Maintaining identity, understanding language and roots

Via a favorite site, Hispanic Trending, I found this column "Is the Latino Community Losing its Identity?"  by Zayda Rivera. A Puerto Rican by descent, she didn't grow up speaking Spanish, but made the effort to better understand the language and her culture. She's now making the effort with her 1-year-old.

Part of the reason I want Maria to speak Spanish is so that she understands the nuances about culture that you only really get if you speak the language. How can she appreciate the inside jokes, the poetry, the rhythm if she doesn't know the words?

It wasn't until I moved to New Jersey from Miami that I met children of other immigrants -- Italians, Russians, Japanese, and others -- whose parents didn't teach them to speak the language of their ancestors, or the very grandma who lived at home with them. That blew me away.

In Miami, among the Cubans, as you know, there used to be no choice. So, I carry that attitude forward. But, given I do know Latinos who aren't teaching their children to speak Spanish, is my attitude in the minority?

Nothing like an American in a Latino Family

A month before we got married, my husband and I were visiting Miami and staying with my aunt. She and I were talking. I don't remember about what when my future husband said: "Hey, stop arguing!''

My aunt and I answered at the same time.

"We're not arguing,'' I said, surprised he thought we were.

"Eh, we're not fighting. We're talking Cuban,'' my aunt said.

I cannot tell you how many times my husband has repeated that story. He tells it everytime someone asks him what it is like for a nice California boy with Pioneer stock to marry into a Cuban family.

With that story in mind, watch this trailer for an upcoming holiday movie called Nothing Like the Holidays. Debra Messing, muy gringa character, is married to John Leguizamo and he's got a big nutty Latino family. Of course.

During a meal scene, Messing leans into Leguizamo: "Why is everybody fighting?"

He explains: "Oh, they're not fighting. We're conversating."

My husband will love that scene.

I have been sorely disappointed by "ethnic family dramas'' ala Hollywood, save for The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. Remember Cane? Urgh. But we'll give this one a shot. It looks funny and sweet. If anything, it'll be nice to see people who are kinda, sorta like you on the big screen.

Going Down to Cuba: It ain't all mojitos and malecon

Jackson Browne's new song is called Going Down to Cuba.

It starts about 20 minutes in on this video.

Tell me what you think.

To me, it's fantasy, idealism and stereotype. And boring too. 

Today on Parenting.com: Loving on my Tias

I have a lot of Tias. If you are a member of my demographic and live on the hypen and know what a parranda is, then you probably do to. And I bet at least a few of you have one called Cuca.

Visit me at Parenting.com to talk about our Tias and the sweet joy of being a Tia.

And while you're thinking Tia, check out the new and hugely popular site, Savvy Auntie, run by a very savvy entrepeneur. The gift guide is going to save my butt.

Notes on a Weekend...

My parents and aunt -- my father's sister -- spent the weekend with us before making their way north to visit my brother and his wife, who just welcomed their second beautiful, dark-haired daughter. 

I'm recapping the weekend in snapshots because it played out that way -- there were constant small, sweet moments and reminders of just how full and funny my house is when my family is here. 

- My mother, a proud abuela, moved to fat tears watching Maria, in a tutu, dramatically sing  "I See the Moon''  -- her new favorite song.

"I see the moon and the moon sees me

The moon sees the one I long to see

God bless the moon and God bless me

God bless the one I love.''

- My guajiro father outside, stalking and cackling at the guineas for about 11 hours a day.

- My mom and aunt outside "chismotiando'' for about 5 hours on a breezy Sunday afternoon.

- A rare box of guava pastelitos and espresso with espumita: Heaven.

- Maria to my parents after she's told to speak Spanish: "Maybe you can learn English?''

- My aunt teaching me to sew a "falda de plato'' -- or big twirling skirt -- for Maria and making a fabulous satiny blue one one in the process. 

- My dad and aunt reminiscing about my sweet grandmother, a poor country women who invited every other poor person to dinner even if it meant adding water to the soup, and adding some more as the table filled.

- My aunt, whom I call "The Cuban Marilyn Monroe," admitting she couldn't fall asleep because my mother reminded her of her real age. "I can't believe I am that old!'' she kept saying the next morning.

- Maria's brain on Spanish overdrive, hours after everyone has gone, says to her friend: "You want to learn the Cuban eenie meanie miney mo? It goes cucara macara titere fue...''

Does your visiting family fill your house with a special kind of sound?

Dime.

Bearded Dictator must have various addictions

And if this doesn't make you ill....Yo no se.

From the New York Post's Page Six today. Note, I deleted his name and replaced it with "Bearded Dictator." Sorry NYP.

