interpretation. I could be wrong.
I always find vesre amusing. Using it to an extent "smooths" some words. Japi sounds less rude than pija, Chacon less than concha. To-or sounds better than orto.
A few of pics of Chantecler.
http://chatelet-theatre.com/2013-2014/medias/spectacles/chantecler/Chantecler_g4.jpg
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQDha_DB5r3jennpystbCLh4ZLJ_5cuj2aGK7xixqWgEGOkKiSt6w
http://jantango.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/interior20salon20del20chantecler.jpg
Abacanado: Conceited.
Abanicar: Police agent.
Abanicarse: to go, to make oneself scarce.
Abanico: Snitch / Police agent.
Abaragar: Parry a knife attack.
Abatatado: Frightened.
Abatatarse: To become frightened.
Ablandado: Frightened / Bribed.
Ablandar: To Bribe.
Ablandarse: To Become Scared.
Abocado: Thoughtless.
Abocarse: Plunge.
Abombado: Fool.
Abotonado: Married or buttoned up with a woman (as in dog buttoned to a *****).
Abrancar: Trapped.
Abricola: Distracted.
Abriles: Years as in "Ella tiene 20 abriles". She is 20 years old.
Abrir cancha: Clear up an area.
Abrirse: Stand to the side.
Abrochado: Married.
Academia: Dance club with women and drinks.
Acamala: To bear a burden, to carry.
Acamalador: Miserly.
Acamalar: Hoard / Protect / Catch, lift / To save by being miserly.
Acamalarse: To live in concubine.
Acanalar: Stab.
Aceitado: Bribed.
Aceitar los patines: To prostitute, to pimp.
Aceitar: To bribe.
Aceite, dar el: To sack, to fire.
Aceite, tomarse el: leave in a hurry.
Aceitosa: Head.
Aceitunas, cambiar el agua de las: To pee.
Aceitunas, tomarse las: Leave in a hurry.
Achacado: Ailing.
Achacador: Criminal.
Achaco: Robbery.
Achicar: To daunt.
Achuchado: Frightened.
Achumado: Drunk.
Achurar: To murder.
Acomodado: Someone who has got a job or a position through influences.
Acomodar: Recommend, influence / Hit, punch.
Acomodo: Favorable influence.
Acoyarado: Married.
Acuñado: Reccomended.
Acuñar: To favor.
Daddy Rulz
03-18-14, 02:15
Not that I don't appreciate Aqualung doing the work because I do. I'm enjoying the color commentary a lot. There is a pretty definitive book on this subject available at most tourist book stores. It's called "Che Boludo: A gringo's guide to understanding the Argentines".
Personally I think the title over-reaches, I'm pretty positive it's impossible for Gringos to really understand the Argentines, but the book is good and it makes a nice gift when you're done with it.
I'm going to make a bold statement here. Organized prostitution in Argentina is not originated in the Catholic religion: "I can do whatever and on Sunday I can confess and start all over again" but rather in the Jewish creed; "agunot": The wife being chained to her husband for life. (Anchored wives). The Catholic upbringing, or at least its interpretation allows for a more "relaxed" morality but the "agunto" in its interpretation allows for use and abuse of women and in hardcore pimping.
By "originated" I mean in the organized sense. Prostitution in one way or another has existed since Argentina exists (and probably even before). But it was organized, made into a multimillion business by Polish Jews immigrated into Argentina; the (in) famous Zwi Migdal.
The Zwi Migdal was a World wide organization that forced Jewish women into prostitution with its base in Argentina.
The Zwi Magdal operated from 1906 to 1930. The Jewish belief that wives, even those married under false pretenses to pimps were obliged to do what the husband wished. Combined with extreme poverty in Eastern Europe plus the religious persecution of Jews made marriage and immigration to America the only solution for thousands of young Jewish girls. This made these girls an extremely high risk group in Buenos Aires. And this country made things easy for pimps through a legislation allowing brothels regulated by the municipal authorities from 1875 till 1936.
