Chicano Essay Definition - 1067 Words

The word Chicano involves more than just a cultural identification. There has been a continuity of a discussion of its origins, it meanings, its purpose and its affirmations throughout generations. Through oral history, scattered essays, Chicano studies courses and personal relationships, I have evolved my usage of the word Chicano, as many in history have. Through experience I have learned that social, geographical and economical elements have twisted and turned the meaning according to the moral judgments of the class or national origin. I will utilize my knowledge and life experience as a Chicana to the word Chicano. I did this to illustrate the assignments topic, in that outside factors have a significant effect on the usage and†¦show more content†¦Chicanos felt that as a nation, the history has had some significant Chicano influence that also needed to be recognized and taught within our school system. They also felt that the institutions that let this country function like law enforcement, government and education, were set up to systematically work against the Chicano. This was their way to identify themselves with the struggle against such entities. My grandfather first told me a story about the origins of the word Chicano with the prime intent on steering me away from using the word to identify myself. He said to me that Mexicans joke about the history of the word Chicano through this story. In Mexico, there has existed for long time a small population of Asian descent, primarily from Japanese decent. In Spanish, the word for pig is Cochinitos, and after time the word became shortened, and Mexican farmers started to use the name chinito to refer to a pig. Chinito is also used to refer to people of Asian ancestry, primarily rooting from the term Chinamen which is Chino. Adding the -into at the end of Chino is slang to reference to something smaller than the original noun. Naturally the Asian-Mexican farmers became very offended by the connota tion that their race was pig like. It is said that a Chinito refuted the Mexican slang term by calling his pigs Chicano which is a variation of the indigenous term Mexicano. After hearing this story my grandfather reaffirmed a point that was trying to beShow MoreRelatedTaming Anzalduas Contact Zone Analysis984 Words   |  4 PagesGloria Anzaldua’s essay, â€Å"how to tame a wild tongue†, focuses on the ideas of losing an accent or native language to conform to the dominant culture. Anzaldua grew up in the United States but spoke mostly Spanish, however, her essay discusses how the elements of language began to define her identity and culture. She was living in an English speaking environment, but was not White. She describes the difficulty of straddling the delicate changing language of Chicano Spanish. Chicano Spanish can evenRead MoreEssay about Chicano Nationalism1631 Words   |  7 PagesChicano Nationalism Chicano as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary , is â€Å"a Mexican-American†. Nationalism, as defined by the same publication, is â€Å"devotion to the interests or particular culture of a particular nation†. So by definition, we can infer that Chicano Nationalism is an interest in either the Mexican or American culture by a Mexican American, which is not a very concise definition. Before we can begin to define Chicano Nationalism, we must first define what is it to be aRead MoreHow A Wild Tongue By Gloria Anzaldua1236 Words   |  5 Pagescultural oppression. In her essay â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue,† Gloria Anzaldà ºa explores the challenges encountered by these groups. She especially focuses on her people, the Chicanos, and describes the difficulties she faced practicing her mother tongue. She argues that for many years, the dominant American culture has silenced their language. She claims that by forcing them to speak English and attempting to eliminate their accents, the Americans have robbed the Chicanos of their identity. She alsoRead MoreAfrican American Studies : The Matrix Of American Ethnic Studies972 Words   |  4 Pagesother disciplines, which encourages Ethnic Studies to constantly change. Using Color-Line To Borderlands: The Matrix of American Ethnic Studies, I will focus on the following Ethnic Studies and their goals: African American Studies, Women’s Studies, Chicano/a Studies, Native American Studies, and Asian American Studies, and Queer Studies. African American studies, which can be seen as the first Ethnic Studies to be introduced in Academia has several values that they want to embody. Originally, AfricanRead MoreAIS paper 21292 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Indian Identity†? According to whose criteria? Which tribe or Era? Is describing an essential Indianness different from enforcing stereotypical notion of primitiveness?† Chapters 8 9, Q4 According to chapter 8 how are Mexican Americans/Chicanos still challenged by being in the US but being descendants of ancestors from Mexico? Why do you think Alarcon used the term in the â€Å"Tracks of the Native Woman? Do you think Latinos should be counted as Native Americans on the US census? Why or whyRead MoreCreative Writing On Identity : What It Is Always Controversy Based On People s Own Cultural Identity1961 Words   |  8 PagesDonabedian ID# 889662983 Chicano Studies 37 section 0112 June 20, 2015 Creative Writing on Identity There is always controversy based on people’s own cultural identity. Throughout life there has to be at least one moment that you felt different from everyone else around you. Many people have lived different experiences, witnessed different events, or just know different things, whither it has to do with their different culture, either way no two people are the same. The Chicano community is not homogenousRead MoreEssay on Chicano Art3962 Words   |  16 Pages Chicano Art Chicano Art and Indigenismo Artworks have played an indelible work to the lives of humanity. The creative nature in Artists is a complex matter to define. The uncertainties in the intrinsic nature in art lay difficult aspects that can only be answered by values, themes and skills depicted in an artist artwork. Apart from playing the intricate psychological effect on humans, the artworks have been used as a tool of expression that has been revered and uniquely preserved for futureRead MoreThe History of Mexican Americans Essay2462 Words   |  10 Pages Nearly two thirds of Latinos in the United States are of Mexican descent, or Chicanos- a term of self definition that emerged during the 1960s and early 1970s civil rights movement. Chicanos reside mainly in the Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, and the Midwest. Their history begins in the precolonial Spanish era, and they share a rich mestizo cultural heritage of Spanish, Indian, and African origins. The Chicanos past is underscored by conquest of the present-d ay American Southwest first byRead MoreEssay about Frq Analysis1138 Words   |  5 Pages 1960’s HW FRQ Questions Due by April 26-27, 2012 Be sure to provide a strong and specific thesis statement with a nice introduction to your essay. Also be sure to provide names, dates, book titles, court cases, statistics and any and all other relevant facts you can think of to support your answer. Staple this sheet to the front of your essay and be sure to follow the formatting rules discussed for previous FRQ’s. 1. With respect to THREE of the following, analyze the view that theRead MoreBarrio Boy1441 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor DiFranco Essay #2 Sacramento Both Ernesto Galarza’s â€Å"Barrio Boy† and Joan Didion’s â€Å"Notes From a Native Daughter† write about Sacramento’s past. Both authors talk about Sacramento during two different time periods. Joan Didion talks about the mid-century and Ernesto Galarza talks about the early 20th century. Although both author’s perspective of Sacramento differs from era to era, there are differences in certain characteristics described by both authors. Galarza’s essay focuses on an immigrant