In researching the word “Chicano” I was able to find an interesting article on the Texas State Historical Association website titled “Chicano.” In this article the author, Arnoldo de León explains that the word “Chicano” has historical roots and dates back to the pre-Columbian era of Mexico. During this time Arnoldo states that the natives referred to themselves as Meshicans and sometimes as Shicanos, which is where Arnoldo believes the word originated. Which in my opinion seems like a an accurate interpretation of the origin of the “Chicano.” This ancient way of identifying themselves as a common group shows the camaraderie that lies at the core of the word. Which could explain why the identifier “Chicano” became so powerful during the 1960’s civil rights movement it was a way of identifying with the ancient people of Mexico who were once mighty and proud. These new age Chicanos must have embraced the traditional “sh” that existed in the pre-Columbian natives thusly reverting to the culture that existed before the Spanish Conquest.

Works Cited:
de León, Arnoldo. “CHICANO.” The Texas State Historical Association: A Digital Gateway to Texas History. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.

I searched the phrase, “What does it mean to be chicano?” and found an article entitled: “Chicano, what does the word mean and where did it come from?” Similar to our class discussion today, the article shows us that there is no definitive answer to where this term came from. Just like Cristina’s article (above), as well as Marc’s (also above) my article cites Arnoldo De Leon and his findings of the word that being that “Chicano” is similar to that of “Mexicano.” The article continues to explore other variations of what it means to be Chicano. One, for instance, writer Roque Planas explores is the term ‘Hispanic.’ Planas quotes a Mexican-American in his article, who claims that the term ‘Hispanic’ is simply a term that was coined by “someone in a government office made up to include all spanish-speaking brown people.It is especially annoying to Chicanos because it is a catch-all term that includes the Spanish conqueror.” Through this, we see the term ‘Chicano’ encompass more of an identity and a culture, rather than a large group of people that speak the same language. Planas’ article showed me the different interpretations of words we commonly use — whereas Hispanic may be connoting a negative response from some, as cited within the article, we also see how Chicano was originally often used in a derogatory context, however today, Chicano implies things such as unity, strength, diversity, and hybridity of culture. This is what being Chicano means (at least in part…right?).

Citation: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/21/chicano_n_1990226.html
Planas, Roque. “Chicano: What Does it Mean and Where Did it Come From?” Huffingtonpost.com, 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.

When I first arrived to California I knew very little about the cultural and political term Chicano. I knew it meant Mexican-American, I knew that most people in my small charter high school embraced this identity—I understood the basics but, as a foreigner, I was ignorant of its deeper implications, its history and the allegiance this word inspires. Six years later, Chicano/still remains an obstinately elusive concept but I feel I’ve made some progress. The pride and defiance that is associated with this culture became evident fairly soon. The necessity to establish a unique and independent definition was in part a response to the marginalization of Mexican-American individuals, which was lasted for decades and, arguably, still exists. Mexica Movement states in their powerful manifesto “What is a Chicano/a?”:

“Chicano came from the phrase “La Mechicanada”. Originally “La Mechicanada” was a racist way of labeling some of our people as inferior, because they were Full-blood and because they spoke the Nahuatl language (Mechicano).
“La Mechicanada” referred to our people who had come into California and “the Southwest” in the early 20th century before, during, and after the Mexican revolution as refugees. They came here speaking the Nahuatl language.
When our people were caught speaking Nahuatl they were asked what language they were speaking. Our people responded that they were speaking in “Mechicano”. From Mechicano you get “La Mechicanada” as an insult (…)
When we rejected Mexican-American we began embracing being part of “La Mechicanada”, our Nican Tlaca identity. We began to call ourselves Chicano.”
The article reveals that desire to create a self-serving, self-impose name that could serve as a unifying and somewhat subversive call for this oppressed people. This reclaiming of a former hostile name, an act of resilience amid adversity, speaks of the strength of this culture and its commitment to gain respect and equality. I think the identity Chicano/a creates a compromise between American culture and its Mexican roots while demanding acceptance for both sides of this duality or mixture.

Works Cited:
http://www.mexica-movement.org/timexihcah/WHATISCHICANOANDCHICANA.htm

“Chicano is an act of defiance-Tino Villanueva”

The quote above is how Eduardo Robles chooses to begin his essay, “What is Chicano to a Non-Chicano?”. I was intrigued in how he was going to use the quote to define his definition–with me assuming that he was going to claim “Chicano” to be related to race, political standing, identity, r a mixture of the three. However, after he explains his own struggle with identifying himself as Chicano, his definition was one that was unexpected. Rather than just keeping it simple in stating that “Chicano” is an identity that arises from an acceptance in culture and putting political beliefs into practice, he personifies Chicano. According to Robles’ definition, “Chicano” is a teacher, and that teacher takes form in the people that play the biggest role in one’s life while we are in the process in figuring out who we are. The definition is not just restricted by to an idea but it transcends, instead being reflected on the people who have taught us about our culture or have stood with us to fight against social injustices.

