Through TikTok, a foreign woman visited a store in downtown Mérida where she discovered the existence of the word “pelaná.”
Elisa, a foreign woman who has lived in Mérida, Yucatán, for three years, shared the amusing anecdote of how she discovered the meaning of the word “pelaná,” a very famous expression in that destination.
Through TikTok, the woman recorded a video where she recounted that she was with her friend in a store in downtown Mérida, buying cantaritos glasses. Upon entering the shop selling souvenirs, such as refrigerator magnets, she noticed one of the magnet designs featured the word “pelaná” with some palm tree and surfboard decorations. This caught her attention, as she thought it referred to a beach in Mérida she might not know, despite living in the city for three years.
Her friend, who knew the meaning of the word of Mayan origin, immediately began to explain it to her amid laughter. Upon learning the Spanish translation, Elisa found it amusing that a slang word with such a meaning was written on merchandise for visitors.
In the TikTok comments, users explained that it is usually used similarly to “dude” or to refer to someone in a friendly manner, without being offensive.
Source: Por Esto
