Martín & Meditations on the South Valley by Jimmy Santago Baca
"Martín & Meditations on the South Valley" by Jimmy Santiago Baca is a semiautobiographical work that explores the life journey of a young Chicano named Martín. The narrative unfolds through two long poems, where Martín grapples with his identity amidst the challenges posed by his dysfunctional family and the harsh realities of life in the barrio. Abandoned by his parents, Martín finds solace with his Indigenous grandparents and experiences the struggles of growing up in an orphanage. His quest for self-definition is deeply intertwined with his desire to reconnect with his heritage and the earth, leading him on a path that takes him across the United States, confronting addiction and the scars of his past.
As Martín matures, he recognizes the stark contrasts between the environment of the barrio and the affluent suburbs where his uncle lives. This realization propels him to return to the South Valley, where he seeks to mend his familial ties and establish a connection with his Native American roots. The second poem, "Meditations on the South Valley," continues this exploration, illustrating Martín's efforts to rebuild his life after personal loss and reaffirm his commitment to his family. Ultimately, the work paints a poignant picture of resilience, identity, and the importance of community in the face of adversity.
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Martín & Meditations on the South Valley by Jimmy Santago Baca
First published: 1986
The Work
Told in the semiautobiographical voice of Martín, the two long poems “Martín” and “Meditations on the South Valley” offer the moving account of a young Chicano’s difficult quest for self-definition amid the realities of the barrio and his dysfunctional family. Abandoned by his parents at a young age, Martín spends time with his Indio grandparents and in an orphanage before striking out on his own at the age of six. His early knowledge of his grandparents’ heritage gives him the first indication that his quest for identity will involve the recovery of a sense of family and a strong connection with the earth.
As Martín grows older and is shuttled from the orphanage to his bourgeois uncle’s home, he realizes that his life is of the barrio and the land and not the sterile world of the rich suburbs. Martín’s quest eventually leads him on a journey throughout the United States in which he searches for himself amid the horrors of addiction and the troubled memories of his childhood. Realizing that he must restore his connection with his family and home, he returns to the South Valley by way of Aztec ruins, where he ritualistically establishes his connection with his Mother Earth and his Native American ancestry. “Martín” ends with the birth of his son and Martín’s promise to never leave him. The cycle of abandonment and abuse seems to have ended, and Martín is on his way to becoming the good man he so strongly desires to be.
“Meditations on the South Valley” continues the story of Martín, reinforcing his newfound sense of identity. The poem begins with the burning of his house and the loss of ten years of writing. In the process of rebuilding his life, Martín and his family must live in the Heights, an antiseptic tract housing development that serves to reinforce his identification with the land of the South Valley. Told in brief sketches, the insights in “Meditations on the South Valley” encourage Martín to nurture the growing connections with his new family and his promise to his young son. The poem ends with the construction of his new home from the ruins of an abandoned flophouse in the South Valley. Martín’s friends come together to construct the house, and, metaphorically, Martín and his life as a good Chicano man are reborn from the garbage piles and ashes of the house they reconstruct.
Bibliography
Levertov, Denise. Introduction to Martín; & Meditations on the South Valley, by Jimmy Santiago Baca. New York: New Directions, 1987.
Olivares, Julian. “Two Contemporary Chicano Verse Chronicles.” Americas Review 16 (Fall-Winter, 1988): 214-231.
Rector, Liam. “The Documentary of What Is.” Hudson Review 41 (Summer, 1989): 393-400.