Many foreigner readers have emailed over the past few weeks with questions about a word used frequently in our comment section, “rakataca.” While this is not an appropriate word for foreigners to use (using it is similar to the N word), it would be useful if some Panamanians could help out and explain what exactly rakatacas do.
Gringo help: what is a rakataca?
December 21, 2010 by Panamaniac
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Rakatacas are wannabe yeyesitas
Cristina, could I ask you to please explain – what is a Rakataca and what is a Yeyesita?
It sounds like it would be good to know what these words mean before I move to Panama.
Thanks.
Rakataka is sort of a getho girl, yeyesita is an upper class show-off girl.
rakatakas are ghetto thugs that behave like ghetto thugs. Comparing it to the N word is totally wrong, because rakataka is not a racial slur. It is true most people in the Panamanian ghetto are black, but not all of them are black. Rakataka is a class slur. If you are from the ghetto, and don’t behave like a ghetto thug, you are not a rakataka.
Robert, don’t let them tell you otherwise. When you say rakataca to a rakataca, it is shamed upon (much like the N word to a black person) and you may get slapped or punched. I have learned that rakataca is mostly meant to signify anyone who is poor, wears trashy clothes, parties at Rock Cafe/Zona Viva, shows too much skin…etc. It is the classic Panamanian hierarchy at play. It is a way for rich Panamanians to look down upon poor Panamanians. It is very much racist (as you would never hear a white Panamanian called a rakataca) and discriminatory. You WILL hear “oh, we don’t go there because there are too many rakatacas.” For those of you who don’t know (or who don’t care to admit), Calle Uruguay bars still had “No Blacks” signs up until about 6 years ago. No matter what anyone argues, Panama is still a highly racist and segregated country. When all is said and done, “rakataca” is merely a term used to differentiate rich Panamanians from poor ones.
I get called rakataca all the time and I’m white…
Barkey then you are probably white trash.
Dont mistake racism with social stratus discrimination! Rakataka is just a term used to stereotype a person behaving like a gangsta, thug, whatever you wanna call it.
In theory you are right. But in Panama, racism is synonymous with social status discrimination. When said by my Panamanian friends (most of whom are wealthy, light skinned, educated), “rakataca” means just about anyone below them and/or darker than them. Question: Do you know any white rakatacas? Do you know any black yeyesitos? If you do, they are few and far between.
The no Black signs in Calle Uruguay is BS.
I’m Panamanian, and I use this expression quite often. See, to me a Rakataka is a poorly educated person, that has no manners, attitude issues, no class at all, dress poorly (or mundane), and are usually quite aggresive and dangerous. When I say “i don’t like going to zona viva because is full of rakatakas” Yes, indeed I’m saying it in the Racist context, cause I’m discriminating against them. But I’m not discriminating against them due to their Social Class, or their Skin tone, instead Rakataka refers to people with certain attitude rather than their skin tone or social class (as it is commonly mistaken). The thing is that sadly most of the “Rakatakas” well, are colored people and from low class neighborhoods. One thing I have to mention is that I do know people from low class that doesn’t act like Rakataka’s do, and trust me you can tell the difference by FAR.
I am a Panamanian citizen (have lived in the States most my life) and can tell you that my fellow countrymen are embarrassing. Yeyesitas or “jj’s” are deplorable. They are rich, spoiled Panamanian kids who drive fancy cars and live with mom/dad. If you have ever known any jjs, you will know they wouldn’t stand a chance in the world at large. Everything that makes them so great in Panama (money, fashion, “good looks,” travel) pales in comparison to cultured people from developed countries. I wouldn’t blame them if they weren’t so arrogant. A yeyesito is like a boy in a bubble.
King Tut hit it right on: they liked the term rakataca because it allows them to degrade poor Panamanians (and make themselves feel superior) but in reality, they wouldn’t succeed anywhere but their corrupt little Panama, so I guess the joke’s on them. Or should I say us?
Poor Panamanians from the countryside are never referred to as rakatakas.
