Vallarta Vacations: Know Your Terms

What is a Mexican?

 

In Puerto Vallarta we don’t hear the term Hispanic as much as we do Latino. There is a justifiable reason for this. Hispanic is technically considered to be someone from a Spanish speaking country, which has been disputed by those who don’t consider themselves of Spanish ancestry. Mestizo once referred to a mix of Indigenous and primarily Spanish, but Africans and Europeans changed this over time.

Large numbers of African slaves were brought in after the Spanish conquest, to work in agriculture, just as they did in the United States. Other Europeans soon arrived in the New World, as well and it wasn’t long before everyone was having babies with everyone else. Originally it was an honor to be called Mestizo and many Indigenous women were willing to have their children labeled as such, to protect them from slavery and other evils of the downtrodden.  Less than a hundred years after Cortéz disembarked on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the mestizaje (people of Spanish and Indian blood) numbered in the tens of thousands.  The result was the majority of Mestizos being raised in the indigenous communities, where there was no chance of being mistaken for elite. Interbreeding backfired and being Mestizo was considered low class, swinging the genetic label in the opposite direction.

Hence there is a bitterness regarding Spaniards in Mexico and it remains to this day, though few are willing to go to war for the cause. In Puerto Vallarta, it’s not unusual to meet a light-skinned Mexican, with blue or green eyes, blond or red hair. They are proud to be referred to as Latino.

To be a true Mexican, one must have been born in Mexico, regardless of ancestry. Since there is no actual Mexican genome, it’s impossible to track true pedigree, but genetic diversity is under serious research and development to make DNA tagging possible. The main objective of studies is to analyze complex diseases that science and medicine have often proven to be genetically based.

If you have lived in Mexico for a certain period of time, meet all requirements, and pass the tests, you can certainly become and refer to yourself as a Mexican citizen. Mexico is much like the United States in that way. Mexico, Canada and the United States are all nothing more than melting pots of many heritages, all equal, yet different in the most individual unique ways.

Que es cómo es.

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For more information about Puerto Vallarta, Mexico or a Villa for rent contact Beston Properties offers the finest Luxury Villa Vacation Rental Accommodations in the Puerto Vallarta and Punta Mita area.  Our private rental homes and Condos offer a full range of services from a full staff including chef and a concierge to organize any tours, spa services in the home or Car Rental.    We have offices located in Puerto Vallarta and have all the local information from Vallarta weather and maps.  All of their agents are personally familiar with each of the accommodations, amenities and staff to help you find the best rental property i
n Puerto Vallarta.   Our concierge services will be happy to give you informationon the best restaurants for dining out in Puerto Vallarta we can make reservations and give you directions. We have all the most current information to guide you for your holiday in Puerto Vallarta from our daily weather report to maps and directions..   WE can arrange activities with any tour company including Vallarta Adventures, one of the most popular companies in Banderas Bay.  We represent the best quality of homes for rent by owners who care about your comfort and hope you return for many years of unforgettable Mexican holidays.  For more information check out our luxury accommodations.

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