Introduction
A historical magnum opus pertaining to women over three hundred years who were mixed or pure Tejanos. Discussing three generations of Tejanas women, the author Teresa and Ruthe have taken into account three centuries since 1700s, where women of Spanish or Mexican origin have played a central, role in Texas history. Despite of the unacknowledged contribution of such women in history, the authors have honored three centuries by claiming and demonstration that Tejanas have been great personalities like artists, reformers, political leaders, religious mentors, entrepreneurs, committed professionals, innovative educators, astute businesswomen and experienced professionals.
Giving their achievements the recognition of bravery and wisdom, this groundbreaking book is at once a general history and a celebration of Tejanas’ contributions to Texas over three centuries. From warriors to educationists, Tejanas have been discussed by many authors but the way Teresa and Ruthe have gathered and embedded a wide range of information to create Tejanas cultural artifacts is outstanding.
The authors have described the survival of early Tejanas women in poverty and have mentioned even those who strive hard in the Northern provinces of New Spain for survival. Most of them were poor, single or widowed (Teresa & Ruthe, 2003, p. 2). Authors have mentioned women’s contribution up till the period of 1900 and have drawn results from the research that exists for the twentieth century. Even modern Tejanas experience has been mentioned in the fields of education, business and arts.
The most beautiful thing which makes the author’s work unique is that they have elaborated three centuries of Tejanas and have compared them with what they are today. Various tribal groups like Caddos, Tejas and Hasinai have been discussed in context with the peaceful and friendly political arenas they kept. Caddos women were well known for trading and they put every effort in order to retain their genetic cultural heritage. Jumanos was another tribe that lived along what is now the western part of the Texas-Mexico border (Teresa & Ruthe, 2003, p. 7). Trading between Spanish Mexico and other native peoples was mostly done by women in absence of their husbands or fathers.
Critical aspects
While moving to a critical point, it is true that throughout history, there has always been dissension from sectors of the subjected group, since those who occupy the lower social strata disrupts the elite class, the dominating culture must bring the pre-colonial elites into closer proximity with its structures of power, and must make these dispossessed elites deceive themselves into thinking they occupy positions of authority. This work does not indicate any social stratification which turns out the notion that women of every class performed their role well. In fact, it is very astonishing to read that the poor class was contended to be monitored by elite class authority.
The homeless elite is not mentioned and it seems that under the name of ‘dispossessed’ and ‘poor’ the authors have tried to curtail all inequalities into a political power governed for and by women. With a socio-ideological course work, the authors have remained unable to elucidate the social differences that took place between elite and poor class women. Domination and suppression have never been addressed in this work and in the locus of its historical-cultural identity, Tejanas have been transformed into a fabulous domain of cultural romance, aristocratic pretense, lies, and self-deceit.
Feminism and Gender Politics
Though many Mexican revolutionary movements were carried out by women who developed their own particular agenda and introduced a feminist perspective to the revolution which by 1900 remained united for the struggle against exploitation (Teresa & Ruthe, 2003, p. 74). But to various tribes like Chicana, women were perceived under a specific historic label under racial and sexual and class exploitation, which the authors have not focused on.
In search of a feminist critical perspective that adequately takes into account the pro-feminist position of women under multiple oppressions, the authors have turned to our own ‘organic intellectuals’ and have seen their political movements not as politically influenced but as work worth mentioning. Since the main historical significance has been ignored by crediting only women in charge of the modes of cultural production, it seems the authors have perceived it as a biased approach in their search.
The authors have not given us a way to break with traditional concepts of the genre to read Chicana or Tejanas feminist theory, not even they have highlighted the working-class women conflicts of color in other countries to articulate their feminisms in nontraditional ways and forms, instead, they have acknowledged the often vast feminist history based on historical, class, racial, and ethnic differences among women living on the border. The authors have not argued on the nature of hegemony practiced by the united powers of patriarchy, capitalism, imperialism, and white supremacy promoted by women of earlier centuries, what they have shown to us is unlimited women supremacy and that even confined within national borders.
