New Mexico is a land of crisis; steps must be taken to improve the lives of its residents. In In Search of a Day in Paradise: Aztlan, author Dr. Moises Venegas analyzes the history of Hispanics in the southwest and makes a call for change in New Mexico's education, policies, and politics. Venegas shows that after four hundred years, mestizo Hispanos are still searching for their elusive day in paradise-that cultural, economic, political and educational paradise that could help put them in a better place in the future. In Search of a Day in Paradise: Aztlan discusses how, in this modern era, New Mexicans can strive for the return of Aztlan-New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and California-by demanding a better education, voting for leaders who do not just talk but act when it comes to improving the job situation in New Mexico, and eliminating poverty. In Search of a Day in Paradise: Aztlan offers insight into how using historical data can be of influence as Hispanos seek to improve their standing in today's society. Time will tell if they will perform better educationally and politically in 2075 than they have in the past.
In Search of a Day in Paradise: AZTLAN
By MOISES VENEGASiUniverse, Inc.
Copyright © 2012 Moises Venegas
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4759-5738-9Contents
Preface...............................................................1Introduction..........................................................51. New Mexico Hispanics: A Mestizage of 400 Years.....................112. New Mexico: A Culture of Poverty...................................153. Hispanics in Politics..............................................294. Accidental Education...............................................405. Aztlan: Is it the Paradise We Seek?................................60Bibliography..........................................................71
Chapter One
New Mexico Hispanics: A Mestizage of 400 Years
New Mexicans are proud of their history and connection to Spain. There should be pride because the exploration and settlement of Mexico; New Mexico and the Southwest originated in Spain. Today, many of New Mexicans continue speaking Spanish and participate in the Catholic Church. As always, we must remember that there is no purity in race or ethnicity. We are a mixture, a mestizage of many ethnicities. Author Gregory Rodriguez in his book Mongrels, Bastards, Orphans and Vagabonds, has one of the best descriptions of who we are as Hispanos/Mexicanos in Mexico and the Southwest.
In the 1990's I was reminded where some of our roots came from. The United States, under the first Bush Administration, was in conflict with the government of Iraq. During a class debate on America's war with Iraq a student's comment was intriguing. Saddam Hussein had made the cover of Time Magazine and a student said, "Professor Venegas, you look like Saddam Hussein!" Today with the continuation of the internal news and conflict in the Middle East, Hispanics see the similarities of their faces and those of the people of the Middle East. The moreno look in New Mexicans comes not only from indigenous people in Mexico and the Southwest, but also from the Middle East.
Spain has a long Moorish history of about 800 years. That Moorish history is part of New Mexico when Spaniards moved to the New World. The Moors arrived in Spain in the year 711 A.D. and thus began a period of history which would give Iberia a different face than the rest of Europe. Spain had an introduction to a new religion, language and culture. The Moors remained in Iberia until 1492. In answering the question of who New Mexicans are as Hispanos, look at some numbers from past history: In the 711 A.D. with the original 1,000 Moorish soldiers who entered Spain, there were no women in the invasion and settlement. These 1,000 men stayed and a new cultural mix began in Spain and continued until 1492.
On Feb. 19, 1519, with a force of 600 men, Hernan Cortéz set sail for Mexico, landing in March of the same year and conquering the town of Tobasco. Cortez met a woman named, Malinche, who became his mistress, guide and interpreter. The beginning of the new mestizo "race" in the New World began with the 600 soldiers, Cortez, Malinche and the native Aztecs and other Indian tribes. This was the start of the mestizage, the mixed race that Rodriguez so eloquently describes in his book. In 1521, two years after the arrival of Cortez, there were only seven Spanish women in New Spain (Mexico). Between the years of 1521 and 1540, less than 6 percent of the Spanish migrants to Mexico were women. Another group that accounts for our mestizage today is the African slaves brought to Mexico – more than 200,000 throughout the colonial period.
In New Mexico, the same pattern of settlement by men occurred; this time in 1598 with Juan de Oñate. However, there is an even earlier explorer. In the 1530s, Estevanico, also known as Estevan and Estebanico, came on the scene. It is interesting to note that Estevanico was the first black person in New Mexico and the Southwest. He was born around 1500 in Azemmaour on the west coast of Moracco. In those days, the Arabs of Morraco were in an eternal war with their neighbors to the north – Spain and Portugal. Estevanico was captured and sold as a slave in Spain and was often referred to as "The Black."
New Mexico has a rich cultural diversity. In 1535, when Estevanico arrived with Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Dorantes and Alonzo del Castillo Maldonado, the group reached the Rio Grande and saw for the first time the Pueblos of the Jumna Tribe. The group returned to the present state of Chihuahua and continued to Mexico City where they arrived on July 24, 1536. In Mexico City, they met with Viceroy Antonio Mendoza and recounted their tales of the Cibola Cities of Gold.
Estevanico returned through the state of Sonora in 1539 continuing to Arizona and New Mexico. He arrived at the Zuni Pueblo, the first of the Seven Cibola Cities of Gold. Fate finally caught up with Estevanico – he was killed by the pueblo Indians. With Estevanico, "The Black," as he was known, a cultural face of the northern New Spain was born.
Juan de Oñate established the first colony at San Juan Pueblo, traveling 600 miles from the state of Chihuahua to the Santa Fe/Espanola area. Oñate was born in the New World in Zacatecas, Mexico. Oñate's wife was Isabel de Tolosa Cortez Moctezuma, granddaughter of the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma Xocatyotzin. The cultural identity conflict began then and continues today. Are New Mexico Hispanics mulatto, Aztecas, Mexicans, Spaniards or Pueblo natives? Today some still think there are pure Hispanics in New Mexico?
What did Oñate bring to New Mexico besides the first settlement? Failure. He found no gold or silver and he added to the mistreatment of the natives of New Mexico. In 1608, Oñate was removed as governor of New Mexico and sent back to Mexico City to be tried for crimes against the native Indians and abuse of power. It was not until 1613 that Oñate was finally convicted, fined and removed from New Mexico permanently and banished from Mexico City for four years. He returned to Spain where he died in 1626.
However, in New Mexico communities continue to either commemorate and celebrate Oñate and some try to forget this Hispanic forefather. Perhaps many legendary legs and feet should be cut from historical fables. Native Americans have not forgiven. Onate in New Mexico was the historical start of that elusive day in paradise where we began to see a mixture of so many cultures.
Chapter Two
New Mexico: A Culture of Poverty
The Cultural History of New Mexico, Hispanic and mestizos is closely aligned with the culture of poverty in the state. Again, 400 years here in the Southwest and still many Hispanics still search for economic success. With poverty in New Mexico there's a profound yet simple statement that makes sense: "Nothing changes if nothing changes." Observe Hispanics in Northern New Mexico; the Pueblos and the Navajos in the northwest and see poverty at its best.
New Mexico, so beautiful; it truly is a Land of Enchantment. New Mexico has a longer history as a populated state than any state in the country. There is a diverse population as well as diversity in its environment. How great to travel north from Carlsbad to Ruidoso, Socorro, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and stop for a rest in Taos before entering the beautiful Hispanic San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado. No doubts from these views it is the Land of Enchantment.
There have been many plans for economic development in New Mexico since statehood and the struggle continued in the 2012 legislative session. Yet New...