Citation: Robles, Eduardo. “What Is Chicano to a Non-Chicano?” Aztln Reads. Aztlan Reads, 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.

The term Chicano carries with it a sense of marginalization. The sense of representing the outcast is closely associated with the term. In my view, Chicanos are often second and third generation Mexican Americans trying to reclaim their Mexican identity that may have been lost or fading away over time. The article states, “The most popular definition of a Chicana is a Mexican American female who is raised in the United States.” Chicanos embrace their Mexican culture and heritage, while recognizing the fact that they are American as well.
The Chicano movement carries a more political and social activist mentality to it. To be part of the movement meant that the person “wanted to establish social, cultural, and political identities for themselves in America.” However, I believe that there is a difference between the term Chicano and the overall Chicano movement. For example, a Mexican American can choose to be called a Chicano because s/he is a second or third generation or may prefer the term to Latino or Hispanic because Chicano is more specific. Additionally, a Mexican American active in the Chicano movement tries to better the social and political situation of Mexican Americans through protests, social activism, and challenging political and cultural stereotypes.
So I believe a person can be Chicano (a second or third generation Mexican American who may not be as proficient in Spanish or hold closely every Mexican tradition) and not be part of the Chicano Movement, which strives to promote the overall Mexican American social situation in the United States.

Citation: http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/latfem/latfem/whatisit.html
Cotera, Maria. “Exploring the Chicana Feminist Movement.” What Is the Chicana Movement? University of Michigan. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.

One article that i found say that “Chicano” refers specifically to “Mexican-Americans or anyone else of Mexican heritage. I goes on to explain how Mexican Americans came to be called chicanos. According to this article, “When Mexican workers and their families first moved into the United States, they were often referred to as “Mexicanos,” which became shortened over time to “Xicanos” or “Chicanos.” This was first seen as an offensive term but is now widely accepted.

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-difference-between-latino-chicano-and-hispanic.htm “The difference between Latino, Chicano and Hispanic.” WiseGeek. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.

In the simplest of terms, the dictionary definition of “chicano” is a person of Mexican origin or descent. Alternatively, as we discussed in class, this term has a much deeper significance and a rich history. Even urban dictionary, the website that has humorous and often offensive colloquial definitions of everyday terms simply states that a chicano is “a person with the descendance of Mexican but not born in Mexico.” In searching for a better understanding of this term, I came across an article called Talking With Mi Gente in a PBS series titled “Do You Speak American?” Being a part of a minority here at LMU myself, that of a Jew on a Catholic campus, I have been asked, “Do you speak Jewish?” While I’m not sure whether to laugh or be offended by this inquiry, it piques my interest to understand the types of tribulations other minorities confront in the American melting pot; the first step in doing that in the context of #chst332 is to understand the meaning behind the term chicano. In this article, professor Carmen Fought discusses the dialect of Chicano English and how it came into being. She explains that chicanos are those of Mexican ethnic origin but who may not have been born in Mexico and may not even speak Spanish at all. She encountered people who heard students speaking Chicano English with certain emphases on syllables like the i in the suffix “-ing”; incidentally they assumed that English was the students’ second language. Rather, this dialect is like any other dialect which molds and is influenced by the area where it is fostered (as there is Puerto Rican English in New York). Chicano English, for instance, is a fusion of many features of California culture such as the “valley girl” dialect in addition to aspects of Spanish and English, proving that chicanos are truly a unique mixture of Mexican and American cultures. In class we discussed that being a chicano was synonymous with being an outcast as well as being a product of a fusion of cultures. Fought expresses that in her experience, people tend to have a negative reaction to Spanglish (“the complex mixing of lexical items and structures from English and Spanish in a single sentence”). However, one student who she interviewed admitted that “it is what distinguishe[s] Chicanos or Mexican-Americans from people actually living in Mexico.” Thus it seems as though having a dialect chicanos can call their own creates a sense of pride; I can draw from this pride that chicanos are a strong group of people who have a diverse background which sometimes causes them hardship and feelings of distance from the American society where they now reside, but also an incredible connection to others with whom they can share the title.

Citation: http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/americanvarieties/chicano/
Fought, Carmen. “Talking with Mi Gente.” Do You Speak American? PBS. 2005. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.

