The “Che” Effect and Origins of the Word “Che”
Earlier this week marked the anniversary of Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s death in Bolivia, on October 9th, 1967. Recent years have seen elevated interest in the Argentine rebel, in an ideological sense as well as in pop culture. People around the world seem to connect with the romantic Guevara image for everything from high gas prices to failed democracy. Guevara seems to represent many different things to many different people, but in essence is a symbol of rebellion and defiance.
The Che Effect:
The Economist recently did a piece on the “Che effect” in which they explain “Why the Che myth is bad for the left”.
It’s an interesting article, which after studying and living in Latin American countries for the past 7 years or so, I tend to agree with. The Guevara image is a romantic one, and I fully understand it’s appeal. However, when put into policy it does little more than polarize citizens through populist claims.
My current country of residence, Ecuador, is a good example of this. The new president Rafael Correa is working in the name of some “greater good” to rewrite the constitution, dissolve the majority of congress, and give his position of president more power over the country. He does this with vast support from the general population who hold a romanticized notion of Che Guevera-esque revolution, and believe these types of reforms are more important than working within the system in the promotion of traditional leftist policies for improved education, labor conditions, and healthcare.
Origins of the Word Che:
So which came first the interjection or the rebel? After traveling through Argentina many foreigners misunderstand the widespread use of the word “Che” as a sort of tribute to the fallen icon, Ernesto “Che” Guevara.
However in reality the word “Che” has been a common colloquial interjection among Argentineans since before Guevara was even born. The word itself can be used as an expression of surprise or a slang term similar to “man”, “dude”, or “mate” in English. For example, “What’s up man?” could effectively be translated to “Que tal che?” in an Argentine setting.
So how did Guevara come to be known as “Che”? When Ernesto Guevara was traveling across Latin America during his 20’s, he made many new friends throughout the region. Though all shared the same native language of Spanish, Guevara’s use of the expression “che” was unique to Argentina. Therefore, many of his new friends had never heard the expression before and consequently nicknamed him “che” in playful jest for his habitual use of the word. The nickname spread and Ernesto Guevara quickly became known and will forever be known as the “Che”.
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