Mestizo
The term "Mestizo" originates from the Spanish language and derives from the Latin word "mixtus," meaning mixed. It generally refers to individuals of mixed ancestry, particularly those who are of combined Indigenous and European descent. In Latin America, the interpretation of "mestizo" can vary significantly by country; for instance, in Mexico, it initially described individuals with both Indigenous and white ancestry, but its use has diminished in formal contexts, such as census reports. Instead, people of mixed heritage may now identify as Creole or cruzado, particularly among the upper classes. In Ecuador, the term can also refer to Indigenous individuals who adopt European customs and clothing. In Brazil, "mestizo" is associated with individuals who engage in trade and communicate with Indigenous groups. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, it denotes someone of mixed foreign and native lineage. Overall, the concept of mestizo is multifaceted and deeply embedded in the cultural and social fabric of various Latin American and Filipino societies.
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Mestizo
“Mestizo” is a Spanish word that comes from the Latin mixtus, meaning mixed, and it refers to any person of mixed ancestry. The term always implies that the mestizo speaks either Spanish or Portuguese fluently, and there have also been implications of biological superiority and inferiority associated with the term. In Latin America, the definition of “mestizo” varies from country to country, and it must be understood in its cultural context. In Central and South America, it designates a person of combined Indian and European extraction. In Mexico, the word was originally used to indicate any person of mixed Indian and white ancestry, but the definition has become so vague and variable that it is no longer used in census reports in Mexico. The upper-class people of mixed ancestry in Mexico are now called Creole or cruzado rather than mestizo. In some countries, particularly Ecuador, mestizo has taken on social and cultural connotations, referring to pure-blooded Indians who have adopted European dress and customs. In Brazil, a person who speaks Portuguese, lives as a storekeeper or trader in the backwoods, and deals with the Indians is typically referred to as a mestizo. However, in the Philippines, the term denotes any person of mixed foreign and native ancestry.
Bibliography
Goebel, Michael, and Nicola Foote. Immigration and National Identities in Latin America. Gainsville: UP of Florida, 2014. Print.
Nayar, Pramod K. "Mestizo/a." The Postcolonial Studies Dictionary. Hoboken: Wiley, 2015. Print.
Rinderle, Susana. "Identity and Labels." Latino History and Culture: An Encyclopedia. Ed. Carmen R. Lugo-Lugo and David J. Leonard. Armonk: Routledge, 2014. 245–49. Print.
Sheffer, Jolie A. "The Mexican Mestizo/a in the Mexican American Imaginary." The Romance of Race: Incest, Miscegenation, and Multiculturalism in the United States, 1880-1930. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 2012. Print.
Telles, Edward, and Dénia Garcia. "Mestizaje and Public Opinion in Latin America." Latin American Research Review 48.3 (2013): 130–52. Print.