"Malicia Indigena" ???

Desideria (Moderator) says on Feb 5, 2005, 09:32:

no, Mrs. Gomez your dad was giving you a compliment. "Malicia indigena" is a floating concept, but generally meant as a positive kind or awareness and smartness that the indigenous peoples of Colombia posess. It's quite misleading as there's not so much malice involved init, just cunningness, pre-meditation and awareness of circumstances. It's supposed to be a trait of personality inbred in the population in Colombia, regardless of your color or ethnicity.
Originally, I believe, it was meant as something negative, because the indigenes tend to mistrust the "whites" (for a good reason) and would be extremely cautious and withdrawing in all their dealing with the dominating classes (criollos and later the mestizos). This wariness and lack of trust was misinterpreted as "malicia". The concept stuck, but evolved into what people nowadays mean by malicia indigena.

Cheers,
Desi
(who wishes that some of that malicia indigena had rubbed off on her too)

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

pink_lotus says on Feb 5, 2005, 09:50:

LOL OK well something JUST happened to me on the phone with my sister in law who is really not that fond of me.

I'm trying to get my flight and info all together and talk with my mohter in law. I've been trying to call her for the past two days ..I can't leave until I speak with her.

Well I called this morning and my sister in law answers and says,

in a very pleasant ( yet slightly hypcrital voice)
"Oh she's in the bathroom call back in five minutes"

I say oh ok thanks.

I call back and she conviently turned the cell phone off.

LOL that just a small example..but it 's being very coy and sly ...in a smart way to try to always have the upper hand in situations.
Crocodile smile like.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Feb 5, 2005, 11:21:

lotus, disconnecting the phone is not really "malicia indigena". I think it's just plain, old, normal cattiness. I suspect you've got some Moorish sailing on your coasts there...
Cheers,
Desi

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

dwmte says on Feb 5, 2005, 11:35:

mrs. gomez... i think it roughly translates to 'wild' or 'cunning'...both in the positive sense. nice dad.

dw

COLDK says on Feb 5, 2005, 12:14:

malicia indigena I found this...

http://colombiaupdate.com/Members/JPOrdonezQ/20020210085236/view

Desideria (Moderator) says on Feb 5, 2005, 12:38:

very nice! So that's what these people have been doing lately...I tried to register but they didn't want to have me:(

Yes, Juan Pablo explains the meaning of malicia indigena very well, the way it is used in today's Colombia. I went a little more into the historical aspect of the expression, but that was purely academic.

Cheers,
Desi

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

jaramillo says on Feb 5, 2005, 15:15:

hacesrse el vivo
I think Desi’s original description was about perfect. Juan Pablo’s equating malicia indigena with “hacerse el vivo� strikes me as unwarranted.

Lionheart says on Feb 5, 2005, 16:26:

translation would it be correct to say a special indigenious Colombian version of Streetsmarts?