Argentina had the biggest Jewish community in all of Latin America and constant reports of pimping by Jews of Jewish girls shocked the community to the point that these mafia pimps were excluded from the synagogues. It was so bad that there were street protest in the Jewish neighborhoods. (The cacerolazos began here) and it got so bad that the Argentine political community got involved. Amongst these was the first Socialist elected to the national legislature, Alfredo Palacios (1880–1965) who drafted a legislation deporting all foreign pimps. It appears that the Congress meeting was interrupted by a crowd that yelled insults in Yiddish throwing objects at the committee organized to discuss the subject. This crowd, undoubtedly paid by the pimps was another "first" in Argentina where social protest can be bought by the highest bidder.
In 1913 the Secretary of the London-based Jewish Association for the Protection of Girls and Women, Samuel Cohen visited Argentina where he found many prostitutes in the brothels spoke Yiddish and who were of Polish or Russian origin.
(Note: Even today in Argentina all Jews are called "Rusos" (Russian) and all people of Slavic origin are called "Polacos" (Poles)).
Many of these brothels were managed by Jewish Madams. In 1903 out of 42 known "houses of prostitution" in Buenos Aires 39 belonged to Jews. And in 1909 of eight hundred new prostitutes registered in the City 236 were Jews and of these 213 were Russian. These numbers made the Jewish prostitutes stand out even when Spanish, Italian and French prostitutes were still the majority and it specially made the Jewish community nervous to say the least. Due to legal reasons and persecution by the Jewish community these groups of pimps organized into "social" or "mutual assistance" groups that went by the names of: El Club de los 40, Varsovia, Asquenasum and later the Zwi Migdal.
(Here I must add another comment that goes to show the mentality of the times. A French author, Albert Londres, in his book Le Chemin au Buenos Ayres (The Road to Buenos Ayres) wrote "French pimps in Buenos Aires are patriots who saved women from a life of lesbianism and cocaine".
Finally it was two Jewish girls that finally led to the revision in 1930 of the1875 legislation allowing Brothels controlled by the State. The first, becauseía Zeilóand who described how the famous Jewish Madam Emma "The Millionair" and the pimp Luis Migdal had forced her into prostitution a against her will. The second, and even more important was Raquel Liberman who accused her husband and the Zwi Migdal of forcing her into prostitution. These accusations led to the arrests of many of pimps who belonged to the Zwi Migdal, and to a new decree banning brothels in Buenos Aires as from the 31st of December, 1934. And finally in 1936 it became nation wide.
While prostitution was never declared illegal, this legislation gave the police many faculties as to how or when to jail prostitutes. One of those was the city of Buenos Aires police edict 2nd H that allowed police to detain anyone for "scandal in a public place" and was almost universally used against prostitutes to the point that to call someone 2nd H was a synonym of hooker. These edicts were abolished in the 1980's but there are always loopholes that allow police to persecute prostitution.
Adicóand: Tab at a bar or restaurant.
Adobado: Drunk (The verb Adobar means to marinate).
Adornado: Someone who has been bribed. (Adornar means to decorate).
Adorno: Bribe.
Afanancio: Thief (Afanancio was a popular cartoon carácter in the 60's and 70's).
Afiambrar: Kill.
Afiambrado: Murdered.
Afilador: Suitor.
Afilar: Celebrate.
Aflojar: Betray.
Afrecho: Sexual appetite.
Afrechudo: Randy, horny.
Africar: To give in (or up) under force.
Agachada: Disloyalty, infidelity.
Agarrada: Argument, dispute.
Agayudo: Brave.
Agrampar: To trapo or to grab.
Agrandado: showoff.
Aguantiñar: To face up to.
Águila / Aguilero: Destitute.
Ainenti: A child's game using pebbles.
Al bardo: To go out to rob or steal without a plan.
Al pucho: Immediately.
Alacráand: Gossip.
Alambrada: Guitar.
Alca: Pimp.
Alcachofa: Pimp.
Alcagüetería: Delation.
Alcancía: Jail.
Alcaucil: Pimp.
Alce: Occasion.