The term Rakataka when used by Panamanians is similar to when upper class Anglos refer to the poorer and lower classes as white trash or Trailer park. It is a class thing.
I find it ironic that many of you Americans living in Panama who are predominantly of the middle and lower classes would even go there and not understand the term.
With Panama it is amazing because the average yeye who thinks he/she is high class does not even know that there is a black woman born in the province of Bocas del Toro who is a European royal-Princess Angela of Liechtenstein.
They also don’t know that the daughter of Panamanians is the CEO of Xerox.
Imagine, because the average Panamanian yeye thinks he/she is Europeran prince/ princess and Fortune 500 material, but most likely he/she is not capable of making it outside Panama in any capacity.
Yeyes cannot compete outside of Panama in the global community because they were brought up and live in this false teeny bubble, therefore they look down at everyone who is not of their class(native and foreign) but who often have more character and bravura than them.
You look at any Panamanian from the middle and lower classes and that individual is capable of going anywhere and succed.
There are thousands of Panamanians of the lower and middle classes living all over the globe leading successful lives who would shame the yeyes who are often parasites, weak minded and foolish individuals.
Even you gringos expat living in Panama are a diamond cut above the yeyes because many of you could leave the States and go to Panama, open a new busines and start a new life.
Poor things,Yeyes cannot leave Panama for any reason, not even if they wish or try.
It is stupid to label people that way.
I do agree in your definition of yeyesito, although I do have to clarify something you are pointing out. You are stating that only yeyesitos uses the Rakataka term to discriminate against low class people. But I’ve heard this term being used by almost any class (and all kinds of people not only yeyesitos). I’m pretty sure even you have used it at some point in time to refer to a certain kind of people, just the way you are using the term “yeyesitos” to describe almost any kid born in a high class family when the truth is that we have “yeyesitos” in all social classes. Also Yeyesito is a word to refer to people with certain attitute. Both ways is discriminatory, and I should point out that just like not all “Low Class people” are rakatakas, not all “High Class people” are yeyesitos either. I believe these attitudes depends on the level of education the person has.
A yeyesito can be better described as a kid (or grown up) that has a low education level, parasite of our society that lives in a teeny tiny bubble believing the world spins around him/her and no one is better than himself/herself.
Thanks to everyone for explaining the meaning of Rakataca and Yeyesita. That will help me from putting my foot in my mouth when I move to Panama in 2011.
I just wish there some other word that Panamanians could use instead of ‘Gringo’ when talking about North Americans.
Maybe it’s just me or maybe it’s because I don’t understand the real history behind the word, but it feels uncomfortable when somebody calls me a ‘Gringo’.
It feels like right after someone calls me Gringo they are going to (or would like to) throw a punch at me.
Panama has a very classist society and denying this just foolish. Rakataca is one of those terms that originated as a result of this but although it is derogatory it won’t come close to the ‘N’ word. I think the ‘N’ word has too much history and hate behind it that it would be a little far fetched to compare it to rakataca. I mean, they even came up with a parody on panamanian TV of “Miss Rakataca” (watch on youtube). I don’t think we will ever see “Miss N*****” on tv.
Like I said before, rakataka is a class slur not related to race.
Moreover, people in this thread that say that rakataka is a word used by rich people are wrong—they clearly have an inferiority complex.
I was not born rich, and I use the term rakataka.
Everyone in Panama uses the word rakataka to refer to ghetto thugs that bask in behaving as ghetto thugs. The only people that do not use the word rakataka are rakataka’s themselves.
@Robert in Canada
Do not worry about the word Gringo.
In Panama, Gringo is just an easy way to say Citizen of the United States of America (compare the number of syllables in both alternatives).
It seems that in some latin-american countries “gringo” is a pejorative—I have not been able to independently confirm this. However, in Panamá Gringo is just an informal way to refer to citizens of USA. Gringo’s themselves use the word
Don’t worry about the Gringo term. Panama is a bit racist and discriminatory via color, education, jobs, economic status, and other means. In general, the darker you are, the lower your class. Period. But surprisingly within that group, they discriminate against people who “aren’t dark enough”.
