Nativo Lopez - Response - Why not LATINO HISTORY MONTH !! de veras!

Nativo Lopez
nativolopez@GMAIL.COM

I appreciate the recent contribution by Dr Miguel Perez in relation to the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, a misnomer in itself, and the criticism of how such is celebrated.  He makes repeated mention of the 500 years of "Hispanic" presence in North America, however, perhaps the teacher needs to be taught. His reference to only to one half (and in reality much less) of the mestizo heritage roots, experience, and contribution. Our collective roots, heritage, culture, and experience spans from 15,000 to 20,000 years on this continent - obviously thousands of years prior to the contaminating contact of Europeans, be these British, Spanish, or Portuguese.  There were an estimated 80 million inhabitants on the Western Hemisphere prior to European invasion, genocide, and colonization.  The indigenous (us) population was roundly decimated by the Europeans; and why should it make any difference to us that those who were doing the decimating were either British or Spanish, or Portuguese, for that matter?

When we accept the notion that our heritage only extends to the previous

500 years it is clearly a manifestation that one has internalized colonialism and disrupted one's thousands of years physical presence and influence over the land, language, diet, physical appearance, color, genome, etc., etc., in deference to the European experience and heritage.

For the most part, that heritage is one of genocide, extermination, decimation, oppression, and colonial/religious subjugation to extract wealth for the colonial empire, and to our collective disadvantage.  Yes, we need to remember, celebrate, and educate, but we need to do it parting from the real world experience of our people's and not from the perspective of eurocentrism.  On the basis of the latter, we will always lose.

Nativo-Vigil: Lopez

Authorized Representative

All Rights Reservednativolopez@gmail.com nativolopez@gmail.com
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