The children of those who stayed by Silvio Sirias Our eyes are on the rising, and not toward the setting sun. James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans Zonians. To be honest, before moving to Panama the thought of what had happened to the Americans who had lived in the former Canal Zone --- for several generations in some instances --- had never crossed my mind. Shortly after my arrival --- in fact, the first day that I reported to work at Florida State University-Panama --- I literally came face to face with the question. Im a Zonian, Eric Holland said to me during our first conversation. Eric is FSU-Panamas Athletic Director, and today he is a good friend. What do you mean by Zonian? I asked back then. I grew up in the Zone. Except for four years in the United States when I went away for college, Ive lived my entire life in the Zone, Eric responded patiently, well accustomed to ignorance such as mine. Over the past year and a half I have developed quite a curiosity about the Canal Zone, in particular about its culture. Sometimes, when Im waiting for a taxi in the heart of Balboa, near the former YMCA Building, I close my eyes and try to envision what the Zone must have been like 40 years ago, when American colonists had control in perpetuity over the narrow 10-mile wide stretch of land that crosses the isthmus. My imagination invariably fails me; I see the buildings clearly, but in my minds eye the people are always missing. I simply cannot conceive of how things must have been. I now understand that this is not unusual. What Ive learned over time is that a person has to have been there to be able to grasp the concept of life in the Zone. On December 31, 1999, the United States turned the canal over to Panama. This included all operations, jobs, and properties. For more than 20 years, the American dominion had been phased out, starting in October 1979 with the abolition of the Canal Zone government and police and the transfer of the Canal Zone schools to the US Department of Defense. As a result of the treaty, the vast majority of Zonians found themselves forced by straightforward economics to pack up their belongings and return to the States. This included many who had lived their entire lives in the Zone. There were, however, some who stayed. That option was made easier by one of the better deals offered to the nationals of an ousted power in a decolonization process: people who were born in the Canal Zone --- whether or not they have Panamanian ancestors --- are considered Panamanian citizens, without having to give up their American citizenship. I met with a few young Zonians, college students who attend FSU-Panama, to discuss what the end of the American presence in the former Canal Zone has meant to them. In a classroom that looks out at both the Bridge of the Americas and the entrance to the canal, I chatted with Eric Holland, Stevie Bodden, Salvador Stabler, Olmedo Icaza, Angie Cruz-Segara, Krista Wiese, and Roy Dalton. Over slices of pepperoni pizza and cups of Pepsi Blue, they answered my questions. When asked to define a Zonian, they all agreed that a pure Zonian is someone born before 1979, the year the Carter-Torrijos Treaty was signed. With the exception of Eric, all the informants were born in the mid-1980s. If we use that definition, then, that means that only Eric is a Zonian, the rest of you are not, I state, worried that they might be inadvertently excluding themselves from membership in this elite group. Thats right. Were not Zonians. Our parents are Zonians, but we were born after the treaty. That makes us descendants of Zonians, said Stevie Bodden, who from the onset emerges as the groups primary spokesperson. Do you all agree with Stevie? I ask. Every single one of the young Zonians nods. But you all got to experience what life on the Zone was like, didnt you? I ask. Once again, they all assent by nodding. Describe that life to me, then. I want to understand it, I say. The descendants of Zonians all jump in at once. What emerges is a picture of utopia, a perfect society of gainful, secure employment with housing and utilities provided free of charge; free, first rate medical and dental care; gardens and lawns that were immaculately kept by Panamanians gardeners contracted and paid for by the Panama Canal Commission (known in their parents time as the Panama Canal Company); excellent public schools; pristine swimming pools; perfectly manicured baseball, softball, and football fields; spotless basketball and tennis courts; an infinite array of clubs and activities for young and old; and an extremely tight-knit community where a family felt absolutely safe, being able to leave their doors open at all hours without fear. We thought the entire world was like that, says Stevie. There was never any reason for us to leave the Zone. In fact, I was 13 years old the first time I visited Panama City. I was so shocked to see how big it was. The only time we left the Zone was to cross over the bridge on our way to the Interior. But we had everything we needed in the Zone. We did all our shopping in the PX and the Commissary, paying less for things than we would in the States. The Zone even had American fast food restaurants and several movie theaters. Therefore, going into Panama City was completely unnecessary. Was it like that for all of you? I ask, still stunned by the revelation that anyone could be happy while living enclosed in such a narrow strip of land. Again, every single member of the group nodded their assent --- with the exception of Salvador Stabler, who was born in Colon and adopted years later by a Zonian family. Salvador had experienced life on the outside prior to moving to the Zone, and at times during our conversation he felt on the margin of the true descendants of Zonians. We had the best of both worlds: the discipline and order of US society, and for those of us who chose to venture out of the Zone, the relaxed lifestyle and standards of Latin America, adds Eric Holland. What is it that you miss the most about life in the Zone? I ask the group. Our friends who left, everyone answers almost in unison. Life became boring around here without them, adds Olmedo Icaza. Expanding on what