Its all about your perceived status. And as a Gringo, you have instant status.
While they dislike Gringos, guess who they want to be, where they want to go to school, where they want to live. Some of my best friends, and some of the nicest people, are “lower class” Panamanians. The salt of the earth.
So use your instant status wisely, stay humble, treat people with respect and they will eventually ‘adopt’ you and look out for you. That doesn’t mean that they won’t be looking for money or for you to buy dinner. There is a socialist undercurrent in the politics and culture as well and a “what’s yours is mine” attitude that looks the other way with petty theft and robberies.
@All:
Guys, you have a little bit of reason in all you’ve been saying, but you haven’t clearly explained what is a Rakataca? and what is a yeyesita?
Rakataca: It’s no who you are or from were you come from. Its the way the Ghuetto girls act, move, express their opinions, talk, dress. Been a Rakataka its not something you do, its a lifestyle. Clear examples: Earing and necklaces with a name on it. 1 or 2 tattoos, @ or 3 piercings ( mostly in the ears and 1 in lip). The clothe: The Rakatacas always wear clothe 1 or 2 size smaller than what they need. The Rakatacas are mostly poor mainly because the spend more that what they earn daily.
Yeyesita: Been a Yeyesita it the whole opposite of been a Rakataka. The Yeyesitas spend their days at the mall or at home or in parties. The don’t wear jewelery with names on it. The don’t use too small clothe. They mostly have 1 tattoo in the lower part of the back or in the hips. They also spend their days @beauty saloons, taking care of their hair, nails, feet, etc.
The yeyesitas have rich families or at leas families with Money. The are also very spoiled.
I hope you guys can see the difference between them.
Allow me to try another take at this.
Firstly, Panamanians call EVERY Caucasian a “gringo” – not only US citizens, but also Canadians, as well as Europeans, Aussies, Kiwis, Scandinavians, etc… It is not an insult; it’s just an easy way to describe a white male, hopefully with blond hair, fair skin and blue eyes. On the other hand, it is interesting to note that Panamanians would never call a black man a “gringos”, even if they are US Citizens. They would call him a “chombo”.
Secondly, the term “rakataca” is indeed used by everyone in Panama to describe a young low-class, uneducated female with an attitude. The male counterpart is called a “maliante” and as as group they are called “chusma”. As a “gringo”, even if you are a redneck, I recommend that you stay away from that category of Panamanians.
Thirdly, the term “yeyesita” is used to describe a relatively attractive young middle-class, mixed-blood, semi-educated female, also called “cholita”, who is usually dressed in sexy fashion. The yeyesitas are the girls you (as a gringo) are the most likely to find hanging out in night clubs and who will eventually go out on a date with you and/or even marry you.
Fourthly, the term “rabiblanca” is used to describe a young upper-class, white girl, very often US University educated, fluent in English, but not easy to approach. All rabiblancas are members of the Club Union where they usually hang out only with their “primos” (cousins) and friends they have been know “like” forever. As a gringo, you will have a very hard time dating one of those girls, unless you are heir to a prominent rich and famous US family.
Good luck and let us know how you are doing in Panama…
Chantal: You sound like a chola who hangs out at the bars looking for foreign men, trying to push yourself up here. LOL
Do not forget that Americans are used to cholas/os(Mexicans) and other latinos in the States who they despise.You cannot tell an American anything about latinos.
Why do you believe it is going to be any different when thay get to Pamama and see the cholitos(Mexicans) and gente enrazada(Puerto Ricans) who they have already seen in the States?
Yes,all of a sudden Americans are going to have an out of body experience and feel brotherhood towards the poor mestizos in Panama when they have not done that in the States. Chola, what rock are you living under?
I hope many Panamanians realize that the world does not care how they see other people.
Que es Panama? Just because some Americans are moving there does not mean anything.
