Monday, September 15, 2003
A Reflection
I wonder what a chicano would think about this:
"Spanish history is all around us. Spaniards were here in Florida first,' said Luis Alvarez, the principal of Alta Vista Elementary and president of Club Hispano de Lakeland. 'I think it is very good for young people who have been born here to remember something about their family's background, about their culture."
Wow. It came in a flash of understanding. The whole Hispanic vs., Latino debate. On one side you have the Hispanic culture and customs from Spain, not to mention language. On the other you have aboriginal culture and customs from Latin and Central America. To say one is Hispanic is identifying with Spain. And to say one is Latino is to identify with Latin America. There simple, which side you take not so simple.
But the more versed in this debate will go further than these two media hyped names and realize that Latino like Hispanic, still comes from Spain. And the word in the street are terms such as "chicano," and "boriqua."
"Spanish history is all around us. Spaniards were here in Florida first,' said Luis Alvarez, the principal of Alta Vista Elementary and president of Club Hispano de Lakeland. 'I think it is very good for young people who have been born here to remember something about their family's background, about their culture."
Wow. It came in a flash of understanding. The whole Hispanic vs., Latino debate. On one side you have the Hispanic culture and customs from Spain, not to mention language. On the other you have aboriginal culture and customs from Latin and Central America. To say one is Hispanic is identifying with Spain. And to say one is Latino is to identify with Latin America. There simple, which side you take not so simple.
But the more versed in this debate will go further than these two media hyped names and realize that Latino like Hispanic, still comes from Spain. And the word in the street are terms such as "chicano," and "boriqua."
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