Teledigo Sinmadera claims that Mexican American works as another way of stating Chicano ethnicity/culture. But Telodigo also adds that “Scholarly research has yet to provide an historically documented explanation of the origin of the term Chicano. However, many Chicano researchers believe that the term comes from Mexicano, which is the Spanish word for “Mexican.” Telodigo adds that “A Chicano is an individual of Mexican parentage or ancestry who lives in the United States.” Yet, Chicano is more than ethnicity but also a developed culture of its own with a true sense of pride. Having received negative opposition, the Chicano culture also exudes an attitude of rebellion and bravery as well.

http://www.vividhues.com/BSS/chicanomovement.htm

Sinmadera, Telodigo. “The Meaning Of Chicano.” Rev. of http://www.vividhues.com/BSS/chicanomovement.htm. (n.d.): n. pag. Print.

In her article “What is Chicano” Sarah Salas discusses the various connotations of the word “Chicano.” She says, “The definition of Chicano is not universal, but it is usually stated as someone of Mexican Descent living in the United States.” She recognizes that some Chicanos have negative feelings towards the title, while others embrace it. “They may see the word as an identifier of not belonging and the mixing of their cultures-no longer Mexican but not quite American either.” Some Chicanos see the word as a source of pride and way to combine their mixed heritage. “To many Chicanos, being a Chicano is about bringing together the best of both worlds. It is about being at home in their United States home, while still respecting the Mexican culture, and recognizing their roots.” Salas also points out that the title of Chicano, for many, is a more accurate way of identification. “Chicano has also been used as a symbol of the older Mexican identity, and as a rejection of Europeanization. Some Hispanics prefer the term Chicano to Hispanic (Not all Mexicans are of Spanish descent-many are indigenous or of other descents), or Latino (Few Mexicans come from areas associated with the Latin language.)” To be Chicano is to without question have ties to Mexico and America. While it has historically had negative connotations, it has evolved into a source of pride for many. Chicano embraces the present while still honoring the past.
Salas, Sarah. “What is Chicano.” Bella Online. Minerva WebWorks LLC. nd. Web. 16 January 2014. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44807.asp

As my fellow classmates discussed above, the term Chicano has different meanings, various theories of its origin exist, and the term historically had a negative connotation.
In the 1960s, politically conscious Mexican-Americans began to reclaim the term Chicano and use it as an umbrella term to unify the diverse Mexican-American population as they strived for racial, social, and economic equality.
The Crusade for Justice, a Denver-based advocacy group created by political activist and poet Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales, formed “the First Annual Chicano Youth Conference at Denver, where participants adopted El Plan Espiritual de Aztlán— a revolutionary plan that promulgated the term Chicano as a symbol of resistance” (Acuña 308). Some new and first-generation immigrants rejected the term but due to continued social turmoil, such as the violence experienced during the Chicano Moratorium in East Los Angeles on August 29, 1970, the movement became more unified, “boosting acceptance for the term” (327). The term Chicano symbolizes solidarity among Mexican-Americans/Latinos who have experienced oppression and strive to improve the conditions of their community.
Work Cited:
Acuña, Rodolfo F. Occupied America: A History of Chicanos. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2010. Print.

As a Mexican-American, the word ‘chicana’ has always played a role in my life and identity. The first encounter I had with the word was in elementary school, learning about Cesar Chavez and the Chicano Movement. It was defined as someone who is of Mexican heritage but born in America. I immediately associated myself with the word. However, as I’ve grown up, I have come to the realization that the word is not that simple to define. Not all Mexican-Americans associated themselves as such, and not all who consider themselves chicano/a are born in America. Therefore, it has truly come to define a way of life, an identity beyond print and understanding. You choose to be chicano/a, it does not choose you. According to a site dedicated to chicano ‘punks’ (a subculture), “Chicano is a term used to refer to Mexican-Americans, or U.S. Citizens of Mexican descent… The word Chicano was originally used as a derogatory label for sons and daughters of Mexican migrants. During the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, Mexican-Americans used the word Chicano as a form of empowerment and pride. The origin of the word is unclear. Some believe it started being used in California in the 1930s and 1940s. Others believe the term began in Chicago in the 1950s. Many Mexican-Americans moved to Chicago at this time and referred to themselves as “Chicago-Mexicanos”, which they shortened to “Chicano”. Most Chicanos believe the term predates both these assessments. Currently, the term Chicano has been appropriated as a political identity that can be claimed by other U.S. Latinos”

citation: http://chicanopunk.weebly.com/what-is-a-chicano.html