Conversation with Claudia Martinez

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (0:23): Perfect. All right. Hi, Claudia. How are you?

Rina Shabanitiba (0:24): Okay.

Aseye Adjei (0:26): Yeah.

Claudia Martinez (0:28): Very good, thank you.

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (0:28): Yeah.

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (0:30): All right. So today we'll just be conducting a short interview. I believe you already have the questions, so there should not be any surprises. It is for our class, anthropology of Latin America and the Caribbean. The study will be used for Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities, and it's being run by Dr. Laurie Weinstein, and she's a professor at uOttawa in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology. Do you have any questions before we begin?

Claudia Martinez  (1:11): That's fine.

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (1:12): Okay, perfect. So, what is your country of origin?

Claudia Martinez (1:18): My country is Colombia.

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (1:22): Very nice.

Claudia Martinez (1:24): For the ones that don't know, it's in South America.

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (1:30): Yeah.

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (1:31): Perfect. And what brought you to Peterborough?

Claudia Martinez (1:32): Yeah.

Claudia Martinez (1:39): I was living in the States for three years, and basically I started getting information of a country that I could apply for refugee since in the States I couldn't do it because the rules were a little bit different, and the time passed, and I couldn't really go ahead with the process. So, once I got it, I got some information, I knew Canada was a very welcoming country for situations like mine. And my husband and I, today my husband, at the time we were just engage and decide to come to Canada and being at the border, get in the process, somebody mentioned Peterborough and we never left. Here we are.

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (2:40): Perfect. And for our next question, do you have any family here or, and do you see them frequently? And it would like you to explain or elaborate as much as you would like.

Claudia Martinez (2:58): Okay, so at the time when we came, there was absolutely no one. We were the kind of the pioneers. But then a few months later, a cousin, my husband's, came, then a few years, I believe it was about five years later. My sister-in-law who was in the States as well, because of the law and the way they facilitate family members or family reunion. So, she was able to come to Canada with her family. At the time, it was three kids. So now, so basically, that's the close family we have here. And obviously, the family has grown, little babies now. And yes, we see each other every time we can.

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (4:07): Perfect. Thank you. I don't know. I think that's it for my part.

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (4:15): Yeah, I have the next three questions. So, do you live in a Latin community or neighborhood where people speak Spanish and or Portuguese and celebrate various occasions?

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (4:15): Perfect.

Claudia Martinez (4:26): Here in Peterborough is very minimal. With time, I know there is more and more Latinos, but unfortunately, in my case, I don't get together as we wish like because...and always working or doing other stuff. So, but once in a while, I know there is like salsa parties. There is a Mexican restaurant that tries to get people once in a while, I don't know, once a month, every two months. And I know some people do. In particular, I don't. And on a few occasions, I have gone to Toronto to a few celebrations, like July 20th, which is the independence. So usually it's a big concert, a lot of typical foods and that's very fun. But again, I think I have lost a lot of contact with, say, like Latin community.

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (5:42): Well, the next one's kind of, it relates to the other one, what celebrations are most important to you.

Claudia Martinez (5:52): For our country, I guess one of the biggest celebrations is Christmas, even though it's a little more different. If you are there, it's more like party and a lot of food. Here is, let's say, more commercial, more decoration and like, you know, you do a lot around the house and try to get together with friends and it's a little different. There is more like family and get together and try to see the family that you haven't seen through the year. The big special foods that a lot of sweets. Holy cow, it's a lot of sweets. And but again, here and now that I am a grandma, I guess the most important for me. It's a Christmas, and something that I have adopted is Thanksgiving, which I love because it's like not a commercial part, not presents. And so, they get together and the food, being around the table and celebrate. I like it. And the meaning, I really like it. We don't have that in Colombia, I guess, because

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (7:14): Right.

Claudia Martinez (7:20): The whole history, the weather, is very different. So, we don't have it. So, let's say we combine Thanksgiving and Christmas is more like Thanksgiving there. Kind of, that feeling.

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (7:25): Yeah. Very cool. And can you describe a typical day in your community?

Claudia Martinez (7:41): Say that again, sorry.

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (7:43): Can you describe a typical day in your community?

