One of the most terrifying things other than living in a country other than your own and being forced to adapt to that country’s ways to fit in, is the horrifying thought that once you've adapted, you forget your own identity and who you are. This has been the dilemma of some of us who call ourselves Latinos or Hispanics and who wave our national flags at our National Day Parades but know nothing about what it means to be Latinos or Hispanics...
To anyone who is Latino or has Latino friends this thought seems unbelievable because if you know Latinos like I know Latinos (me being one) one would think it impossible because of the enormous pride that we have for our countries.. The pride that Latinos have for their countries can only be described as an obsession and even that word would be a great understatement.
Unfortunately, believe it or not there are those Latinos who know nothing of their own culture and history despite their pride. This is true especially among the younger generations. Too many Latino young people have either lost their cultural identities or where never immersed in it. Along with lost of cultural identity, one also loses the values that come with it such as family and valuing the family unit.. This is why many Latino youth turn to adapting cultures and lifestyles other that their own in addition turn to the gang life searching for that family closeness that they may not always find today among their own family members.
Latino culture and lifestyle comes from their pre-Columbian history where before Latinos where Latinos they were Native American tribes from South, Central, the Caribbean and What is now know today as Mexico. The Nucleus of these tribes was the family and everyone participating in doing everything for the well being of the entire tribe which consisted of a clan of many families. These tribes lived in communities, and in the center of this were plazas or ceremonial centers where these communities gathered together for spiritual as well as general gatherings. In these plazas music, food, dance, storytelling, recounting of history was the norm.
Today’s Latinos or Hispanics that live in America share very rich heritages, however many Latinos are not aware of just how rich it is.
Therefore although the Rhythmtech program is primarily a music and entertainment program, we will use this program to allow a reeducation and cultural and family rediscovery to happen. P.U.P.I.L., through Rhythmtech is introducing the Raices De Mi Raza program that hopes to recreate these traditional plaza gatherings to allow youngsters to rediscover their birth right and reeducate them will explore some of the many facets of Latino History.
These gatherings will include:
AZTEC FIRE DANCERS
MARIACHI PERFORMERS
LATINO AND PRE-COLUMBIAN STORY TELLING
LATINO AND PRE-COLUMBIAN FOODS
PRE-COLUMBIAN SPORTS
PRE-COLUMBIAN MEDICINE AND HEALING
RECOUNTING LATINO HEROS
LATINO FILMS
SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMERS AND CONCERTS
GUEST SPEAKERS
PRE-COLUMBIAN FACE PAINTING
LATINO AND PRE-COLUMBIAN REGALIA MAKING
INTERTRIBAL EVENTS
AND MORE
RHYTHMTECH RAICES DE MI RAZA PROJECT By Jose A. Lopez © COPYRIGHT 1986 JOSE A.LOPEZ & Starworks Productions Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Raices de mi Raza Logo Design, Concept, Syllabus and Name are created by Jose A. Lopez. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.