Cultural Conversation 1 - Your Family’s Geographic Origins
Assignment 1: Your Family’s Geographic Origins
My mother’s family is a late arrival in South Texas – 1925 or so. There are rumors that this has to do with a black sheep of the original family that had travelled here from Alpine, near El Paso. The family had been inhabitants (or so I am told) of that area from before the Anglos came in the 1820’s and 30’s.
My maternal grandfather came from Northern Mexico, emigrating quite early in his youth. The lines came together in a small town called East Barnard (affectionately know as East Barnyard), some forty-five miles from Houston.
My father’s family originates in Britain and came to the US sometime in the late 1800’s, settling in Indiana. They remained there until the early part of this century, when they too came to the East Barnard area.
My Mother’s family spoke very little Spanish at home; conversation, as a general rule, took place in English. Though unstated, assimilation was the goal, a reflection of the belief that success in life depended on speaking English like a native. The three sisters who survived childbirth (out of five, we believe) attended nursing school or college. This was where my Mother and Father met.
I remember my first maternal family reunion very clearly. It took place at my Aunt’s home, there were many relatives there I that I did not remember meeting before. I remember distinctly being surprised at both the speech and the hue of my distant relatives. Why were they so dark? When I asked my mother who they were she had to go to some length to explain that these people were my family.
Today, when people ask ‘what’ I am, I usually reply in an evasive manner. I certainly don’t feel Hispanic or Chicano. At the same time, neither do I feel comfortable thinking of myself as ‘white’, whatever that means.
The best answer I can give, the one that is most true, is that I am not white. Bi-racial or multi-ethnic don’t cut it, for some reason. I find it more truthful to define myself through negation than assert some more formal identity.
My mother’s family is a late arrival in South Texas – 1925 or so. There are rumors that this has to do with a black sheep of the original family that had travelled here from Alpine, near El Paso. The family had been inhabitants (or so I am told) of that area from before the Anglos came in the 1820’s and 30’s.
My maternal grandfather came from Northern Mexico, emigrating quite early in his youth. The lines came together in a small town called East Barnard (affectionately know as East Barnyard), some forty-five miles from Houston.
My father’s family originates in Britain and came to the US sometime in the late 1800’s, settling in Indiana. They remained there until the early part of this century, when they too came to the East Barnard area.
My Mother’s family spoke very little Spanish at home; conversation, as a general rule, took place in English. Though unstated, assimilation was the goal, a reflection of the belief that success in life depended on speaking English like a native. The three sisters who survived childbirth (out of five, we believe) attended nursing school or college. This was where my Mother and Father met.
I remember my first maternal family reunion very clearly. It took place at my Aunt’s home, there were many relatives there I that I did not remember meeting before. I remember distinctly being surprised at both the speech and the hue of my distant relatives. Why were they so dark? When I asked my mother who they were she had to go to some length to explain that these people were my family.
Today, when people ask ‘what’ I am, I usually reply in an evasive manner. I certainly don’t feel Hispanic or Chicano. At the same time, neither do I feel comfortable thinking of myself as ‘white’, whatever that means.
The best answer I can give, the one that is most true, is that I am not white. Bi-racial or multi-ethnic don’t cut it, for some reason. I find it more truthful to define myself through negation than assert some more formal identity.
posted by javaapp@gmail.com | 6:56 PM
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