Color
I was asked, "what are some things that come to mind when you think of Latino Culture?" I answered, "family and of course, food" but then I paused because those are the same answers that everyone gives. And while family and food are great there is so much more to our culture. So, I thought again and decided that the thing that comes to me most in Latino Culture is color.
We love color. Not nice unassuming colors like navy, white, and brown, no we like color. We love creamy turquoise, rich purple, hot pink sierra orange, bright yellow and radiant red. When you drive through a typical Latino neighborhood you can count the number of bright blue and aqua houses. They're gaudy and garish and when we were teenagers we were embarrassed cause we wanted to live in a white mansion like on 90210. Instead, we lived in a neon pink houses with white fences and statues of le Virgen de Guadalupe in the yards. Now, me, personally, I grew up in San Antonio in a bright yellow house with white trim but luckily no saints in the yard.
My grandmother loves flowers. She plants pink and yellow roses. She has gold and burnt orange chrysanthemums. And the colors of her flowers are reflected in the ribbons and dresses worn by the ballet folklorico dancers who performed during fiesta.
At fiesta color is everywhere. Floats are covered in tissue paper flowers in violet, green, and pink. Burro shaped piñatas in yellow and blue swing from trees and spill bright colored dulce down to the kids below.
Even our food is color, red sauce on enchiladas and green chili sauce on everything else.
And we are color. We have opinionated tías and inebriated tíos. We have loud mothers and calming fathers, bratty brothers and sisters and crazy cousins who ride motorcycles and fix cars on the weekends.
We are a people made of color. Our history is deep and rich like the blue sky. Are future is bright as the yellow sun. And our spirit burns fiery red.
We love color. Not nice unassuming colors like navy, white, and brown, no we like color. We love creamy turquoise, rich purple, hot pink sierra orange, bright yellow and radiant red. When you drive through a typical Latino neighborhood you can count the number of bright blue and aqua houses. They're gaudy and garish and when we were teenagers we were embarrassed cause we wanted to live in a white mansion like on 90210. Instead, we lived in a neon pink houses with white fences and statues of le Virgen de Guadalupe in the yards. Now, me, personally, I grew up in San Antonio in a bright yellow house with white trim but luckily no saints in the yard.
My grandmother loves flowers. She plants pink and yellow roses. She has gold and burnt orange chrysanthemums. And the colors of her flowers are reflected in the ribbons and dresses worn by the ballet folklorico dancers who performed during fiesta.
At fiesta color is everywhere. Floats are covered in tissue paper flowers in violet, green, and pink. Burro shaped piñatas in yellow and blue swing from trees and spill bright colored dulce down to the kids below.
Even our food is color, red sauce on enchiladas and green chili sauce on everything else.
And we are color. We have opinionated tías and inebriated tíos. We have loud mothers and calming fathers, bratty brothers and sisters and crazy cousins who ride motorcycles and fix cars on the weekends.
We are a people made of color. Our history is deep and rich like the blue sky. Are future is bright as the yellow sun. And our spirit burns fiery red.
"We are a people made of color. Our history is deep and rich like the blue sky. Are future is bright as the yellow sun. And our spirit burns fiery red." Si, por favor. Gracias.
ReplyDeleteYour comment made me smile. Thank you for reaffirming my feelings.
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