Alfiler: Knife (Needle).
Aliviar: Steal (To relieve To lighten).
Almanaques: Age, years (Almanac).
Alpedología: To talk or comment about something with no knowledge.
Alpiste: Alcoholic drink. (Birdseed).
Alpistería: Bar, licor store.
Alpistero: Drunk.
Altiyero: Excelente.
Altiyo: Head. (Attic).
Alumbrante: Match, lighter.
Alumbrar: Provide Money.
Alzado: Horny.
Alzarse: To leave, to go.
Amargo: Coward (bitter).
Amarrete: Mingy.
Amarretear: To act petty.
Amarro: Pettyness. (To moor, to tigh up).
Amarrocar: To hoard, to treasure.
Amasijado: Murdered.
Amasijar: Thrash or to murder.
Ambidextro: Active and pasive bi-sexual. (Ambidextrous).
Ambiguo: Effeminate.
Amueblada: Hotel by the hour.
Amurado: Abandoned.
Amuro: Jail.
Ana-Ana: In half.
Analfabestia: Ignorant. (Combination of the words Analfabeto – illiterate and Bestia – beast).
Añapar: To catch.
Andante: Pedestrian.
Anduma: let's go.
Angelito: Candid.
Angelito: Tool for opening Doors from outside.
Antenas: ears.
Antropófago: Invert. (from man eater or caníbal).
Apampada: Disorientated.
Apañado: in jail.
Apedado: Drunk. (Not to be confused with "al pedo" which means useless or with nothing to do. Both words originated in "pedo" - fart).
Apestiyado: Thrashed.
Apiolado: Awake or alert.
Aplicar: Urge.
Apoliyar: To sleep.
Apoliyo, de: Asleep.
Aprontar: To race horses.
Apronte: To get ready.
Apuntador: Informer.
Apuntar: To inform / To win a girl.
Apunte, llevar el: Attend.
Apunte: Delation.
Araca: Attention, care.
Araña: To give alarm.
Arbolito: A guy who takes illegal bets. Today it also means a guy that does illegal exchange.
Archivado: Jailed.
Argoya: Pussy.
Armarse: To progress or to become wealthy.
Arrabal: A neighborhood where someone sings or dances tango.
Arranyar: Punish.
Arrastre: Prestige, influence, predicament.
Arrayar: To fix.
Arrebezarse: To be angry or to be insolent.
Arreglo: Bribe.
Arriba, de: Wantonly.
Arribeño, de: For free or wantonly.
Arroyarse: To be frightened.
Arrugado: Accordeon, frightened. (Wrinkled).
Arrugarse: To be frightened.
Arrugue: Fear.
Artículo, dar: To pay attention.
Asfalto: Experience.
Asnaf: In half.
Aspamento: Ostentation.
Astiya: A part or share of a robbery or booty.
Asunto: Woman. (Issue).
Atenti: A word used to call attention or as a warning.
Atorado: Scatterbrained.
Atorniyar: Tos ave by being miserly.
Atorra: Lazybones.
Atorradero: A humble house of a single guy. Just a place to sleep.
Atorrancia: Vagrancy.
Atorranta: ****.
Atorrante: Scoundrel.
Atorrantear: To hack around.
Atorrar: To sleep, to hang around, woman with addictions.
Atrasado: Confused, distracted, silly.
Ave Negra: Lawyer.
Avería, de: Wrongdoer, crook.
Avivada: Hoax.
Avivado: Awake, shameless.
Avivar: Warn.
Azotarse: Plunge, decided.
Azotea: Head; (tener gente en la azotea – To have people in the head – Mentally unstable).
Azotetis: Somatization.
It's impossible to talk about the history of prostitution in Argentina without the name Zwi Migdal coming up. The Zwi Migdal was an International web of human trafficking that operated between 1906 and 1930 with its main branch in Buenos Aires. It was formed by Jewish criminals that specialized in the forced prostitution of Jewish women.
The organization found the women in villages in East Europe. The extreme poverty and violent attacks by anti-Semite groups on these villagers and the promise of a better life in the Americas made it easy for the members of this organization to find women willing, or at least, families willing to give up their daughters in marriage.
