Re: RV: Milonguera or milonguita?

[Manuel Patino <white95r @HOTMAIL.COM>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "andy Ungureanu" <Andy.Ungureanu @T-ONLINE.DE>

> I will try a short definition:
> Milonguita is the name used for the young girls brought from eastern
> Europe or France (Madamme Yvonne) with the promise to mary a rich
> argentinian, or the the poor girls from the conventillos, ending as a
> hostess or prostitute in the Tangobars. It was just organized crime
> ("Zwi Migdal"), persecuted first about 1930.
> Since men wrote the lyrics, the milonguita is never the victim of the
> society, it is her own fault because she refused the honest life in
> poverty and addicted to champagne, the lights of the city, big cars and
> diners.
> This is a sad chapter in the history of Tango. So think about it, when
> you dance the next time to "Madamme Yvonne", "Flor de Fango", "Muneca
> Brava", "Francesita" and so on.
> Andy


Well put Andy. The tango (the real tango) is nothing like some people
imagine it to be. It's funny now how words have been stood on their heads so
to speak. Milonguero and milonguera for instance are now used as titles of
nobility of sorts. Also, the tango has really become totally sanitized as it
has been adopted by (generally) middle class, educated, Anglo-Americans and
Europeans. It reminds me a little of the "gentrification" of the "Blues" or
the adoption of "Cajun culture" or other such things by the mainstream
American public. It all gets sanitized and changed so it can be palatable to
the adoptive public. I think it would be best to just accept these things as
they are. It's fine to enjoy tango and other such things but it's really sad
to change it's true character and roots just to justify one's predilection.

Manuel

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