Chicano poetry
Encyclopedia
Chicano poetry is a branch of American literature
written by and primarily about Mexican Americans and the Mexican-American way of life in society. The term "Chicano
" is a political and cultural term of identity specifically identifying people of Mexican
descent who are born in the United States
. In the same way that American poetry comprises the writing of the offspring of English and other European colonists to North America, so Chicano poetry and literature comprises the writing of the offspring of Latinos who either emigrated to the United States or were involuntarily included in the country due to the Mexican-American War of 1848.
Chicanos have been writing poetry in these lands that became the United States since the late-sixteenth century. Despite their having cultivated all types of written and oral literature, many of their literary traditions persisted in order to preserve their cultural identity within an expanding and overwhelmingly aggressive "national" culture that did not recognize Spanish speakers as part of an ever-evolving "America."
is a cultural movement begun in the 1930s in the Southwestern United States
by Mexican American
s to recapture their Mexican
, Native American
culture. The four major themes of Chicanismo are generally considered to be: (1) the power of the creative earth and labor upon it; (2) political transformation through collective efforts; (3) strong familial ties extending back into Mesoamerica
n pre-history; and (4) spiritually-influenced creative artistic imagination as reflected in the visual ARTS.
There are several theories concerning the origin of the term Chicano. The most prominent is that it is derived from Mexicano, which comes from Mexica . Whatever its origin, the term was in widespread use by the 1950's and gained popularity in the 1960's. It is also during this time that the label Black gained popularity in place of the terms Negro and Colored People. It was the young Black community angry at the racism that was being perpetuated against them who burned and destroyed several cities.
However, many older black people wanted to be called Negro or colored because they did not wish to be identified with the word black which for some represented the turmoil of the times. So too, many older Mexican-Americans refused to accept the term Chicano, instead proudly identifying themselves as Mexicano.
Many Chicanos and Mexicanos born on the American side of the border, suffered an identity crisis, they did not want to throw away their proud Mexicaness instilled by their parents and yet they were not from Mexico. Building on that cultural pride many responded by identifying themselves as Chicano. From this cultural phenomenon stemmed what we now know as Chicano poetry. The literary movement was gained notoriety in spite all of the hostility of the early 1900’s to give a voice to Chicanos.
and developed an impetus were early writers such as Abelardo "Lalo" Delgado, Trinidad "Trino" Sánchez, Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales. Delgado wrote "Stupid America", Sánchez wrote "Why Am I So Brown?" and Gonzales authored the epic "Yo Soy Joaquin." Gonzales' "Yo Soy Joaquin" has been acknowledged as the Chicano epic poem. Self published in 1967, it reviewed the exploitation of the mestizos from colonial times to the present.
Another early pioneer writer is the Poet/Painter and gypsy vagabond of the national community, Nephtalí De León, author of "Hey, Mr.President, Man!", "Coca Cola Dream," and "Chicano Popcorn." The latter part of the 20th century saw the emergence of Juan Felipe Herrera
as a dominant force in the genre. The early literature of the movement was characterized by indigenismo, or looking to the ancient past for the roots that would inform modern Chicano/a identity. La Raza, as the central Chicano activist group of the time was called, sought to shape and solidify a national and cultural identity based on the history of the Azteca people and their legendary homeland, Aztlán. The surge of creative literary activity among Chicano authors in the 1960s and 1970s became known as the Florecimiento, or Renaissance.
and vanquished dreams. Many Chicano writers allude to the past glory of the Mesoamerica
n civilizations and how the indigenous people of those civilizations continue to live through the Chicano people who are predominantly of mestizo
(mixed) ancestry.
Chicana (female) writers have drastically expanded on the theme of marginalization. They have added a feminist component to the overall Chicano poetry movement. Chicana poets have pursued such themes as sexual abuse, marginalization of women, and the creation of complex Chicana identity. Overall, this literary movement has seen great thematic
diversity which can be accredited to different Chicano/a writers throughout American history.
American literature
American literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater, see Poetry of the United States and Theater in the United States. During its early history, America was a series of British...
written by and primarily about Mexican Americans and the Mexican-American way of life in society. The term "Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
" is a political and cultural term of identity specifically identifying people of Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
descent who are born in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In the same way that American poetry comprises the writing of the offspring of English and other European colonists to North America, so Chicano poetry and literature comprises the writing of the offspring of Latinos who either emigrated to the United States or were involuntarily included in the country due to the Mexican-American War of 1848.
Chicanos have been writing poetry in these lands that became the United States since the late-sixteenth century. Despite their having cultivated all types of written and oral literature, many of their literary traditions persisted in order to preserve their cultural identity within an expanding and overwhelmingly aggressive "national" culture that did not recognize Spanish speakers as part of an ever-evolving "America."
