Hello, I’m mixed (moms side was white/dads side were Mexican) and after they divorced, my mom got really weird about me doing anything even slightly Mexican (wouldn’t let me speak Spanish at home, eat certain foods, etc.)
I don’t really know anyone in my family anymore, but I feel like I keep rediscovering things from Mexican culture that my old family would do and I’d like to learn more/get back to my roots now that I can. What kind of things should I learn about that wouldn’t be obvious to someone who didn’t get to fully grow up with it? Is there any things I should avoid to not be disrespectful? Thank you very much! : )
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I don’t know how people in the US are but I don’t think we mind too much about it, so don’t overthink it.
If you want to learn more, begin by reading history of Mexico. All the way from colonialism to literally the 2000s. This shaped our worldview.
If you have the opportunity, come visit us in Mexico for a prolonged time.
Maybe one thing to avoid is misinterpreting “Mexican” as a racial or genetic category. It could be kind of weird to actual Latin Americans if you describe yourself as “half white half Latino”, although I understand that this is probably how it works in the US. Even though most Mexicans are of mixed native and european ancestry, this isn’t always the case and being Mexican doesn’t automatically mean you’re brown. I once made a joke about white people to my Anglo-American friend and he said “dude I’m not white, my grandpa was from Mexico.” … Just don’t be that guy.
Anyway, best way to “reconnect” would be to enjoy the art and media — Mexican movies, shows, music, etc. Also learning to cook dishes from whatever region your dad’s fam are from.
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Aprende español.
Don’t learn the bad things like doing crime or being a thug, don’t get into cholo culture. Learn things that don’t harm anyone like eating tacos or aztec history.
Just buy a plane ticket and go see for yourself.. learn Spanish ..
It’s so weird when people from the US say things like “half white, half Mexican” like those things even belong to the same category. It’s like saying you’re half Jewish, half vegetarian, two completely unrelated things. Do they really not realize how ridiculous that sounds?
First thing is stopping to consider white and Mexican as two different things, when both can be the same
Have you tried talking with your dad? Your parents got divorced, he didn’t disappear off the earth. Does he know you consider yourself half white half mexican?
Mexican is not a race, Latino is not either. There are people of all colors born in Latam, including white people.