Re: [ranchos] light and dark skin in Mexico

[Armando Lopez <spainirelandengland@...>]

Greetings, Erlinda.

In response to your comments, I too am also a target for that familiar question.

My great-grand-father, and all the way back, in Arandas, and Jesus Maria, Jal., and the region sorrounding Lagos de Moreno, was also tall, and fair-haired, and fair-skinned.

He was the first to marry a mestiza.

Not until my father married a Mexico City Spanish- blooded descendant, did I come out fair-skinned,and such.

I get treated injustly, sometimes, by the Mexican people of mestizo descent. It is very hard, not to have some degree of animosity towards them, as I can never seem to regain any of their trust.

It is certainly a constant battle. I get treated very well, in general, by the Anglo-American populace, but in trying to relate to my Mexican heritage, and culture, I am often at a disadvantage.

I'm second generation Mexican-American, I speak, read, and write very well, and I still can't get a decent, fluently spanish convo. out of a Chicano, or, immigrant Mexican person.

I certainly have nothing but love for my ethnic background, and am fully aware that the Los Altos region inhabitants, are known as racists, and Elitists, but being that my grand-father struggled to come to this country, to start a new life, I am very humble, and down to earth, w/ all Mexican people.

I hope this little insight into my personal struggles helped out a bit, if anyone else happens to add to your comments.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Armando Lopez de Ayala.

Erlinda Castanon-Long <longsjourney@...> wrote:

> I find it interesting that after 500 years we Mexicans are still 
> trying to explain our skin color.
> My maternal grandmother was poor as a church mouse but was very 
> proud of her white skin and my mothers blond hair and blue eyes, 
> they were from Jalisco.  My fathers family was from Zacatecas, 
> darker skinned with Mestizo blood lines.  When my father married my 
> mother my maternal grandmother was very upset because he was dark 
> skinned.  Her first question when babies were born was always "what 
> color are they."  It's no wonder with this background as a child 
> raised in a color concious California when people told me I 
> didn't "look" like a Mexican I was proud, not something I am proud 
> of now... As I grew up and learned the history of my genealogy I 
> learned to take pride in all that I am and not the color of my skin, 
> and
>  now when someone askes me what nationality I am and they say the 
> usual "you don't look like a Mexican" I always respond, "What does a 
> Mexican look like?"  I also understand how that happened to my 
> grandmother and her intentions in wanting to keep the family light 
> skinned.  Life is harder with more life lessons when your skin is 
> dark regardless of your origins.  In Mexico and the U.S we are a 
> society that favors light skin.  The true value of forums like this 
> group is to regain the pride that our immigrant ancestors had taken 
> away from them because they were "different" regardless of skin 
> color.
>
> Like Emilie I live in Washington and there are times where I am told 
> I am the only Mexican they have ever met!  I can't change the 
> attitudes of the world but I can change opinions one person at a 
> time by my behavior, sense of pride and sharing the knowledge I'm 
> learning about my Mexican roots.  I
>  undertook this quest when my 
> grandson called a Tortilla a little pizza!
>
> Thank you to all who've shared opinions and information on this 
> issue.
>
> Linda

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