Evita Peron

Evita, the Pink House and the crowds of followers in the May Square, a story behind the Musical.

Most people around the globe might know the story of "Evita, don’t cry for me Argentina" thanks to pop star Madonna's performance in the musical film under the same name, or well thru means of the Broadway or Piccadilly Circus show. However Evita is as much as or even more than the ideal picture of a blond woman addressing the masses from some balcony on a Presidential Palace of South America, a Pink House balcony; especially to a great many of Argentines whose lives changed completely thanks to her doings. But we are not here to judge her, only to let you know about her.

Before Evita, and before Evita was Evita, women in Argentina didn't vote, didn't evolve in Politics, and didn't do the many other things that would take a paper itself to enumerate. She was to be known as the ambassador of the Poor thanks to her broad charitable work.

She was born as Maria Eva Duarte. In the early 40s she became Eva Peron, but the masses christened her as Evita. She soon transformed into a role model who broke the traditional moulds upon which women in Argentina were shaped. She turned the page in history and politics and thru a brief moment, changed the possibilities for the less privileged in our country.

Side by side, her husband the famous General Peron, she became the alma mater of a novel political movement that was christened Peronismo, a populist political movement that altered Argentina's history for once and for all. Nothing was the same after her. She was a turning point, the first female turning point in our recent history.

Evita, was either beloved or hated, but no one was indifferent to her and her doings. The poor loved her, while society women despised her for altering the state of things.

Maria Eva Duarte was born in Los Toldos, a small town in the province of Buenos Aires in 1919. She spent her childhood in Junin, another town in the B’s A’s province after her father died a couple of years after she was born.

At age 15 she feels restrained in her small hometown and moves to Buenos Aires, the big city to become an actress. Her success wouldn't be immediate, but she would achieve every one of the goals she sets for herself.

Her life would change in January 1944. At a Charitable event on behalf of the victims of a horrendous earthquake that had hit the province of San Juan a couple of days ago, she meets the then, Coronel Juan Doming Peron. They would immediately fall in love, and marry only two years after.

By February 1946, Peron would become president of our country and she would be a valuable ally, becoming the direction of the female branch of the peronist movement. Her political work had both a strong political and social imprint. Thru means of the Eva Peron Foundation she would build hospitals, nursing homes for the elder or single mothers, schools, and much more.

Her charisma was impressive, and her popularity grew at an outstanding rate. Her speeches were of an amazing strength and power: as she says in her own words, "When I chose to become Evita, I know I chose the path of my people. Today, four years after I made that choice, I find it very easy to prove I did as I said"

"No one except my people call me Evita"

"The shirtless workers were the only ones who did so. Men of power, politicians, ambassadors, businessmen, intellectuals, professionals, who visit me don't ever call me Evita, they address me as Madam, and they see me as nothing else but Eva Peron. But the shirtless, on the other hand, don't know me but as Evita. I introduced myself to them as such the day I met with the humble ones of my land, for I said that I'd rather be Evita to them than the Wife of the President", if Evita was in any way, she was an aid to mitigate some of the pain and sorrow they were going thru, the poor and dominated classes of the workers.

"If you were to ask me which of these forms I prefer I would immediately answer: I best like it the name my people gave me, my fellow Argentines, brothers, the humble of my land"

Bob Frassinetti, art and antique dealer journalist traveling Argentina, Chile and Uruguay ......

Travel Guide for the Art and Antiques
Argentina, Brazil, Chile or Uruguay by Bob Frassinetti