fjpulido@dns.moomsa.com.mx (Javier Pulido Biosca) writes:
> I want to take place in this discussion about "mestizo" and "chicano".
> As a mexican, dedicated to teach cultural and philosophical anthropology
> I have had to define this many times...
I remember stopping off at the Museum of Mexico City and finding
this nifty little chart that classifed the races and all possible
blendings, it was a truely depressing piece of work...those
conquerors were no pikers.
> But the process of "mestization" (as we call in Mexico) grew. All the
> etnias was mestizied and now a day there are not pure indigenous
> people. Not all the mestizos deny their ethnic origin, only those that
> betrayed its people and they are called "ladino", which means something
> as crooked.
What do you mean by betrayed? Culturally, politically, in battle or
what?
> ...
> Because the mestizos lose their indian identity they don't know their
> indian origin. They pretend to ignore it and is honest that they
> ignore
I was a student for a while at the Universidad de Veracruz and did make a
remarkable discovery: an unstated belief by the populace that all things
foreign had to be better. And, that included genetics. The less obvious
Indian blood one had, increased their chances for a better job. None of my
professors looked Indigenous, nor the govenor and his family, not anyone
who was anybody.
The family I stayed with did have several small Indian girls who did all
the cleaning, cooking and anything else that needed doing in the house.
They literally worked from 6 am to midnight. I think the oldest child was
maybe twelve. They did have an older girl who was about l6 or 17 years
old but she ran away. The lady of the house was incredibly angry and felt
betrayed because she had paid for the girl's sewing classes. She was
positive that the girl was now going to benefit from her largesse, instead
of spending her energy making clothes for the family.
I was instructed that I was to remain in my room whenever company was
present, nor was I to inform anyone that I was actually staying with them.
They were quite embarrassed by the fact that I was an Indian.
I can laugh about it now, but I can understand why people prefer to be
white down there.