Could Argentina be the new El Dorado for African immigrants?

Buenos Aires, 2010

With the revolutions taking place in the Arab world, potential massive waves of illegal immigrants is once again a major concern in the European Union. But what if other countries attracted these new immigrants? South America is not that far away, after all!

True, Argentina is plagued with economic problems – but so is Europe. It’s still a good destination for African immigrants for one simple reason: it’s easy to get to, and stay in. That’s what Azizi, an illegal immigrant from Senegal settled in Argentina, tells us. His experience here is a positive one; he’s just hoping he can get an Argentine ID to get a better job than his current one, selling cheap jewellery on the streets.

Argentina has a permissive policy regarding immigrants and in the recent years, dozens of immigrants from Senegal, Ivory Coast, or Nigeria have arrived here… and for now, the very white Buenos Aires citizens are welcoming towards this new marginal community… maybe a way for them to cleanse the past? The vast black community living here in the early 20^th century has been eradicated, and the remains of this buoyant culture, especially in the Argentine music, are often unknown.

Cheikh is making a living out of what he calls the “African culture”. He’s a professional musician, and a key member of the very successful Bomba de Tiempo band in Buenos Aires, the unmissable Monday night event in the capital. He hasn’t suffered from racism at all since he’s been here, and nor does Azizi. Just like Azizi, he’s taken on most of Argentine habits: drinking mate, having barbecues… Both of them send out money to their families in Senegal… and both of them now consider Argentina their new home.