Cholo
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A cholo is term implying a Hispanic male that typically dresses in chinos (khahki pants), a wifebeater sleeveless teeshirt or a flannel shirt with only the top buttoned, a hairnet, or with a bandana around the forehead, usually halfway down over the eyes. Cholos often have black ink tattoos, commonly involving Catholic imagery, or calligraphy messages or family names.
Cholos often drive low riders. -
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Mexican Gangster
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Mexican Gangster Style
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The U.S. context of the word Cholo/Chola originated in Los Angeles and can be a derogatory term meaning [Chicano]gangster or [pandillero]or [marero]. They are born in the U.S. and favor Spanglish. They might refer to any Latino unlike them as [pocho], or white-washed.
A hardcore cholo will wear the baggy look, bigtime tatoos, and a shaved head. The chola might have long permed black hair, dark lipstick and a teardrop tatooed under her eye, (and their toddler might have a shaved head and wear the garb unless [abuelita] steps in.)
This look is subject to change as gang-culture evolves. So what a cholo looked like in the times of [Cheech and Chong] is out-of-date, but still revered with some pride. There are even plastic figurines with this look sold in gumball machines all over the streets of L.A.
The word has a totally different context in South America, where it means indigenous peasant. But in the States, it has been appropriated and the context has evolved. -
A Mexican gangster. Other definitions say this is untrue, and that cholo means only means mestizo. However, since this is an urban dictionary where the idea is to communicate the colloquial, everyday meaning used in contemporary society, the correct meaning is mexican gangster.
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In Peru: peasant or indian, in a somewhat degrading way because it implies being simple minded. Can also be used affectionately between friends.
In Peru it has no gangster connotation.
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Apparently, you should lean like one.
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Cholo es vocablo de las islas Barlovento; quiere decir perro, no de los castizos, sino de los muy bellacos gozcones; y los españoles usan dél por infamia y vituperio
(Extracted from the book Los comentarios reales del Inca Garcilazo de la Vega a mestizo writer from Peru, published in 1609 and 1616)
The word CHOLO ia a mixed breed DOG, one of a very bad look. The Spaniards used that word also to call Indigenous people and those mixed with them. You see, the Hispanics were Racist from long time ago, that is why I hate when someone calls me Hispanic.
In Mexico and Southwestern USA (former Mexico) that word is used to describe a Latino man (mostly of Mexican and Central American origin) who is involved on street-gang activities or a street fashioned life-style.
In Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile and Colombia the word CHOLO is both an insult and a compliment, but mostly a way to describe a person of Indigenous heritage.
In most of those Andean countries people are Indigenous or mixed with them, especially Quechua, Moche, Aymara, Guarani and other Amazon peoples. Anyone who looks or acts as an Indigenous person is called a CHOLO by RACIST people who believe they are white/European as supposed to be superior.
Racism in those countries is vicious and virulent, worse than in the US. The elites there have Indigenous people as their servants and they keep them under poverty on purpose. It is very common to insult an Indian just because of their race and make fun of them on public or in TV. Its a very disgusting way of racism that most Andean people would take as a normal expression of their culture, because they aspire to become like their invaders, the Spaniards. -
(in some parts of Latin America) a man of indigenous or partly indigenous ancestry.
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