|
I hope I didn't give the wrong impression. Not owning up with pride to being Mexican only lasted until I entered my teens. Our family wouldn't tolerate it for too long. Besides it was more fun to be both Mexican and Gringo. You could have the best of both worlds. I can easily jump into one culture or another. I realized that I didn't have to give up my mexican-ness in order to live and play the American way. I celebrate both cultures with great fervor and joy. Our children also had to speak spanish at home, this as a result of my parents instilling and infusing us with their pride in our heritage. I will forever be greatful to them for this and many other cultural gifts they passed on to us.
Our children have continued this pride in their heritage and while all 3 have married non-Mexicans all three celebrate and live both cultures with ease, with pride and with honor to those who came before us. After all, we all still have the Nopales firmly stamped on our forehead.
Con mucho orgullo y honor a nuestra gente y a nuestra cultura !!
Sinceramente,
Alicia Avelar, Olmos, Aguayo, Ruiz, de Carrillo
zendean <usa20@...> wrote:
Alicia Carrillo;
I know how you feel about not wanting to be labeled a Mexican in an Anglo society. Now that we Latino's make up 54% of the population of California it is no longer that much of an issue.
I was so very interested to read your posting and I felt that you put into writing what I had experienced myself. My father lived most of his later years there in San Jose. He lived on Little Orchard street. I visited him there a few times before he died. I still have relations there.
The Macias branch of my family is from Zacatecas. I don't know where and there is now no one to ask. I saw a place called "Jerez" on a Document. I wonder if "Jerez, Zacatecas" is a City, town, parish, rancho, area or rest stop. I have never been there and don't have a map. Do you know, Alicia ?
Funny how a thing does not follow every generation. My children don't speak Spanish, didn't take Spanish in school, don't acknowledge when addressed in Spanish and will not attempt to speak Spanish, make it a point to let it be known that they have no interest in anything Latin and generally don't have an issue when the issue is Spanish.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 11:06 PM
Subject: Re: [ranchos] More about Nopales
Here's more on Nopales
My family originates from Zacatecas, specifically Tlachichila from the Municipality of Nochistlan. As we all know many people have migrated to the Norte or Los Estados Unidos or as many say El Otro Lado. I grew up in the US of A in San Jose Calif in an all Anglo community and one thing I didn't want to be was different from the rest of my class. However different we were. We had to speak spanish at home which for one who doesn't want to be different or admit to anyone that you're different this was a tough one to hide.
When we brought friends home we had to speak spanish to my parents and if someone stayed over for lunch or dinner we had tortillas, nopales, salsa, mole etc etc.( trying pretending that you're not Mexican). Our parents knew that we were ashamed and a famous saying was "what are you trying to hide, anyone who sees you can see the nopales on your forehead and hanging on your ears. Translation "De que to escondes, se te ven los nopales en la frente y los traes colgados de las orejas". When I was young I couldn't understand this saying having been raised here since I was two and not knowing what Mexico looked like. The first time I went in 1977 I finally understood what they meant by Los Nopales on the forehead. Nopales grew wild everywhere in that region. They even fed nopales to the cows when there was nothing else to feed them during the dry season. They would burn or scald off the thorns then feed them to the cows, how's that for a recipe for nopales.
Just a little Zacatecas family story.
Alicia
| 
by Date 
-