At its peak, just after the First World War, the organization had as many as 400 members in Argentina. It turned a profit of as much as 50 million Dollars a year. Its main organization was in Buenos Aires but it had branched out to Brasil, New York, South Africa, India and China.
By 1889 these Jewish ruffians had formed the "Club of the 40". This was a "mutual assistance" club to support, exchange information and to compare and share strategies to avoid the authorities. This club finally formed the Zwi Migdal. But it wasn't the only organization of its type. There were others formed by Spaniards, Italians, Argentines, and the powerful Marsellesa Mafia though it's the most documented probably due to the sheer impunity by which they operated.
These ruffians recruited girls between the ages of 13 and 16 in small Russian or Polish villages or Shetetls with false promises of work as maids in rich Jewish families and even of marriage. Due to the extreme poverty and persecution the fathers were more than happy to allow their daughters to travel. Though not all were innocent girls tricked into prostitution. Many already were prostitutes working all over Europe. By 1899 a "trip to Buenos Aires" was generally interpreted as the road to prostitution. Not unsimilar to today but rather than from Europe now they are from Paraguay, Peru and Dominican Republic.
Those that were innocent were beaten up and raped during the journey to "soften" them up before they arrived. Once they were in Buenos Aires or Rosario they were exhibited naked and sold to the best offer.
These sales were held at the Café Parisien (3184 Avenida Alvear – today it's on the corner of Carlos Pelegrini and Lavalle) that belonged first to Salomon Mittelstein and Achiel Mostowsky and then sold to Simon Brutkievich, Simon Kumchev and Mauricio Caro. Another place where these sales took place was the Hotel Palestina. I can't find the address where this hotel was but I suppose it was on the street Palestina in Palermo.
In 1906 they created the "Israelian Society for the Mutual Assistance Warsaw, South Barracas and Buenos Aires" or simply known as "Varsovia" (Warsow).
This society formed in Avellaneda with a license by the conservative leader Alberto Barcelo, owner of many brothels, was only a façade that gave them a legal status. Avellaneda was the only place they were allowed to do this but their real centre of operations was on Cordoba Avenue number 3280 where they had a two story building with gardens, a ballroom, a synagogue, a bar, a dinning room and a room for wakes amongst other annexes.
The first president was Noe Trauman, an anarchist, friend of the Argentine writer Roberto Arlt. Trauman inspired the character Haffner in Arlt's book "Los Siete Locos".
The first enclave of brothels in the city of Buenos Aires was in the area between Lavalle, Viamonte, Libertad and Talcahuano. The organization had its brothels on the streets Junin and Lavalle. They were, amongst others, El Chorizo, Las Esclavas, Gato Negro (I don't know if it has any relation to the restaurant El Gato Negro at 1669 Avenida Corrientes), Marita and Las Perras. Here the women were expected to attend at least 70 clients a day or 600 a week working from 4 pm to 4 am.
Finally the organization divided in two. The Polish ruffians kept the society while the Russians and Rumanians formed the Aschkenasum. The president of this new organization was Simon Rubinstein who owned many brothels and was a well known smuggler. The Aschkenasum controlled the brothels in San Fernando.
In a report by the Jewish International Conference on Human Trafficking it was said that of 42 brothels in Buenos Aires 39 belonged to Russian Jews and of the 800 new prostitutes registered in 1909 236 were Jews and of these 213 were Russian. Don't forget that brothels were still legal at this time but the prostitutes had to register with the police and health authorities and keep a registry of their health inspections.
The organization reached its peak in 1920's with 430 pimps, 2000 brothels and 4000 women and in 1927 the French journalist Albert Londres wrote: "The real traffic of humans is by the Poles. There isn't a single Pole who doesn't have at least five or six or even seven or eight women. They all live in an accepted and servile discipline.".
