Latino Hispanic Culture, Art and Film at Bullfighter’s Cafe

What is culture? More specifically, what is Latino culture? I ask because as I see more Latino social sites gaining membership I wonder if anyone can pinpoint, or more importantly, expound on Latino culture.

I ask because not only is culture the glue to a group of people with common ideals, practices and patterns but culture also makes a statement about these same ideals, practices and patterns to the world. So here again, I wonder what is Latino culture and its statement?

To find an answer I’m starting with the obvious and the basics. What is culture?

The dictionary defines culture as:
1. the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group
2. the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another.

Or as listed on Wikipedia:
1. An integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning.

As diverse as Latinos are in their knowledge, beliefs and behavior it can be tricky to look for a definitive answer for Latino culture. As my mentor Magu Lujan said to me, “ask a Chicano what is a Chicano and you’ll get a different answer from every one you ask, and they’ll all be right”. The same may be asked of Latino culture, as every Latino may give a unique reply and every reply will be valid!

We are such unique people in that we are able to pinpoint our ethnicity as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Panamanian, etc., but we also are able to fold ourselves under the Latino collective. Because we bring our own unique heritage customs and traditions, we could get easily confused and lost in trying to define what identifies the broader Latino culture.

In other words, while we all may have the same human values and beliefs, our unique heritage values may differ to the point that we begin to disagree. For example, a tamale is nothing more than masa, pork meat in a red chili folded in a corn husk, while others may say a tamale is not a tamale until it is made with vegetables or chocolate or with sugar or wrapped in a banana leaf and so on! In keeping with this tasty thought, how do we combine all these unique recipes for a tamale and create just one that represents the definitive, single “Latino” tamale? Is it even possible to define Latino culture with such a mixture of ethnicity and cultural differences among us? It could be said that it’s not impossible if we take a broad view.

At this point, let me back track and define a “Latino” as someone whose daily cultural beliefs is a result of a Spanish speaking culture. For example, although I am Mexican-American/Chicano and my culture reflects American practices, my culture is an evolution from my grandparents’ more traditional Spanish speaking Mexican culture.

In saying that our mother tongue is what binds us, we can certainly bypass the elusive talks about skin color, food or the ability to speak Spanish as the basis to define Latino culture. Simply, if we are descendants of a Spanish speaking culture, and identify ourselves as such, then it allows Latino culture to be inclusive of all of our unique ethnicity experiences.

For the sake of brevity lets say, Latino culture is an accumulation of all Spanish speaking cultures and experiences. Simpler yet, Latino culture is a melting pot of all Spanish speaking cultures. Simple? Yes, but there is a problem with this open-ended definition too.

It’s almost as if the boundaries may be too open and vague to get a solid grasp on what is and what is not Latino culture, if one does exist.

For instance, if a darker shade of brown Mexican, who doesn’t speak Spanish, doesn’t eat Mexican food, doesn’t participate or practice any Spanish traditions or customs but identifies themselves as a Latino, in fact be a contributor to Latino culture? For all intended purposes this person is not really practicing the ideals, traditions, and patterns that contribute to Latino culture, but still is in fact, may be considered a contributor.

In contrast, what if a non-Latino speaks Spanish, lives in Spanish community, and eats and lives Spanish culture; can they be accepted as being Latino contributor? According to our definition stated above, the answer is yes to both scenarios, both individuals are accepted as Latino culture contributors.

Again, as a descendant or active participant of Spanish speaking culture, and all levels of experiences are accepted, then both individuals are valid. However, as the boundaries in defining Latino participation, ideals and patterns are now obscured, a final definition of Latino culture may prove to be elusive.

While the above scenarios are polar, real life examples, my point is that it may not be in our best interest to get caught up in who is really Latino and how much we participate as Latinos or non-Latinos, but rather, our focus should be as a collective, in the message of what Latino culture is stating! Again, for those that claim to be Latino, the perception is that we welcome the identity, form groups and thereby, have a culture, whether we intended to project one or not.

While I stated a solid definition for Latino culture maybe elusive, I do believe one can be found. My aim is to find it. My aim is to call attention to the big picture and be accepting that Latinos come in all shapes and sizes (like a tamale), levels of participation, and realize the time may have come to start asking the bigger questions.

My aim is to open the discussion and ask; do we really understand that we are creating a culture as a byproduct in proclaiming and grouping ourselves as Latino? Do we understand that we have an opportunity to send a message of unity to help promote and develop society, as we become the new majority? Do we know culture is a powerful tool?

My aim is too call attention that we shape Latino culture, nurture it, and evolve it every time we proclaim or be viewed or labeled as Latino! We put it on display when we say here is my art, my song, my written word and my film! We grow it when we gather or ask for support from other Latinos!

My aim is simply to ask… what are we saying as “Latinos”? What is the message? What does Latino culture say to the world and are we saying it with intelligence, efficiency and self-empowerment?

Thank you. Please feel free to comment.

Pablo Papas

In my next entry I will touch on how corporate America uses culture to market and sell their products and touch on a couple Latino celebrities, who have used Latino culture to sell themselves.

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