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Por longsjourney |

One of the goals in doing genealogy for me is to instill pride and responsibility in the coming years in generations yet to come. As my grandmother told me, "you don't know who you are if you don't know where you come from." She said this at a family reunion where the new generations no longer speak Spanish and had brought many other nationalities into our lines. She cried as she said there would not be a Mexican in the family in 50 years. My research honors her and makes sure we know our roots and sometimes humble and sometimes proud beginnings. My goal is never to loose any part of my heritage even though we sometimes seem to focus on the Spanish lines.

Daniel and I are both aware that original first and last names were taken from Indigenous and black slave lines and they were given other surnames either by the church or in honor of people they respected or worked for or who owned them or even chance. Daniel and I share the Mendez line since our Mendez gr-grandparents were siblings. We also share black slave lines and Indian lines, we just can't find thier ancestors since they lost their names to "progress." Daniel and I are both very proud of all the ancestors who got us here but to be honest it's easier to trace the Spaniards so they sometimes appear to be our only focus. I wish I had been 14 years old like Daniel (who is our youngest member) when I started researching instead of having to wait until I retired to have the time and money to pursue this passion. With Nuestros Ranchos we get to share, feel pride and share the responsibility of finding correct and truthful information even when the truth makes us uncomfortable or surprises us.

I hope we never loose or focus or common goal.

Linda in B.C.

--- On Sat, 8/30/08, Daniel Mendez wrote:

From: Daniel Mendez
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] New
To: research@nuestrosranchos.org
Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008, 9:12 AM

I am sure Lomelini is from ITaly, about the indígenas being Lomelini, I
believe it might be since
it was custom for slaves to take on their "master's" surname, it
is possible a mulatto line. Mine aare usually registered as Español, eventhough
their italian, in México all white people would be
considered spanish eventhough their actually portuguese or italian, french,
etc. -Daniel

Hi Linda and all, Genealogy I think for is perserving our roots, Castellano is our language and
I think its the most beautiful romance language today. I always remember my siblings and I
"sois mejicanos de desendencia española" Those words I will never forget, Although Like linda
said We do focus on our Spanaird lines alot more b/c of less effort. It is much easier. I do know we recieve alot of discrimination from "Mexican people who dont accept us" Just because we have blonde hair and blue and green eyes we still are Mejicanos of Spanish descent, it has been difficult for all of us to call ourselves Mexican because Mexican sumpremacists (like the Mexica movement and La Raza and others. Who only teach Mexicans are brown but this is untrue we come in all sorts of charateristics. Especially when my parents came to the USA
they were told you're aren't Mexican your people are killers which offends a lot, our ancestors did all that but Im not responsible for that. Like the Mexica movement (a racist Mexican group who dont call themselves LAtino or Hispanic want all Europeans to leave the Americas, I was offended when I was told this. Well that was emotional. :( This seems to be a popular saying for Spaniards "you don't know who you are if you don't know where you come from." I was always told this by all grandparents. We are having our family reunion for the Pérez del Camino
this coming month. Everyone still knows Spanish which is good. Sadley we have know diversity, my parent's families were and still are prejudice to other non-whites they still have strong Los Altos prejudice, my father doesnt except my brother's marriage to a Japanese, English and Spanish and Guamanian women, my mother does wince she is a 1/4 spanish. I remember when I told my mother my dad is like 1% black and and some indian she was surprised but very confused. I am proud of my two black ancestors who worked hard and had to sustain alot on thier shoulders. Over time Linda and I line of mulatto became lwhite again, since spanish made sure they were to do that. I have all my lines back to Spain and other European countries know which I am happy they are completed lines, I only have a handful still in the 1700-1800's and am trying to finish those that would be my goal, before I have kids in the future I will make sure where they know where they come from. I am planning to make an organisation or coalition to combat the Mexica movement in the future, why Cant we all live in harmony all colours of people? Viva España y México!