Community and Social Life
Talking about the church, community and social life, women in colonial Texas were responsible for maintaining family life and building community institutions (Teresa & Ruthe, 2003, p. 30). Mexican women were solely responsible for keeping their cultural traditions alive, this portrayal of Mexican women indicates that the native female cannot be excluded from the discourse of feminist theory presented by the authors. It is never mentioned in the book that how native female has been the object of colonialism and racism since the authors have portrayed feminists in context with the understanding of gender relations, self, and theory are partially constituted in and through experiences of living in a culture in which asymmetric race relations are a central organizing principle of society.
Literature tells us that Tejanas advocates were interested in the contribution Mexican women could make in transforming their families’ habits from those of a rural, preindustrial lifestyle to a modern American one. Many writers have already mentioned in their works the significance of work, culture, and society Tejanas hold in the recurrent tension which was produced when immigrant men and women new to the American industrial order came into contact with the rigorous discipline of the factory system. Mexican men and women were lucky to find the opportunity to work in industrialization since others lagged behind in bringing the nation forward in this field, local reformers were anxious to introduce Mexican women and men as rapidly as possible to the temperament of industrial society and inculcate Mexican families with the work ethics.
Although the authors have debated on three centuries in this book, there is no evidence shown on the conflicts between women’s private family responsibilities and their public roles as workers, or we can say that Teresa and Ruthe have not highlighted upon the programs that showed any concern when addressing the ideal future of the Mexican American woman.
Literature indicates us, however, that Chicano families viewed married women working as a temporary expedient and often reversed the pattern once families settled securely in East Los Angeles. Employment was acquired mostly by Mexican females who on temporary or seasonal ventures engaged in the wage-labor market, therefore a highly elastic work pattern allowed Mexican families to supplement the male wage earner’s salary with extra income during times of need or in anticipation of future purchases.
Chicano Studies
The authors have focused only on two aspects in this book, women studies and Chicano studies. Rosales (1996) writes that the experience of oppression of Mexicans who remained behind in the U.S. was cited regularly by Chicano Movement activists as a basis for charges of historical mistreatment (Rosales, 1996, p. 6). It is somewhat true to the extent because when Anglo-Americans denied accepting Mexicans as equals, they often ignored treaty agreements that gave Mexicans all the rights of citizens, this became the basis of many revolutionary movements. Women were actively engaged in political self-determination, and pave the way for many political resistance organizations but even there the new Hispanic citizens encountered systematic discrimination.
Women’s role witnessed many turning points along with positive changes, however, the authors have ignored the negative aspects, with much of the changes in women’s roles occurred to the west of the Los Angeles River, repercussions were felt throughout Chicano Los Angeles.
Chicano historians suggest that much immigration history has pointed to the stability and resiliency of immigrant families where their depiction of immigrant adaptation stresses the retention of traditional values and the durability and adaptability of social relationships, all of which helped to withstand the changes wrought by migration, settlement, and adjustment. Laws were strictly pertaining to immigration and women were entitled to have the same share of the property as equal to men. Prostitution was open but not for married women, in this case, the husbands were exposed to strict punishments.
Final Thoughts
The authors have deviated from the Mexican Chicano movement and other groups escorted by feminists. One can claim that Teresa and Ruthe have portrayed feminism in an optimistic manner but have ignored the pitfalls of such feminism, particularly in the eras where communities were built upon racism and discrimination was common even among women of various classes. Moreover, it’s a good effort to present Chicano feminism. In brief, the authors have created an overall space important not only to the feminist project but to the postmodern development approach as well.
Work Cited
- Rosales F. Arturo, (1996) Chicano!The History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement: Arte Publico Press: Houston, TX.
- Teresa Palomo Acosta & Ruthe Winegarten, (2003) Las Tejanas 300 Years of History, University of Texas Press.