they missed the most, the Post-Zonians compile a long list of activities such as cheerleading, sport leagues, track and field competitions, alligator hunting in Gamboa, and so on. It makes me a little resentful when I start to think about all the fun things I had taken away from me, adds Angie Cruz-Segara. The group suddenly becomes silent, apparently pondering on their loss. Apart from having a way to support themselves, why did your families choose to remain in Panama? I ask, cutting through their thoughts. Their responses indicate three primary reasons their families chose to stay. First among them is that their parents do not like living in the States. Then, every one in the group, with the exception of Roy Dalton, is of mixed-heritage; that is, one of their parents is Panamanian. And, finally, their families genuinely love Panama. Would you say that Zonian culture has died? I ask. Definitely not, according to the group. The former Zone really comes to life again during the Christmas vacations and the US summers. Thats when tons of Zonians who now live in the States come to visit. They miss Panama and feel the need to return. We have wonderful reunions during these times, says Stevie. Zonian culture is also alive in the States. Zonians are so close-knit that many decided to form Zonian communities in places like Florida, adds Eric Holland. What I was astonished to discover during this part of the conversation was the emergence of a new fad among a segment of young Panamanians: to emulate Zonians. There are Panamanians out there who want to be just like us. They have adopted the way we speak, the way we look, and our attitudes, which are more liberal and adventurous than the average Panamanians. They want to hang out with us all the time. Its nice, but a little bewildering as well, says Stevie. Regarding how they and their families first coped with the big change following the turnover of the Canal, they all expressed that initially there was a great sense of loss in their households --- especially after the sudden, massive exodus of friends. However, all of them state that this has obligated them and their families to make Panamanian friends. The turnover of the Canal also forced us to begin going into Panama City to shop for everything. Ive learned to enjoy that, Krista Wiese adds. And while these newfound friendships and discoveries have been a pleasant surprise, compared to glory days of the Zone, life is much quieter. How did you fit into Panamanian society prior to the turnover? I ask. We didnt, answers Stevie. We seldom left the Zone. When we did venture out into the city, like to eat at a restaurant or go to a movie, we always went in large groups. To be honest, I didnt start making Panamanian friends until after I returned from college, adds Eric. Before that, it never occurred to me to have Panamanians on my list of friends. How do you fit into Panamanian society today? I ask. We dont really fit in, answers Angie. And its tougher for the girls --- Panamanian men accept us, but the Panamanian women dont want us around. Plus, many Panamanians tend to judge us through the stereotypes they have of Americans, and not as individuals. The funny thing is that we dont fit in when we go to the States either. My relatives over there see me as something strange, more Panamanian than American. I guess we dont really fit in anywhere except in the former Zone, adds Stevie as the others nod in agreement. People in the States seem cold, while here its all abrazos y besos, says Roy. When I visit the States I am sad to see that people there dont realize what a wonderful place Panama is. They think we live in primitive conditions, adds Angie. I find that young people in the US dont even know much about their own state, let alone the rest of the world. Their ignorance depresses me, says Stevie. At this point I proceed to ask each one where they envision themselves in the future. Eric and Stevie are adamant that they will remain in Panama. Angie and Krista dont know if their future lies here, but they are certain that they will live somewhere in Latin America rather than in the States. Roy and Salvador want to live in the US for a while, but eventually they plan on returning to Panama. Olmedo is the only one who says that his future is in the States. Are you sad the days of the Canal Zone have ended? I ask as my final question. No. But then, we were aware that those days were coming to an end. What I do feel is grateful for having experienced a taste of what Zonian life was like. It must have been absolutely wonderful before the Treaty was signed, Angie answers. We got to experience three times the things people in the States experience in their lifetime. You cant beat that. Plus, well always have those great memories that will allow us think of the Zone as a magical place, says Stevie. Zonian culture did not seep very deeply into Panamanian society. A number of wealthier Panamanian families did send their kids to school in the Zone, and a few things like cayuco racing and American football have caught on with certain segments of isthmian society. However, the segregated Zonian existence assured that the traits and traditions established by the Americans who lived and worked here for nearly a century remained alien to outsiders. Thus Zonian culture is destined to disappear. In fact, its already becoming a historical footnote. In the end, only the great constructions, chief among them the canal, will remain to attest that an extraordinary civilization once dwelled here. What is surprising, though, is the vigor with which the Zonian diaspora clings to its past. The tides of history and international politics have forced Zonians to move on, to seek the higher ground of economic survival. Nevertheless, their ties to this land, their yearning for the idyllic life they once led in the Canal Zone, are as strong as those experienced by any other citizen of the world who is suffering through the pains of exile. Here in Panama, however, something of the Zonian culture continues to survive, to move forward, and to evolve; and so it shall be as long as we have the children of those who stayed.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:28:18 +0000