Guatemala and Spanish Cultures Essay -- essays research papers

Guatemala has more passel than any other exchange Ameri bottomland country, with an estimated population of 11,980,000 it is home to many different cultures. The population can be divided into two groups Indians and people of mixed Spanish and Indian ancestry. But in Guatemala, being called an Indian or a non-Indian does non depend entirely on a persons ancestry. It is basically a upshot of how people live and of how they categorize themselves. For example, a Guatemalan is considered an Indian if he or she speaks an Indian language, wears Indian clothing, and lives in a community where the people follow the Indian ways of life. The Indians think of themselves more as office staff of their community than of their country. They pay little attention to affairs outside the community. Indians accommodate up about 45 percent of the population of Guatemala. Most of them be extremely poor and uneducated. Spanish is the official languages intercommunicate in Guatemala, except there are 20 other Indian languages that are spoken as well. Guatemalas fifth constitution was adopted in 1956. The army seized the government activity again in 1963, and a sixth constitution went into effect in 1966. Elections were held that year, and civilian government was restored under President Julio Cesar Mendez Montenegro. But the country remained troubled. cryptic political extremist groups both rightist and leftist made nemesis raids. Guatemalan political leaders, the U.S. ambassador, and others were killed during the raids.The movie El Norte tells the story of how two siblings (Enrique and Rosita) put down all of their family to military raids in Mexico. When seems to be next to impossible to bear in Mexico, the two decide to flee to the uniting (America) which they feel ca be there stepping stone to opportunities and freedom. After a difficult voyage the finally arrive in America. As illegal immigrants they had to find contiguous work and the had to learn to adjust to American cultures, for instance Rosita did non know how to use a washing machine and dryer so she did it as if she were still in Mexico. While both of them worked hours of hard labor daily, Enrique is offered a job in Chicago that could guarantee him the right to a chiliad card, exclusively in order to take the job he would gestate to expire Rosita behind. Meanwhile, Rosita becomes very ill from being uncovered to rats during their journey to America. At the last minute Enr... ... and get a greenness card instead of sticking with her. When they got to the United States they were exposed to American cultures that were non like there own. Enrique was introduced to a characteristic of the American society when Macte time-tested to tell Enrique to leave his sister behind and leap toward the future and leave the past behind him, which is a mentality that most Americans have (Paz 65). As mentioned earlier when Rosita was working she did not know how to use the washer and dryer w hich seems to be a simple task for Americans but it was unfamiliar with(predicate) to Rosita and she ended up laying the fit out outside. Many North American cultures are taken for granted until we see someone who is not used to simple things such as washing clothes with a machine. Earlier in the movie we saw Rosita washing clothes by hand it was almost as if the movie repeated itself but just showed the same task in a different environment which really stressed the difference in cultures.Work CitedConnor, Walker., Heath Shirley B., and Paz Octavio. Who be the Mexican-Americans? A note on Comparability. Washington D.C. The Urban Press, 1985Guatemala Encyclopedia Britanica. Vol 5. 1996, 536-37