Folklore and Ethno-Nationalism in Mexican American Literary Production. Adaptation and Transformation of Indigenous Folk Icons in the Chicano Movement

Abstract

In this study I examine the adaptation and transformation of indigenous myths and legends, particularly the La Llorona, La Malinche and the Virgin of Guadalupe myths, within the explosive Mexican American ethno-nationalist movement from the turbulent 1960s and thereafter. I posit that ethno-nationalist movements as well as nationalist movements arising from marginalized groups in a nation find folk traditions indispensable for political resistance and affirmation purposes as well as for literary production which I argue is an integral part of nationalist movements.

***

V tej razpravi obravnavam prilagajanje in spreminjanje domačinskih mitov in legend, zlasti mitov o Lloroni (Jokajoči ženi), Malinche (ženi Marini) in Devici guadelupski, v vznesenem mehiško-ameriškem etnonacionalističnem gibanju od razburkanih 60. let prejšnjega stoletja naprej. Ugotavljam, da etnonacionalistična kakor tudi nacionalistična gibanja zapostavljenih skupin v naciji najdejo v ljudskem izročilu močno oporo za politični odpor in samouveljavitev, pa tudi za literarno produkcijo, ki jo razumem kot sestavino nacionalističnih gibanj.