Origins
ChicanismoChicanismo
Chicanismo is a cultural movement begun in the 1960s in the Southwestern United States by Mexican Americans to recapture their Mexican, Native American culture.-Major themes:...
is a cultural movement begun in the 1930s in the Southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
by Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
s to recapture their Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
culture. The four major themes of Chicanismo are generally considered to be: (1) the power of the creative earth and labor upon it; (2) political transformation through collective efforts; (3) strong familial ties extending back into Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica is a region and culture area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and...
n pre-history; and (4) spiritually-influenced creative artistic imagination as reflected in the visual ARTS.
There are several theories concerning the origin of the term Chicano. The most prominent is that it is derived from Mexicano, which comes from Mexica . Whatever its origin, the term was in widespread use by the 1950's and gained popularity in the 1960's. It is also during this time that the label Black gained popularity in place of the terms Negro and Colored People. It was the young Black community angry at the racism that was being perpetuated against them who burned and destroyed several cities.
However, many older black people wanted to be called Negro or colored because they did not wish to be identified with the word black which for some represented the turmoil of the times. So too, many older Mexican-Americans refused to accept the term Chicano, instead proudly identifying themselves as Mexicano.
Many Chicanos and Mexicanos born on the American side of the border, suffered an identity crisis, they did not want to throw away their proud Mexicaness instilled by their parents and yet they were not from Mexico. Building on that cultural pride many responded by identifying themselves as Chicano. From this cultural phenomenon stemmed what we now know as Chicano poetry. The literary movement was gained notoriety in spite all of the hostility of the early 1900’s to give a voice to Chicanos.
Pioneers and forerunners
Notable Chicano poets who were instrumental in creating a niche both in American and Latin American literatureLatin American literature
Latin American literature consists of the oral and written literature of Latin America in several languages, particularly in Spanish, Portuguese, and indigenous languages of the Americas. It rose to particular prominence globally during the second half of the 20th century, largely due to the...
and developed an impetus were early writers such as Abelardo "Lalo" Delgado, Trinidad "Trino" Sánchez, Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales. Delgado wrote "Stupid America", Sánchez wrote "Why Am I So Brown?" and Gonzales authored the epic "Yo Soy Joaquin." Gonzales' "Yo Soy Joaquin" has been acknowledged as the Chicano epic poem. Self published in 1967, it reviewed the exploitation of the mestizos from colonial times to the present.
- Yo soy Joaquín,
- perdido en un mundo de confusión:
- I am Joaquín, lost in a world of confusion,
- caught up in the whirl of a gringo society,
- confused by the rules, scorned by attitudes,
- suppressed by manipulation, and destroyed by modern society.
- My fathers have lost the economic battle
- and won the struggle of cultural survival.
Another early pioneer writer is the Poet/Painter and gypsy vagabond of the national community, Nephtalí De León, author of "Hey, Mr.President, Man!", "Coca Cola Dream," and "Chicano Popcorn." The latter part of the 20th century saw the emergence of Juan Felipe Herrera
Juan Felipe Herrera
Juan Felipe Herrera is a poet, performer, writer, cartoonist, teacher, and activist.The only son of María de la Luz Quintana and Felipe Emilio Herrera, the three were campesinos living from crop to crop, and from tractor to trailer to tents on the roads of the San Joaquín Valley, Southern...
as a dominant force in the genre. The early literature of the movement was characterized by indigenismo, or looking to the ancient past for the roots that would inform modern Chicano/a identity. La Raza, as the central Chicano activist group of the time was called, sought to shape and solidify a national and cultural identity based on the history of the Azteca people and their legendary homeland, Aztlán. The surge of creative literary activity among Chicano authors in the 1960s and 1970s became known as the Florecimiento, or Renaissance.
Unifying concepts
These poems primarily deal with how Chicanos deal with existence in the United States and how Chicanos cope with marginalization, racismRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and vanquished dreams. Many Chicano writers allude to the past glory of the Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica is a region and culture area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and...
n civilizations and how the indigenous people of those civilizations continue to live through the Chicano people who are predominantly of mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
(mixed) ancestry.
Chicana (female) writers have drastically expanded on the theme of marginalization. They have added a feminist component to the overall Chicano poetry movement. Chicana poets have pursued such themes as sexual abuse, marginalization of women, and the creation of complex Chicana identity. Overall, this literary movement has seen great thematic
diversity which can be accredited to different Chicano/a writers throughout American history.
List of Chicano poets
- Abelardo "Lalo" Delgado
- Carlos Cumpian
- Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales
- Juan Felipe HerreraJuan Felipe HerreraJuan Felipe Herrera is a poet, performer, writer, cartoonist, teacher, and activist.The only son of María de la Luz Quintana and Felipe Emilio Herrera, the three were campesinos living from crop to crop, and from tractor to trailer to tents on the roads of the San Joaquín Valley, Southern...
- Ricardo Sánchez
- Trinidad "Trino" Sánchez
- Irene Blea
- Neftali De Leon
- Guillermo Lazo
- Juan Rodriguez
- Lisa Alvarado
- Manuel Ramos
- Luis Humberto Valadez