"Bearded Dictator makes Wilt Chamberlain seem lame. While the NBA legend bragged he'd bedded 20,000 women, the Cuban dictator slept with 35,000, according to an upcoming documentary. "He slept with at least two women a day for more than four decades - one for lunch and one for supper. Sometimes he even ordered one for breakfast," an ex-Bearded Dictator official named "Ramon" tells filmmaker Ian Halperin. "I don't think he would have stayed on as long as he did if not for all the incredible women he had access to as president." Bearded Dictator's security would comb Havana beaches each day recruiting the hottest babes.''

Hispanic Heritage book giveaway winners announced

OK, that contest was too fun. Thank you to all of you who played along. The words made me laugh and provoked memories of being alborotada, sleeping on the pin pan pum, participating in el traqueteo and avoiding the fuacatas. I learned some new ones too.

I think the next contest should be to write stories using all these words and phrases.

The best part, overall, was to meet those of you who I see lurking about in the statcounter. Bienvenidos from out of the shadows! Hope you'll visit and comment often.

And now, the randomly selected winners who will be getting a shipment from Hachette Books. Get in touch with me soon so I can get your addresses. (carrie at bilingualintheboonies.com)

Enjoy and Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

And thank you, Hatchette, from all our readers...

norma said...Mi palabra favorita es "amor" por que amo la cultura Hispana!

melek said...My favorite Spanish word is: despampanante

It's such a colorful adjective ... and fun to say!

I wish you well :) Melek

"La pluma es la lengua del alma."~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

eva melo said...My favorite word is NO because that's what I usually say when I get these crazy requests to send chain letters in Spanish!

laurita said...My favorite spanish phrase is "no se, pero bueno" because my cuban mother in law says it all the time after telling long stories.

 ikkinlala said...Mine is "uno," which is what I named one of my childhood cats because she was the only kitten in the litter. (It wasn't my favourite before that cat, though, so the special part is the memory rather than the word.)

Hispanic Heritage Month: Win Eight Free Books

Tonight I will be putting on pumps and perfume and shaking it with Latinos of all flavors at a local Hispanic Heritage Month fiestecita. Oh, colorful Nashville of 2008 I love you so much better than Nashville of 1991.

As I celebrate, here's how I'm helping you get your Latin on:

The good people at Hachette Book Group USA  are giving Bilingual in the Boonies readers up to five sets of eight wonderful books that celebrate the Hispanic experience. The group, which includes Grand Central (formerly Warner Books) and my beloved Little, Brown and Company, has printed several books that capture the Latino experience.

On the giveaway list are books about Puerto Ricans in Chicago, Chicanos, Cubans in Union City, Tex-Mex in Brownsville, pre-revolutionary Mexico and Pancho Villa. There is reality and fantasy. The group most recently published Dream in Color, by sisters Linda Sanchez and Loretta Sanchez, both of whom are congresswomen from California.  

To win a set all you have to do is read the rules below and post a comment, telling me your favorite Spanish word. I personally pick: refunfuñosa.

The more comments, the more sets get shipped out. Tell your friends. 

And even if you don't win, there are some awesome books here to add to your reading list.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Here are the books: 

• Dream in Color By Linda Sánchez , Loretta Sánchez 
• Gunmetal Black By Daniel Serrano
• The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters By Lorraine López
• Bless Me, Ultima By Rudolfo Anaya
• Brownsville By Oscar Casares
• The Hummingbird's Daughter By Luis Urrea 
• The General and the Jaguar By Eileen Welsome
• Tomorrow They Will Kiss By Eduardo Santiago 

Giveaway Rules/Reglas

- Comment on this post and tell me your favorite Spanish word or phrase. If you don't speak Spanish, you can say "caramba!'' or "taco bell'' or something like that.

- One entry per person.

- You have until midnight EST on Monday, Sept. 15 to enter.

- Use a valid e-mail or blog address so I can reach you.

- Anonymous comments are not eligible.

- You must live in the United States or Canada and provide me with a street address. Books cannot be shipped to P.O. boxes. (Don't post your address here)

-The winner(s) will be selected by Maria and announced Wednesday, Sept. 17.

To giveaway 5 sets we need at least 30 comments: 

1 to 5 entries - one set is given away

6 to 11 entries  - two sets are given away

12 to 17 entries -- three sets are given away

18 to 25 entries -- four sets are given way

26 to 30, or more, entries -- five sets are given away 

Guineas make the big time: Parenting.com

The guineas premiered on Parenting.com yesterday. They are big and fabulous. A couple of them have ventured out of the coop, but the others are reluctant. They are so chicken it will take a few days for them to realize that it is OK to free range and free our land of those garrapatas malditas. 

Of course, they likely don't want to come out because they are having flashbacks to conversations my father had out there about the deliciousness of guineo stew.

And tomorrow, watch this space for a contest...a big book giveaway in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins Monday.

