In the class we read several texts written by Latino/as writers. Two of these texts are “Volar” by Judith Cofer and “La Gorda and the City of Silver” by Sabrina Vourvoulias. Both texts have some similarities and some differences that I’m going to be identifying in this essay. I’m going to talk a little about the authors and their literary texts. Afterwards I will be comparing both texts and the authors. I would also be talking about the authors as latinas writers and comparing them.…
In the same way, culture affects how individuals interpret the world by affecting societal views and choices. For example, some people choose their marriage partners based on cultural background. Some cultures suggest that individuals should only marry a person with the same cultural background. One author, Gary Soto, in his article, “Like Mexicans”, reminisced about how his family members encouraged him to marry a Mexican and as he grew up he searched for the perfect Mexican girl. Despite this, he ended up marrying a Japanese woman and after having conversations with his mother, he still found himself questioning whether he made the right choice (Soto 225).…
Although the overcome of the elite seems to be the happy ending of fairy tales, there have nevertheless been cases throughout history that prove otherwise. Bulosan describes one of these outcomes in his autobiography. He found that by organizing unions and workers of different backgrounds, he could create a powerful force that eventually sparked revolution for Filipinos and other races living on the West Coast. Unionization had a rocky start, especially because different races each made separate demands from companies, who would therefore grant neither wish. Bulosan says that, “The companies would not recognize their separate demands...they [Mexicans and Filipinos] had not recognized one important part: that the beet companies conspired against…
The first article I have chosen is, "Juncture in the road: Chicano Studies Since: "El plan de Santa Barbara" by Ignacio M. Garcia. I have chosen this particular article for various reasons. One is because reading the first few paragraphs of the article stirred up many emotions within me. I found myself growing angry and once, again, repulsed by the United States discrimination system. The more knowledge I obtain on the United States, on its past and how it develops today, I can finally say that I resent everything it stands for and embarrassed being part of it. I would rather say that I am a country of one myself. The second reason for choosing this article, was because it was an easy read for me as well as the topic being discussed was intriguing.…
In the 10th century, the Christian conquest of Spain occurred. In order to satisfy Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, the king, and queen of Spain, conquerors were forcing conversion on the native peoples of America. In hoping of finding precious golds, and spices. Their missions would often include searching vigorously for these items whilst at the same time finding people to convert. However, some were not handled with care because many of these missions resulted in the killing and abuse of the native peoples of America. However, in Francis Xavier’s specific mission, it included attempting to convert the Indians to Christianity. In India, the harrappean culture emerged in the 1920s. This lead to civilization which included international trade…
Mexico has a very interesting Christmas. In Mexico they say Feliz Navidad that means Merry Christmas. The Posada is party that begins the celebrations. The celebrations start on December 16th and end on February 2nd. Most kids don't believe in santa they believe in The Three Kings which are the wise men. They decorate with flowers moss and evergreens, poinsettias and a nativity scene. A nativity scene is the story of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The poinsettia is a plant that is red,pink and white. Both Mexico and the USA celebrate Christmas but in very different ways.…
Legends are ancient stories that have been told from generation to generation and, everyone implements something new to the story, in some parts it´s true, and when time passes it becomes with more lies than truth. They can tell a story that all lies and they have an important role in our culture because most of our traditions born of them.…
In my adventure to find the right store for this assignment, I solicited the assistance of my neighbor. My neighbor, Edith Yarbor and her husband Larry own a convenience store in Agua Prieta, located in the northern region of Sonota, Mexico so this was the venue of choice for me to observe for a few hours.…
When analyzing Gloria Anzaldua’s writing “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” it is important to look at her background. She comes from a very diverse background; her parents were immigrants, she was born in south Texas, and she identifies herself as a Chicana feminist. The different discourse communities seen through her writing is the struggle she has between the different languages she has to adapt to around different people in her life. Writing from the borderlands between American, Mexican, Spanish, Indian, Chicano, and Mestiza culture, Anzaldua creates a representation of the wide range of forces within herself and the culture from which comes.…
With ever-changing minds and ideals, it is fundamental for countries to work together in the best interests of their citizens. An arising threat to current world order is governance gap. With recent shifts in power and a number of countries in limbo between autocracy and democracy, the way international issues are dealt with could change. One country almost exclusively found at the heart of important issues has been the United States. With the recent US presidential election, many have been left wondering if President Elect Donald J. Trump will hold true to his campaign promises: building the wall alongside the Mexican-American boarder, aiding the hardworking Americans who have been cheated of their wealth and cancelling payments to climate…
The documentary Haiti and the Dominican Republic: An Island Divided discusses differences between two countries that share one land mass. In the first few seconds of the film the only visible separation or distinction viewers can observe is the Massacre River and the two different sides the countries occupy. However, moments later viewers are informed of the many deeper-rooted differences between the two countries and its people. Haiti and the Dominicans have had many conflicts over the years and this documentary helped give me a better understanding of the reasons and history from which these conflicts were born.…
Culturally, Mexican Americans have a beautiful array of unique traditions and values. Spirituality plays a large role in many Mexican American families. At 61%, the majority of Mexican Americans are Christian and belong to the Roman Catholic Church. (Pew Research Hispanic, 2015) Another major aspect of Mexican American culture is the emphasis placed on the extended family. Due to the fact that Mexican Americans are a collectivist and interdependent group, the extended family is one of the greatest avenues in which Mexican American people can retain and foster their culture. (Flores & Carey, 2000)…
There is a lot of historical background to the Mexican American identity. This identity started with the Mexicas. The Mexicas were indigenous people from Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco. The Mexicas were a group of indigenous people that had their own set of beliefs, norms and values. The Mexicas had long hair (including men and women) because long hair meant wisdom. The Mexicas harvested their own food. With related to the political aspect the Mexicas had their own political structure. They had a male ruler and it was Cihuacoatl. After the ruler it was the council of 12 women. These women were selected by the city states and were advisors of the main ruler. Next in the political structure were the Calpullis and they were like districts or city states. The last part of…
One thing I can never deny is my heritage. I am a Mexican American. I was born in America, and nurtured by Mexican parents. I am bilingual: I speak English, and I speak Spanish at home, and bicultural: I eat authentic Mexican food in my house, and American fast food when I go out with friends. Although, you may think that I get the best of two worlds; in reality, it’s not always like that. The truth is, I do not fit into the stereotypes that most people have about Mexican Americans, and surprisingly enough, I don’t assimilate well with other Mexicans either. Being a Mexican American while staying true to yourself is different than keeping your heritage and following social expectations. Ever since I was young, I have always felt out of place mainly because my family…
The Mexican culture has been around for years. Growing slowly and gaining new things to make the culture bigger. What does the Mexican culture consist of?…