[Poem] Keeping mis Tradiciones. . .
Keeping mis Tradiciones
Written on Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Inspired by Viviana Cruz
By Gabriel Cruz
There is conflict in me
Keeping the traditions alive,
and getting educated,
so why am I feeling so much resistance?
Hard to keep both, but how can I accomplish it.
Can I embrace my indigenous past and live that way?
I would be to forever condemn myself to live in ignorance.
Will I ever entirely embrace my colonized ways?
Again, to do so would be to forever condemn myself to live in ignorance
It seems at times that I forget,
that I am not really an Aztec warrior,
although I carry thier blood.
I forget that I am part European,
even though I despise thier colonized ways.
I cannot deny that I am a Malinche bastard,
A child of a society that is not pure in its intent.
I think about it often,
but hard to put in words.
People thinking I am a sell out,
by not keeping las tradiciones,
because of my way of thinking.
Why should justify the position of my beliefs,
it would be just as conservative,
Does that make any sense?
I can never forget that part of my soul and my heart.
It is where my passion,
my sense of being,
mi fe en Dios
A sense where justice dwells,
People associating my conservatism,
con mis tradiciones.
Two total different things.
They impact each other in a sense,
but are still two total different things.
Why would I want to lie to myself,
Believing I can be indigenous,
a puro nativo de Mexico.
I am not, eso, yo se quien yo soy.
Nothing I do can change that.
I do recognize my heritage,
part of it is not letting go.
Tengo mis tradiciones,
While living a life that encorporates a mainstream American life,
Causing a supreme conflict in me,
How can it be balanced?
I can not escape being oppressed or being colonized.
I am truly not indigenous,
but in that light,
are we really being oppressed
or are we just embracing both my cultures as one?"
Written on Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Inspired by Viviana Cruz
By Gabriel Cruz
There is conflict in me
Keeping the traditions alive,
and getting educated,
so why am I feeling so much resistance?
Hard to keep both, but how can I accomplish it.
Can I embrace my indigenous past and live that way?
I would be to forever condemn myself to live in ignorance.
Will I ever entirely embrace my colonized ways?
Again, to do so would be to forever condemn myself to live in ignorance
It seems at times that I forget,
that I am not really an Aztec warrior,
although I carry thier blood.
I forget that I am part European,
even though I despise thier colonized ways.
I cannot deny that I am a Malinche bastard,
A child of a society that is not pure in its intent.
I think about it often,
but hard to put in words.
People thinking I am a sell out,
by not keeping las tradiciones,
because of my way of thinking.
Why should justify the position of my beliefs,
it would be just as conservative,
Does that make any sense?
I can never forget that part of my soul and my heart.
It is where my passion,
my sense of being,
mi fe en Dios
A sense where justice dwells,
People associating my conservatism,
con mis tradiciones.
Two total different things.
They impact each other in a sense,
but are still two total different things.
Why would I want to lie to myself,
Believing I can be indigenous,
a puro nativo de Mexico.
I am not, eso, yo se quien yo soy.
Nothing I do can change that.
I do recognize my heritage,
part of it is not letting go.
Tengo mis tradiciones,
While living a life that encorporates a mainstream American life,
Causing a supreme conflict in me,
How can it be balanced?
I can not escape being oppressed or being colonized.
I am truly not indigenous,
but in that light,
are we really being oppressed
or are we just embracing both my cultures as one?"