Panama has not had inventors or creators of anything. Most important, Panamanians of worldwide importance(athletes,musicians,artists) are from ther lower classes, or what many would even call chusma.
Irving Saladino brought Panama’s second Olympic gold medal. The first Olympic medal was also brought by a chombito, LLoyd LaBeach.
It is the chombitos who would always put Panama on the map.The Panama Canal was built by foreigners not even by the cholitos or yeyes. It was built by West Indians,Americans,Chinese,Hindus and Europeans.
The idea that only the blacks are chusma is laughable.
This is why people like Princess Angela of Liechtenstein and many more do not even consider Panama their home anymore.
A large number of these people(the so called chusma) did not want their children growing up in a backward latin country when they could have much better opportunities in the United States.
Many Panamanian expats even prefer to give the glory to the United States.
This is the beauty of the U.S., that people can come from anywhere, be of any class and become whatever they want.
Cholita, Dejate de bobadas . Some of the very people some of you want to look down at won’t even spit on some of you.
I thought CHUSMA was the name of some catholic school in Panama City
Panamaniac: USMA are the initials of the Universidad Santa Maria la Antigua. Chusma is a category of Panamanians, famous for being vulgar, amoral, uneducated, arrogant and ugly – not unlike its trailor trash US equivalent.
Anastacia Goldberg: I just tried to help Panamaniac to better understand some of Panama’s different social categories; but, admittedly my list was not exhaustive. As you probably know if you are familiar with the local customs, Panamanians live in very segmented communities. For instance the Jewish community would never let a Jewish boy marry a catholic girl. Its a fact.
Chantal:
Every society has segmented communities.I am a Panamanian Catholic woman married to a Jewish man. We live in the States and and have a few homes in Panama. And I am not a yeye or a chola. Negra soy.
Right there in Panama, people of all races intermarry.This is why Panama is called Crisol de Razas. Panama is the authentic melting pot.
The whole idea that all black people in Panama are uneducated is silly at best. Panama has always had many educated and refined black people, and a black middle class, and this is from a very long time and not just of today.
There was a black man on Panama’s Supreme court long before the US even had one.
Many even believed that a black man could never be president of the United States, and voila.
The term chusma is not Panamanian per se , it is a Spanish vernacular used across Latin America by upper class people to describe someone of the lower class.
Stop spitting out lies here because this term could and is often very much used mockingly by upper class Panamanians to disparage North Americans.
You must be an uneducated chola to suggest that upper class Panamanians believe that all North Americans are on their level.
Stop believing that all North Americans are upper class just because they are white; this is blatant stupidity and chusmeria.
This is why many Panamanian cholas marry American men,move to the States and have to return to Panama fast because in the States , their lifestyle is working class and not equal to the Panamanian middle class.
One of the saddest thing for foreigners moving and living in Panama is to listen to ignorant and racist people. Panama is a very small Third World country with all types of people- the good, the bad and the ugly, just like any other place on earth.
There are not many opportunities there for most of its people but the majority of Panamanians make do on very little while looking their best doing it too. This has truly hindered Panama’s development because too much energy is spent on surviving rather than on creating and inventing.
Yes there is corruption, but this exists everywhere, even in the good ole USA.
Like everywhere on this earth, people use derogatory terms to describe others. If it is also done in homogeneous societies, just imagine the reasons in heterogeneous ones.
Enjoy Panama with your eyes open, it is not a bad place to live and raise a family; and the Panamanian people(all classes) are some of the most decent,faithful and loving people on God’s earth.
Dear Anastacia, I don’t know where you got the idea that I was a racist, or a “Chola” for that matter. Actually, I thought that I was quite color blind in my attempt to describe the “rakataca” and “yeyesita” concepts. In my book “cholita” is not a racist slur at all and “chomba” is not either; nor is “hebrea”, or “Chinita”. It is just the way Panamanian call each other as a matter of fact. Please read me again under this new light and without any prejudice.
There are so many names for different kinds of people in Panama and all the names seem to be emotionally loaded. I suspect there are a lot of other Panamanian words that have a lot of emotion and meaning behind them too.