*Very Confused, Daniel Méndez del Camino

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Hello,
I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth. Ever since I was a little girl I can remember kids at school telling me that I was not Mexican because I had blue eyes and blond hair. My dad who is from Jalisco is also Blond and Blue eyed. The told me I was a white girl. Most people thought my mother was Mexican because she had blk hair. I thought it was weird because she was so fair skinned and had freckles. She is not Mexican. Then I was told that the only reason my grandfather (moms dad) liked my dad instead of my two other Mexican uncles that also married in the family was because of his coloring. As an adult who has been researching my mothers family I have learned all kinds of things about our family. I finally approached my dad about his family, even though we visited them every year until I was 16 and I even lived in Mexico as a child for a short time, I knew nothing about them. I only knew my Grandfather died when my dad was 7 and his mother died when I
was a baby. My dad never taught us Spanish, so I am at quite a disadvantage. Over the years I have encountered people who are Mexican but deny it. I am very proud of my heritage and we all had to come from somewhere, there are no "purebloods" anywhere. I am hoping to learn more about my dads heritage and family, but for now, I am proud to carry my family name.
Cindy DeLaTorre Gutierrez (my name not a married name)

----- Original Message ----
From: longsjourney
To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 9:48:54 AM
Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] common research goals

One of the goals in doing genealogy for me is to instill pride and responsibility in the coming years in generations yet to come. As my grandmother told me, "you don't know who you are if you don't know where you come from." She said this at a family reunion where the new generations no longer speak Spanish and had brought many other nationalities into our lines. She cried as she said there would not be a Mexican in the family in 50 years. My research honors her and makes sure we know our roots and sometimes humble and sometimes proud beginnings. My goal is never to loose any part of my heritage even though we sometimes seem to focus on the Spanish lines.

Daniel and I are both aware that original first and last names were taken from Indigenous and black slave lines and they were given other surnames either by the church or in honor of people they respected or worked for or who owned them or even chance. Daniel and I share the Mendez line since our Mendez gr-grandparents were siblings. We also share black slave lines and Indian lines, we just can't find thier ancestors since they lost their names to "progress." Daniel and I are both very proud of all the ancestors who got us here but to be honest it's easier to trace the Spaniards so they sometimes appear to be our only focus. I wish I had been 14 years old like Daniel (who is our youngest member) when I started researching instead of having to wait until I retired to have the time and money to pursue this passion. With Nuestros Ranchos we get to share, feel pride and share the responsibility of finding correct and truthful information even when the
truth makes us uncomfortable or surprises us.

I hope we never loose or focus or common goal.

Linda in B.C.

--- On Sat, 8/30/08, Daniel Mendez wrote:

From: Daniel Mendez
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] New
To: research@nuestrosranchos.org
Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008, 9:12 AM

I am sure Lomelini is from ITaly, about the indígenas being Lomelini, I
believe it might be since
it was custom for slaves to take on their "master's" surname, it
is possible a mulatto line. Mine aare usually registered as Español, eventhough
their italian, in México all white people would be
considered spanish eventhough their actually portuguese or italian, french,
etc. -Daniel

Hello,

I also have that people look at me oddly when I say I am Spanish or Mexican. People do not understand why I am so white, blue eyed and blonde.
My situation is a bit different with the family, I do not know any close cousins, the only family that I have besides my primos here in Nuestros Ranchos, is a an uncle, a sister, a brother and my daughter. My mother when she was alive made sure we knew what we were and to be proud of our blood, what ever it was. And to discover our culture and educate ourselves always with knowledge, good or bad, and never loosing our language, which could only enhance and give us opportunities in the future. This is what I teach my daughter.
.............those are my 2 cents..........

Sofia
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I can relate with you all on some level, but slightly different. I'm of
mixed descent(half Ashkenazi..which is Russian/Polish Jew). My dad is
obviously on the white side of the fence. My mother is a lighter shade of
tan. My aunts, uncles, and grandparents are only a shade or 2 darker than
my mother and I myself am a strange greenish olive color but still on the
lighter side.

Mexicans seem to pick up I'm one of them half the time, and the other half
don't believe me at all. White people see me as "Italian" or part "Asian"
most of the time...Its sort of a middle ground where neither side really
recognizes me as one of them entirely. It doesn't help my case to have been
raised more "white culture"(yes, I realize there are many. I mean the
version that non-Whites consider the universal in their own brand of racial
stereotyping), which means that I'm discounted even more as Non-Mexican.

Relating with groups is tough when neither side sees you as one of their
own.

On the language thing...I learned 2 years of high school Spanish. I
officially know more than my mother, whose parents used Spanish as their
code-switch/"Wall" language. All my aunts and uncles learned it at some
point except her, who never felt the need.

