By Daniel Ossorno-Reyes
Originating in Colombia, the slang expression "no dar papaya” translates to "don't give papaya” in English. The phrase is typically used to advise others to be cautious and not make themselves an easy target for theft, fraud, or other types of crime, and subsequently, thanks to the power of social media, it has quickly spread throughout Latin America. It comes as no surprise then that the saying has been popularised given that pretty much everyone can relate to it. The expression "dar papaya" literally means to offer something valuable or desirable to others, which could make it easier for them to take advantage of you. Ultimately, the assertion "no dar papaya" is a warning to be mindful and avoid unnecessary risks or vulnerabilities.
Anyone who has had the privilege to live in a Latin American country is no stranger to the perturbation of always being on the lookout in order to evade falling victim to crime. From physically hugging your bag in public transport, to catching an Uber from door to door no matter the distance if it is late at night, the constant fear of getting robbed never vanishes from within you. Every fibre of your body is hyper alert and knows deep down that anything could happen, anywhere, anytime, anyhow — no place is too safe or too sacred to be 100% out of harm’s way, at times not even your own home, thus making the saying “rather be safe than sorry’’ truer than ever.
A dynamic and vibrant street of Bogota’s upscale neighbourhood El Chicó, image courtesy of TopLiving.
A myriad of tips are taught to us from a young age to prevent giving papaya: don’t take any calls on the street, rather wait until you are indoors, never take a taxi on the street, rather call a reliable taxi company, or in more recent times, get an Uber and send a screenshot of the driver’s profile to someone you trust. Nonetheless, it does not end there, unfortunately. It would require one to write a book, or perhaps a series of them, to provide you with all the possible tips to not give papaya. The most common, and the most sensible one may I add, is to never trust anyone you do not know.
By comparison, living in Europe, on the other hand, may manifest itself as safe for Latinos if we were to compare. Some may even go as far as asserting it is *’pan comido’, yet the reality is vastly different. From high-end restaurants, world renowned universities, phone-snatchers, absurdly high taxes, and knife crime, cities such as London, Barcelona, Rome, Berlin, amongst others, have it all. The idea of being subjected to a petty crime does not seem that far-fetched in Europe nowadays: a concept that might have felt foreign some time ago. Nonetheless, in recent times, insurance seems to be a sensible option for many, yet it does not begin to cover or appease the lingering effect it has on someone after experiencing a petty crime. It happened to me recently as well as to some of my friends also fell victim to predators on motorbikes with extra-long hands. (I know, my Latino instincts failed me.) From the shock of realising what has just happened to feeling completely stranded, one would rather get a 64.999% on an essay at university.
A quiet and traditional street of London’s exclusive locality of South Kensington, image courtesy of TripAdvisor.
Whenever I introduce myself and inform the person(s) that I am Colombian, the typical comment about Pablo Escobar never fails to rear its head. Now, despite being half Colombian, it always succeeds in getting my blood boiled. “Is this all we’re known for?” “Shouldn’t other things about our country be more famous than this?’’ “Why does our country, history and culture get reduced to this?’’ are all questions I have asked myself at least once internally before politely letting out a scoff and forming a forced smile expressing rejection of the stereotype but understanding that lamentably it is the reality of our countries and cultures. One thing is certain, life matters less in Latin America. Selling a stolen phone could feed a family for a week, if not longer, a stolen car is worth more than minimum wage, being in debt in Latin America is as common as eating rice with every meal, education is a privilege and still unattainable for many, and above all, keeping appearances matters more than improving realities, ultimately driving some to commit crimes they would never dream of if they found themselves in better circumstances.
As people who reside in Europe, it is effortless to take the things we have for granted, yet it is vital to lose sight of the fact that our resources are not infinite. I hope that you reading this never give papaya, wherever it is that you may find yourself. Similarly, I would like you to remember that the papaya you have is precious everywhere, some places more than others, but is precious nonetheless. As Kofi Annan one said, “Extreme poverty anywhere is a threat to human security everywhere.” As we interlink poverty with safety, we realise that we are always closer to poverty than wealth and now more than ever, Europe seems closer to it. After all, it was European greed that drained Latin America of all its goods.
* Expression used to make reference to child’s play, to something being very easy.
Daniel Ossorno-Reyes is a Colombian-Spanish 4th year languages student at King’s College London with a strong interest in translation and a passion for Latin American culture and representation