Claudia Martinez (7:47): When you say my community, you obviously relate to Colombia or here.

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (7:52): I believe so. It doesn't specifically say.

Claudia Martinez  (7:53): Yeah, because when I was there. It's very different in the sense that there is more interaction with people. Like every day you go outside, you go to the door, there's a lot of neighbors outside and everybody's, hi, good morning. You have little, short conversations through the day. As you can imagine like when you go to a Latin country, you take the bus or you're in the car, but you talk to a lot of people through the day. Here, basically, you get into car, go to work, and stop the necessary and go back home. So, there is a, you can feel the warm, like, you know, getting close to people. Colombians are very touchy-touchy, so it's always a hug and to say hi. And so, I guess, and also people take a lot of time to sit for a coffee and go here and enjoy other people, friends or family. It's a lot of visiting without noreason. You just somebody's here. People don't let you know that they can visit, they just showed up. So, in that way, that's pretty much a typical day there.

Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (9:17): Very cool. I think it's Rina.

Rina Shabanitiba (10:48): All right. So now I ask the question of how do you celebrate your heritage?

Claudia Martinez (10:56): So, when we call Heritage, we usually celebrate October the 12th. I can't remember how they call it here, Columbus Day, or it was when apparently America was discovered. So, basically, when you grow up at school, they teach you that's pretty much how the Spanish arrived in Colombia and other Latin American countries. And basically, our culture is a mix of a lot of still indigenous communities and a lot of like a lot of influence from the Spanish. Good or bad things too. But basically, that's when we identify like our customs and celebrate. Being here is not much of A celebration anymore, but we still recognize like this important day and basically, I don't think I passed that to my kids, but it's, yeah, I would say unfortunately I don't celebrate it anymore. When I was back in Colombia, it's even a holiday. So,people, there is a lot of activities regarding that and a lot of like, they remind you all the story and little things how, let'ssay, yeah, I like the continent was discovered and why some customs or where they come from, but it's not a big celebration for me, put it that way.

Rina Shabanitiba (12:58): Amazing. All right. So, in that case, I have the next question, which is, what are some values that you hold most dear as a member of the Latin community?

Claudia Martinez (13:13): When it comes to values, I think the most important one is the family structure. When it comes to the family, we try to be very close. Unfortunately, we still carry the Latinas moms are well known for the be not easy and probably we spank before we talk. So, we are very strict. As parents, we are very strict because we always, it could be a wrong belief, but we believe a lot in discipline.
So I guess the family, we try to keep the family under control, put it that way. And nowadays, there is a lot of different ways to think and how you raise your kids, but
As A Colombian family, I guess is very, very important when taking the time to raise your own kids and always like be the one that is always there for them. And so unfortunately, we changes economy, a lot of moms have to go and work, but we try to get still more present. And I guess that's the most important value that I think I try to keep from my culture, the mom being present. Like, as much as possible.

Rina Shabanitiba (14:55): Okay, wonderful. And for the last question for me is that what would you like to share about yourself or your community that you think is important for people to know?

Claudia Martinez (15:02): Yeah. For people to know. I know it's hard to come to another country, can be Canada, can be anywhere. I was, I had the experience to live in the States for three years. And I think always you will find some resistance from.
the people that had always lived there, even though sometimes they don't realize it's only like second generation, they are also immigrants at some point. But you always find that resistance. And I guess the most important part for me, is the, especially I can talk for most of the Colombian people I know. We are very hard workers. We don't expect that everything is given to us. We at some point got help and that's very appreciated. But as soon as we can, like, honestly, we were working two jobs. My husband at some point have three jobs. And we have been always like that. Try to contribute in a way. We can, not just working, but also raising a family that is going to be like, you know, good people, people that is going to ask again, and going to contribute with the community, great human beings. And I'm very proud of my family in that way. So, I'm not going to brag, but I'm very happy with all my kids, like the lives they have and the service they are doing to the community.

Aseye Adjei (17:13): So, moving on to question 10. What foods do you make that remind you of home and where do you purchase your groceries to prepare for your traditional meals?

Claudia Martinez (17:25): Say that again, sorry.

Aseye Adjei (17:26): What foods do you, what foods do you make that remind you of home? And where do you purchase your groceries to prepare your traditional meals?