On Sat, Aug 30, 2008 at 7:51 PM, sophia wrote:

>
> Hello,
>
> I also have that people look at me oddly when I say I am Spanish or
> Mexican. People do not understand why I am so white, blue eyed and blonde.
> My situation is a bit different with the family, I do not know any close
> cousins, the only family that I have besides my primos here in Nuestros
> Ranchos, is a an uncle, a sister, a brother and my daughter. My mother when
> she was alive made sure we knew what we were and to be proud of our blood,
> what ever it was. And to discover our culture and educate ourselves always
> with knowledge, good or bad, and never loosing our language, which could
> only enhance and give us opportunities in the future. This is what I teach
> my daughter.
> .............those are my 2 cents..........
>
> Sofia
> _________________________________________________________________
> Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE!
> http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

I can relate to Sophía the most, I think the perception in US society that is taught are Mexicans
are not part of the "white" race, I dont blame them alot most immigrants from Mexican are idigenous where about less 5% are white who emmigrate here. Also with us with blonde hair and blue eyed, when we say were Spanish? they hesitate, I guess they dont know España is in Europe. I had a teacher who thought Spanish came from the ididgenous people and not from Spain. I was very offened and "told him in a civilised manner" I dont face racism from whites but rather the true Mexicans. That's why I am slowly stopped calling myself Mexican. I do know that is sad, but Im just tired of all this racism and non equality here in the Us. At school we have "La Raza" and the Movimiento Mexicano who want all whites out of the Américas, we robbed them since 1492 according to them. What annoys them the most is how I use vosotros with them, I just do it to annoy them :) I recently spoke with my grandfather who is a Spaniard and just talked about the same subject here. I think we all seem to have been affected by some prejudice from the "indigenous latino population" I dont really like the term Latino and Hispanic since I was taught it was politically inccorrect for most people to use it. My grandfather told me "si la independencia de México no pasó hoy en día España fuera ser el país más poderoso e igual los mismos Mexicanos que se miran hoy en día no exsisterían. I think this might be true. If Spain had won, the world would be very different today. I only thank those racist mexican ones for my birth, if they hadnt burned our hacienda we wouldnt have emmigrated and I wouldnt have been born. I think God has his ways.

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Such a healthy dialogue!

We have all had similar experiences, but also such different ones. My
mother and her family emigrated from Jalisco in the 1920's to Fresno,
California, and my mother was raised in a largely Mexican Catholic
community, attending a convent school and learning English as a foreign
language. She eventually married a Midwesterner. They proudly decided that
their children would celebrate both of their ethnic heritages, and my sister
Carmelita and I were raised speaking Spanish to our mother and English to
our father. I spent my summers with my Mexican grandparents, aunts and
uncles, who lived largely as they had in Tepatitlan. My mother and father
both encouraged us to take pride in our unique heritages. It worked, and my
sister and I are both proudly bilingual and bicultural.

In my middle-class Northern California neighborhood, high-school and
university, I was considered an oddity--a very "anglo"-looking
Mexican-American who spoke Spanish and English without an accent. Other
than the usual childhood taunts because of my speaking Spanish in a largely
"gringo" community, I never experienced overt prejudice until I applied to
medical school. When I filled out the application papers, I dutifully
checked the "Caucasian" and "Mexican" boxes. I was quickly contacted by the
scholarship department who encouraged me to take advantage of the
opportunities offered to the Mexican-American community at that time. At the
required interview for the scholarship, there was a young Mexican-American
activist on the panel, who was obviously angry that I called myself a
Mexican-American, had light skin and spoke English without an accent. She
made a big fuss when I couldn't name my favorite Mexican pop singer (I
played classical piano, and my mother was an opera singer, and we didn't
listen to pop music at home--either in English or Spanish). I was crushed
at the rejection. I had always been embraced by my Mexican-American family
and friends, and by the relatives "back home" in Jalisco.

The controversial Chicano author Richard Rodriguez was also on the
committee. After the interview he took me to his office and assured me that
I had passed with flying colors. I will compress and paraphrase what he
said: "You are exactly what we should be looking for--an American-born son
of a Mexican, raised bilingual and bicultural, and striving to benefit from
the opportunities accorded you and to become the first professional in three
generations of your family. You are exactly what I would hope for every
young Mexican American in California, and we should not be belittling your
looking to the future, rather than the past."

