Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Exploring cultural identity
Aspects of cultural identity
Aspects of cultural identity
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
During the Chicano Nationalist Movement, a well-known speaker, Rodolfo ‘Corky’ Gonzales, delivered a speech titled Chicano Nationalism: Victory for La Raza. In this speech, Rodolfo Gonzales tries to unify the Latin American people within the United States by using the idea of a family and to create a new political organization for the Chicano people. This speech was a cumulation of various ideas which stemmed from his own life, the experiences of the Chicano people, and the Chicano Nationalist Movement in general. Each of these factors contributed to the context of the speech and how the ideas within the speech are presented by Rodolfo Gonzales. Rodolfo ‘Corky’ Gonzales was born to Federico and Indalesia Gonzales, two Mexican immigrants, on June 18, 1928.
In Hurtado and Gurin’s article, we see the first label of Chicano as “the Chicano Generation” originating from 1966 to present time. The generation before the Chicana/o generation were the Mexicanos whom valued the Spanish language over English, Mexican customs, and their Mexican culture. However, the article states that the Chicano Generation, although derived from Mexican ancestry, critiqued the Mexicanos based on their “loyalty” to the United States. Thus, the Chicano Generation deviated from their Mexican culture, but did not fully assimilate to an American culture.5 Chicanas/os placed themselves in between, not accustoming to one culture or the other; thus, creating their own. From this, we can conclude that the early definition of a Chicana/o social identity is solely that of a first generation American-born citizen into a Mexican-American
The Chicano movement derives from early oppression of Mexicans. Robert Rodrigo, author of “The Origins and History of the Chicano Movement” acknowledges that, “At the end of the Mexican American war in 1848, Mexico lost half of its territory to the United States and its Mexican residents became ‘strangers in their own lands.’” In stating this fact, Rodrigo exemplifies the United States’ relations with Mexico, that, ultimately, led to their oppression. Moreover, these early relations led to social injustice for the Mexican community. Carlos Muñoz, author of The Chicano Movement: Mexican American History and the Struggle for Equality reports, “As a conquered people, beginning with the Texas-Mexico War of 1836 and the U.S. Mexico War of 1846-48, they have
Before the 1960s many social science disciplines utilized cultural determinist paradigms as their framework for knowledge production. For example, in “The Anthropology and Sociology of the Mexican-Americans,” Octavio Ignacio Romano describes how anthropologists and sociologists used the concept of Traditional Culture to explain the history of Mexican Americans. According to Romano, this concept “deal[s] with human beings only as passive containers and retainers of culture,” which posits Mexican Americans are ahistorical people (“The Anthropology” 26). Therefore, in using this theoretical lens Romano argues social science scholars not only erase the history of Mexican Americans but also perpetuate the idea that Mexican American culture is deficient and prohibits their progress. For example, he criticizes Ruth Tuck along with other sociologists and anthropologists for describing Mexican Americans as fatalistic people who adjust to their problems, instead of making an effort to overcome them (“The Anthroplogy” 29).
How the mexicans became a colony is Spanish Conquistadores,led by Hernan Cortes,allied themselves with Tlaxcalan tribes to conquer the Aztecs,who were the most important civilization in Mexico at the time. With the aid of these tribes, plus the effects of smallpox disease that killed many of the native inhabitants, that finally conquered the lands now named as Mexico at the Fall of Tenochtitlan (capital city of the Aztecs) on August 13, 1521. Since that day, until September 27,1821 Mexico became a colony of spain. In the early 19th century, Napoleon’s occupation of Spain led to the outbreak of revolts all across Spanish American.
Injustice and inequality often ignite the sparks of social and political movements. The Chicano (Mexican-American) and Puerto Rican movements of the 1900s provide such examples. Latinos are often considered a homogeneous and involved political subsection or as Beltrán describes a ‘sleeping giant.’ The metaphor describes a sleeping giant who contains much political control through its sheer size but does little with its power. Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans have historically proven this metaphor wrong and mobilized in great numbers to affect real change within their respective communities.
1. Who is this subculture group? Where are they from? The Mexican Americans are a population of Spanish speaking individuals whom inhabit an area of Southern Texas named Hidalgo County. This cultural group often refers to themselves as being “true Texans” while referring to those individuals who speak English as being outsiders.
During my two interviews my with my two people of the Hispanic culture I came to find they were both had a good level of health literacy from a quick glance. It’s interesting I came to this conclusion fast after asking them each their questions, because I barely know these two on a personal level. Raul I met last year at comicpalooza, where we bonded over love over television and movies and came in contact since, mostly having conversations about show/movies; but never had conversations on anything like this level. Francis I met over swim class this fall at UH recreation center, so I came to the conclusion to pick two people I didn’t really know to ask these questions for this paper.
In order to deal with discrimination and racism, indigenous Mexicans have created ways that strengthen their ethnic identity, through terms and communities. For example, Indigenous Mexicans created the term “paisano,” which is given to fellow people that are from the same region as each other and have faced similar struggles (Fox 12). This leads to another factor that can help form ethnic identity which is regional identity. Regional identity is important because it means that where you’re from can also determine who one is, and subsequently, influences which people one would relate to. This is related to the communities that indigenous people make in the US because it expresses who they, indigenous Mexicans, are by showing this from where they are from.
I believe the term, hispanic, itself does not define who I am. I define who I am and who I want to become. However, I do come from a Mexican heritage. Coming from a Mexican heritage has influenced and deeply impacted my life. My heritage has taught me a lot.
Las Vegas is where I was born and raised. That doesn’t mean that I just gave up on my Mexican culture. Like many others, I have a culture that is both American and Mexican. My culture has shaped my values, perceptions, and behaviors. The culture of my family, community, and society has made who I am as a person in numerous ways.
I grew up in a two-parent household with my parents being married before they had children. My father has always been the one that provides finically, while my mother was the one who took care of my siblings and I throughout my childhood. Being that both of my parents were born in Mexico, I consider myself Mexican American. I am proud to be Mexican American. Culture plays a huge role in shaping your identity.
I’m the first generation of my family to be Mexican -American, but I have been introduced to the Mexican culture since I was born. I appreciate the difficulties my parents have faced to make me the person that I am today even though I wasn’t born in Mexico my parents have taught me the language and the culture which I’m so proud of being part of. For others being Hispanic is actually being born in any Latin American countries which is not true at all. Being Hispanic is much more than my cultural background it actually describes how much I appreciate my culture and how I get to experience things other people don’t. I fit into the Hispanic community through the experiencing the culture first hand ,participating in traditions and planning to include my culture in my future.
Mexican Culture: Customs and Traditions The Mexican culture is very diverse which has undergone many transformations over several decades and the culture varies widely throughout Mexico and the United States. I will be more focused on the other side of the border and express my findings about the Mexican culture in Mexico. According to woldatlas an online database, the majority of Mexicans live in cities like Mexico City with a population of 12 million Mexicans.
DB # 8 1) What is machismo? How does it impact interactions within Mexican American marriages? Please elaborate and explain your answers. Machismo is more like a masculine pride.