Comedians make you laugh. Comedic geniuses make you laugh at yourself. That’s exactly what the Botero family (known online as "Los Chicaneros") does. As one of the virtual keynotes from this year’s RootsTech conference, Los Chicaneros shared their story, talents, and thoughts on the importance of family.
Who Are Los Chicaneros?
Los Chicaneros are a family of social media content creators from Colombia, now living in Orlando, Florida, USA. They share videos on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms, highlighting funny, relatable interactions, stories, and jokes inspired by their family and their lives in the United States. With more than 17 million followers, Los Chicaneros have become some of the most famous Spanish-language content creators, with a fanbase of all audiences. The family consists of parents Nelson and Cristina Botero and their children, Antonia and Nicolás.
Reflecting on their online journey, the Botero family revisited some of their first videos from 2021. They noted how each person has changed, shared memories from when the videos were filmed, and of course, laughed!
They explained that chicanero is a Colombian word that refers to someone who shows off or pretends to be someone more important and successful than they actually are. “The idea came from our dad,” Nicolás explained. “We wanted to represent those people who come from our countries—from Colombia, from Latin America—who come to the United States to boast about things they don’t have.”
This contrast between appearance and reality inspires their fun, wholesome content. The Botero family themselves are hardworking and humble about their online success, adding another layer of humor to their satire.
How Their Comedic Journey Began
“It all started as a way to save family memories,” explained Antonia. “Since we had been apart for so long, we wanted to save everything. And what better way than on the internet where everything is saved forever?”
After facing many financial difficulties in Colombia and later being separated, with each member living in different parts of the world, the Boteros are now happy to be together. They explained that making videos together has been therapeutic for them, allowing them to draw on each other’s strengths and help one another. It’s also helped them develop better relationships, be more patient, and communicate more effectively.
Although working as a family can be difficult, the Boteros have learned to work through these challenges. “We always manage to solve it,” Antonia said. “We don’t hold onto the problems or the bad things; we get over it and always move forward.” Nelson and Cristina also commented that they’re grateful for the lessons they have learned throughout this journey. They feel like better parents and that their family is closer than ever since they started making videos.
“A day without laughter is a day wasted,” said Antonia. And when it is with the family, it is worth twice as much.” This is the Botero family’s mindset as they share their videos with the world—as a family.
Discovering Their Ancestral Stories
When talking about their relatives, Los Chicaneros explained that while they feel very close to their immediate family, they don’t know much about their ancestors. During the Boteros’ virtual keynote, they were presented with some of their family history—from both Nelson’s and Cristina’s sides of the family—by FamilySearch.
Cristina discovered that her grandparents originally lived in Guarne, Antioquia, Colombia. They looked at their family tree and at a map of the area, discovering ancestors named “Nicolás” and “Antonia” that she didn’t know about. It was special for them to see the connection between her children’s names and her ancestors’ names.
Nelson had always told his family that their ancestors were from Italy and had immigrated to South America. But with no official documentation, their Italian claims were often joked about. With the help of FamilySearch, they were able to look through their family tree, discovering that their ancestors were indeed from Italy. They looked back 8 generations to find stories of Botteros (spelled with 2 T’s at that time) who traveled by boat from Italy to Colombia. They declared, “Somos Italianos!” (We are Italian!) upon making this discovery.
Their original Italian ancestor, Giovanni, was born in Genoa, Italy, around 1650. Genoa was known as an explorer factory, a starting point for many Italian emigrants. Nelson said, “My immigrant blood comes from there!” Giovanni and other European immigrants were ordered to leave Colombia and return to Europe, but Giovanni asked to stay for his love of the land where he had established a life and built a home and family. “He stayed for the family,” remarked Nicolás. “Just like Dad moved,” replied Antonia.
Nelson was overcome by emotion as he and his family noted the similarities between these ancestors and their own stories—being immigrants, spending time apart, and trying to do what’s best for their family, just like Giovanni and their other ancestors. They noted how exciting it was to have access to this information and the original documents to help tell their family story.
Time to Tell Their Own Family History Story
After learning about their ancestors, Los Chicaneros did what they do best—make a video! They took inspiration from Giovanni, highlighting how captivating it is to learn about your ancestors. At the end of their new TikTok video, the Botero family sat down, looking through more of their family tree.
The journey of Los Chicaneros is a testament to the power of family, resilience, and the joy of shared experiences. From their beginnings in Colombia to becoming social media sensations in the United States, the Botero family has shown that laughter and love can bridge any distance. Their story is not just about creating content; it's about preserving memories, embracing their heritage, and inspiring others to cherish their own family bonds. “Maybe that’s the message we want to send,” Nelson said. “Fight for the family. Work for the family. The family is the basis of everything.”
As they continue to explore their past and create new memories in the present, Los Chicaneros remind us all of the importance of staying connected and celebrating the moments that unite us.
What Is RootsTech?
RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, RootsTech has hundreds of expert classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories that can help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library or make plans to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event.
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At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
