Miscegenation as Nation-Building: Indian and Immigrant Women in Mexico

Author: Natividad Gutierrez
Book: Unsettling Settler Societies
pages: 161- 188

Summary:
This chapter was about the different races that inhabited Mexico and the land's new social ladder and customs. The arrival of the Europeans and other immigrants marked the rising population of the mestizo, those who are bi-racial. According to the chapter, 90% of the population consisted mestizo, while only 9.8% made up the native population. The mestizo population was made up from the relationships of immigrant men and indigenous women. One's place of birth and race were the factors that comprised the social ladder. Those born in Spain were called 'peninsulares' while those who were Spanish American were called 'creoles'. The peninsulares held the highest positions in both political and religious offices, while the creoles held the intermediate and lower offices. The mestizo class comprised of a mix of European, African, Chinese, and Japanese men with indigenous women. Some aristocratic Indian women had marriages with the "conquistadors" or European land owners. Those who were a mixture of African and native descent were called mulatto. However, the chapter reports that the population grew by the addition of rape of the indigenous women.

Social status even determined the type of clothing and jewelery that a woman wore; fine clothes and jewels were only worn by Spanish women to display their high status. Origns of birth also determined the type of religous education and vows that a woman could take. Women from Spain and creoles had the opportunity to take religous vows and attend special religous institions while mestizo or noble Indian women attended seperate religous institions. The rest of the women recieved minimal religous education or opportunities. Suprisingly, at one point women of all social statuses joined togeather at one point to proest the Diaz administration. They made attained a political voice and took action: "For the first time, women also found anit-establishment newspapers and journals in order to make a political contribution to rebuilding the nation. They also contributed to the debate concerning the protection and defense of the country....". (USS 1995, pg 170)

My thoughts/reactions:
I enjoyed reading about the different statuses of women and how they affected the customs and traditions of Mexico. The chapter claimed that Spanish women were the ones to sustain Spanish customs, religion, and status in the new land. That part of the chapter reminded me of Professor Margo's comment of women being used as tools to revitialize a nation's ideals and prominent race. I thought the part of the women uniting against the Diaz administration was an amazing accomplishment for them because they were able to cross race and class lines.

It seems like Mexico had a really long social ladder comprising of the different races and birth statuses. I was suprised to find that 90% of the population was mestizo. Reading this part gave me the notion that Mexico was sort of like the United States where there was a large population of immigrants. This makes me wonder if there was a lot of racial tension between the different immigrant groups.