Single What? Female...

Some of the best stuff never recorded...

Once because I forgot, once because I was not allowed and once because we were just talking in the car and the idea of having the tape recorder ready was far away from my mind.

This is what Albuquerque has done to me.

Albuquerque, New Mexico seems, to me at least, to be the epitome of the southwest (yes, I am sure folks will beg to differ). The Native American culture here pretty much overwhelms everything else, even the Mexican and surely the Caucasian and it is one of the reasons I wanted to come here as it is so rare to really meet or discuss this facet of America on the east coast. Yes, there are tribes in my area, but the culture is not so prominent as it is here.

I started at the Frontier Restaurant, a college (the University of New Mexico is across the street) as well as general greasy spoon has a well ridden feel and has the foot traffic my ever gracious hostess Kahleetah promised. I managed to talk to a couple of girls there- Julia and Maria - both of whom have mixed heritage and get asked the question a lot, when it is not just assumed that they are Mexican (an assumption that bothers both of them after awhile). Julia though finds the question a compliment as it means "that they find you exotic looking or something". Both do not really celebrate their roots here, but have said that when they go to various family gatherings, it's all about the Latin traditions. Maria talked about how, growing up a military brat, roots were not so much an issue, but when she and her family go to Florida, where the rest of her Ecuadorian father lives "it's like a typical Spanish family". They do not see it so much as a regional question, but do find one's response to it rather particular here as, with the Native American and Mexican culture so strong here, it is a different situation than in the rest of the country.
After having a good stroll up Center street, full of quirky shops and cafes, I stopped in at The Flying Stars cafe. I wasn't sure I was going to get anywhere here, but I ended up sitting next to two sisters who let me interrupt their meal (I didn't know they had ordered food! I swear!) to chat with them. They asked not to be recorded but man did they give me insight to the area and I scribbled down as much info as I could.
They are black and Pueblo and have been mistaken for everything from Mexican to Ghanian: "claimed by many and subscribed to none" they say. They don't mind the curiousity, but do not like to be claimed by a group who then may turn on them if they claim their own heritage. I remember a woman at a neighborhood store who looked at me, positively shocked when I did not respond to her in Spanish, looking at me as if she were saying "what do you MEAN your parents did not teach you Spanish?", so I know this feeling. They also worry about not having enough role models for women like them as many may see their being black, Native American AND women as three strikes against them, but the sisters themselves see this as something to take pride in and feel other women in the same situation should do the same. "It may be the southwest but it's still the south" one of them remarked as they discussed the racism they still encounter here. One, a college professor, was recently stopped at a mall and accused of being a gang member because of how she looked. They also have to worry about the racism encountered amidst their own cultures as one side will degrade the other or think that one is more important than the other. It made me think of a conversation I overheard on the A train once where a girl very loudly protested to her friend after he had asked her not only "what are you?" but "What are you most?": "What do you mean, what I am most? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm an American and yeah I'm mixed but what the hell has that got to do with anything?" etc. These ladies and I sat talking about race and gender issues for nearly an hour and when I thanked them for taking the time to talk with me, they said "Well, you know, even if you hadn't shown up, we'd have probably had this conversation anyway. We talk about this all the time..."
Lastly, my fabulous hostess Kahleetah has her own "what are you?" with her name. She works in commercial real estate and tends to deal with people on the phone first. She can develop a whole relationship over the phone and then, when they meet her, the general reaction is surprise. "I'm 100% Swedish on my mom's side and kinda white trash Oklahoman on the other, but because my Dad's from Oklahoma, he wanted to give me a traditional (Native American) name from there...so there's this 'Wait! You're Kahleetah? I thought you were black!' or 'I pictured you as..,' etc etc" Kahleetah also brought up the trying time her stepson had with a school project. He and his classmates were asked to bring in a dish traditional with their heritage. Well, this turned out to be an agonizing assignment as 1) he didn't know what to choose - mom's side? Dad's side? (and this can be complicated within blended families) and 2) there are so many things to choose from as neither side has just one heritage (as so few families do these days). He ended up choosing his stepmom's favorite New Year's dish of cheese fondue. It's good, it's simple and as Kahleetah remarked, does have the "social aspect" of bringing people together around a shared pot. I have a new respect for fondue.
I sadly am missing the Gathering of Nations here in Albuquerque as the events start today not long before my train leaves town, but I do believe that I got a good taste of the Southwest here and this fab city.

More ramblings from the road later and may I thank you for your patience with all typos, spelling errors and left out words.

Peace all --Alex

posted by funkweee @ 9:06 PM