The Significance of Heritage and Tradition in Latin American Society The Latin American household is one based on traditional values and reverence for ancestral customs. Their heritage is founded upon the beliefs of pride, legacy, and respect for the elders and the wisdom that they imparted. However, as families become engulfed in political and social revolutions, tradition gives way to new and contemporaneous thought. Time-honored Latin American traditions such as recipes, remedies, and customs prove invaluable to the families of The House of the Spirits andLike Water for Chocolate during times of conflict and hardship, providing emotional and physical support while allowing the characters to preserve their spirit and essence for future generations to draw upon. The simplicity and efficiency of the remedies and treatments offers a level of support and peace scarcely found within the tumultuous society and internal family turmoil of either novel. As the ants threatened to ruin all of Tres Marias, and modern science failed to stop the plague, a desperate Pedro Segundo Garcia referred to his ancient father, Pedro Garcia, and his "old people's tale's"(Allende 111). After mumbling advice and recommendations, prayers of wisdom and enchanted formulas to the ants, and simply showing them the way out, a delicate old man was able to do what the most modern technology could not. Similarly, the same kind of wisdom and acumen is shown by "the Kikapu" towards John's ailing great grandfather Peter (Esquivel 111). Previously ridiculed for her strange herbs and lack of knowledge of modern medicine, she goes on to stop Peter's hemorrhage, which was ... ... middle of paper ... ...e. "She had been born to cradle other people's children, wear their hand me down clothing, eat their leftovers, live on borrowed happiness…and be buried in a common grave in the public cemetery" ( Allende 124). By being entrusted with the care of the children, she came to notice each of their unique personalities and understand their mannerisms, more so that their actual mothers. Through traditional child rearing practices along with a maternal passion and tenderness for each child, Nana provided a foundation of tranquility and harmony that remained with each generation throughout their lives. Works Cited Allende, Isabel. The House of the Spirits. Trans. Magda Bodin. New York: Bantam Books, 1993. Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. Trans. Carol Christensen. New York: First Anchor Books, 1992.
Junot Diaz is Dominican American, and he came from a very poor family with five other siblings. Since they were not that wealthy, they lived in a simple way. Even though his mother was basically the bread winner of the family since his father could not keep a job, she still manages to send money back home every six months or so. When they got home from their vacation, they had found out that someone has broken into their house and stole most of his mother’s money. It was easy for them to be a target because they were recent immigrant, and in their neighborhood cars and apartment were always getting jacked. His mother was very upset; she blamed her children, because she thought it was their friends who had done such a thing. “We kids knew where
Have you ever disobeyed your families culture? Or ever wanted to forget about something in your past culture? It’s not always easy, to follow traditions, sometimes you want to create or change your lifestyle.In the poem ‘’El Olvido’’ by Judith Ortiz Cofer and ‘’Life In The Age Of The Mimis’’ by Domingo Martinez. The authors of these texts indicate the idea that trying to hide your cultures identity is defiance against your heritage.
Armstrong, Jennifer. The American Story. Illus. Roger Roth. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1961. Print.
When someone say’s “hispanic,” what definition comes to mind? Hispanics are not one nationality, nor one culture. Instead, Hispanics are greatly diverse people. Our language and cultural origins are Spanish and Latin American, regardless of race and color. Hispanics can be European, Indian, or of African descent, or any combination of the three. The culture could be linked to Mexico, the Caribbean countries, Central America, South America and Spain. Hispanics were once considered a rarity in the United States, now we are found throughout the country.
Everyday the United States gains a large amount of people, whether it’s legally or illegally. Mainly anywhere one could go, one would find people of all different types of race, religion, and color. The United States is a blended country because an abundance of its people mingles outside of their original backgrounds.
The struggle to find a place inside an un-welcoming America has forced the Latino to recreate one. The Latino feels out of place, torn from the womb inside of America's reality because she would rather use it than know it (Paz 226-227). In response, the Mexican women planted the seeds of home inside the corral*. These tended and potted plants became her burrow of solace and place of acceptance. In the comfort of the suns slices and underneath the orange scents, the women were free. Still the questions pounded in the rhythm of street side whispers. The outside stare thundered in pulses, you are different it said. Instead of listening she tried to instill within her children the pride of language, song, and culture. Her roots weave soul into the stubborn soil and strength grew with each blossom of the fig tree (Goldsmith).
Folklore is a collection of stories passed down from generation to generation that includes Legends, Myths and Fairy tales. Legends are a semi-true story, which has been passed on from a person to another person that has an important meaning. Myths are a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon. A Fairytale is a children's story about magical which they have imaginary beings and lands. Hispanic Folklore is the traditional is mostly about beliefs, legends, customs and stories of the community of the hispanic culture. Hispanic or latino culture encompasses the traditions, language, religious beliefs and practices, legends, music and history.
What are some key things you have learned about this culture through reading the scholarly sources?
Julia Alvarez in her book, Once Upon a Quinceañera, explores the quince tradition from cultural, historical and personal angles. Herein, she seeks to clarify some of the myths and ideas that surround this tradition from the notion that quinceañeras are from old Aztec traditions to the idea that this rite has been passed down from one Latino generation to another. She discovers that most contemporary quinces are firsts for many families and are different from those of the past. Consequently, the tradition depicts a group that is experiencing transformation who seek to establish their roots in a past that is somehow bleak. Many have often described the US has a melting pot of cultures. Therefore, Americans from different cultures find themselves amalgamating their values with those of the American society, thus affecting the overall culture of their communities. In Once Upon a Quinceañera, the author demonstrate and applies the cultural myth of melting pot.
New York: Vintage Books, 1991. Print.
Latin American society places a great deal of importance on the family as a support network; it is not uncommon for several generations to reside in the same house. This emphasis is called familismo, and the mother in the family is usually the most important figure. She “is seen as the primary nurturer and caregiver in the family…[and] plays a critical role in preservation of the family as a unit, as well as in...
New York: Three Rivers Press, 2004. Print.
Ed. Janelle Rohr. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1989. Call Number: HV4711.A581989. Cohen, Carl.