My Hispanic Culture
A person’s background is one of the most interesting things about them because their background is what shapes them into the person they are today. An individual receives basically everything they know based on how they were raised, whether it be their beliefs, customs, or just their way of life. Our world has diversity because of this. For me, having direct descendants from Mexico has brought out my Hispanic culture and influenced the traditions my family holds.
My great grandmother, Luz Garza, comes directly from Mexico. She is originally from Monterrey, Nuevo León, a large city that is now known for its large businesses. However, in my great grandmother’s time, Monterrey was not as great as it is now. Financial problems and violence were the two most prominent problems my great grandmother had …show more content…
to deal with (Garza). My great grandfather, Ramon Garza, frequently traveled to Monterrey and it was then that he began relations with my great grandmother. In the year 1950, my great grandmother became pregnant with my grandmother. My great grandmother felt that her future family should not live with the hardships that she had to deal with because of the country she lived in, so she decided that she could no longer stay in Monterrey. With the help of my great grandfather, my great grandmother crossed the United States-Mexico border in 1950 while she was only 19 years old and pregnant with her first child (“U.S. Public”). Although she was risking her own life to cross the border to the United States, I am grateful for my great grandmother’s decision. Without her, I would not have the opportunities that I have today, and I would probably be living in Monterrey, suffering from the hardships that go on over there. It is because of decisions like my great grandmother’s that my family is proud to celebrate our Hispanic culture and background.
A great example of celebrating our Hispanic culture takes place during the holidays. During the holidays, my family takes part in some Mexican traditions, while still keeping some of the American traditions. For example, on Thanksgiving we celebrate with some American traditions. On Thanksgiving Day, we start the day by attending a catholic Thanksgiving mass, because my great grandmother passed down her catholic beliefs and the importance of attending church frequently (Gutierrez). After mass, we meet at my grandmother’s house to have a Thanksgiving lunch and to watch the football game. We then discuss what we are thankful for and eat a meal consisting of traditional American foods like turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. At Christmastime, we celebrate more Mexican traditions and eat Mexican foods. On Christmas Eve, my family gets together and talks about the birth of Jesus Christ and then we attend a Christmas Eve mass together. On Christmas Day, we celebrate with a dinner at my grandmother’s house and consume traditional Mexican foods like brisket, tamales, menudo, and more.
In addition to Mexican holiday traditions, my family also participates in other Mexican customs as well.
For example, when I was about 9 years old, my mom put me in Ballet Folklorico, a traditional Mexican dance group. In this dance group, I learned many Mexican dances and was able to wear the traditional Mexican dance dresses, beautiful dresses that had many vibrant colors. I still remember my mom waking me up early on the morning of a performance to get me ready. I used to hate getting ready because my mom would pull my hair back so tightly that I could feel the skin on my face stretching, but at the same time, I loved performances because I got to wear some of my mom’s makeup. Another tradition my family follows is the tradition of having a quinceañera. For my fifteenth birthday, my family gifted me with a quinceañera, a Mexican celebration that celebrates a young girl becoming a woman at the age of fifteen. A quinceañera has many Mexican traditions, such as the shoe change, which is the changing of flat shoe to a high heeled shoe that represents that girl changing to a woman. I am grateful that I was able to have my own quinceañera and be a part of a Mexican
tradition.
It is important for an individual to keep their cultures traditions because without them, our world would not be diverse. I am grateful for my background and culture because they have shaped me into a unique individual.
My great grandmother, Luz Garza, comes directly from Mexico. She is originally from Monterrey, Nuevo León, a large city that is now known for its large businesses. However, in my great grandmother’s time, Monterrey was not as great as it is now. Financial problems and violence were the two most prominent problems my great grandmother had …show more content…
to deal with (Garza). My great grandfather, Ramon Garza, frequently traveled to Monterrey and it was then that he began relations with my great grandmother. In the year 1950, my great grandmother became pregnant with my grandmother. My great grandmother felt that her future family should not live with the hardships that she had to deal with because of the country she lived in, so she decided that she could no longer stay in Monterrey. With the help of my great grandfather, my great grandmother crossed the United States-Mexico border in 1950 while she was only 19 years old and pregnant with her first child (“U.S. Public”). Although she was risking her own life to cross the border to the United States, I am grateful for my great grandmother’s decision. Without her, I would not have the opportunities that I have today, and I would probably be living in Monterrey, suffering from the hardships that go on over there. It is because of decisions like my great grandmother’s that my family is proud to celebrate our Hispanic culture and background.
A great example of celebrating our Hispanic culture takes place during the holidays. During the holidays, my family takes part in some Mexican traditions, while still keeping some of the American traditions. For example, on Thanksgiving we celebrate with some American traditions. On Thanksgiving Day, we start the day by attending a catholic Thanksgiving mass, because my great grandmother passed down her catholic beliefs and the importance of attending church frequently (Gutierrez). After mass, we meet at my grandmother’s house to have a Thanksgiving lunch and to watch the football game. We then discuss what we are thankful for and eat a meal consisting of traditional American foods like turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. At Christmastime, we celebrate more Mexican traditions and eat Mexican foods. On Christmas Eve, my family gets together and talks about the birth of Jesus Christ and then we attend a Christmas Eve mass together. On Christmas Day, we celebrate with a dinner at my grandmother’s house and consume traditional Mexican foods like brisket, tamales, menudo, and more.
In addition to Mexican holiday traditions, my family also participates in other Mexican customs as well.
For example, when I was about 9 years old, my mom put me in Ballet Folklorico, a traditional Mexican dance group. In this dance group, I learned many Mexican dances and was able to wear the traditional Mexican dance dresses, beautiful dresses that had many vibrant colors. I still remember my mom waking me up early on the morning of a performance to get me ready. I used to hate getting ready because my mom would pull my hair back so tightly that I could feel the skin on my face stretching, but at the same time, I loved performances because I got to wear some of my mom’s makeup. Another tradition my family follows is the tradition of having a quinceañera. For my fifteenth birthday, my family gifted me with a quinceañera, a Mexican celebration that celebrates a young girl becoming a woman at the age of fifteen. A quinceañera has many Mexican traditions, such as the shoe change, which is the changing of flat shoe to a high heeled shoe that represents that girl changing to a woman. I am grateful that I was able to have my own quinceañera and be a part of a Mexican
tradition.
It is important for an individual to keep their cultures traditions because without them, our world would not be diverse. I am grateful for my background and culture because they have shaped me into a unique individual.