Hispanic Discussion Thread!

[Cantelo]

So I've seen other threads made with specific religions or ethnic groups, though never one for Latinos (at least, not during the time I've been on here).

Frankly I don't know how many Latinos/Hispanics are on NationStates and I'm not sure what the appeal of this would be, so this is pretty much a learning experience on how to (or how not to) make a thread in General for me.

Anyways, I myself am an American of Spanish parents. Since there aren't really that many Spaniards in the US, most of the family friends my parents have and I've grown up around tend to be Latinos (specifically from Cuba). I'm bilingual in both Spanish and English, though when I was little my parents tried teaching me Asturian then gave up. Yes, I do have the "lispy" thing going on when I speak Spanish and I used to actually be ashamed of it but I've grown to embrace it as a sign of my heritage.

Hispanic heritage month has always been an odd time of year for me because it would always be about the Mexican kids and their culture, which I can't blame schools for since most Latinos in the US are Mexicans. It did make me feel kind of ignored but whatever.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk

[Nouveau Quebecois]

*Standing ovation*

[Cantelo]

*Standing ovation*

Thank you, I feel less insecure about my ability to post a thread

[Major-Tom]

My dad's mother is Spanish, her mother was from Galicia and her dad was half Spanish and half German. She was born in a Spanish-Speaking house in Santa Fe back in the 1930s, and she always tells us stories of New Mexico from that time period, which was dominated by Hispanos. It's pretty fascinating, she's in her 80s now and still speaks fluent Spanish to this day.

Despite that, I'm pale and blonde as they come, the Spanish gene must not have carried over.

[Rainbowsix]

great time for a 1st thread hope this goes well

[Cantelo]

My dad's mother is Spanish, her mother was from Galicia and her dad was half Spanish and half German. She was born in a Spanish-Speaking house in Santa Fe back in the 1930s, and she always tells us stories of New Mexico from that time period, which was dominated by Hispanos. It's pretty fascinating, she's in her 80s now and still speaks fluent Spanish to this day.

Despite that, I'm pale and blonde as they come, the Spanish gene must not have carried over.

It really just depends on where you are. In the north (Asturias, Basque Country, Cantabria, Galicia, etc) people tend to be paler than in the south but not always. Both sides of my family are from Asturias and I visit pretty often, people up there generally don't look as "Mediterranean" but I attribute it to the fact that the weather generally sucks and it can get cloudy often.

As for my family, most of them have light eyes and skin, parents included.

[Adamantaean Magocrate]

I lived in New Mexico until I was 27. Despite this, my ethnicity did not become Hispanic.

However, I do have better taste in food than other whites people.

It is my hope that the people’s republic will mandate better food, and we can start by replacing Taco Bell.

[Las Palmeras]

Hiya. I wouldn't consider myself Hispanic, "Latino" would be a better term to describe me. I think...I look a bit indigenous in my opinion.

I was born in Southern California, to Mexican immigrants. I felt off compared to other Mexican-Americans even in the USA, most of them had norteño roots. I don't. I have dual citizenship and currently reside in the Mexico City megalopolis area and I love big city life. I'm bilingual, I used to speak Spanish at home and English in public when I was a kid, and I don't have much of an accent when speaking Spanish even if I do make grammatical mistakes from time to time. I don't like posting details that are too personal about me but I covered the basics.

[Nouveau Quebecois]

If you really think about it, Iceland is technically rightful core Spanish territory.

[The Blaatschapen]

If you really think about it, Iceland is technically rightful core Spanish territory.

https://www.thelocal.es/20150429/icelan ... s-on-sight

I knew there was a reason for that law!

[Major-Tom]

My dad's mother is Spanish, her mother was from Galicia and her dad was half Spanish and half German. She was born in a Spanish-Speaking house in Santa Fe back in the 1930s, and she always tells us stories of New Mexico from that time period, which was dominated by Hispanos. It's pretty fascinating, she's in her 80s now and still speaks fluent Spanish to this day.

Despite that, I'm pale and blonde as they come, the Spanish gene must not have carried over.

It really just depends on where you are. In the north (Asturias, Basque Country, Cantabria, Galicia, etc) people tend to be paler than in the south but not always. Both sides of my family are from Asturias and I visit pretty often, people up there generally don't look as "Mediterranean" but I attribute it to the fact that the weather generally sucks and it can get cloudy often.

