Gathering Under the Piñata, 1993 OHS Folklife Program Photograph S 3-465

Another type of pioneering heritage in southern Oregon is now increasingly recognized. The contemporary thriving Latino community recalls the Hispanic presence that preceded Euro-American settlement. From 1542 through the Oregon Trail era, Spanish explorers mapped and claimed the coast, a heritage lingering in place names like Cape Perpetua and Cape Blanco. In 1821, when Mexico declared independence from Spain, the northern Mexico border rested near today’s Oregon-California line. After the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, the United States annexed the land south of the border. Mexicans continued to steadily migrate north—drawn by the mining booms of the 1850s, the building of the railroads, and other economic opportunities. However, nothing shaped Oregon’s Hispanic experience as profoundly as the creation of the bracero program that brought farm workers north during World War II to fill critical labor shortages (see From Braceros to Lowriders). As of the 2000 census, Oregon’s population is 8 percent Hispanic with a projection of further growth in the first half of the twenty-first century.

Latino folk arts are visible, vital, and growing in importance, reflecting the rich influences of mestizos of mixed heritage and many indigenous cultures: Mixtecos or Zapotecas from Oaxaca, Otomis from Hidalgo, Nahuas from Veracruz, and Purépechas from Michoacan. All speak different languages, with Spanish often secondary; all bring rich folk art traditions. Dagoberto Morales Duran of Michoacan descends from four generations of craftsmen. He learned straw weaving at age five, putting aside his work temporarily during college. When he moved to Oregon, he resumed weaving wheat into mats, baskets, fans, and objects for religious ceremonies and festivals. His woven Virgen de la Salud statues and other arts reconnect him to his culture, create income, and help educate others about Mexico.

Local festivals and county fairs also highlight Latino cultures. At Cinco de Mayo, which celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French, you can hear mariachi bands and taste empanadas and tamales made from corn ground on a metate, a flat stone base. You might also witness the best of Mexican charrería or cowboy traditions. Contemporary charros are rooted in the working traditions of the West, but now they perform at rodeos—roping, bull-riding, and taking part in other competitions. For the expressive culture of a younger set, look for lowriders, cars controlled by customized hydraulic systems that allow them to move side to side as well as up and down. Young men cruise the streets at festival time in brightly decorated cars, trucks, and SUVs, enacting an elaborate cultural display.

Legends root international tradition to local form. La Llarona, the Legend of the Crying Woman, still flies from the tongues of elders to children throughout the United States and Mexico. Legends, believed to be true, often begin with “There once was…”—“Había una vez…” Versions of La Llarona differ slightly, but all tell of a señora who drowns her children for the sake of a lover who then abandons her. La Llarona roams the river mourning and wailing for her lost children.  Still told in southern Oregon, some say this legend keeps wandering children away from rivers. Others argue that the tale upholds fidelity in marriage for traditional tellers, while younger women might use it to issue warnings about faithless men and the need for female independence. Texts are never neutral and folklore can serve multiple purposes.

© Joanne B. Mulcahy, 2005.

Themes: Social Relations,Religion,Folklife

Regions: Southwestern Oregon

Date: Present

Author: Joanne B. Mulcahy

Summary:
The contemporary Latino community in the region connects with the Hispanic presence that preceded Euro-American settlement.