Pituco Summer
- Bring on the inflatable breasts! It’s summertime in Lima
It’s summer in Lima. It’s hot, there’s no air-conditioning, all the pitucos are at the beach, and the city street-sweepers are roasting in their masks and full-body jumpsuits.
I haven’t mentioned the pitucos before. I was going to get around to it.
The word roughly means “snob,” but that doesn’t begin to cover it. In Peru a pituco (or pituca, if female) usually refers to a white person with money (some or a lot) who flaunts his or her status.
I don’t categorize all financially stable/rich Limenos as pitucos. My criteria are stricter: You have to be a conspicuous status-seeker, bordering on the ridiculous. Flashy designer clothes and accessories, scary evidence of encounters with plastic surgeons, and showing off one’s servants are often part of the package.
Thus, an elegant woman muching on salad in San Antonio Bakery is not necessarily a pituca in my book, but a dyed blonde in 4-inch-high Jimmy Choos w/fake boobs, wearing a fox-fur vest when it’s only 60 degrees F outside = una pictuca grande. (I saw two women dressed in this identical outfit at Pescados Capitales restaurant several months ago. Their faces and bodies were so surgically altered, it was painful to look at them.)
Here are some memorable pictuco spottings from the last year:
(1) I was walking Lola through a park in Miraflores which is cross-crossed by running lanes. A middle-aged lady in a baby-pink running suit was jogging through the park at an achingly slow pace. Behind her trailed a small Andean maid in a blue smock and white apron carrying the woman’s water bottle. God forbid la señora should have to carry her own water!
(2) Last September Sammy’s school held a kermesse, which is an elaborate fair with games, rides and raffles. Tons of items are raffled off, from cheap plastic toys to 100 soles restaurant tickets to microwaves and vacations abroad. Lots of the mothers at these things bring their maids to the kermesse to help out with the children.
I had a major pituca attack when I saw one lady in skin tight jeans and high heels (face almost alien-looking as a result of excessive plastic surgery) being followed by two uniformed maids, who were carting stacks of toys and kitchen items won at the raffle. One woman, two maids. Of course, the woman didn’t deign to carry a single raffle item herself.
(3) The third egregious example I didn’t witness. I heard about it from my friend La Arquitecta, who is married to a Peruvian but isn’t one herself. (That came out sounding nasty. Perdoname.) My friend designs and decorates homes for well-heeled Limenos and is a bit of a pituco expert.
One day La Arquitecta was walking along the Malecon in Miraflores when she bumped into a client, who was walking parading her little toy dog. The dog was dolled up in a gingham outfit, and The Client began to brag that said dog had a Nana.
A Nana is like a nanny but more pretentious. The word “nana” is Italian for grandmother; in Peru is usually connotes a live-in maid who is deeply devoted to the welfare of a human child.
Plenty of rich Limenos have maids who walk their dogs, but to boast that you have a Nana for your pooch is pure, status-seeking insanity.
The Nana even accompanies the dog when the family flies to Miami for shopping expeditions, explained the client. It is so necessary.
And, of course, the dog has its own bedroom in the house, which is in need of redecorating…
La Arquitecta almost barfed at the doggie-Nana-decorating nonsense and had to leave quickly before she said something that jeopardized her financial/social relationship with The Client.
Well, getting back to summer in Lima.
What people do here in January and February is go to the beach. If you are part of the elite, you go to one of the exclusive beaches south of Lima, off Panamericana Sur.
One of the trendiest beaches is Asia. I have never been to this beach and to be honest, I am repelled by the idea because of a racist law in the community that prohibits maids from going on the beach during daylight hours. Signs on the beach make this clear for illiterate workers by depicting a woman in a maid’s outfit crossed out within a red circle: No Maids Allowed.
Truly, it’s like something out of the preCivil Rights-era Deep South.
Fortunately, some activists are fighting the discrimination. More about that tomorrow.
Barbara
I am an American writer who lived in Lima for seven years (2007-2014), where I covered Andean traditions, melting glaciers and daily life in the capital for Miami Herald, MSNBC and Huffington Post. I now live and work in northern Florida where I champion climate change advocacy and compassionate, affordable eldercare.
24 Comments
Miguel
Well I really do not think people should be label as Pituco, sometimes it can be very offensive.
I really do not like the law they have for maid not to go to beach, it racist and ridiculous. But, I guess they try to take advantage of people who come from small villages of Amerindian descent, and they do not know their rights. How awful it is that people take advantage of this!!
I never had maids, I like doing things by my own.
PS. If you don’t have AC, there are companies that can put it on for you, just look at the Paginas Amarillas : Aire Acondicionado. Lima used to have a milder weather, so people did not actually need AC, but with global warming temperatures rise more during the summer and go lower during the winter.
Barb
I remember asking you a few months ago, Miguel, if you were a real estate agent, since you knew the neighborhoods and housing situation so well.
Now I’m getting another feeling. Are you, by any chance, in the AC business?:)
With global temps on the rise, that may be the business to go into!