Considering that I don’t speak any Spanish yet, when a Panamanian says something to me I should probably just smile and nod my head in agreement.
That worked when I lived in SE Asia, but the people there are quite different than anywhere else (I mean they are different in a nice way).
@Robert in Canada
Can you elaborate? Sounds interesting.
Chantal got it wrong. Yeyesita and rabiblanca are basically the same. The only difference is that yeyesita is more used for young girls and rabiblanca for older women.
Dear temp – Sorry I didn’t mean any disrespect to Panamanian linguistics.
I meant there seems to be a lot of different words used to describe people who are at different levels of the social and income ladders.
Just from reading this post I see there are Yeyesitas, Rabiblancas, Cholas, Cholitas, Chombas, Hebreas, Chinitas, Rakatacas, Chusmas, Maliantes, Primos, and Gringos. I’m guessing there are a few more such words.
Bottom line is that I want to fit into the Panamanian culture. That means learning what the words mean when spoken a certain way or in a certain context. By reading this post I am getting some good lessons.
I was talking about SE Asia people, you said they’re nice and unique, mind to tell us more?
Hi Temp,
I lived in Thailand and worked in Vietnam for the Vietnamese government after the war (they call it the “American War”). That was in the 70′s and 80′s.
Vietnamese people assumed I was a Soviet until I said something in English, then they thought I was an American because they recognized a North American accent.
When they thought I was a Soviet I was treated with grudging respect but in a cold distant almost machine-like way. But when they thought I was an American they were all smiles and offering warm friendship and hospitality.
When they found out I was actually a Canadian they were a little confused but very friendly and warm.
Thai people were very open and warm to ‘falangs’ (that’s their word for people from other countries). They use the word falang because they cannot pronounce the word ‘foreigner’ very well, or at all.
Thai strangers would smile when we passed by each other on the sidewalk, like it used to be in small rural towns in North America, but I was in Bangkok – a city of 12 million people.
Chantal also has it wrong when she says that a yeye and a chola are the same. In Latin America a cholo/a is an individual with Indian looking hair and features. A cholo is a mestizo with Indian features and there are nothing like the yeyes.Their personality is not the same as the yeyes.
Cholos/as are in Latin countries with large indigenous population. Cholos are found in Panama,Peru,Bolivia,Mexico, Colombia,Paraguay,Ecuador and maybe a small percentage inChile.
Cholos are not found in the Dominican Republic,Argentina,Venezuela,Costa Rica,Uruguay. Why? Because those countries do not have large indigenous populations.
A Panamanian Embera or Ngobe Bugle and a Peruvian or Bolivian Aymara, if they take off their traditional clothing and then dress Western , automatically becomes a cholo/a.
A large percent of the mestizo population throughout the Americas resemble cholos despite of their admixture.
I remember silly Laura Bozzo in her ridiculous program” Laura”, who used to say “todos somos Cholos en el Peru”.
In Latin America, after the very distinct native groups-Kunas, Aymaras,Quechuas, etc, cholos are really the second indigenous people. Why? Because most cholos cannot trace their ancestry to any specific people or place. Cholos are a distinct people only found in Latin America. There is also a strong cholo culture found in these countries.
I agree with temp, yeye is referred to young rabi blanco children but including their ways and culture which is always emulating foreign traditions and nothing Panamanian.
The yeye grows up and becomes a rabi blanco.
Ye yes look down on the cholos and practically everyone and everything that is authentic Panamanian.
In Panama for years cholo culture was associated to that found in the interior.
In the past, Rabis and middle class Panamanians used to go to the interior to hire a chola to work for them as a maid.
Robert in Canada: You do not have to be concerned about the different names used in Panama. They may be emotionally loaded but not in a bad way,sometimes even in a hilarious manner.
In Panama chinito/a,morenito/a,fulo/a,cholo/a, gringuito/a,and even chombo/a and God knows what else have become terms of tremendous endearment.