To be sure, it is not always easy to assimilate while preserving the
important elements of one's cultural heritage. On the other hand, it is
unlikely that the strong overtones of Mexican Catholicism and the uniquely
Mexican experiences of my childhood will ever be rooted out of my being. I
did graduate from medical school, and I just retired from a long and
fruitful career in pediatrics, where I was able to use my Spanish and my
unique cultural heritage to serve my Spanish-speaking families. I am and
will always be a "Mexican American."

Karr Wolfe Romo de Vivar

-----Original Message-----
From: general-bounces@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
[mailto:general-bounces@lists.nuestrosranchos.org] On Behalf Of sophia
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 9:51 PM
To: general@nuestrosranchos.org
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] common research goals

Hello,

I also have that people look at me oddly when I say I am Spanish or Mexican.
People do not understand why I am so white, blue eyed and blonde.
My situation is a bit different with the family, I do not know any close
cousins, the only family that I have besides my primos here in Nuestros
Ranchos, is a an uncle, a sister, a brother and my daughter. My mother when
she was alive made sure we knew what we were and to be proud of our blood,
what ever it was. And to discover our culture and educate ourselves always
with knowledge, good or bad, and never loosing our language, which could
only enhance and give us opportunities in the future. This is what I teach
my daughter.
.............those are my 2 cents..........

Sofia
_________________________________________________________________
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Karr, I don't think I will delete your e-mail and keep it as a reminder not only of who I am but where I am going.  I don't think I want to be an "active" participant in descrimination since it obviously goes both ways.  I will open my mind to character not color. You're right, this is a healthy dialogue for me..
 
Linda Castanon-Long in B.C.

--- On Sun, 8/31/08, Karr Wolfe wrote:

From: Karr Wolfe
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] common research goals
To: general@nuestrosranchos.org
Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008, 5:03 AM

Such a healthy dialogue!

We have all had similar experiences, but also such different ones.

Yes, Karr,

Your e-mail is a keeper. I printed it out for my husband, who is a white Alteno always taken for an Anglo. I look typically Mexican, but have been criticized also for pursuing interests not considered "Mexican" enough for some activists, and for speaking Spanish with an American accent. I find it sad that some don't want to expand their horizons, and instead limit themselves to a lesser economic and social existence.

Emilie
----- Original Message -----
From: Erlinda Castanon-Long
To: general@nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 9:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] common research goals

Karr, I don't think I will delete your e-mail and keep it as a reminder not only of who I am but where I am going. I don't think I want to be an "active" participant in descrimination since it obviously goes both ways. I will open my mind to character not color. You're right, this is a healthy dialogue for me..

Linda Castanon-Long in B.C.

--- On Sun, 8/31/08, Karr Wolfe > wrote:

From: Karr Wolfe >
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] common research goals
To: general@nuestrosranchos.org
Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008, 5:03 AM

Such a healthy dialogue!

We have all had similar experiences, but also such different ones.

Hello Karr, I enjoyed reading your story, I can relate to alot. I took a careful look at this "checking the white or mexican box on applications" now days it is easier by law everyone needs to check
one race, black, white or asiatic. Then one ethnic origin, (a lot of choices!) In school it is different under white (it says doesn't include hispanic or mexican or spanish). I was at once offended. How can you say hispanic isnt include in the white section, I asked my teacher than i must be black then, for a blondie. go figure. I still picked it though. Thank goodness this coming 2010 the census beureau are deciding to remove latino and hispanic and other. from the choices. I think these terms make it too complicated. Not sure why they seperate hispanics. My teacher explained that the office of education is crazy and should fill in what I was taught and that is what I did. I was told hispanics and latinos who call themselve white do better in school. I was outragef by this by calling my self part of the white race has nothing to do with education. Everyone has the decision to do good in school. THose who dont chose no to. Everyone whether your black, white, or asian can follow your dreams and do what you want to do in life. For example I enjoy politics, theatre and law. -Daniel Méndez del Camino
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When I think of the former President Fox of Mexico, whose family is NOT
mixed with Indigenous and African blood, as was the case of his wife - it makes
me think that Mexico still honors and holds in high esteem their
"white"/European" heritage and look down upon those with obvious mixed heritage,and
further frowns upon those who are "indigenous"....of course, not in the common
rhetoric --but in blatant reality, opportunities, etc.

Further, the issue of perceived beauty continues to be the European look -
one simply has to look at the magazines, models, and former beauty queens of
Mexico (Priscila Perales).

