The Chicano Subculture Essay - 635 Words

â€Å"Im not Mexican. I am not American. I am not American in USA and Mexican in Mexico. I am Chicano everywhere. I do not have to assimilate anything. I have my own history†, stated the writer and novelist Carlos Fuentes. The Chicano subculture is the mixture of the Mexican and the American cultures. This subculture has its own history and unique characterizations that make it stand out. According to the Merriam Webster dictonary the word subculture is defined as â€Å"a group that has beliefs and behaviors that are different from the main groups within a culture or society†. The Chicano subculture has a history, language, leaders, art, literature, and even their music, and it’s the perfect example for this definition of the word subculture.†¦show more content†¦2). Cesar fought and became known for founding the National Farm Workers Association. He promoted the American labor movement whose purpose was to protest against the unfair farm labor treatment workers were receiving. Chavez accomplished something that seemed almost impossible for thousands who worked in the lands without using violence as a tool but rather unity (Koo-Byoung par. 7). As for the way of life for Chicanos, they have created their own standards, customs, music, and even language. As for their standards and customs, they are a mix of American culture and the Mexican culture. An example of this fusion can be the famous game â€Å"London Bridge† which is also played by Chicanos called â€Å"Và ­bora de la Mar† but in a completely different language and name. Chicano musicians like Lalo Guerrero composed music that attracted all ages and likes. He wrote songs like â€Å"Pancho Claus†, â€Å"There’s No Tortillas†, â€Å"Tacos for Two† and â€Å"Ardillitas† songs that talked about the Chicano culture and incorporated the Chicano language, Spanglish. Spanglish is basically attempts to add the Spanish language to an E nglish word or vice-versa. Words like â€Å"Troka† which means truck, â€Å"Parkear† which means park, â€Å"Mopear† which means mop, â€Å"Puchale† which means push or press. As we can see, the Chicano subculture has their own style and can’t be either Mexican or American. In conclusion, the Chicano subculture has a profound history and is distinct in itself from the otherShow MoreRelatedChicano Men : A Cartography Of Homosexual Identity And Behavior914 Words   |  4 Pages Professor Gutierrez Course 15752 22 October 2015 Chicano Men: A Cartography of Homosexual Identity and Behavior Chicano men identify their sexual identity and sexual orientation based on what is more important to them: To identify as Chicano gay or as a gay Chicano? Chicano gay men emphasize on ethnicity while Chicano Gay men identify with their orientation. The primary difference between a Chicano gay man and a European-American gay man is how they define homosexuality. In the United States, homosexualityRead MoreThe Cultural Practices That Chicanos / Chicanas1131 Words   |  5 PagesThe cultural practices that Chicanos/Chicanas partake in such as being pachucos and pachucas, being actively involved in feminism, creating music and using stereotypes in film reflect their struggle to attain freedom and empowerment against Anglo society and within themselves. The various elements that make up Chicano culture have helped them resist Anglo culture and develop subcultures within the Chicano community. In addition, it has also allowed them to free themselves from the idea of becomingRead MoreThe Subculture Of Urban Space1566 Words   |  7 PagesThe subculture of lowriding has been a way for Mexican Americans to express themselves through their â€Å"tricked out† vehicles. It was, as journalist Ted West wrote, a way to â€Å"express the refusal of a young Chicano American to be Anglicized. There has never been a clearer case of the automobile being used as an ethnic statement.† Although there are preconceived notions of negativity such as gang involvement with lowriding, that notion is false, and shows how the lowrider community is misunderstoodRead MoreJust Like Us by Helen Thorpe Essay1172 Words   |  5 Pagesand her classmates began to talk about the tensions between U.S. born and Mexican born students at Roosevelt, whom the refer to as â€Å"Mexicanos â€Å"and â€Å"Chicanos†. She begins to talk about how she felt in-between the two social groups. Her achievements were too great fit in with the majority of the school’s â€Å"Mexicanos † yet she didn’t identify with the â€Å"Chicanos† either. Marisela even goes on to say, â€Å"I always stand out: the color of my skin, my accent, my background. But in my family I stand out too. I speakRead MoreSocial Movements Created by Mexican Americans1447 Words   |  6 Pagesplayed with the masculine style, known as the â€Å"Pachucas†. They developed a complementary fashion to that of their boyfriends and brothers, wearing the pegged pants or long drape jackets with short skirts, along with a pompadour. Today’s Pachucas subculture, are being dressed even more provocative than it was in the forties and fifties, wearing short skirts, fishnet stockings and tight sweaters. Some of the pachucas wear suspenders, wide leg pants, and stiletto heels; they also incorporated the styleRead MoreEssay about Film Report On American Me: A Therapeutic Perspective1251 Words   |  6 Pagespersonifies or is knowledgeable of Santana’s ethnic and cult ural traits within the context of his family and community. By the age of 16, Santana’s worldview and identity is well established. He exhibits a strong internalization of his Chicano (a Latino subculture) heritage and has begun to experience and establish an awareness of what Peter Bohmer describes as â€Å"internalized colonialism:† the socially and economically structured practice of securing the labor of non-Whites for the least desirableRead MoreFilm Report on American Me: a Therapeutic Perspective1294 Words   |  6 Pagespersonifies or is knowledgeable of Santana’s ethnic and cultural traits within the context of his family and community. By the age of 16, Santana’s worldview and identity is well established. He exhibits a strong internalization of his Chicano (a Latino subculture) heritage and has begun to experience and establish an awareness of what Peter Bohmer describes as â€Å"internalized colonialism:† the socially and economically structured practice of securing the labor of non-Whites for the least desirableRead MoreMusic And Culture Of Los Angeles2131 Words   |  9 PagesAngeles (â€Å"East L.A.† or â€Å"the Eastside†), in particular, was a center of flourishing musical, cultural, and social scenes with strong connections to the changing Chicano/a identity. Under this environment in which the Chicano movement (moviemiento) continued to prevail, a large number of socially aware and politically active, Latin-fusion â€Å"Chicano† bands were developed. One of such was the Ozomatli band, who strived to express their activist viewpoints through popular music. The spatial co ntext of theRead MoreChicano Gangs And The Los Angeles3699 Words   |  15 PagesChicano gangs have been a prominent part of the Los Angeles community since the early 1900s. These Chicano gangs consisted of young Mexican-Americans, another name used for Chicanos, which were formed as a way for some youth to identify with something. The behavior of gang members was a way of adapting to the social and economic living situation that was upon them. There was a large migration of Chicano immigrants to the Los Angeles area that resulted in several changes directly related to the largerRead More Mexican-Americans in United States and Politics Essay2150 Words   |  9 Pagesgovernment has treated them as disposable members of society. Although Valdez alluded to this fact in a comical way, the zoot suiters were perfect practice targets for the police departments, he couldn’t have been more accurate. The fact that in 1972 Chicanos constituted only 10% of the U.S.’s population, but accounted for more than 20% of the Vietnam War deaths within the U.S. armed forces is very telling of the social inequality supported by the government (Vargas, 390). The American flag draped over