On this blog, Panamamanians are perceived as not having a sense of humor, but this is not the case. A strong sense of humor is very much part and parcel of the Panamanian trait and culture.
This is what many Panamanians use to navigate their daily lives and remain sane for themselves and their loved ones.
Robert in Canada, I am pretty sure that you will fall in love with Panama and its people.
Boring? Panama and its people are not. The problem with the author and some of the subscribers of this blog is that they are not honest enough to confess la mera verdad.
Damn girl, you’re on fire!
But I have to agree with Laura Bosso, almost all peruvians have indian heritage, 80% or more are amerindian or mestizo with heavy indian heritage. Just a small perecentage of the upper class are caucasians/mestizos.
Maybe that’s why I hate Miss Universe, they’re always trying to pick the most “upper class model” instead of one who represent the majority, ergo, the country.
In Mexico, cholo just means like a gangster, nothing to do with ethnic heritage… so you may wanna be careful how/where you use that.
@Robert in Canada: Please note the nuance between “Cholita” which the term I am using and “Chola” which is the term used by Anastacia Golberg. Mine shows empathy while hers is derogatory. You must trust me rather than a person who has been living outside of Panama for a very long time, because I have been living in Panama for 40 years now and because I am a Canadian who has taken the Panamanian Citizenship in 1981.
Incidentally, if you want to see actual pictures of different kind of girls found in Panamana (including “yeyesitas”, “rakatcas” , “chombitas” and arguably the loveliest of all “Colombianitas”) go to the Website http://www.dealante.com and decide for yourself whether you want to move to Panama, or continue staying in the cold. LOL
Thanks Chantal, Anastacia Goldberg, and everyone for such great information. These things are normally learned the hard way, but because of your kindness I am learning the easy way.
Speaking of cold, I live in Vancouver which is the warmest place to live in Canada, but we have been getting colder and colder winters for the last 20 years, so Panama’s weather is looking better all the time.
Right now it is 1′C with a high of 5′C here, and there is wet snow falling. They say colder weather each year is caused by global warming. What a load of BS that is.
I don”t know if its global warming but we didn’t have this crazy climate changes twice a year (Fenomeno del Niño/Niña) before.
I mean, we had like 2 straight weeks of raining, that never happened in my lifetime.
Another great example of a ye ye or rabi blanco messing up is that of Tomas Guerra, consul of Panama in Miami talking nonsense about the history of the Panama canal on a tv show.
This ye ye/rabi blanco may be all right on the national/local front, but in the global community, he cannot compete and is like fish outside of water. Why? Panama’s ye yes/rabi blancos are as dumb as dirt.
It’s funny to read all the replies to the comment. Certainly everyone has an opinion about the terms and how they should be interpreted.
Just to leave my 2 cents worth.
Sure Panama is a melting pot of cultures. Usually everybody gets along quite well, because usually everybody knows on which side of the street you’re expected to walk. I know it’s stupid but it is what it is.
We know that we’re all brothers during Mardi Gras (Carnavales), Easter, National Holidays, Soccer Matches, etc. After that everybody is back guarding their forts.
It’s hard to determine if a Rakataka will ever be a woman from Panamanian high society, but most likely it will be a woman from the slums or somewhere where the rich don’t live, who has the usual ghetto attitude, moves, talk, clothes, music taste (usually dance hall reggae) etc., who rich boys and girls don’t like to hang around with.
Cholo/Chola in general terms is usually someone who is not from the capital city. Some use the term mostly to refer to native indians from Panama as well. You can compare the term to “hick”.
Yeyesita is quite complicated. Some consider a yeyesita is a girl from high society, and others don’t. To go 50/50 consider a yeyesita a girl that enjoys a good social-economic status, and therefore can afford a better lifestyle, likes to party at the newest clubs, has her own car or her best friend has wheels, likes to date guys with class, money and cars (or at least some class but he has to have money and a car), and likes to act rich.