No matter how much the Zwi Migdal tried to be accepted by the community by donating money to the synagogues and so on, they were never accepted. On the contrary, they were refused entrance to theatres and even to be buried in the Jewish cemeteries. Finally they built their own synagogues, theatres and even in 1929 a cemetery in Berazategui.
In the late 1920's the Polish embassy in Buenos Aires complained of the use of the name Varsovia (Warsaw) so the organization changed its name to Zwi Migdal.
Finally Zwi Migdal came to an end in 1929 when Raquel Liberman, one of the thousands of Polish immigrants forced into prostitution denounced the organization before the courts. Also about the same time Perla Pezelorska threw out a paper from a window in a brothel in the Once district. It was written in Yiddish asking for help and to be freed from the brothel where she was being held captive.
Raquel or Ruchla (her real name) was originally from Lodz and had arrived in Argentina in 1918 wit two babies. She was a dress maker and could read and write. Once arrived she found that her first husband, a tailor, had died and she had to prostitute herself out of desesperation. She was kept in slavery for 11 years.
The Judge Manuel Rodriguez Ocampo started the investigation and together with police comisario Julio Alsogaray on the 30th of May 1930 they searched the Zwi Migdal centre of operations. Many of the pimps escaped to Rosario but 108 were caught and sent to prison on the 27th of September 1930 but in January of 1931 they were released.
The lunfardo expression "papusa" originates in the Polish word "papierosi" meaning cigarette. The clients mispronounced the word that the prostitutes used to beg cigarettes and finally it ended up meaning a pretty or desirable woman.
It's also very possible that the lunfardo word for pimp "Cafishio" comes from the Turkish "Caftan" – a long thick overcoat used by the orthodox Jews.
The Polish prostitutes introduced the use of the Bidet in Argentina.
Still up to today all Eastern Europeans are called Polacos (Poles) and it's a common nickname for blond people wherever they come from and Jews are still referred to as Rusos (Russian).
There are many references to Russian or Polish women in tango lyrics.
Your comment is great! Thanks for sharing it, how did you learn so much about the history of BS AS?, Got help from a historian or something?
Your comment is great! Thanks for sharing it, how did you learn so much about the history of BS AS?, Got help from a historian or something?I've been living here since 1969 and I have always been interested in the history of Buenos Aires. I'm glad you enjoy it and I'm sorry my posts are far between but I've been having some trouble with my back and it's painful to sit for long spells at the computer.
I've been living here since 1969 and I have always been interested in the history of Buenos Aires. I'm glad you enjoy it and I'm sorry my posts are far between but I've been having some trouble with my back and it's painful to sit for long spells at the computer.Good piece of history. Thanks.
As I have already mentioned, the Conservative Party leader (strongman) for the city of Avellaneda (the first town to the South of the Buenos Aires city border – crossing the Riachuelo) was deeply involved in prostitution and, as can be expected, many other illegal activities.
This politician, Alberto Barcelo, had a bodyguard known as Ruggerito; a trigger-happy bouncer from Barcelo's brothels. Barcelo used Ruggerito to silence his political (and commercial) opponents. Often for good!
Ruggerito had many contacts within the Zwi Migdal through his activities in the brothels of Avellaneda and one of their recurrent complaints was how to dispose of the bodies of the dead prostitutes. The Jewish community wouldn't accept them in their cemeteries and the legal hassle of burying an illegal immigrant in an Argentine cemetery was, in many cases, too complicated. For this reason many of the girls having croaked were unceremoniously chucked into the river causing quite a lot of unrest amongst the remaining women. They may have been prostitutes but being denied of a proper burial was too much!
So Ruggierito, in 1906, using his influential position with Barcelo managed to wrangle a plot of land across the road to the Avellaneda cemetery on Avenida Crisologo Larralde number 4100 (which is actually in Villa Dominico).
And here where the Zwi Migdal buried their pimps and their girls became known as the Cemetery of the Impure.
Today this cemetery is locked up and entrance is prohibited but those willing to climb the high walls to take a look inside will see an abandoned, vandalized cemetery over run with weeds with over 200 tombs. But the weirdest thing is that a great many of the tombs have the surnames scratched out. Families of the dead prostitutes wanting to keep their skeletons well hidden in the bone yard?