As for my family, most of them have light eyes and skin, parents included.

That's true - I'm also almost wholly Swedish on my mother's side, so that may also be why. My Spanish grandmother is often mistaken for being Mexican, she's pretty dark.

[Cantelo]

Hiya. I wouldn't consider myself Hispanic, "Latino" would be a better term to describe me. I think...I look a bit indigenous in my opinion.

I was born in Southern California, to Mexican immigrants. I felt off compared to other Mexican-Americans even in the USA, most of them had norteño roots. I don't. I have dual citizenship and currently reside in the Mexico City megalopolis area and I love big city life. I'm bilingual, I used to speak Spanish at home and English in public when I was a kid, and I don't have much of an accent when speaking Spanish even if I do make grammatical mistakes from time to time. I don't like posting details that are too personal about me but I covered the basics.

I use "Hispanic" exclusively because Latino is somebody from the Americas, which I am not. I've always felt a subtle rift between myself and Latinos, especially in school and ESPECIALLY in Spanish classes.

I also have dual citizenship, which is pretty fire to be honest. I feel special when I can whip out my EU passport and go through EU customs whenever I visit family.

[Las Palmeras]

I use "Hispanic" exclusively because Latino is somebody from the Americas

Yes.

I also have dual citizenship, which is pretty fire to be honest.

Ah, it's always nice finding common ground with a complete stranger online.

[Kowani]

So…my father is Angolan, but my mother is Spanish. Moved to the US a couple years ago. I’m from the south of Spain-Granada, which gives me a horrendous accent.
Epero que me entendái, tío.

[Katganistan]

My mother is Puerto Rican, although it was my grandfather and grandmother who actually lived on the island -- my mom and uncle were both born in Manhattan. My great-grandmother came from Mallorca.

My father's side of the family is Sicilian-American and Maltese-American.

Me, I guess I'm third generation New Yorker.

[Kiruri]

So…my father is Angolan, but my mother is Spanish. Moved to the US a couple years ago. I’m from the south of Spain-Granada, which gives me a horrendous accent.
Epero que me entendái, tío.

I've heard it..sounds quite like Caribbean Spanish

[Senkaku]

Technically I can put Hispanic on official forms, because my great-grandparents came to LA after ending up on the wrong side of the Mexican Revolution and had my grandpa there- but my grandma's a full-blown WASP, so my mom's only half, and my dad is Anglo as hell too, so I'm only 1/4 and like 3rd generation American, so it feels a little weird to make it an actual part of my identity. My mom learned some Spanish when she was young but she's lost most of it and I only ever learned in school, and even my grandpa's Spanish isn't amazing because once he went to public school he basically stopped learning more- so he can converse fluently but he misses stuff that someone who spent their whole life learning more of it would get, if that makes sense. My mom and I are actually both darker than him, which is interesting since both of us are the ones with Anglo blood, he passes for Anglo fine but she looks like she could be from anywhere between Iran and Mazatlan, and I usually pass for Anglo fine but if I spend a little time in the sun I darken into ethnic ambiguity.

[Cantelo]

So…my father is Angolan, but my mother is Spanish. Moved to the US a couple years ago. I’m from the south of Spain-Granada, which gives me a horrendous accent.
Epero que me entendái, tío.

Andalusian accents aren’t that bad, Cuban and Puerto Rican accents are like Andalusia but on steroids. I think they’re most closely related to Canarians though

[Kowani]

So…my father is Angolan, but my mother is Spanish. Moved to the US a couple years ago. I’m from the south of Spain-Granada, which gives me a horrendous accent.
Epero que me entendái, tío.

Andalusian accents aren’t that bad, Cuban and Puerto Rican accents are like Andalusia but on steroids. I think they’re most closely related to Canarians though

I’ve yet to meet a Puerto Rican.
Cubans just try to be incomprehensible, though.

[Cetacea]

Hiya. I wouldn't consider myself Hispanic, "Latino" would be a better term to describe me. I think...I look a bit indigenous in my opinion.

I was born in Southern California, to Mexican immigrants. I felt off compared to other Mexican-Americans even in the USA, most of them had norteño roots. I don't. I have dual citizenship and currently reside in the Mexico City megalopolis area and I love big city life. I'm bilingual, I used to speak Spanish at home and English in public when I was a kid, and I don't have much of an accent when speaking Spanish even if I do make grammatical mistakes from time to time. I don't like posting details that are too personal about me but I covered the basics.

