Reinterpreting the Reinterpreting the Chicano ExperienceChicano Experience

Ignacio M. GarciaIgnacio M. Garcia

RejectionRejection

• Chicano Activists Rejected the “liberal agenda”

• Chican@ scholars perceived that the treatment of Mexican Americans

• Was partly the result of the distorted view of them perpetuated by ACADEMIA.

Shifting the BlameShifting the Blame

• Chicano Activists: Chicanos had to see themselves in a new light. SHIFTING THE BLAME. Jose Angel Gutierrez observations: (145)

• Chicanos saw themselves as victims as victims of history; culture was not at fault, to the contrary.

Octavio Romano’s ScholarshipOctavio Romano’s Scholarship

• Octavio Romano: one of the first scholars to promote the new scholarship and confront distortd views. Mexican Americans seen as an ahistoric people.

• Romano Confronted the rebuked the idea that Mexican Americans had difficulties dealing with the conflict between two cultures. Romano confronts Carey McWilliams and Ruth Tuck (146). Romano accused them of making the Mexican American the generator of their own problems.

Romano, cont…Romano, cont…

Another Romano Article: sought to provide evidence of the pluralistic nature of the Mexican American; Different philosophies: Indianist; historical-confrontational; cultural nationalism.

Other Scholars: Quinones and Other Scholars: Quinones and MunozMunoz

Quinones: Not a simplistic view of history:

“Anglo Oppressor” vs. “Chicano oppressed”

Notes on periodization

Other Scholars: cont…Other Scholars: cont…

• Munoz:

• More than academicians

• Journal follow the lead, explain

Rodolfo Acuna’s ModelRodolfo Acuna’s Model

1. Rodolfo Acuna and “Occupied America”: Chicano communities have the traits of an internal colony, just like other “third world” people.

See: The internal colony model

The Model, cont…The Model, cont…

• The SW subjected to a conquest and ruthless colonization, Mexican American experience similar to those nations that have been colonized by imperialist powers.

• *A dual wage system• Segreation• Exploitation of natural resources• *Cooptation of native elites, etc,• Placed racial conflict at the center of Mexican

/ Anglo Relations. (147)

A Different PictureA Different Picture

• This model shed new light on the History of the SW: It painted a different picture ( 148).

ConsequencesConsequences

New heroes emerge:

Catarino Garza

Juan Cortina

Joaquin Murrieta

Tiburcio Vazquez, etc.

Quinones AgainQuinones Again

Quinones and his writing on Flores Magon: Important for Chicano Movement.

The Cultural FrontThe Cultural Front

• writers sought to give meaning to the chicano experience by blending the social sciences with myths, and folklore. (149)

• Art and Theater (149): El teatro campesino.

InstitutionsInstitutions

• Two other institutions to take into considerations: Chicano Studies Programs and Chicano Press:

• *Chicano Studies programs began appearing in the mid 60s.

• El plan de Sta. Barbara, Agenda for chicano education: Strategic use of education:

MediaMedia

• 3 types of newpapers:

• Org. Specific;

• university/student presses

• independent

The Church and FithThe Church and Fith

• The Role of the Church:

• a new interpretation of faith

ChicanasChicanas

• . Chicanas: Reinterpreted the struggle for equality: Suffer a triple oppression: