New Mexico is a land of crisis; steps must be taken to improve the lives of its residents. In In Search of a Day in Paradise: Aztlan, author Dr. Moises Venegas analyzes the history of Hispanics in the southwest and makes a call for change in New Mexico's education, policies, and politics. Venegas shows that after four hundred years, mestizo Hispanos are still searching for their elusive day in paradise-that cultural, economic, political and educational paradise that could help put them in a better place in the future. In Search of a Day in Paradise: Aztlan discusses how, in this modern era, New Mexicans can strive for the return of Aztlan-New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and California-by demanding a better education, voting for leaders who do not just talk but act when it comes to improving the job situation in New Mexico, and eliminating poverty. In Search of a Day in Paradise: Aztlan offers insight into how using historical data can be of influence as Hispanos seek to improve their standing in today's society. Time will tell if they will perform better educationally and politically in 2075 than they have in the past.

In Search of a Day in Paradise: AZTLAN

By MOISES VENEGAS

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 Moises Venegas
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4759-5738-9

Contents

Preface...............................................................1Introduction..........................................................51. New Mexico Hispanics: A Mestizage of 400 Years.....................112. New Mexico: A Culture of Poverty...................................153. Hispanics in Politics..............................................294. Accidental Education...............................................405. Aztlan: Is it the Paradise We Seek?................................60Bibliography..........................................................71

Chapter One

New Mexico Hispanics: A Mestizage of 400 Years

New Mexicans are proud of their history and connection to Spain. There should be pride because the exploration and settlement of Mexico; New Mexico and the Southwest originated in Spain. Today, many of New Mexicans continue speaking Spanish and participate in the Catholic Church. As always, we must remember that there is no purity in race or ethnicity. We are a mixture, a mestizage of many ethnicities. Author Gregory Rodriguez in his book Mongrels, Bastards, Orphans and Vagabonds, has one of the best descriptions of who we are as Hispanos/Mexicanos in Mexico and the Southwest.

In the 1990's I was reminded where some of our roots came from. The United States, under the first Bush Administration, was in conflict with the government of Iraq. During a class debate on America's war with Iraq a student's comment was intriguing. Saddam Hussein had made the cover of Time Magazine and a student said, "Professor Venegas, you look like Saddam Hussein!" Today with the continuation of the internal news and conflict in the Middle East, Hispanics see the similarities of their faces and those of the people of the Middle East. The moreno look in New Mexicans comes not only from indigenous people in Mexico and the Southwest, but also from the Middle East.

Spain has a long Moorish history of about 800 years. That Moorish history is part of New Mexico when Spaniards moved to the New World. The Moors arrived in Spain in the year 711 A.D. and thus began a period of history which would give Iberia a different face than the rest of Europe. Spain had an introduction to a new religion, language and culture. The Moors remained in Iberia until 1492. In answering the question of who New Mexicans are as Hispanos, look at some numbers from past history: In the 711 A.D. with the original 1,000 Moorish soldiers who entered Spain, there were no women in the invasion and settlement. These 1,000 men stayed and a new cultural mix began in Spain and continued until 1492.

On Feb. 19, 1519, with a force of 600 men, Hernan Cortéz set sail for Mexico, landing in March of the same year and conquering the town of Tobasco. Cortez met a woman named, Malinche, who became his mistress, guide and interpreter. The beginning of the new mestizo "race" in the New World began with the 600 soldiers, Cortez, Malinche and the native Aztecs and other Indian tribes. This was the start of the mestizage, the mixed race that Rodriguez so eloquently describes in his book. In 1521, two years after the arrival of Cortez, there were only seven Spanish women in New Spain (Mexico). Between the years of 1521 and 1540, less than 6 percent of the Spanish migrants to Mexico were women. Another group that accounts for our mestizage today is the African slaves brought to Mexico – more than 200,000 throughout the colonial period.

In New Mexico, the same pattern of settlement by men occurred; this time in 1598 with Juan de Oñate. However, there is an even earlier explorer. In the 1530s, Estevanico, also known as Estevan and Estebanico, came on the scene. It is interesting to note that Estevanico was the first black person in New Mexico and the Southwest. He was born around 1500 in Azemmaour on the west coast of Moracco. In those days, the Arabs of Morraco were in an eternal war with their neighbors to the north – Spain and Portugal. Estevanico was captured and sold as a slave in Spain and was often referred to as "The Black."

New Mexico has a rich cultural diversity. In 1535, when Estevanico arrived with Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Dorantes and Alonzo del Castillo Maldonado, the group reached the Rio Grande and saw for the first time the Pueblos of the Jumna Tribe. The group returned to the present state of Chihuahua and continued to Mexico City where they arrived on July 24, 1536. In Mexico City, they met with Viceroy Antonio Mendoza and recounted their tales of the Cibola Cities of Gold.

Estevanico returned through the state of Sonora in 1539 continuing to Arizona and New Mexico. He arrived at the Zuni Pueblo, the first of the Seven Cibola Cities of Gold. Fate finally caught up with Estevanico – he was killed by the pueblo Indians. With Estevanico, "The Black," as he was known, a cultural face of the northern New Spain was born.

Juan de Oñate established the first colony at San Juan Pueblo, traveling 600 miles from the state of Chihuahua to the Santa Fe/Espanola area. Oñate was born in the New World in Zacatecas, Mexico. Oñate's wife was Isabel de Tolosa Cortez Moctezuma, granddaughter of the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma Xocatyotzin. The cultural identity conflict began then and continues today. Are New Mexico Hispanics mulatto, Aztecas, Mexicans, Spaniards or Pueblo natives? Today some still think there are pure Hispanics in New Mexico?

What did Oñate bring to New Mexico besides the first settlement? Failure. He found no gold or silver and he added to the mistreatment of the natives of New Mexico. In 1608, Oñate was removed as governor of New Mexico and sent back to Mexico City to be tried for crimes against the native Indians and abuse of power. It was not until 1613 that Oñate was finally convicted, fined and removed from New Mexico permanently and banished from Mexico City for four years. He returned to Spain where he died in 1626.

However, in New Mexico communities continue to either commemorate and celebrate Oñate and some try to forget this Hispanic forefather. Perhaps many legendary legs and feet should be cut from historical fables. Native Americans have not forgiven. Onate in New Mexico was the historical start of that elusive day in paradise where we began to see a mixture of so many cultures.

Chapter Two

New Mexico: A Culture of Poverty

The Cultural History of New Mexico, Hispanic and mestizos is closely aligned with the culture of poverty in the state. Again, 400 years here in the Southwest and still many Hispanics still search for economic success. With poverty in New Mexico there's a profound yet simple statement that makes sense: "Nothing changes if nothing changes." Observe Hispanics in Northern New Mexico; the Pueblos and the Navajos in the northwest and see poverty at its best.

New Mexico, so beautiful; it truly is a Land of Enchantment. New Mexico has a longer history as a populated state than any state in the country. There is a diverse population as well as diversity in its environment. How great to travel north from Carlsbad to Ruidoso, Socorro, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and stop for a rest in Taos before entering the beautiful Hispanic San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado. No doubts from these views it is the Land of Enchantment.

There have been many plans for economic development in New Mexico since statehood and the struggle continued in the 2012 legislative session. Yet New Mexico still ranks 48th in the nation for poverty. Educators remind us of the reason. It's poverty, people, poverty is the reason we cannot educate our students. Are poor students capable of learning? Can New Mexico with its majority/minority population improve and move the state out of poverty?

As always, with these types of negative rankings, New Mexicans find themselves in the company of southern states like Mississippi (50th) and Louisiana (49th). In terms of poverty, why does New Mexico look like the South rather than the border states of Arizona, Colorado and Texas?

With so many reforms and economic development programs why are so many New Mexicans under-educated? What happened to New Mexico's big-idea to bring in manufacturing powerhouses such as Tesla (luxury cars), Eclipse (private jets) and Mesa del Sol (a planned growth community)? The state continues to wait for the coming of the Spaceport in Southern New Mexico. Are New Mexicans going to be employed there, or will they bring the work force from outside the state?

George Sanchez, in his 1940 book "The Forgotten People," states that New Mexico romanticizes its people and forgets the poverty. Those words bring to mind the unique multicultural state, the mesas and the mountains, Juan de Oñate, Navajos and the Pueblos. There are thousands of tourists who come to New Mexico for the Indian Market, Hispanic Market and the international folk art gatherings. We think of the uniqueness of Taos, Santa Fe and Silver City.

Whenever the state hosts a national conference there will certainly be provided Native American dancers, mariachis, matachines, ballet folklorico and flamenco dancers. So unique; but why are we so poor, especially Nuevo Mejicanos?

There are many Pueblos along the Rio Grande beginning in Taos and also the Navajos and Jicarilla and Mescalero Apaches. Are these areas in a state of poverty like the rest of New Mexico? Yes, if you consider a 50 percent unemployment rate to be poverty. What would it be like if we did not have Indian gambling casinos? One only wonders.

One other factor to assess is the federal government expenditure in the state. The state may be blessed with the investments by the Sandia and Los Alamos labs in addition to the Air Force bases throughout the state and White Sands. The latest figures indicate that New Mexico ranks fifth with $24 billion in federal money spent in the state. On a per capita basis New Mexico ranks fourth for per capita spending at $10,650; Virginia is first with $14,200. Is the federal government helping our economic development? With all of this good news, it appears that indeed in 2012 New Mexico's centennial celebration may actually be marred once again by a culture of poverty. Pity we haven't been able to get the help we need from our elected officials. And so, the culture and the poverty continues.

In the 1500s, perhaps 470 years ago or more, the Spanish explorers were searching for the Seven Cities of Gold in New Mexico and the Southwest. Today, Hispanics are still searching but few riches have been found. In today's economy the Hispanic and Native American populations have given up on the "Seven Cities" and simply are looking for jobs! What is the record?

New Mexico ranks 48th, among all states, in the number of residents who live in poverty. Approximately 22.2 percent of people reside in households with income below the poverty line. If we focus on New Mexico's children, the percent in poverty goes up to 26 percent. Translated: 388,000 New Mexico children live in poverty. Over half of the state's children – 52 percent live in low-income homes. Only one other state is poorer than New Mexico. Surprisingly, it's a Southern state, which again raises the question of why we compare similarly to states such as Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama in areas of poverty, education and health. One answer might be in the high prevalence of minorities in New Mexico and the South. In New Mexico, and in this country in general, there has been limited due respect given to the rights of our minorities when it comes to income, jobs and education. In 2012, New Mexicans are still searching for their day in a more economically rich paradise. Hispanics may ask many times, "Lord what have we done wrong?" Are we just lazy?

In New Mexico, with a majority of the people being Hispanic, Native American and Afro-American, we will have a higher poverty rate based on the numbers. One basic fact on unemployment on the Navajo reservation, is that 54 percent of its people are unemployed. What would we do in this country if the unemployment rate was 50 percent? We have major problems nationally today when it is only 8.3 percent unemployment. This would not be an easy pill for anyone in America to swallow, yet it happens every day on New Mexico's land.

In New Mexico, 10 of the counties with high poverty year after year are those counties in which the Hispanic population accounts for 50 percent, or those in which the Native Americans account for 40 percent. In New Mexico, as in this country, there is a correlation between minority status and poverty. The bigger problem that New Mexico faces is that the combined numbers of Hispanics and Native Americans make up the majority population of the state. Unless major efforts are made, this poverty situation will only get worse. That's a given since about 65 percent of children in schools today are either Native American or Hispanic.

So how is the land of enchantment seen as January 6, 2012 approached and the state celebrated its centennial? While the federal government has helped the state with continuing to keep the national labs, Army, Air Force bases and White Sands research area open, still we must diversify our economic opportunities here. Little has been done in creating jobs and economic development in the Hispanic north or the Native American Northwest. The pattern of economic development has been the Rio Grande corridor to Las Cruces and the Southeast side to the Clovis area. In the north, many in Taos and Santa Fe are dependent on the tourism industry. Las Vegas, on the Santa Fe Trail and Interstate 25 has few jobs to offer outside of local, state and federal public employment.

The most obvious direction that New Mexico must implement is a trained and ready workforce. Educate, graduate and prepare every student for college or the workforce. The question remains, "Why has it not been done at this point?"

We are reminded again that New Mexico is so beautiful, why do its people continue to accept poverty? In this state we have a longer history as a populated state than most states in this country. We have a diverse population as well as diversity in our environment. There have been many plans for economic development in New Mexico since statehood in 1912. All the plans have not improved employment. New Mexico continues to be 48th in the nation for poverty.

