Hispanic Culture

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Americans think of Mexican and the restaurant Taco Bell comes to mind. This restaurant is the farthest from authentic when it comes to Mexican food. In the US Hispanic restaurants often round down their food to the stereotypical, bottom end of the market formula, rather than offering food that reflects the true depth of what really is Hispanic food (Standish & Bell, 2004). We often overgeneralize Hispanic food which leads to thin slicing and undeniable stereotyping. It is not refried beans and salsa. Forming judgments based on small bits of information is the stereotyping being referred to here. Social class comes to mind as well when I am looking back on my journey through Hispanic food traditions over the last weeks. Psychologist Michael Argyle reports the cues we use to identify class including, way of life, family, job, and money. The moonshine grade liquor I mentioned was often popular among the poor and working class because it is cheap and can be found in secret pulquerias from a wooden barrel. In other higher social classes it may be served in special shallow vessel to those seeking connection with their Hispanic roots (Standish & Bell, 2004).

When comparing these two experiences I did find a common similarity in that they are both, in a way, forms of nonverbal communication for the Hispanic culture. As they communicate with their deceased loved ones with the altars, food is a big part of this as well often placing the pan de muerto (“bread of the dead”) as well as the skull candies on the altars. Often called ofrendas or offerings of food and flowers. The Day of the Dead and all the authentic food the grocery store had both reflect symbols of the Hispanic culture in different ways. Day of the Dead has become a symbol of a distinctively Mexican approach to life and as a result an important marker of national identity. Although we see a standardized version of Mexican food in the US it easily reveals the symbolic power of food to construct identity (Coerver, Pasztor, & Buffington, 2004).

Ultimately both food and Day of the Dead are huge parts of the Hispanic culture. They related much more to interpersonal concepts than I had originally believed they would. When looking at the religious impact of the altars and what they truly mean to the people I can see how they are a big part of shaping their identity. Authentic Hispanic food is rarely found in the US but it is obvious what impact all the authentic cuisine had on shaping the culture of the Mexican people. Experiencing a little bit of this culture it helped me get a sense of how they think, what they do, and how they use things to sustain their lives. Although all cultures may not be the same they do come together in addressing the same issues with each ones specific views giving them each their own identity.