America and Guatemala are very different cultures; sometimes these cultures can be viewed in a poor light or it can be viewed in an interesting light, but I think these differences are very interesting and nice. One big difference that can be seen is that America loves upgrading technology and making technology to make life easier. In Guatemala, it is not like that. Guatemala does have some technology like smart phones and new types of cars, but if something is fine how it is, it is not upgraded and not much technology is made that would supposedly make their lives easier.
Up until the 1960s Anglo social scientists wrote most of the literature about the people of Mexican- descent in the United States. Their analysis of Mexican American culture and history reflected the hegemonic beliefs, values, and perceptions of their society. As outsiders, Anglo scholars were led by their own biases and viewed Mexicans as inferior, savage, unworthy and different. Because Mexican scholars had not yet begun to write about their own experiences, these stereotypes were legitimized and reproduced in the literature. However, during the mid- 1960s scholars such as Octavio Ignacio Romano, Nick Vaca, Francisco Armando Rios, and Ralph Ricatelli began to reevaluate the literature written by their predecessors.
Being Hispanic makes me feel proud. It is something that makes me what I am, remembering my Mexican roots reminds me as my ancestors fought to get what they intended. Being Hispanic is not easy for all the prejudices that has this society. We havebeing judget as thieves, rapists, and much more. As in all societies there are people who make mistakes during his life and choose wrong paths but that is no reason to generalize to all those who belong to that social group.
The two articles that I read for this assignment are called “Hispanic Heritage”. I have decided to read about this mainly because I did not understand why Latinos celebrate “Hispanic Heritage” in the USA. This celebration is completely unknown in Latin countries. Most people have never heard until they are in the USA. During the Hispanic Heritage Month people commemorate with this event in order to recognize the contributions that Hispanics make to the USA.
Religion is a reason why women do not leave their abuser. Latino woman who identify as Catholic revealed that divorce is not an option since religion is a huge aspect of the Hispanic culture. In the Catholic Church, just like in the Mormon Church, marriage is a lifelong commitment. It is expected that your first marriage should be your only marriage. Once you get married, you remain married, and if you get a divorce, it is looked down up (Pyles, 2007).
Chapter15 U.S Latino/a Practical Theology The U.S church is being influenced greatly by Latinos/a. This group is made up of different generations and countries. In the United States most Latinos/a come from Mexico. However, there are other groups that make up the community like those from the Caribbean, Central America. And South America.
Cultural influences people on how to communicate with one another and its methods of communication from one culture to another. Culture plays a significant role in intercultural communication. Cultural identity is an element in a person’s life when one understands their own culture, leading to an understanding and appreciation of other cultures as well. It promotes a vital part of communication between people who come from different cultures. This paper will examine my Mexican American cultural background and how it affects my way of communicating with others.
Ever since the conquistadors had conquered Mexico, the life and culture of many modern Mexicans has been altered by Spain. From the design and organization of towns and cities to religion to class system, Spain has definitely made an impression on Mexico. One of the first imprint the Spanish made was leveling the native temples and then putting their Catholic churches and administrative buildings on top. To me, it’s as they - the Spanish are stating their religion - Catholicism - is superior to theirs. Secondly, the Spaniards used the local people as slaves to build their churches and their government buildings.
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.
An ordinary citizen wore an undyed loincloth and cloak and was not allowed to wear sandals in the palace, violation of law would lead to death penalty. Nobles wore cotton cloaks borders of precious stones. The Craftsmen were allowed to dye the cotton in different colors; and certain geometric designs were woven into their cloak to symbolize their status in the culture. The Aztecs were also fond of jewelry, but it was subject to certain laws too. Nobles wore gold and carved precious stones in their lower lips to display their high rank while the farmers had to dress simply.
In the 16th Century, Spain became one of the European forces to reckon with. To expand even further globally, Spanish conquistadors were sent abroad to discover lands, riches, and North America and its civilizations. When the Spanish and Native American groups met one another, they judged each other, as they were both unfamiliar with the people that stood before them. The Native American and Spanish views and opinions of one another are more similar than different because when meeting and getting to know each other, neither the Spaniards nor the Native Americans saw the other group of people as human. Both groups of people thought of one another as barbaric monsters and were confused and amazed by each other’s cultures.
The Mexicans in the United States differ from that of Mexicans in Mexico because of the formation of a distinct Mexican-American Identity. In the reading it states that the people that populated the lower side of the United States which would once was Northern Mexico would be stuck in a kind of limbo. Holding on to their cultural roots but almost embracing their environment in which they are surrounded. When Northern Mexico was annexed by the United States in 1849 the Mexicans were also annexed turning them into national orphans. In this idea an orphan would attempt to hold on to little they know about their heritage as well as be proud of what created and developed them into the people they are today.
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.
Two Worlds, One Girl There are many different cultures around the world, but you never really know what is like being between two different cultures, until you are experiencing it yourself. While growing up, I had the privilege and misfortune of becoming familiar with two different cultures: my family’s culture, from their birth country, Guatemala, and the culture of the United States of America. I say misfortune not because it was a disaster, catastrophe, or bad luck; I say it because sometimes you get so used to being in one culture that you start to forget about your family’s origin. Sometimes you even like something in one culture better than the other, and you feel guilty for having a preference.
It is true that Mexicans and Spaniards share similarities concerning language and culture, but there are far too many regional variations that make linguists say that Mexican Spanish qualifies to be a separate language, nonetheless, what does differ is that Spain’s political system is a Democratic government with an ‘international’ currency. Additionally, one can find a lot of Spanish influence in Mexican culture such as bull fights, foods like Spanish rice, and yes, Catholic Religion. Yet, it is easy to see the ancestral differences between Mexican and Spanish people due to their many different historical characteristics. Today, one difference between the two is that the Mexican political system is a close copy of the US system—at least on paper. However, the Mexican constitution provides only for a Federal system, unlike in Spain who recently has a revolution less than fifty years ago.
