Reinterpreting the
Chicano Experience
Ignacio M. Garcia
Rejection
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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 Blame
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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 Scholarship
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Octavio Romano: one of the first scholars to
promote the new scholarship and confront
distortd views. Mexican Americans seen as an
ahistoric people.
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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…
Another Romano Article: sought to
provide evidence of the pluralistic nature
of the Mexican American; Different
philosophies: Indianist; historicalconfrontational; cultural nationalism.
Other Scholars: Quinones and
Munoz
Quinones: Not a simplistic view of
history:
“Anglo Oppressor” vs. “Chicano
oppressed”
Notes on periodization
Other Scholars: cont…
• Munoz:
• More than academicians
• Journal follow the lead, explain
Rodolfo 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 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 Picture
• This model shed new light on the History
of the SW: It painted a different picture (
148).
Consequences
New heroes emerge:
Catarino Garza
Juan Cortina
Joaquin Murrieta
Tiburcio Vazquez, etc.
Quinones Again
Quinones and his writing on Flores
Magon: Important for Chicano
Movement.
The Cultural Front
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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.
Institutions
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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:
Media
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3 types of newpapers:
Org. Specific;
university/student presses
independent
The Church and Fith
• The Role of the Church:
• a new interpretation of faith
Chicanas
• . Chicanas: Reinterpreted the struggle for
equality: Suffer a triple oppression: