Border corridos and Badman ballads contain different styles, however were shaped by similar social and cultural factors in history, such as interethnic conflict and discrimination. Border corridos and Badman ballads each emerged from the oppression of a certain ethnic group and reflect the events that were occurring during those times. Although the Badman ballads and Border corridos portray realistic events, there is no certainty the events actually happened in history.
Border corridos revolve around the Texas-Mexico border and illustrate the effects of the Mexican-American War. During the Mexican-American War, Mexico lost the battle and the state of Texas, which made the Rio Grande the national border. As a result, Mexicans who lived on
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the other side of the river had to decide between America and Mexico. The people who chose to stay in America became “Tejanos (Texan-American)”(Davis, Lecture) and their culture, language, and property were respected due to the signing of the “Treaty of Guadalupe” (Flores, 167). However as Anglo-American settlers moved into Mexican territory, a “land-grab” was institutionalized, which sold most of Mexicans’ lands for cheap prices, due to the Mexican population’s unawareness. Not only that, but the Texas authority known as “Texas Rangers” discriminated and violently treated Tejanos (Davis, Lecture). The border corridos reflect the interethnic conflict between whites and Tejanos and portray the injustice during those times. Similarly, Badman ballads portray the oppression of one ethnic group towards another. This ballad illustrates blacks discriminated by whites during the oppressive racial system existing in the south. Badman ballads revolve around blacks’ resistance to the “oppressive social and political conditions” developed in the 18th century, but reinforced by the Jim Crow Laws in 1877. The Jim Crow Laws were “a series of rigid anti-black laws” which “cursed” blacks to be “servants”(Pilgrim). Blacks were not treated equally and constantly under the eyes of authority, which is what the Badman ballad represents. The Badman ballad emerged to contrast the “oppressive white system” which the “badman” “exploits and defeats” (Roberts, 327). The Badman ballads portray the “rejection of dominant society” and “cathartic response to oppression”(Davis, Lecture). Both the Badman ballad and the Border corrido portray interethnic conflict, however they contain different stylistic elements. The Badman ballad depicts the male character as “murderous, feared, seductive, and possessing supernatural powers” (Davis, Lecture),while in the Border corridor, the male character “defies greater authority, but for noble purposes” (Davis, Lecture).
One example of the Border corrido is “El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez”, which depicts a Tejano named Gregorio Cortez resisting an “unjust arrest for the theft of a horse” by Texas Rangers. Cortez ran away from the corrupt law and in the process kills two Sheriffs, but only because he had to fight for his rights. Similarly, “Railroad Bill”, a Badman ballad, depicts an African-American, Morris Slater, “who robbed trains and evaded the law” (Davis, Lecture). However, the items he robbed, he would sell to the impoverished for cheaper prices. Morris Slater represents the rejection of a dominant society, since he gets away with the law the whites created. The narrative of the Border corrido and Badman ballad are very relevant to the events occurring during that time. During the Border corridos, Tejanos were discriminated and treated unfairly by the authority, which explains Gregorio Cortez’s experience. Cortez was innocent and did not steal that horse, yet was blamed for it due to a language barrier. However, Cortez did not give in and fought for his rights, which illustrated to the Mexican population that they should not give in to the discrimination as well. In the corrido, Gregorio states “I’m not sorry for killing him [sheriff],
self defense is justifiable.”, which illustrates his innocence and the authorities discriminatory behavior towards Tejanos. During the Badman ballad, blacks were also discriminated and seen as inferior by society, therefore Morris Slater’s story of police brutality relates to the reality blacks had to face during that time. The abuse of blacks by authorities is seen in the verses, “standin’ on the corner didn’t mean no harm, policeman grab me by the arm.” The narrative of the Border corrido and the Badman ballad are extremely relevant to the harsh reality during that time period , however it is not clear whether the events truly happened. Corridos and ballads are stories exchanged orally and the “morals change with whomever is singing them”, therefore the authenticity can be questioned (Davis, Lecture). Different people can manipulate the narratives to fit their viewpoint. For example, the Badman ballad, “Railroad Bill”, portrays Morris Slater as a murderous and reckless man, however according to Roberts, “the facts of the life of Morris Slater” actually prove he was a “man of the people” with a “good heart”. The Badman ballad inaccurately portrays Morris Slater’s real life, as a result the narrative is not faithful to real life circumstances. Gregorio Cortez and Morris Slater are archetypal characters that follow the song’s traditions. Gregorio is the “noble outlaw” who commits murder in order to bring awareness of the discrimination the Mexican population endures. As a noble outlaw, Gregorio Cortez is expected to do awful acts for the good of the people. As for Morris Slater, he is the “bad man” defying authority and rejecting the white’s oppression, by showing whites do not control blacks. Morris is expected to also do awful acts, but not because they serve for a bigger purpose, but because Morris is not conforming to society’s ways.
In a story of identity and empowerment, Juan Felipe Herrera’s poem “Borderbus” revolves around two Honduran women grappling with their fate regarding a detention center in the United States after crawling up the spine of Mexico from Honduras. While one grapples with their survival, fixated on the notion that their identities are the ultimate determinant for their future, the other remains fixated on maintaining their humanity by insisting instead of coming from nothingness they are everything. Herrera’s poem consists entirely of the dialogue between the two women, utilizing diction and imagery to emphasize one’s sense of isolation and empowerment in the face of adversity and what it takes to survive in America.