I use "Hispanic" exclusively because Latino is somebody from the Americas, which I am not. I've always felt a subtle rift between myself and Latinos, especially in school and ESPECIALLY in Spanish classes.

I also have dual citizenship, which is pretty fire to be honest. I feel special when I can whip out my EU passport and go through EU customs whenever I visit family.

Just a question - and hope its okay to ask, I mean no disrespect by it - Why do you consider yourself Hispanic rather than European?

Do you feel an actual kinship with the Mexican, Cubans and other Latinos around you, or is it just common language link? What about Filipinos in the US, they are also Spanish speaking.

Conversely since Spain is in Europe, do you feel any affinity for other recent European immigrants? Or even other south European ethnicities in the US like Italian or French

[Isles of Metanoia]

Can a Filipino like me partcipate? I have a Morsico surname and came via Mexico on my Father's side though am majoritu Malay, and I have Mestiza ancestry 1/4rth on my mom's while she also has Chinese admix.

Anyway we are the most loyal to Spain, Filipinas ceased being a Spanish colony only in 1898 while Latin America became independent on the 1800s.

Also, once I finish going home to Iloilo I will take a picture of my uncle on my mom's side and I would like you to classify or calculate the percentage of Spanish admix that side of my family has.

[Cantelo]

I use "Hispanic" exclusively because Latino is somebody from the Americas, which I am not. I've always felt a subtle rift between myself and Latinos, especially in school and ESPECIALLY in Spanish classes.

I also have dual citizenship, which is pretty fire to be honest. I feel special when I can whip out my EU passport and go through EU customs whenever I visit family.

Just a question - and hope its okay to ask, I mean no disrespect by it - Why do you consider yourself Hispanic rather than European?

Do you feel an actual kinship with the Mexican, Cubans and other Latinos around you, or is it just common language link? What about Filipinos in the US, they are also Spanish speaking.

Conversely since Spain is in Europe, do you feel any affinity for other recent European immigrants? Or even other south European ethnicities in the US like Italian or French

Well of course I consider myself European, Hispanic and European aren’t mutually exclusive categories. I mean “Hispanic” in the same way as a French person would consider themselves “French” as well as European. Hispanic is just a convenient term for anything relating to Spain, while Latino involves anyone/thing from Latin America (which I am not). Basically me being European is a given considering my parents are Spanish and I hold Spanish citizenship, and calling myself Hispanic differentiates me from Latinos while still showing my heritage if you get me.

As for kinship, I’d say there definitely is some due to shared language and history. I don’t feel the same way towards other Europeans because Latinos are literally “Spain’s children” in the sense that Spain was their colonial ruler and contributed massively to their cultures. Cubans give off the biggest vibe of kinship since, to put it frankly, our Cuban friends “look” more Spanish/European and sound pretty similar to southern accents in Spain.

[Emulation White]

I think it is wrong for people of Mestizo and Mulatto descent to call themselves Hispanic, it's cultural and identity appropriation. The (North and South) American conception of Hispanic and Latin identity is a fabrication and dilution formed by colonial projection rather than organic generation. It functions as a bastardized substitute for the unique and beautiful Native American culture that was disgustingly destroyed.

[Cantelo]

I think it is wrong for people of Mestizo and Mulatto descent to call themselves Hispanic, it's cultural and identity appropriation. The (North and South) American conception of Hispanic and Latin identity is a fabrication and dilution formed by colonial projection rather than organic generation. It functions as a bastardized substitute for the unique and beautiful Native American culture that was disgustingly destroyed.

I disagree wholeheartedly. Latinos are exactly that because of the European colonization, and maintain one foot in European traditions and another foot in Native/African traditions. This forms the backbone of the different cultures you see all across Latin America and their identity as Latinos is as valid as any other ethnic group(s) and their identities.

Sure, it would’ve never come into existence had Europe not colonized the Americas, but it’s still an organic identity that occurred because of colonization and grew naturally from the sources which it claims heritage from. Sorry, but your hot take feels like a tryhard attempt at a contrarian opinion.

[Katganistan]

You think incorrectly, then. I would never discount any part of my heritage, and resent it being called 'bastardized'.