Rachel in Peru
I just returned from the States and I saw a couple of Pitucas on my flight.
I swear I recognized one of them as a plastic surgery regular from Clinica Morillas. Her face looked like the Joker.
My husband and I refer to these “Pitucas” as the “Viejas” in reference to Carlos Alavarez’s and J.B.’s sketch of the “Viejas de la Molina.”
Barb
LOL, Rachel, re the Joker. She’s making some doctor rich, no?
What is the “Viejas de la Molina”?
Ward Welvaert
I didn’t know about the beach rule at Asia. I’ve always said none of these semi middle class city slicker types need to have a maid.
There are a lot of needs in Peru. Teachers, doctors, better infrastructure, security, hospitals, etc. Having a maid to walk my dog or do my laundry is way further down on the list…
It’s just like the idea of having secretaries in Peruvian businesses. I worked at a GE plant where we had 300 or so employees and not 1 secretary. If you can’t answer your own phone or type your own emails you didn’t need to work there.
I know everything today, don’t I 😉
Stuart
Barb, Enjoy…
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=viejas+de+la+molina&aq=f
Barb
How funny, S! So the “viejas” are two Peruvian guys in drag who satirize the pretensions of Peru’s upperclass. Such a ripe area for satire. I think in the video the viejas were bragging that they were going to barbeque a rat for Xmas, no?
Barb
Ward, you and I come from cultures where people are expected to be self-sufficient. In the United States, only the really rich have maids and US culture in general is uncomfortable with the idea of personal servants, since it goes against the egalitarian ideal of the USA (not that there aren’t great class differences in the US, they’re just hidden).
I am awkward with this whole maid business but I hesitate to pass judgement wholesale on it. It exists in Peru because of lack of work for everyone and because the “haves” can afford maids since maids’ salaries are so low. That dynamic puts so much power in the employer’s hands, and I think it can become very easy for someone with less-than-perfect ethics to abuse a maid in some way.
Since I come from the “can-do” culture of the USA, I’m accustomed to taking care of laundry and cooking by myself. I guess I only become critical of others when I see really egregious examples of snobbery, like that of the Miraflores lady refusing to jog with her own water bottle. It reminded me of something Louis the 14th would have done!
Ward Welvaert
You’re right. It’s not to pass judgement on how anyone lives, but more a general view that I have in terms of the human resources of this country, and how they are often not utilized to their full potential because of the class differences.
Rachel in Peru
I’ve noticed that a lot of these pitucas have self-esteem issues.
They become addicted to the attention and praise they receive from the clinics which in turn creates a desire to perform more plastic surgery.
They also feel empowered bossing people around. I guess they feel it’s an entitlement of their class.
While many of them are Lima’s “Elite,” what they don’t realize is that in the U.S. they would only be regarded as “middle class.”
BTW, my husband and I love the “Viejas” sketch. It’s too easy to make fun and laugh at all the pretentiousness.
I don’t know about Peruvians, but as an American I know regardless of class we are all able to laugh at our own ridiculous customs and manners.
Barb
“While many of them are Lima’s “Elite,” what they don’t realize is that in the U.S. they would only be regarded as “middle class.”
So true, Rachel. Earning $2000 a month makes you rich here. People who earn that amount in the United States wouldn’t think of putting on airs or considering themselves upper class.
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Barb
Re “Catholicizing a Gringa” — check this out, readers, for an in-depth glimpse of the discrimination and snobbery that many nonCatholics face in this country (which is more than 90% Catholic).
Eva
Personally I think that you are all a jealous bunch of people. I am a very proud peruvian residing in your country for the last 22 years. I MISS MY MAIDS. I can appreciate the luxury of having maids now more than ever before, since now I have to do everything myself. VIVA EL PERU!!!!!!
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Barb
Um, Eva — we’re not jealous. We live here in Peru and can afford to have maids, if we want them. The point is that we are offended by racist laws that permit maids to be treated like second-class citizens. I would hardly cheer “Viva El Peru” to what’s happening at Asia.
Kukuli
Interesting, yet I believe you are strict in your definition. To me Pituco/a is anybody from lower to upper middle class that is sometimes barely or much lighter in the color of their skin, or isn’t! but is middle class, who think is racially/socially/economically superior. Wow, what a long sentence! bear with me, you speak Spanish, you probably understand what I mean. Pituco/a feels OK with herself/himself being racist because doesn’t believe she/he is racist (they are spoiled to death and love denial) They will assure you there is no racism in Perú. And if you suggest otherwise they brand you with their favorite remark “you are a resentido/a social!”
They don’t need to be those extreme examples you cited. Pitucos are young, are old, have surgery, have education or not. They just feel superior, one of the gifts given to us by colonization.
Lima is so racist i is an abomination, but I love my city, and after 20 years in the USA, I dream in going back. I don’t miss being served though..
Barb
Oh, god, Kukuli, I’m laughing and crying at the same time as I read your response. The racial/class issues here are so complex, no? Foreigners have no idea; they just come here to see Machu Picchu and to buy alpaca sweaters and knitted finger puppets and they leave the country unaware of the deep-seated tensions.