Hence, our country of Mexico suffers from the inferiority status that was
given to them by our conquistadores - and the values persist of what is
perceived "status" and "beauty". Therefore, another movement (much like the Black
Power movement of the 60's and 70's in the United States) would naturally
surface to honor the brown skin of the vast majority of the people. These groups
may appear to be "anti" European, and perhaps they are....but their priority
was to instill the pride of all our inherited Mexican heritages - brown being
the most common of our coloring - yet the most discriminated against.

If "anti" sentiments exists because of the "whiteness" of appearance, it is
really the resentment that this "whiteness" will always be an "advantage" in
both Mexico and the United States. It is highly doubtful that any Mexican
person is NOT aware of our "Spanish/European" looking Mexican---it is all over
the news, the magazines, television, and continues to be the power base of
Mexico.

Personally, my own nuclear family "looks" range from "Indio" to "European" -
from small, slanted eyes with dark brown skin to bright green or blue eyes
and sandy brown hair. My siblings have always gotten that comment - "you
don't look Mexican" - but no one has discriminated against them because of their
looks. Conversely, those siblings who looked "Indio" were the victims of
discrimination - both in the United States and in Mexico.

All countries who were colonized by the Europeans, especially throughout
Latin America suffer from the same inferiority status that was imposed upon them
from long ago. As one Brazilian man once said:"If you have brown skin, or
look African/Indian, this is an indication that at one time you were in
servitude to the white man - and the white man will never let you forget it."

Esperanza
Chicagoland area

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Hi Esperanza, I enjoyed reading your post, this is true, I learned in history class there are always the class system and castas even today. I admit our familiy, We did like Fox he was a conversador or conservative but even all of them their up and downs, just like George Bush, he has his good and bad days we are all human. I was taught ever since a child to be proud of my spanish descent because it is the most precious thing anyone has...their heritage. I do feel bad what my ancestors did to all people who were seem as "less". But I think it was the time era, people didnt know it was wrong they grew in that society always thinking white is better, can you imagine if it was the other way around, society would be different today. I think all groups not just the Mexica movement who hate white of course includes Mexicans, the Black power and the White Nationalist are a disgrace. Though we still have that Alteño prejudice, my grandfather doesn't like Barack Obama. I know that is very sad, he is an okay candidate, he wants to help the poor which I proudly admire. I really do not like the Mexica movement who has affected my life, at my school they seem as an ordinary group saying brown power, but they hate whites. So when I say Im Mexican they get mad, so I am use to saying yo soy español now so people wont say anything. Im sure their parents know about white mexicans but since this generation was born here the lack that knowledge. My hero personally is Carlos V who united all the Spain and created España. -Daniel
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I am of 16 years of age but have matured at a very young age. I am very close to my grandfather, hence why I take my Spanish heritage very close to me it is the most precious thing I have to be able to say "yo soy español i a la vez yo estoy orgulloso!" -Daniel del camino

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Daniel,
 
Wow! 16!
 
Que bueno que a tan corta edad te preocupan esas injusticias y te dedicas a encontrar a tus antepasados.  Yo tenia como 18 años cuando comenze mi busqueda.  Todo comenzo porque mi abuelo paterno era hijo "bastardo" --que palabra tan horrible-- y no sabiamos nada de su familia.  Quien supiera que 15 años despues haya encontrado este grupo que me ha ayudado tanto.
 
My two cents... como hemos dicho antes... no real "pure-breeds"... in our families you never know what you are going to get... morenitos, gueritos, peli-rojitos, etc
 
How exciting! Happy researching!
 
Saludos desde San Antonio,
Sandra Gómez Mendoza

Gracias, yo comenzé mi búsqueda cuando tuvé los 12 años. También comenzé con mis abuelos, casi todo la genealogía fue pasado a través los siglos, pero también necesitaba buscar muchísimo. Me recuerdo que desde mi niñez fue instruyado de historias e igual como las mitas y leyendas de los españoles, historias de amor, poder u otras cosas de la familia. Cómo llegamos de Santander, España y Badajoz, Extramadura. Yo pienso yo me creí más español que mexicano, el aprendizaje de las cosas de mis antepasados, pero sí me llamo mexicano aunque no me exceptan yo soy orgulloso de mi español y mexicano pero, a veces sí soy afectado por racismo de mexicanos a mí. -Estimado, Daniel Méndez del Camino
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History, Culture and General Discussion