Since US President-elect Barack Obama announced his decision to adopt a dog for his daughters, pet lovers in the US and around the world have gone bizarre.Now in Lima, a Peruvian woman is offering a Peruvian Hairless dog -a breed only found in Peru and Mexico- to the Obama family. How cute!
A Native Hairless dog, represented in a Chimor Indigenous ceramic (circa 1100-1450) Photo Lizardo Tavera via Arqueologia Peruana.
But here comes the not-so-funny part. Reuters' Terry Wade wrote a note full of misconceptions and mistakes, that unfortunately is going around the world right now.
- Peru offers bald dog of Incas to Obama family
By Terry Wade
LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvians crazy about their national dog, a bald and often toothless breed popular among Incan kings, offered on Monday to send a hypoallergenic puppy to the Obama family.
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has promised daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, a new pet for the White House. But Malia is allergic to most breeds, he said on Friday as speculation swirled about the dog the family would choose.
Owners of the Peruvian Hairless Dog, a breed dating back 3,000 years and depicted in pre-Hispanic ceramics, say it is perfect for kids who are sensitive to dogs.
"They do not cause any type of allergy and are very friendly and sweet," said Claudia Galvez, 38, director of the Friends of the Peruvian Hairless Dog Association.
[...] According to Peruvian folklore, the dogs have above-average body temperature, which compensates for their lack of hair and helps alleviate symptoms of asthma or arthritis suffered by their owners.
[...] Galvez has a 4-month-old pedigree puppy to send to the Obama family. For now, she is calling it Ears because it has two large, perky ones.
"But if we send it to the United States, its official name will be Machu Picchu," she said, referring to the ancient Incan citadel, Peru's top tourist attraction.
(Editing by John O'Callaghan)
Corrections
Peru is not offering a dog to the Obama family. A pet-lover woman from Lima doesn't represent Peru. Hello?
The hairless dog was not a favorite of the Incas. It was more like a transplanted breed as the Quechua people invaded the northern Andean regions, where the dog was popular, abundant and respected. And it was probably brought to the Andes from Mesoamerica -today's Mexico and Central America, thousands of years ago.
Several original Indigenous civilizations of the Andes believe that dogs are sacred animals, and they are guides to humans in our way towards the next life. In the past, if an important man died then his dog had to go with him.
Dogs are very sensitive creatures, and are considered to have curative properties among several human cultures. This is something that many Peruvians still believe today. That is the reason why this Native hairless dog is represented respectfully in several Indigenous ceramics and textiles.
This kind of dog is also found in today's Mexico, where it was called Xoloitzcuintli, a name that is the base for the racist word cholo.
Natural medicine is not folklore. It is an important part of Peruvian culture, it is the mainstream culture for Andean people.
Unfortunately, a lot of Peruvians in urban areas don't know much about the Hairless dog -although they might know more about any foreign breeds.
Currently in Peru, this dog has several names: Chimo, Calato and Viringo.
- Chimo refers to the Chimor Indigenous civilization, which postdated the Muchik civilization (where my ancestors come from). It is said that the Muchik people came from Mesoamerica -today's Mexico and Central America- and this dog breed was an import, thousands of years ago.
- Calato comes from Ccala, a Quechua language word for naked, nude.
- Viringo is a Tallan word -another Indigenous language of northern Peru- and it also means nude.
Finally, the Indigenous civilizations of Peru are not pre-Hispanic, because we Peruvians are not post-Hispanics -- nor we are defined by anything that refers to Hispania. Our Native cultures and peoples should be remember for what they were: the First Nations of this continent.
One more thing for Claudia Galvez: you can't name a dog after Machu Picchu - it's Quechua for Old Mountain.
We learn new things every day.
You are very welcome.
Now let's take a look to this cutie: a four-month old Peruvian Hairless puppy in Lima:
the Peruvian dog offered to the Obamas
Photos Reuters / Mariana Bazo
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Wow, what big ears he has!
ReplyDeleteLinked to you today on my blog, C.
--Barb
Yes! he surely has some big ears and as most puppies he is adorable... but I think you're right: these Peruvian hairless dogs aren't the most appealing pets for children.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. I did read your post and yes, perhaps I expect journalists to do a bit of research before they write anything to please others.
Saludos,
Angry Carlos
Chévere tu artículo, pero pucha, tu celo por lo supuestamente peruano hace que te pongas bien anal al pretender que todo el mundo entienda el asunto tal como tu lo entiendes.
ReplyDeleteEl Inca era el gobernador supermo del imperio incaico, igualito que los reyes. Si como periodista te pones a explicar que es hijo del dios sol y que el correcto nombre es tawantinsuyu tu editor te mete una patada en el poto, así de simple.
Y se dice "pre hispánico" a todas aquellas culturas que existieron antes de la llegada de los españoles? Somos nosotros "post-hispánicos" en cierto sentido sí, porque ni tú ni yo ni practicamente nadie a estas alturas sería quien es de no ser por la llegada de los españoles. Aunque no nos guste.
Y por último, uno le pone el nombre que le da la gana a su perro. Y si el perro va a ser de las hijas de Obama, que sean estas las que le pongan nombre.
Blah blah blah Diego.
ReplyDeleteblah blah blah Peruanista, no seas soberbio y acepta la critica. Y seria ideal si la acoplas a tu prosa.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I couln't agree more on your comments.
ReplyDeleteI have one more thing.
The article says that hairless dogs don't cause any allegies. Unfortunately this it also not truth.
There are people just as allergic for hairless dogs as for coated dogs. It depends on the person if it works.
It's very important an asmatic person or allergic person goes viristing and cuddling hairless dogs before taking one. I know several people who are allergic to them.