In the book ”Naturalizing Mexican Immigrants: A Texas History”, Menchaca mentioned that “The making of the U.S.-Mexico border began with international disputes over where
At the end of article they describe the pain Joaquín Murieta endured for being a honest and innocent man: “His soul swelled beyond its former boundaries, and the barriers of honor, rocked into atoms by the strong passion which shook his heart like an earthquake, crumbled and fell” (1). At the current time it didn 't matter if you were honest or not with law. If you weren 't white in 1850, you were considered an outsider. Since Joaquín Murieta was Mexican, he was not persecuted because of his transgression but because he was Mexican. The writer wanted to give you an idea of what it felt to be a Mexican and the mistreatment they got from the white
In both the movie, La Misma Luna, and the newspaper series, Enrique’s Journey, migrants are faced with many issues. The most deadly and scarring issues all relate back to bandits, judicial police, and la migra or Mexican immigration officers. The problems that arise are serious to the point of rape, robbing, and beating. It is not easy crossing the border illegally and secretly, but the successful ones have an interesting or even traumatic story about how it worked for them.
One can draw many parallels from Garcia’s book; at the end of Reconstruction in the United States, many African-Americans, left the South, as home rule, and Jim Crow became part of it many, left for the north, especially Chicago. Thus, making El Paso somewhat of a Chicago for the Mexicans –as many Mexicans were fleeing the many deplorable conditions of a México under the rule of Dictator Porfirio Díaz, an era that came to be known as ...
One, he gives us a point of reference for someone in his difficult and turbulent time period. He was a (presumably) rich Mexican that saw the injustice of how the white American settlers treated the Mexicans that lived near them. He shows us another side of the story, beside the story that the victors would’ve shared.
Sixteen are killed in the Mexican attack along the Rio Grande! In 1821, Mexico freed itself from Spain. Mexico is equal in size to the United States. The Mexican government wanted to increase population, so they invited Americans to settle in Texas. These settlers did not want to abide by Mexico’s rules and laws.
In his book, “…And the Earth Did Not Devour Him,” author Tomás Rivera documents through a fictional non-traditional novel, the life experiences of a child that endured many difficulties, he describes the hope, struggles, and tragedies of the Mexican-American migrant workers in the 40s and 50s, and how they travel from home to work to survive. The book’s focus is in Texas, although other areas are mentioned throughout the United States. Divided into 14 different short stories and 13 vignettes the author records the predicament of the Mexican-American migrant workers in Texas and explains how the migrants had to overcome constant discriminatory actions by the White Americans and endure difficult living situations because of poverty as well as unsatisfactory job
The Mexican–American War, also known as the Mexican War, the U.S.–Mexican War, the Invasion of Mexico, the U.S. Intervention, or the United States War Against Mexico, was an armed conflict between the United States and the Centralist Republic of Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory despite the 1836 Texas Riot. Through this time, supply ships from San Blas continued to be unpredictable and the missions—with their native workers—were worried to provide for the population. When the native groups began to resist the bigger demands, they were placed under firmer military control. Also, additional tribes were gathered, mixed, and combined into dense groups in order to serve the payment. Under these conditions, new diseases quickly spread and native cultures were further disrupted.
From the early days of pioneers and settlers, thousands of Americans began to move into what would become Texas. The Mexican government was wanting to populate the Texas area to increase the economy. For a long period of time the Mexican government had placed many laws on the territory, but none that were deeply inforced. Finally when a new dictatorship came into power, they began to enforce the laws. Slavery among other issues
In ‘horse,’ the speaker describes a horse being betrayed and then killed in a small town in Texas. The first two stanzas described the horse thundering towards outstretched hands being attracted to a field of corn but instead it is attacked by a group of white teenage boys who leave it mutilated. The sheriff of the town does not do anything because he believes that it is in their nature to do so. In the last stanzas the Mexican owner puts the horse out of his misery and someone tries to pay him for the damage. His people are disappointed because they believe that money could not make up for the death of the horse but, they do nothing about it. It would seem the horse in the poem is meant to represent the Mexican culture and how it is being eradicated by the dominant white society in the United States.
However, not everyone that travels into Texas and into the US crosses in hopes of establishing themselves here. A large part of them actually flee their homes in order to escape the violence that has erupted within their countries.(Source 5) As long as the violence continues in Mexico and Central America, people will continue to flee to the Texas. Bigger border walls will not be able to stop this. However, ending the drug war will. It will also undoubtedly decrease the amount of drugs that enter into our country as well.
"El Corrido Mexicano." El Corrido Mexicano La Cucaracha Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2013
The Mexican-American war determined the destiny of the United States of America, it determined whether or not it would become a world power and it established the size of the United States of America. Perhaps the war was inevitable due to the idea of Manifest Destiny - Americans thought they had the divine right to extend their territory. The Mexican-American War started mainly because of the annexation of the Republic of Texas (established in 1836 after breaking away from Mexico). The United States and Mexico still had conflicts on what the borders of Texas was, the United States claimed that the Texas border with Mexico was the Rio Grande, but the Mexicans said that it was the Nueces River, so the land in between were disputed and claimed by both the United States and Mexico. Hostilities started on April 24th, 1846, 2000 Mexican cavalry crossed the Rio Grande and attacked an American troop of 63 men.
The struggle to find a place inside an un-welcoming America has forced the Latino to recreate one. The Latino feels out of place, torn from the womb inside of America's reality because she would rather use it than know it (Paz 226-227). In response, the Mexican women planted the seeds of home inside the corral*. These tended and potted plants became her burrow of solace and place of acceptance. In the comfort of the suns slices and underneath the orange scents, the women were free. Still the questions pounded in the rhythm of street side whispers. The outside stare thundered in pulses, you are different it said. Instead of listening she tried to instill within her children the pride of language, song, and culture. Her roots weave soul into the stubborn soil and strength grew with each blossom of the fig tree (Goldsmith).