I agree that the denial is one of the hallmarks of the pituco thing.
Nice to hear from you.
Rich
Barb,
First of all, I love this site!!!! I like livinginperu.com as well but your site has a lot of valuable info.
As for Pitucos/as, I notice that they generally like to be treated differently or in a special manner. However, my parents are Peruvian, I was born in Chicago, and the majority of my friends are Caucasian, Asian, etc… (not many are Peruvian) so I tend to treat the Pitucos/as like “normal” people. It seems like they do not like that too much especially since I look like a “normal” Peruvian (not a Pituco/a).
Aside from going to “Playa Asia” in the summer, what do pitucos/as do in the winter months? What do Peruvians do in the winter months? The reason I ask is that I’m heading to Miraflores on 9/26/09 and want to know what people do during this time.
Keep up the great work!
Nano
The term ‘pituco’ (like the term ‘cholo’, which deserves it’s own entry) may have different meanings, depending on the circumstances (which can be pretty confusing. The limenian social structure is as complex as ridiculous). However, as a limeño, I believe the basic description of a pituco would be the following:
– White or ‘seen as’* white (otherwise it’s just a ‘cholo con plata’).
– Wealthy for Peruvian standards (otherwise it’s just an ‘igualado’ -wannabe or a ‘venido a menos’ – has-been).
– Conservative (in the worst possible meaning of the term).
– Racist and elitist (in-breeding is a must).
– Superficial.
– Usually, not very smart.
– Pitucos tend to discriminate against each other (that’s why they flash their status).
*racial perception also deserves it’s own entry.
The funny fact is that the ‘cholos con plata’, the wannabes and the has-beens would gladly be referred to as pitucos, given that, although the horrible definition above, it doesn’t seem to be an insult for them.
A wealthy white person is not necessarily a pituco.
Another definition of pituco would be a wider one, that is, everybody between upper middle class and rich. This definition is used by poor people.
Having maids is not necessarily bad, if they are treated with respect and decency. It gives people with no qualifications the opportunity to work. My maid, for instance, comes three times a week. Arrives at 10am and leaves around 4pm. She cleans the flat, washes the clothes and does some cooking if required (we also cook). We go to the supermarket, not her. We pay her way above average and give her money for the bus fare. We give her clothes and food to take home. She loves us and we love her. Having her allows us to spend quality time together (we both work).
Nannies are the best paid help in Lima. Usually, they earn more than, let’s say, a public school teacher or a police officer. Many nurses are working as nannies now, since they earn more that way than working at a hospital.
Earning US$2000 doesn’t make you rich in Lima. It makes you middle class.
The Asia bathing rule is absolutely illegal. The problem is the (lack of) enforcement of constitutional law.
Great site, btw. It’s always good to know how we are seen from a foreigner’s point of view.
Barb
Thanks, Nano, for your insightful comments. This issue is so complex for a foreigner to understand, and a person starts unravelling the dynamics, it all starts to sound a bit…crazy. I mean, it’s awful and funny at the same time. Interesting about the cholo con plata wanting to be called a pituco. That whole social striving deserves an article/blog post on its own. I’m not qualified to write it, but it does beg to be explained for English readers. Rich territory for a novelist.
Hop Skip Jump Peru
Your post is hilarious because these pitucos are just so common here in Lima. I see them everyday and while I will admit to sometimes feeling a bit shabby beside them in their gucci tracksuits and boofy highlighted hair, mostly I feel sorry for them. They must suffer immensely low self esteem in order to put themselves through the self improvement that they do.
Nervous about moving
I am tentatively planning a move somtime soon to Peru with my wife and two kids. My wife is Peruvian but has lived here in the states now for the last 14 years. Neither I or my kids have ever set foot in Peru.
It seemed like a very exciting and romantic idea at first, though I was well aware of the cultural differences having been married into a Peruvian family now for ten years. Now that I have read all this info about pitucos/as, I am a bit more nervous and apprehensive about this move. I am white skinned and called gringo even by my wife’s family.
I am mostly Irish by bloodline and so though my maternal grandfather is Potowatomi Indian, I am fairly white skinned and have light colored hair.
I would prefer to live there as close to the working class as I can and would not want to be considered or called a pituco by any means. This is a bit disconcerting for me, to say the least.
I guess I will have to face the fact that at least some will consider me as that or even outright call me a pituco – I may just have to deal with that and try to dispell their ideas by treating everyone the same – with respect.
RICARDO
FIRST OF ALL THERE ARE PUBLIC ENTRANCES ON ALL PERUVIAN BEACHES INCLUDING ASIA. ANYBODY CAN GO AND THEY DO. SECOND YOU WILL LOVE BEING ABLE TO GET A MAID AND BE ABLE TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR WIFE AND KIDS, NO MORE CLEANING , COOKING, DOING LAUNDRY OR WORKING ON THE YARD. NOW ITS JUST QUALITY TIME WITH FAMILY