1º_ It is an Americanism that applies to a person as "boy, youth, adolescent", and its use can be extended to "friend, companion", as a familiar way of addressing someone. There is no agreement on its origin, one theory assumes it in the English chum ("companion, close friend"), but that only explains the second meaning, which is surely a consequence of the first, as well as another that supposes a Mexican origin in chamaco, a word that actually seems more a derogatory or diminutive of 'chamo'. Most likely, it does not come from the north but from the Andean region, since it has versions from the Argentine NW and it is common in Peru and Bolivia to use chamita for girls and young women; so it is better associated with the Quechua voice chami ("small, often"). 2º_ Common name of the shrub Cestrum auriculatum . It is also known as holy herb, tundio, eckuack.
