Pokemone is the name of an urban tribe among
Chile's youth that surfaced in the late 2000s. They are readily identifiable by their angular and pressed hairstyles, reminiscent of characters from the Japanese media franchise Pokémon. It is currently one of the largest and better known urban tribes in the country.
Pokemones dress similarly to other tribes, such as
Otaku and Emo, but they are not followers of
anime like the former, nor share the musical tastes of the latter. Pokemones are livelier and extroverted. During parties they dance to reggaeton music, while kissing and groping with as many people (male or
female) as they can, which they call poncear. They make extensive use of the
Internet, trading photos of themselves on image-sharing sites
like Fotolog and communicating through MSN Messenger.
Pokemones are usually from the Chilean middle and lower class. They are frequently juxtaposed against another group, the so-called peloláis, well-to-do girls with long, straight fairer hair from private, Catholic schools.