I agree that a yeyesita doesn’t have to be a Rabiblanca (which is reserved for high society/high class family name girls), but regularly a rabiblanca is a yeyesita. Believe it or not there are some rabiblancas that are more down to earth than you think, but those are scarce.
I’m starting to get the picture thanks to to all the great comments posted here.
Would a good example of a Yeyesita be Paris Hilton?
Yes.
Robert, maybe this website could adopt you when you come to Panama
Rakataka=Hoodrat,has nothing to do with the n word
Yeyesita=bourgeois
I am half Panamanian and have lived there before so I know what I’m talking about
Guys find an ocupation and work hard.
Rakataka= Hood rat
Rakataca= whitetrash
Embera is back! Where has our favorite defensive Panamanian been all these days?
Marco Polo, you just got back from China and I just got back from London.
rakataca= refers mainly to the ghetto.
yeyesita= upper class girls, who you find traveling all the time, spend more time in the hair salona nd in the mall, have cars usually to go Las esclavas, La academia , Brader. Then you also have ISP or Balboa.Usually live in Paitilla or Costa del Este. Own a car. Like expensive brands. wouldnt be caught dead being out of fashion. Usually have a powerfull last name, these are when families used to have a lot of power. There are many yeyesitas without a powerfull last name but still fall in the other catergories i have stated. Yeyesitas usually go and study in the US if not they stay inpanama because they dont necessarily need to create anything fro themselves beacuse their family has money and anything else they would need. Some of them dont go away either because at home they are upper middle class, and have a very comfortable way of life, if they go away it wouldnt be the same.
Pretty much everything a yeyesita owns is Brand name. They only hang with others of their type.
People tend to look up at their way of life, not necessarily at them but at how they live.
i like how someone pointed out how they tend to want to “live more like north american”
You can also identify them by the way they talk. Not always do they talk with “la papa en la boca” but usually have a more proper way of speaking.
I am sure that by now every gringo who read the above comments knows the difference between a racataca and a yeyesita, thus feeling totally prepared to date Panamanian girls. This reminds me of a joke I must absolutely tell you…
Two Panamanians are discussing their respective vacations experience.
Jaime tells Carlos that he was on vacations in Paris adding that French girls are not like Panamanian girls.
What do you mean asks Carlos?
Well, says Jaime, in France it’s not like in Panama, when you see a lovely girl, you smile at her and she smile back at you; then, in France it’s not like in Panama, you invite her to have a drink in a trendy lounge where you have small talk; then in France it’s not like in Panama, you invite her to an expensive restaurant where you have a nice dinner with excellent wines and a romantic conversation; then in France it’s not like in Panama, you invite her to a fancy night club where you dance very slow and hold her tight; then, in France it’s not like in Panama, you ask her to go to with you to a first class hotel; then in France it’s not like in Panama, you undress her ever so slowly and you kiss her while caressing her naked body.
And then, asks Carlos????
Well, then, answers Jaime, it’s just like in Panama…
Am I missing something or does that joke suck?
Stupid asshole.. You must ABSOLUTELY keep your stupid jokes for yourself
I am not Panamanian and have never been there, but I am quite familiar with the word”rackataka”. My grandmother used it on many occasions to describe someone who was dishevelled and poorly dressed. Also used to describe a person who was ill – mannered. A similar word she used was “ragamuffin” which in Jamaican dialect is synonymous with “rackataka”. My grandmother had never been out of Jamaica so she learned these words from the Jamaican dialect. I am 70 years old so I am going back to the 1950′s when these words were commonly used in Jamaica. Perhaps they are a throwback to the African language – perhaps Ashanti. If they are derived from Spanish, I would not be surprised since Spanish was the first European language to be used in Jamaica when Jamaica was a colony for the first 200 years of it’s colonial past.
Rakataka is a hoe ass Shaniqua! There! Definition terminated!
I am a black guy who is considering moving to panama for a number of reasons, so this conversation was very helpful in understanding the culture there. I looked through most of the Youtube stuff to try to get a sense of life there. But I must say this conversation was very interesting.