An example of the other illegal activities of Barcelo was that he kept an illegal betting agency in the political headquarters at Avenue Pavon number 242. They had set up a telescope in a building on Avenida Libertador across from the Palermo racetrack and they transmitted the results by phone to the Avellaneda offices. On the corner of this headquarters (Pavon and Mitre) there were two very famous brothels: Las Polacas and La Chacarera (The tango song La Cacarera is about this brothel).
A few years later Barcelo decided to run for governor of the province of Buenos Aires. Rugerito and his methods (and the secrets he knew) were becoming an embarrassment to the politician so he finally got rid of him, pensioning him off with a lump of lead to the back of his head.
Both Ruggerito and Barcelo are buried in the cemetery of Avellaneda some hundred yards or so from each other. Barcelo's grave has been abandoned and is in a complete state of disrepair while Ruggerito's is well kept and has always a fresh flower pinned to the door. Ruggerito, despite his trigger happy and ruthless methods was well considered by the poor. A sort of Robin Hood of Avellaneda!
Another few interesting points is that Zwi Migal had most of it's brothels on the Libertad street where the only commercial activities were brothels, jewelry shops and fur shops. The prostitutes would invest their money in jewels or furs or they would have their "favorite" clients buy them gifts from these shops. The jewelers are still there up to today. Libertad is traditionally THE street for jewelry shops.
And why were there so many brothels in this area? Well, around Plaza lavalle, where today you have the Colon Opera House and the Court Buildings there was a big military barrack that provided clients!
In yesterday's post on Zwi Migdal:
"The organization reached its peak in 1920's with 430 pimps, 2000 brothels and 4000 women and in 1927 the French journalist Albert Londres wrote: "The real traffic of humans is by the Poles. There isn't a single Pole who doesn't have at least five or six or even seven or eight women. They all live in an accepted and servile discipline.".
It should have read 40,000 women.
Health reasons have kept me from posting more often but here goes:
Bacáand: Pimp, well off. (Common use).
Bacanaje: Powerful.
Bacanazo: Refined.
Bachicha: Fat, pot belly. (Not Commonly used).
Bagaseta: Hooker. (Never used).
Bagayero: Smuggler. (Common use).
Bagayito: Luggage. (Common use).
Bagayo: Ugly woman. Packet or luggage. Bad sportsman. (Common use).
Bagre: Stomach – as in: "Me pica el bagre – My stomach is itching. I'm hungry. (common use).
Baile: Disorder. Problem. (Common use).
Bailetíand: Small party or dance. (Common use).
Bailongo: Crappy dance club or disco. Fight. (common use).
Balconear: To watch. (common use).
Baldosa / balero: Head. (common use).
Balero: Head. (Common use).
Balurdo: Lie, deceive. (common use).
Banana, Excellent. Fashionable. (common use).
Banca: A person with influence. (common use).
Bancar: Pay. Keep. Bear. (common use).
Banda, en: Destitute, needy. Common use).
Bandeado: Ailing. (More or less common use).
Bandearse: Fail. Go awry. (common use).
Bandera / banderola: Fuss. (common use).
Banderudo: Flashy. (more or less common use).
Bandola. Accordion. (Common use).
Baranda: Bad Smell. (Common use).
Barato, es un: Vulgar. Common use).
Barato, un: Oportunity. Something on sale. (common use).
Barbijo: Scar on the face. (Not so common).
Bardo, al: Pointless. (common use).
Barra Brava: Gang. (common use).
Bartolero: Desordenado / Negligent. (common use).
Barullero: Troubelemaker. (common use).
Basuriar: Humiliate. (common use).
Batacazo: Unexpected luck. (common use).
Bataclana: Woman. (common use).
Batata: Fear. (common use).
Bate: Betray. (common use).
Batida: Betrayal. (common use).
Batidor: Pimp. (common use).
Batifondo: Untidy. (common use).
Batilio: Pimp. (not common).
Batir: Betray. (common use).
