Chicana Poets, and their Poetry
A complete
understanding of Chicanas during the pre-colombian era is not
something that is commonly found in textbooks or accounts of
history. In fact, historians have neglected any extensive
research on Chicanas. In Linda M. Billings’ article, “In
Verbal Murals: A Study of Chicana Herstory and Poetry”, she reverts
back to Aztecs as a way of explaining the long-lived struggle of
Chicanas. Billings attacks the void in knowledge about
Chicanas and attempts to fill it through her analysis of the
conquered Aztec women and the gods they worshipped. This
article focuses on studying some contemporary Chicana poetry.
In order to prepare readers, the author has incorporated a brief
history of Mexicanas and Chicanas in the United States of America,
which begins with the Aztecs. Lacking sufficient
documentation, the “herstory” of Mexicanas during the pre-colombian
era is minimal. Throughout history, Chicana women have been
dominated by men, cultures, and the world; with their voices and
poems, these women have developed a strong sense of
self-identification and celebration.
According to
Billings, early worship of the god Quezacoat established the first
social order of the Aztecs in the pre-colombian era. In other
words, the practice of worshipping this god by the Aztecs is how
historians were able to recognize a social order. One of such
may have been previously established, without recognition, and then
slowly died out.
The Aztec people were
the dominant society of their area by the 14th Century. Their
lifestyles revolved around religion and the worship of Aztec
dieties. This structure provided equality in sharing between
men and women. Each individual worshiped in the same ways and
practiced a similar religion, regardless of gender.
“Women served as priestesses in the community as well as being
honored for their position as givers of life,” states Billings.
It is told that a woman who dies while giving birth was revered.
These women were compared to men who died in battle. In
today’s world, a woman’s role as bearer of child is hardly regarded
this highly. It’s almost as if women now days are simply expected to
perform this fascinating task. The Aztecs were certainly ahead
of their time in their ideals.
Along with the
conquest of Mexico in 1519 by European colonizers, the Aztec
community was drastically altered. Spaniards brought with them
diseases that significantly reduced the indigenous population.
Land was violently pulled out from under the Aztecs, and conversion
to Catholicism was enforced. This conquest changed the lives
of all Aztecs, yet women felt a stronger loss. Now, with no
social status, Aztec women served as slaves and whores to the
Spaniards. This conquest enforced the use of subordination of
women from one culture to another. It is my opinion that if
more communities were left to develop on their own during these
times, the stance of women in today’s world would be significantly
different.
Linda Billings tells
of one woman, Malinalli Tenepal, who eventually became an icon for
the feelings and struggles of Aztec women brought on by the
conquest. The story of Malinalli Tenepal begins when her
family sells her into slavery as a young girl. At the age of
fourteen, Malinalli was given to a prominent Spanish officer as a
“gift”. She lived her life pleasing him sexually, eventually
bearing his child. The officer then abandoned Tenepal when his
wife returned to live with him. How does a girl grow up
seeing her mother being worshipped for bearing children, and then
when she gives birth herself the man casts her away? This
drastic change in culture must have had an incredibly negative
effect on young women during this age.
The fact that
Malinalli’s story became a symbol for the women during this time is
disappointing, at the least. This historical image sees these
women as “the whore mother of a bastard race of Mestizos.” A
negative image such as this doesn’t make any exceptions to the fact
that these women had no alternative choice. Historians simply
chose to use this negative symbol to characterize the Aztec women.
The men during this period could do many things to gain power and
acceptance in this new society. Women, on the other hand, were
only given one tool for survival, their bodies. If the
European conquerors “kept” an Aztec women, she could claim some
amount of social status; otherwise, she was merely a slave.
Linda Billings makes
one very important point in her article. The positions,
values, and beliefs of Aztec women during the pre-colombian era is
heard by voice, not writing. This is why the study of chicana
poetry gives us a clearer understanding of their struggle and
strength.
Lorna Dee Cervantes is a well-known Chicana poet. She grew up in San Jose, California and now teaches at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Cervantes uses emotion and imagery in her writings to effectively report the experience of the Chicana women. Cervantes informs her readers that self-definition and self-invention are consistent in much of the Chicana poetry that exists today. “Thus what has developed was a poetry of performance whose strength and vivacity lay in its oral qualities rather than its power on the printed page.” This parallels what Linda Billings teaches in her article. The only true understanding of the women in America during the pre-colombian era is through verbal stories and poetry; much of which has been lost. Who better to account for these women than those who actually lived through it or their close descendants.
Another powerful moment in this poem is the last three lines. Just as the land of the Aztecs was controlled by European conquerors, it was originally their land. This confusion is one that Cervantes wants her readers to consider. She understands what if feels like to have something significant, (land), rules for her by some opposing party. It is in her writing that Lorna attempts to convey this feeling to readers. This parallels a class discussion on how women’s bodies have been controlled throughout history. “. . . that this is not my land and this is my land. . .”. This clearly voices a confusion about who has control over ones’ personal property; personal property including body, mind, land and other such things.
Their is an interview with Lorna Dee Cervantes by Erika Krouse and Gregory Dobbin. She is questioned about being a feminist, her indigenous language, and the feelings that fill many of her poems. http://www.colorado.edu/creativewriting/lornaint.html will connect you to a very interesting and informational interview.
