Thursday 26th October
Every Thursday at 3.30pm the ´mothers of the disappeared´ walk around the Plaza de Mayo. I´d read about this at school and then in my guide book so when I actually saw it, it felt almost unreal.
In the ´dirty war´of the 1970s 9000 young people disappeared (the official number but human rights organisations put it closer to 30,000). Mothers and relatives have since campaigned for information on their loved ones and for the accountability of those involved.
It´s a very moving experience. On the day I go there are about 20-25 old ladies who arrive just before 3.30, greet and hug each other. They wear white head scarves inscribed with a blue embroidered ´mothers of the disappeared´. They set up stands selling postcards, books and trinkets to highlight their cause. Ten minutes later they have linked arms and are walking around the square holding a banner. Some seem happy to chat and re-tell their experiences to visitors but I feel uneasy about starting a conversation about what happened to them (I´d make a terrible journalist!). One of them smiles at me and I feel compelled to give her a hug as if she
were my grandmother.
After the march around the obelisk in the square they walk up to the Casa Rosada and one of these feisty ladies makes a compelling speech to the crowd about corruption and imbalance of wealth. They then disband, take off their headscarves and go their separate ways.
Tonight I go and see another tango show at Cafe Tortoni, a famous grand art nouveau cafe on Avenida de Mayo. The music, particularly the pianist and the accordionist are amazing. The dancing is pretty good too.
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