Batistíand: Indiscreet. (common use).
Bebe: Brothel. (more or less common).
Beberaje: Alcoholic drink. (common use).
Bebestible: Alcoholic drink. (common use).
Bejarano: Old. (common use).
Beligerancia: Attend. (common use).
Belíand: Nothing. (not common).
Belinúand: Fool. (not common).
Berreta: Cheap, fake. (common use).
Berretíand: Whim. (common use).
Bestia: Woman. (common use).
Betúand: Bribery. (common use).
Biaba: Bashing. (common use).
Biabado: Stoned. (more or less common).
Biabazo: Punch. (not common).
Biandazo: Punch. (common use).
Bichicome: A guy that eats out of waste bins. (not common).
Bichoco: Old or old looking. (not common).
Bicicleatear: Evade, cheat. (common use).
Bicicleta: To cheat in business. (common use).
Bienudo: Well off, rich. (common use).
Bife: Open handed slap. (common use).
Bigotear: Tos tare at. (common use).
Biógrafo: Fussy. (more or less common).
Biorse: Toilet. (common use).
Biromista: Illegal betting. (common use).
Bisagra: Pimp. (common use).
Biyuya: Money. (not common).
Biyuyera: Wallet. (common use).
Blanbeta: Quack, babbler, gasbag. (not common).
Blanca. Bed (not common) Cocain. (common use).
Blanco, la de: Death. (more or less common).
Blandengue: Soft, half erection. (common use).
Bobo: Wristwatch, heart. (common use).
Bocado: Bribery. (common use).
Bochíand: Head. (common use).
Bochinche: Noise. (common use).
Bocho / a: Head, very intelligent. (common use).
Bocina: Telltale. (common use).
Bocinazo: To turn in or tell tales about... (common use).
Bocóand: Snitch, big mouth. (common use).
Bodega: Stomach, belly. (common use).
Bodegóand (Esp).: Tavern. (common use).
Boga: Lawyer. (common use).
Bogólico: Fool. (common use).
Bola, dar: Pay attention. (common use).
Bola: Importance. (common use).
Bolacear: Tell a lie. (common use).
Bolacero: Lier. (common use).
Bolada: Occasion. (common use).
Bolas tristes: Idiot.(common use).
Bolas, en: Naked. (common use).
Bolazo: Lie. (common use).
Bolche: Communist. (common use).
Boleado: Disorientated. (common use).
Boleta, hacer la: Kill, murder. (common use).
TejanoLibre
05-06-14, 01:13
A Super interesting and brief history of the Zwi Migdal in BA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwi_Migdal
TL.
Thanks Aqualung!
Here are a few tango titles with a play on words hiding their sexual contents.
Afeitate el 7 que el 8 es fiesta by Antonia Lagormasino.
Have A Shave On The 7th because The 8th We Party. - This is a play on the word Siete (7) which rimes with "ojete" –lunfardo for anus. "Hacer el siete" means to have anal sex. So the title of the song can also mean "Shave your ass, on the 8th we'll party".
¡Al palo! By Eduardo Bolter Bulterini. "Palo" means stick. It is also slang for a million. (Un palo verde – one million Dollars), it also slang for penis. Al palo can mean at full speed or, as in this tango's case, an erection.
La Flauta de Bartolo (milonga).
The lyrics go: "Bartolo tenía una flauta / con un aujerito solo, / why su mamá le Dec.ía: / Dejá la flauta, Bartolo! // Bartolo quería casarse / para gozar de mil placeres. / why entre quinientas mujeres / ninguna buena encontró. // Pues siendo muy exigente / no halló mujer a su gusto, / why por evitar disgustos / solterito se quedó.".
Bartolo had a flute / with only one hole, / and his mother used to tell him: / Leave that flute alone Bartolo // Bartolo wanted to get married / to enjoy a thousand pleasures / and amongst five hundred women / not a single good one did he find. / As he was extremely picky / he couldn't find a woman he liked, / and so as to avoid trouble, / he stayed single.
Dame la lata by Juan perez.