Claudia Martinez (17:31): Yeah. Okay, sorry about that. There is a very typical soup from my small region. It's called Sancocho. So, it's a soup. Let's say I don't make it anymore because it's a bomb of carbs. It has like yuca, green plantain,
potatoes, and you can use either chicken or even the three meats, which is delicious. But fortunately, it has been easier with the years. At the beginning, it was only Nofrills. You can get green plantains. And now we used to go all the way to Toronto to get like Latin products. And I guess with the community asking, I guess they have noticed they need to have those products. And having in mind that it's also students that come to Peterborough, to Trent University, or Fleming College, and people from Mexico mostly, but so they have been able to have a little section of Latin foods, and now we find the condiments, we find spices, we find fruits. I know a lot of people know the passion fruit, or we love that, and other fruits. That is not easy to find, but with years I have seen more and more in not just no frills, but other supermarkets like Sobeys or I don't know. What is the other one? Used to be shoppers. I always forget their name. Freshco, yes. They also have a good selection out. And depends on the area, mind you. Like in Toronto, where there are some supermarkets that have more products than...

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (19:39): Freshco.

Claudia Martinez (19:53): other area. So, we have been lucky here to find a lot of products.

Aseye Adjei (20:02): Yeah, that's good to hear. So how likely would you and your family be to use the websites we are creating for uploading your stories? And how would you use it? We would like to better serve the community. So, any suggestions from you about access as well will be as well as what should be posted would be greatly appreciated.

Claudia Martinez (20:27): If we, I'm not clear on that one. So, if we use or if we are okay, we upload information.

Aseye Adjei (20:36): So, the websites in general, so the website is the AnthroHarvest website and the ultimate goal of it is to create an archive of stories that the Latin community can access at any time to preserve the knowledge and to promote your culture. That's where this interview is going to be uploaded. So, we just want to know how likely you and your family will be able to use the website.

Claudia Martinez (20:55): Yes. Oh yes, I think it's a great resource of information, especially for the new generations. And if we can always share some of the stories and people understand, sometimes a lot of people have very difficult
put it away, very difficult and sad stories, and the reason why they have to fled their country. I guess the new generations can get more sympathized a little more with that transition, being that it's not easy to leave your country all of the sudden, some people, there are so many different circumstances, and I guess even not just the new generations, but also people that the community here, they probably would like to hear and understand why a...people like me or other people have to leave their countries because unfortunately situations like not just the economy, which is a big one, but it's the social violence. And there is a lot of circumstances that make us make that decision. Um... So, I think it's important and have resources where people can get access to that information. And for us also as well to have a platform or again, software that you can share. a little bit of you and your stories.

Aseye Adjei (22:54): Thank you so much. And now at least I would just like to know if you have any comments or concerns about it.

Claudia Martinez (22:55): You are very welcome. Well, I'm very happy. To be honest, I didn't know all the questions. I didn't read them, but I'm very happy that you guys
doing this for the, not just as a study, but to learn and understand people and understand why, how these new communities are formed. It's not just because, oh yeah, I'm going to Canada and yes. of people that came from many other countries is important. And I guess to, there is a word that I can pronounce, can synthesize, can help me, make people aware of different circumstances and why is so difficult to do this step like is again. At the end, I'm very proud. I'm very lucky to be here in Canada, but my story is not the same as many others. Some people have very difficult processes. Unfortunately, they get deported. because they don't meet all the requirements or yet any other reason, you know, many things can happen. But for you guys being young and being lucky to be in a beautiful country with feeling safe is something that not everybody has grown up with. So, I guess I love the idea how you guys are working on these projects because it give you a little bit of, it's a little bit of eye opener, I guess, to under some many other cultures or people's situations. So, I'm very grateful, very happy you guys are working on this and congratulations. You're doing a great job.

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (25:29): Thank you.

Aseye Adjei (25:30): Thank you so much. Thank you so much for being open to us as well.

Claudia Martinez (25:32): Okay.

Rina Shabanitiba (25:32): Thank you. Thank you so much.

Brigith Martinez-Rivera (25:34): Yeah, thank you for your time.

Claudia Martinez (25:35): You're very welcome, guys.