Emplumada was Lorna Dee Cervantes’ first published book of poetry. This publication, along with the second volume From the Cables of Genocide, strongly established her as a voice of Chicanas. A predominantly powerful image in Chicana poetry is the relationship between female family members. The “grandmother image” as it is known, shows up in a few of Cervantes’ poems.
In this poem, “
For Virginia Chavez”, Cervantes utilizes the imagery of a home
filled with women, (or just women filling a home), and a dog as the
presence of man. Though the dog’s, with no voice, “their
wordless tongues” could practice no power over the residing females.
The last few lines are saddening. The mere use of dominance is
something not often available to these Chicana women.
This is what Cervantes can finally “take . . . and not give back”.
Much like the Aztec women who served the Spaniards, control is that
which is desired and rarely attained.
Sandra Cisneros
Sandra Cisneros is
also a Chicana poet who grew up in poverty and was surrounded by six
brothers. This situation compelled Cisneros to books and
poetry. She received her M.A. from the writing program at the
University of Iowa. Her first book, The House on Mango Street,
is considered “ an elegant literary p0iece, somewhere between
fiction and poetry,” by the author of the website, Voices from the
Gaps; women writers of color which can be viewed at :
http://www-engl.cla.umn.edu./lkd/vfg/Authors/SandraCisneros.
Like Lorna Dee
Cervantes, Cisneros focuses on implementing and being proud of her
Chicana identity. She paints the picture of a proud and unique
individual; even hoping to stand out in her racist environment.
This poem, “Tho
So-and-So’s”, begins with a proud tone. I pictured a young,
rebellious girl on her first day at a new school. In the
second stanza, however, Cisneros changes her tone a bit. She
begins to identify herself as a burden to those around her; “. . .As
real as pebble in the shoe, . . .A definite voodoo”. It’s
almost as if the author is jabbing at the dominant behavior of
society; she is demanding attention that she and other Chicanas
deserve. Her self-identification gives her and Chicanas
everywhere some identity to celebrate. Uniqueness and strength
characterize this ideal woman.
Cordelia Candelaria
This Chicana poet,
Cordelia Candelaria, uses a technique in writing not strongly used.
She brings to life the cyclical image of life through vegetation and
generations of family. As a garden planted long ago can
succeed throughout the years, so as a gene-characteristic is able to
thrive through family members. Linda Billings describes
Candelaria’s technique as symbolizing “human survival and spiritual
and cultural endurance.”
In another poem by Cisneros, “?Sin Raices Hay Flor?”, the author focuses more on the lack of known and understood history of the Chicano people.
On the evening of October 30th, I went to hear Pat Mora read at
Antigone Books. Right off the bat I felt a connection between
her views and writtings to our class discussions. Pat began by
speaking of the "contact zone" here in Arizona, being so close to
the Mexico boarder. This discussion grabbed those of us in the
audience who were able to understand the enlgish/spanish language
that was utilized.
Mora announced that she would not be reading from any of her
childrens' books, such as TOMAS Y LA SENORA DE LA BIBLIOTECHA.
This book was inspired by a boy named Tomas Rivera. This boy's
family took to selling articles found in the dumps to make money.
Tomas found a compelling interest in books and reading. A
librarian (La Senora de la Bibliotecha), encouraged his interest and
inspired his life. Tomas lived
to become the Chancelor at U.C. Riverside and
then died a few years ago. This childrens book doesn't go into the
details of Tomas' life, but Mora's
story of Tomas makes it clear the reason she
chose to write a book for children about such an individual.
Mora then read from her book, AGUA SANTA (holy water). She
speaks of her aunt Lobo (wolf). The poem is about her aunt
Lobos strength and personality. The line "toungue ticking at
men" was repeated throughout the poem. Pat tells a story of
being home alone with aunt Lobo and how she would make her hide from
the "bad men" looming outside the house. Aunt Lobo would go to the
extreme of dressing as a man and talking deeply by the door to give
a seeming presence of man in the house.
Next, Pat Mora shares with us her memory of her aunt Chole.
Chole was legally blind for 17 years and at 90 years old, Mora
describes her as a "triumph of female resourcefulness". The
story behing Chole is the love of a lifetime that was never met.
Chole was in love with a radio d.j. named "Jose" who calls himself
"Pepe". "Pepe" dedicates his show to Chole and the two speak over
the phone, but never meet.
AUNT CARMEN'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL SAINTS is fiction, states Mora.
This book is arranged by
months of the year, each with its' own Saint. Pat Mora speaks of St.
Anthony (Apadua) and Santa Librada, both intriguing with wonderful
stories, yet Mora's poem about St. Mary Magdeline compelled me.
Having read of St. Mary Magdeline in class gave added clarity to
Mora's interpretation. Mora describes Magdeline as a "great
sinner with a capital 's'". One line that caught my ear was
about how women "are not tangled in the myth that flesh is lethal
until ment write of you". I remember feeling that those who
wrote about Mary Magdeline did so negatively, Mora changed that.
She reads about Magdelines' "fire" and how that fire needs to be
brought to places that are afraid of it. "Christ understood the
depth of your fire, admired your fire, there's sanctity in fire".
I loved this because it clashed with the common portrayal of this
Saint, who many considered a prostitute.
Although many factors have contributed to continuing the historical subordination of the Chicana women, these poets and writers provide a true retrospect. It is through these poets that the Chicanas can be identified and appreciated. Much talent successfully makes the voices of the Chicana women one to be reckoned with.
This page last updated: 03/01/2018