Gringos Go Home

By Olivia Hengelbrok

John Findley Wallace. Two years into the project there were over 24,000 men working on the canal, but the numbers didn’t stop growing. Within five years the number swelled to 45,000 workers. There were workers from USA, , Asia, West Indies and Europe. Though Jamaican workers refused to join the workforce after their disastrous experience with the French. In result, recruters hired President Theodore Roosevelt workers from the island of Barbados. authorizing the start of the West – Indian workers were cheaper construction of the canal. than American or European labor and by the end of the year, 20% of Starting it off the canal workers were Barbadian.

The American construction of the is a historic event that took place in the beginning of the 1900’s. The decision to take over the canal from the French was made by US President, Theodore Roosevelt in 1901. His goal was to create a cheaper, easier, and faster way from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, after the French failed at the same task. A few weeks after Panama declared independence from Columbia, The Thousands of men working Hay Bunau Varilla Treaty was audaciously on the Panama Canal. signed. This officially gave the United State’s government control over the canal. Life in the Zone The American workers also brought Make the Dirt Fly along their families. Thousands of On March 3rd, 1903 American Zonian families1 lived in the 5-mile workers arrived in Panama to begin strip on either side of the canal, their task. “Make the dirt fly” was which was called the Canal Zone. President Roosevelt’s instruction to the Canal workers for them to begin their work. They planned and continued to progress what the French workers had started, led by Chief Engineer

In Panama, Zonians were treated like they were special. If you were a Zonian you would have more rights than a black person. Even if you were born in the Canal Zone, you would still be considered American because at that time the Zone was considered a part of the .

Map of the . Life in the Zone was so pleasurable, that when the Zonians returned to The Zonians were treated very well. the US they wanted to come back to They were provided with everything Panama because they weren’t used they needed and more. American to being treated like they were families got to enjoy Panama’s average. tropical climate and tranquil lifestyle, while still living in American designed Segregation in the Zone houses, great education and other perks of being an American citizen. The distinction started as a separation of “skilled” and “unskilled” Reverted areas were home to workers, but evolved into a system of numerous military bases and houses segregation. Skilled workers were for canal zone employees and their paid in gold roll, which was more families and have US-style homes money in U.S. gold coin. Unskilled with yards and easy access to parks, workers were paid much less in schools, medical and vet clinics, Balboas or Panamanian silver coin. grocery stores, banks, churches, Over time, the Gold roll became post offices, movie theaters, a mainly composed of white American shopping mall, domestic airport and workers and the Silver roll consisted bus terminal, and easy access to mainly of black people. Panama City. Basically everything The West Indian workers were paid that one could need for everyday 10 cents an hour, half the salary of a living. European or white American worker.

Discrimination extended into the living conditions of the two groups. Barracks were significantly worse for West Indian workers than for white people. Mess halls for West Indian workers didn’t have tables or chairs and they were fed unappealing food that was so bad, many workers preferred to Students at Cristobal high school, in prepare their own food over an open 1954. fire. The exposed and open houses made the West Indians more vulnerable to Injury or disease. While Gold roll mess halls were furnished and served decent food to all the workers.

Housing for gold roll workers in Gamboa.

Sticking up for the flag

The majority of were West Indian living quarters in not allowed in the zone. The only Cristobal. exception for Panamanians would be if they had a Canal construction ID card. This created negative feelings More and more started to toward the Zone. Sadly, due to the leave Panama, until about 75% of exclusion toward Panamanians, the skilled workers left. The ICC there were conflicts that took place in (Panama Canal Commission) this era. realized they needed to encourage them to stay. The ICC first worked Things got out of hand on January on a way to keep food fresh and then th started improving the workers’ living 9 , 1964 when Balboa academy, an conditions. They either renovated or American school, refused to raise built houses. the Panamanian flag next to the By the end of that year, the Canal American flag outside the school Zone had Baseball leagues, social building. An angry horde of clubs, paved roads, warehouses, Panamanian students protested due dormitories, and dining halls. In to the disrespect the school contrast, the ICC provided no such displayed toward Panama. What improvements for Silver roll workers. started out as a peaceful protest, soon turned into an act of violence, where stones were thrown and shots were fired. The aftermath consisted of 20 Panamanian students killed and 4 American military dead.

Culture Clash In order to form their collective identity, the Americans made an effort to live their lives like they were Sadly, there was little interaction still in the US. They still practiced between the two groups. The American traditions like celebrating Panamanian society and the Zonians American holidays, eating typical never had a great relationship. The American food, playing American problem with the Americans living in sports, wearing American attire, the zone was that they did not listening to American music, become a part of the Panamanian watching American movies, and society. The Zonians hardly left the speaking in English. zone and for the most part didn’t socialize with Panamanians; this is Kenneth Feiron, a former Zonian called culture clash. The Zonians did tells me, “You got to live in the Canal not acculturate into the Panamanian Zone, you had a good salary culture; therefore, creating a gap because you had a government job between the two groups. and you worked for the Panama The fence along the boarder of the Canal Company which gave you zone not only separated the special privileges. So those three Americans territory from Panama things alone identified you as a City, but it also separated the Zonian.” Panamanian and American people. From what Mr Feiron explained, we Panamanians were envious of the can see that a huge part of the Zonians because they had so many Zonian identity was derived from the privileges that the Panamanians distinction there was between didn’t. Panamanians were also angry Zonians and everyone else. Working at the Zonians for making them feel in the zone gave them special like foreigners in their own country. privileges like better health care, education and access to government Keeping the culture commissary. These privileges separated them from a large part of the population of Panama. As you can imagine, being American and being placed in a country with a totally different culture would require Good or bad? you and other Americans to create your own collective identity. The There are mixed feelings about American Zonians felt comfort by America taking control over the coming together with other canal. According to the 2012 U.S. Americans from different parts of the Global Leadership Report, 32% of United States; in a sense it made Panamanian people approve of U.S. them feel like they were home. The leadership, with 16% disapproving Americans wanted to withstand their and 52% uncertain. This shows that culture and traditions, while still there is a lot of controversy learning about the Panamanian regarding whether the American culture. impact was good or not. The Lasting Impacts of by a Zonian, but I do not go by that name. Many people that live in the the Canal Zone today aren’t American.

There were many positive impacts of The Zonians were in Panama in a the American presence in Panama. different time and though true The greatest, in my opinion is the Zonians still live among us, their international society Panama has name no longer carries the weight it become. Many different people from once did for that collective group. many different places came to work on the canal along with the Americans, and many have made Today the Panama Canal is one of Panama their permanent home. This the 7 modern wonders of the world. has made Panama home to many Panamanians, now operate the once American, European, West – Indian, American run Canal. and Asian families. The Americans also constructed the whole zone and Each year, roughly 14,000 ships the houses in it, which are now still pass through the canal from present. The houses that they built countries all over the world. The are homes to families from all over American’s success benefitted the the globe. Republic of Panama. The Canal Zone area is a big use to Panama’s growing population. The Panama Canal is now also a large tourist attraction. The canal alone earns 2.4 billion dollars per year; this is an extraordinary amount of money that is necessary for Panama’s economic growth.

The Absence of Zonians

Today, there are still Zonians living all over the world, people that still remember their wonderful time in Panama. Though, the term Zonian has stopped being used to identify Americans in Panama, the Zonians still feel pride and nostalgia in the term. Panama Canal today. I live in what used to be known as Fort Clayton in a house once owned

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