Give me the tin. The "lata" was the tin chip with a number that was given to the clients at the brothels (Kekos or Quilombos) that were next to army barracks. It was so the client knew when his turn came up.
Date vuelta by Emilio Sassenus.
Turn over – Clearly to have anal sex.
Dejalo morir adentro by José Di Clemente.
Let it die inside. The quality of condoms left a lot to desire so coitus interruptus was one of the most common birth control methods of the era. To allow a man to cum inside was proof of love. In those days as it is today, many clients ended up falling in love with working girls.
Dos sin sacarla unknown author.
Two without pulling it out – Two (male) orgasms without pulling the penis out. You may hear that used by someone talking about a very hot woman. "Le doy dos sin sacarla" – I'the give her two without pulling it out.
El fierrazo by Carlos Hernani Macchi.
Fierro is Hierro (Iron) it's not an unusual thing in the Porteño spanish is to change the H back to the archaic F.
In slang, Fierro can mean hand-gun or a car. "Un fierrazo" is to hit someone with an iron bar. It can also be used as a good fuck. "Le di un fierrazo" – I gave her a good fuck.
The original lyrics to this song were replaced by "Por salir con una piba / que era muy dicharachera, / me han quedado las orejas / como flor de regadera".
Going out with a girl who was very talkative my ears have become two big sprinklers".
The original lyrics were: "Por metérsela a una mina / muy estrecha de cadera / la poronga me quedó/ como flor de regadera".
By sticking it into a woman with narrow hips my dick has become a big sprinkler.
Note – flor de.- Is commonly used in Porteño and difficult to translate. Flor de boludo – a big idiot, Flor de mina – a great (wonderful) woman, flor de cogida – a great fuck. It means a bigger, greater or better. Whatever you put it before.
El choclo by Ángel Villoldo.
The corn hob. Referring to the male organ, obviously due to it's phallic shape. Some tango historians have said that the original title to this Tango was El Choto. (One of the many synonyms for penis).
Tocámelo Que Me Gusta by Prudencio Muñoz.
Touch it, I like it. – the ". Melo" means me or to me. For English speakers it's easier to understand hacémelo (do it to me) than tocámelo (touch it for me).
The play on words here is that "tocar" means not only to touch but also to play (an instrument) – In Spanish the say, for example, "tocar el piano" (play the piano).
So the title to this song could (purposely) be understood both ways. Play it to me, I like it or touch it for me, I like it.
Metele bomba al Primus by José Arturo Severino.
Primus was a very well known brand of kerosene heater. It had to be pumped so the kerosene would run into the burner. This pumping was usually done bent over from the hip. The sexual imagery needs no explanation. Today "meta bomba" or "metele bomba" is often used for fucking.
Se te paró el motor by areómulo Pane.
Once again a play on words. The verb "parar" means to stop or to stand up. And as an extension to stand up it is used as a synonym for erection. So the title can be understood as: Your engine has stopped or your motor is erect.
Empujá que se va a abrir by Vicente La Salvia.
Push, it will open – Deflowering a virgin. Many prostitutes were "deflowered" many times. As a client would pay extra for a virgin, many were experts at clamping their vaginal muscles tight so the client would believe they were virgins.
Pan dulce by Oscar J. Rossi.
A pan dulce (sweet bread) is a special kind of cake made for Christmas. It is also a synonym for arse. You'll often hear a guy exclaim "Que pan dulce!" after a girl who has just passed by. Most women will not be (too) offended by the expression.
¡Que polvo con tanto viento! By Pedro M. Quijano.
How much dust with so much wind! – "Polvo" is also used for orgasm. "Echar un polvo" means to fuck or orgasm. "Le eché dos polvos" – (I threw two orgasms at her – meaning. I fucked her twice).
A common nickname for a promiscuous woman is "Bolsa de Harina" (a bag of flour) "Cuanto mas la sacudis, mas polvos le sacas" (the more you shake her, the more dust (orgasms) you get out of her.
Thank you all for your kindness to me, I wish you good health and good luck!
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