I am addicted to these chocolate covered peanuts...I had them in Madrid but does anyone know if they are available anywhere else in Spain - and does anyone know the history of the little mascot? How politically INcorrect!!!

Firstly, you can enjoy conguitos everywhere in Spain. If you buy a big pack in the supermarkets you usually get a free plastic politically incorrect doll representing an african pygmy savage, which sticks to your fridge and is sure to offend most of yor friends. For those of you who don't know what he looks like, check out this site: www.fuhem.es/CIP/EDUCA/intercul/cinco7.htm
It seems to be a paper dealing with our little conguito friend as well as the ColaCao negrito and the Fu Manchu-like Mandarin Flan man, as well as other exotic colonial images employed as Spanish trademarks.
For those of us from English-speaking countries, such a lack of political correctness can be quite a shock - or a breath of fresh air - but you will notice in Spain that political correctness is not taken seriously here yet. Consider also spanish humour.
Anyway, enjoy your conguito sweets (for the uninitiated, they're a bit like peanut M&Ms, but smaller)

Barry, this is wonderful, thank you...I was introduced to them by my boyfriend and we always laugh about them - and I do have a 'figure' for my fridge - I wish I bought more - they are a great conversation starter!!!

Maybe it's because I'm so used to see this image (the Conguitos one) but I don't see what's wrong or politically incorrect in it. (It would be like advertising olives using gypsies dacing flamenco). I'd like to hear your views about why is not PC for you.

If we are to enter a debate on political correctness in Spain, which might be interesting, perhaps this thread should go somewhere else. But briefly, certain images may be considered offensive if they reproduce certain stereotypes. The little conguito man, while certainly endearing, is a caricature, and shows an African as a cannibal/savage. Perhaps some Spanish people would be offended if olive oil was marketed abroad with a logo showing a swarthy lazy peasant with donkey. Or perhaps they'd see the funny side.But I'd like to hear other people's comments, so I'll stop there.

I will have to agree with you Barry. Part of the reason that I liked Conguito man so much was that you know he wasn't created to offend anyone and truthfully, I doubt anyone in Spain even sees it. I think the PC attidudes of North America now has made us so 'conscious' that everything is suspect. We could never have an innocent conguito man here anymore.

I bought a bag of Conguitos in 1992 (after living there two years and seeing nary a nut), and only after I got home and had been dangling the Conguito from my rear-view mirror did I realize what an affront that could be to so many people. Even the name is offensive to some...

Darn good candy though...

I can not believe how deep the PC costume has stroke you Americans. I pray every day that we keep free from having to weigh every word to such a limit to make sure not to offend anybody.

Yeah, I suppose ignorance is bliss, Ignacio...

Nevertheless, I'm fairly certain that Conguitos aren't sold in "El Congo"...I think they sell "Españolitos" there. The mascot on the front has a Ducado hanging out of his mouth, a boina on his head, and zapatillas on his feet...and he's dancing a "jota".

I guess I am the odd man out. I do not find it burdensome or difficult to talk to other people in a way that treats them with respect. My friends and I have so much to laugh about and have fun without using humor or terms that demean other people for their race or socio economic status. Frankly, I am thankful that the pc movement has made us more sensitive to how we affect each other.

The whole point of "political correctness" is that things that one perceives as innocent (usually from a lack of reflection about the weight of a particular statement or idea) are truly offensive to other people. I don't really understand why people find it so horrible to acknowledge the significance of certain things. Is it because people want to believe that they are good, and feel that that disrupts their self-perception as a good person, or do they just not want to be bothered by confronting the weighty reality behind what they say?

[ 07-09-2001: Message edited by: Nicole ]