As always, with these types of negative rankings, we find ourselves in the company of southern states like Mississippi (50th) and Louisiana (49th). In terms of poverty, again, why does New Mexico look like the South rather than our border states of Arizona, Colorado and Texas?

Having traveled, worked and lived in Texas, California and Colorado, I decided to come home in the mid-80s. I was coming home to mother, state and this Land of Enchantment. I knew that when I left, poverty existed in New Mexico. I also knew that times change. I thought economic improvements had been made and that perhaps part of the past poverty record had been buried. But I was reminded by noted author William Faulkner, "The past isn't dead and buried. In fact it isn't even past." New Mexicans, we all love our state; so I wonder, why do we remain so poor?

As poor as we are in New Mexico, we also have a disparity of wealth that is significant. Compare the national labs in Los Alamos and Albuquerque with Luna County. We are talking a median income of $106,000 in Los Alamos and $26,000 in Luna County. Dare we compare the disparity by including the well known communities of Gallina, Rehoboth, Magdalena y Mosquero!

Albuquerque Journal writer Leslie Linthicum put it this way in a column: "We have always been a place of contrasts and things that don't make sense, a place of unimaginable `haves' surrounded by the disgrace of too many `have nots.' Welcome home!"

Governor of New Mexico, we need your help. We would not want to celebrate our state centennial in 2012 thinking again about our culture of poverty, would we?

Politics and Poverty

Politics and democracy have a diverse history in the state of New Mexico. From the rule of Spain through the appointed governors such as Juan de Onate in 1598 to the governorship of Bill Richardson and Susana Martinez in the 21st Century, politics has had a long history in New Mexico. In between, we have seen the Mexican republic in control from 1821-1848. With the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo after the Mexican American War in 1848, New Mexicans lose democracy and vote as it is declared a territory. The New Mexico territory had a life of 64 years until statehood was accomplished in 1912.

Politically, Hispanics in New Mexico and the Southwest have been through different systems, from Spain to New Spain, Grito de Dolores and finally the Manifest Destiny of the United States and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. It took New Mexicans 64 years to be accepted as state in the union in 1912. Why so long? The general feeling of Congress during those years was that we were culturally different; too Hispanic or Mexican, a different language and a different god. We did not look like Americans. Do we today?

Now 100 years later as we prepare to celebrate, what is the human political environment in the state? Yes we have had many state legislators, and even governors, who are Hispanic. But has that improved the economic condition in the general population of Hispanics, which is the population with the largest ethnic group in the state at 44.4 percent? Has there been a return on our investment of such a large number of elected Hispano legislators? For a true assessment of your district, look at the poverty rate, jobs, health and education. N.M. State Senator Manny Aragon — Did you not represent the South Valley in Albuquerque? Senator Pete Campos, what have you done for Las Vegas and San Miguel County? Where are the jobs and why are the proud people of that county still living in poverty?

But Estevanico and I want to believe, not in conquest, but in participation. Democratic participation, for no longer are we members of the autocratic, patronismo empire of the Spaniards! We are now part of a great democracy, the United States of America. In America we all have equal rights in the year 2012, 400 years later. Do we?

Certainly, I must say that our ancestors, including Estevanico and Onate conquered and ruled, but they did so differently than the Americans in the East coast. Spaniards wanted to destroy the landscape but the Catholic church would not allow it. Better then destroy, let's convert and show our brothers Catholicism. In the 21st century we have few identifiable Native Americans to convert in the East. In the Southwest we have many, Navajos, Apaches and Pueblos. They still adhere to their customs and ceremonies. Perhaps in 2012 we should practice the native way and forget about the Pope and Billy Graham.

As mestizos we have survived in this continent for over 500 years but we still have many years and challenges to become full Americans. There are still many among us who believe we are not a mestizage but still directly related to Juan Carlos and the queen of Spain. May you be that and still love the rest of us. And if I did not come with Estevanico, Onate, or the Duke of Albuquerque, I still crossed the same river – El Rio Grande. Was it for a job, la revolucion, los primos or I simply wanted to become a Chicano mestizo. In the year 2012, whose vote counts more?

(Continues...)

Excerpted from In Search of a Day in Paradise: AZTLANby MOISES VENEGAS Copyright © 2012 by Moises Venegas. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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