Taiwan has long enjoyed ties to Latin America due to its historic diplomatic investment in the area. Even today, nine out of the country’s 22 allies are located in Central and South America
Mexican-style food has also become popular, and a quick glance at the nightlife calendar yields weekly salsa dancing parties.
In addition, an estimated 15,000 Latin American immigrants live in Taiwan, says Maria Sanchez, a project manager at the Foundation of Latino residents in Taiwan.
Photo courtesy of Monica Sanchez
To further promote culture, the foundation is organizing the first Latin Market (Feria Latina, 拉丁美洲文化市集) on Aug. 16 at Taipei Artist Village Cafe (台北國際藝術村餐坊). Participating countries are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
The fair features a variety of food, handicrafts and products for sale, as well as live music and a traditional clothing fashion show. There will also be a space for Spanish as language, literature and education, as well as artists and painters.
Various countries will be featuring their own specialties, such as Argentine tango dancing and Nicaraguan coffee. For kids, there will be pinatas, Zumba dancing, free Spanish lessons and a theater performance.
“It’s very unique of its kind, because (a market) is the most popular expression of ‘togetherness’ in Latin America,” Sanchez says via e-mail.
Sanchez said the goal of the event is to allow Taiwanese people to “appreciate, see and taste part of the goodness of rich Latin American heritage, because Latin American culture is not only salsa dancing.”
Through the children’s activities, Sanchez hopes to keep Latin American culture alive for the immigrants’ children who are growing up in Taiwan or are of mixed heritage by bringing them closer to their parents through the culture.
Sanchez says this event provides an opportunity for countries without diplomatic ties to Taiwan to participate in such events.
“We are hosting this event with our own funds and efforts,” she says. “Unfortunately, not all of the Latin American nations have diplomatic ties to Taiwan and may not have a budget to promote their culture. So we think it’s time we start creating and become self-sufficient, and in place of complaining to authorities about this lack of cultural development, we start doing it ourselves.”
Sanchez says in addition to cultural preservation and promotion, the foundation’s goal is to “welcome, inform, guide and coach” newcomers to Taiwan, helping them acclimate.
Many come here as exchange students through diplomatic programs, but Sanchez says that’s just part of the picture.
“There are more (of us),” she says. “We made Taiwan our home because we got married to a Taiwanese man or woman. Or because some of us feel the vibrant economy in Taiwan and want to make it happen here. Some of us accompany our spouses who are hired as high-tech engineers. Some of us are highly-educated women who feel free and at east in Taiwan and have chosen Taiwan as our home.”
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