Los Pollitos Dicen on "Voices en espanol" podcast

If you are trying to learn to speak Spanish, or pass on bilingualism to your children, Voices en español and its sister site, Cody's Cuentos, are great podcasts. I don't just say that because Eleena, who runs the sites, interviewed me. I'm a subscriber.

You can hear me in all my nervous, accented glory, learn a little about Los Pollitos Dicen and hear a bit of what it's like to live Latina in Tennessee. (My mother will be calling me later to correct the words and phrases I totally messed up.)

Eleena, by the way, is a former Wall Street Journal reporter living in Madrid. Not a bad life.

Bacardi: Good rum, fascinating history

The Bacardi rum company has a rich Cuban history that includes hard-scrabble beginnings, fighting for independence, supporting the Bearded Dictator and being duped by the now-retired Bearded Dictator.  

A new book, Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba, written by NPR reporter Tom Gjelten, details that history for those of us who only know that the clear stuff with the bat symbol makes for good mojitos.

Gjelten was on NPR this morning talking about the dynastic family, who still owns the multi-billion dollar company that was founded in 1862. Listen here. And, be sure to look at the vintage ads, especially the one of the hot cubana in the red dress.

You can read reviews on Gjelten's web site and you can see what the Cuban-Americans are saying on Babalu here. 

Off to pluck mint and buy limes...

Nuts and Nut Jobs

I don't write too much about Maria's nut allergy. While it is at the front of my brain daily, we've learned to accept it as the way of our life. But with school starting, we've been talking allergies a lot with new friends.  I share a little in this week's Parenting.com post why the parents of children with allergies are not necessarily nuts.

Speaking of nuts, have you all been watching the Republican and Democratic conventions? I have. Will spare you my politics, but I will say this: 

Politicians piss me off.

I have covered boards of education, city councils and I have spent way too many days of my life at the Tennessee Legislative Plaza. I want to immediately bathe each time I walk out of there. I have covered legislative hearings on adoption law and foster care that left me chewing my pens and cursing inside my big skull: "You're not asking the hard questions!''  Politicians: One thing I don't miss about the news business. 

You've heard the joke, how do you know a politician is lying? He's moving his lips.

Regardless of whom you are voting for this election season, fact check them.

Here is my favorite web site of the moment: Politifact

There are links to other fact-checking sites there. Follow them. Don't swallow the funny or hard-ball one-liners as truths without double-checking. Just 'cause it sounds good doesn't mean it is true. I mean, dating should have taught us that, right?

If you look at the long-nose-o-meter results, you'll see all the candidates and their attack dogs are lying or coloring the truth. Some more than others, but they're all playing the game...they are playing you, telling you what you want to hear. Tail wagging dog. 

In November, vote your conscience and your gut. It is your absolute right and hard-won priviledge as an American. When you push that button, though, do it as a well-informed American, not as some puppet in partisan politics.

End of rant.

OK, back to Latina living talk...

So hey, did you see that picture of la caliente J.Lo on the cover of Elle? 

photo from the popcrunch show

Dulce de Leche: An occasional series

I do not hang out in the Pop-tart aisle. My extra calories and hydrogenated oils are a little more upper-crusty than that...Slightly. But, yesterday I followed some strange gravitational pull, looked up toward the fluorescent lights of my local Big Box Chapel and what did mine eyes thus see?

Ay, Dios Mio Bendito! Dulce de Leche Pop-tarts in Limited Edition! First dulce de leche ice cream, then dulce de leche topping, then dulce de leche non-dairy creamer and now sandwiched in between two crusts of pure Americana, dulce de leche pop-tarts!

Amen, mis amigos...If we didn't know we were the new flavor of America before, we surely know it now. I am waiting for the Keebler Elves to launch dulce de leche cereal or how about dulce de leche Teddy Grahams. Maybe even dulce de leche Goldfish? 

And now, a sugar- and caffeine-fueled review: Blech.

The caramel is the color of terracotta, not that warm, familiar cafe-con-leche that immediately gets your insulin flowing. And, an hour after consumption what I might be tasting is the "Yellow #5 lake" color added or something ending with "phate.'' 

True Latin dulce de leche has addictive "mouth feel" like good chocolate or buttery shortbread. This? Feels like regret. 

Kellogg's, thank you for the effort. Really. Much appreciated. But, I'd slap the box out of anyone's hand.

So, my non-Latino friends let me tell you how best to enjoy dulce de leche/cajeta/arequipe/manjar:

Head to your local Mexican or Latino food store and buy yourself the biggest jar you can find. If not, make your own. You also can follow Marta's recipe. Then, purchase the best loaf of white bread in town. A nice, thick and soft on the inside loaf. Warm the bread, make yourself a cafecito with warm milk and lots of sugar. Spoon dulce de leche on the bread. 

Speak to no one.  

Enjoy the moment. 

Thank me for the tip later.