Reconquista (Mexico)
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The term Reconquista (in English, "reconquest") was popularized by Mexican writers Carlos Fuentes and Elena Poniatowska to describe the demographic and cultural presence of Mexicans into the Southwestern United States. [1][2]
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[edit] Historical usage
It was originally a jocular analogy to the Spanish Reconquista of Moorish Iberia, since the areas of greatest Mexican immigration and cultural diffusion are conterminous with northern New Spain and former Mexican territories.[3]
The concept, but not the term "reconquista" itself, has been advanced by Chicano nationalists of the 1970's to describe plans for the restoration of the Aztec homeland called Aztlán. However, other more recent Mexican Nationalist groups have supported this cause. The word does not properly apply to immigration outside territories lost by Mexico in the Mexican-American War following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.[4]
[edit] Modern usage
Other groups, like the National Will Organization, do not support the concept of Aztlan, and identify themselves with the modern Hispanic Mexico, which they see was deprived of its northern territories after the Mexican War.[5]
Illegal immigration into the southwest states is sometimes viewed as a form of reconquista, in light of the fact that Texas statehood was preceded by an influx of illegal white settlers into that Mexican province until United States Citizens outnumbered Mexicans 10-1 and were able to take over governance of the area. The theory is that the reverse will happen as Mexicans, Native Americans, Central Americans, and First Nation peoples will eventually become so numerous in that region that they can wield substantial influence, including political power.[6]
Reconquista sentiments are often jocularly referred to by media targeted to Mexicans, including a recent Absolut Vodka ad that generated significant controversy in the United States for its printing of a pre-treaty map[7].
[edit] Statistics
According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2007, six out of seven spaces in the list of U.S. states with highest densities of people of Hispanic origin consisted of states in the Southwestern United States, including four states with land borders with Mexico - California (36%), Arizona (29%), New Mexico (44%), Texas (35%), Nevada (24%), and Colorado (20%). 31% of Hispanic residents of these six states were born in Mexico, the majority of the remaining 69% being second- and higher-generation immigrants. Four border states consisted only 23% of population of the country, but were home to 65% of all first-generation Mexican immigrants.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Sound file: Jose Pescador-Osuna Claims Mexico is "Practicing Reconquista in California" (2/7/98). "...even though I'm saying this part serious, part joking, I think we are practicing La Reconquista in California...."
- The Voice of Aztlan
- Reconquista 101 (Michelle Malkin commentary)
- National Will Organization website A Mexican Nationalist group advocating the concept of a Greater-Mexico]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.nuevodigital.com/2006/04/18/la-otra-reconquista-las-protestas-migrat
- ^ http://www.terra.com/arte/articulo/html/art5133.htm
- ^ http://www.prb.org/Articles/2002/MexicanImmigrationtotheUnitedStates.aspx
- ^ Fuentes, Carlos. La frontera de cristal, 1995
- ^ National Will Organization of Mexico
- ^ The Bulletin - Philadelphia's Family Newspaper - 'Absolut' Arrogance
- ^ ABQNews - Updated at 12:15pm - U.S. Vodka-Maker Teases Absolut Over Mexico Ad
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