Mexican American Illness and Practices
Virgen de Guadalupe
Chicano Food
Texas Counsil for the Humanities
Family Life
Mexican Americans in South Texas share a similar culture with their neighbors
across the Rio Grande. Both generally belong to a nuclear family. Still,
extended family structure is common. Terminology is important in understanding
the concept of the Mexican American family. Immediate family terminology
is similar to most other cultures-Mama, Papa, hermano (brother), hermana
(sister), but changes when other members are concerned. Primos hermanos/as,
first cousins, are as close as brothers or sisters. Tias and tios (aunts
and uncles) also hold special kinship. Ritual relationships are also extend
to non-family through compadrazgo, a religious bond that adds members
to the family. Compadres become family by being padrinos/madrinas (God-Parents)
to a child as compadres de pila (baptismal God-parents) or serving as
sponsors in a wedding, quinceanera, first communion, or other sacramental
related ritual.
Family
Sturcture
The Urbaniation of the U.S.-Mexico Border Region
Folklore
South Texas is an area rich in oral traditions of legends and jokes, of
music, foodways, beliefs, and customs. As the unrecorded traditions of
a people, folklore is the heart and soul-the spirit-of a culture. Values,
beliefs, ideology, and history are often revealed through folklore. Rituals
and traditions-folklore-of a people give insight into value systems and
the psychology or reason for these expressions.
Descansos: A Tribute of Love
The Rio Grande Folklore
Archive
Rio
Grande Journal
