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“The word ‘pachuco
Pachuco
Pachuco refers to a subculture of Chicanos and Mexican-Americans, associated with zoot suits, street gangs, nightlife, and flamboyant public behavior. The idea of the pachuco – a zoot-suited, well-dressed, street-connected flamboyant playboy of Hispanic/Latino heritage – originated in El Pas…
Full Answer
What is Pachuco?
A word or phrase that is seldom used in contemporary language and is recognized as being from another decade, (e.g. cat, groovy). a. Chicano El joven pachuco no iba a ningún lugar sin su sombrero de fieltro. The young Chicano man wouldn't go anywhere without his fedora. b. Mexican-American
What does “El Chuco” mean?
“Chuco” is, of course, short for “pachuco,” hence El Chuco. The word “pachuco,” by the way, has its own fascinating backstory. Some believe that it came about when residents of Ciudad Juárez who worked at an El Paso shoe company could be heard saying that they were going “ pa el shoe co.,” or “to the shoe co.” Pa el shoe co. Pachuco.
Where does the word “Pachuca” come from?
There’s another theory that the word is derived from the city of Pachuca, the capital of the Mexican state of Hidalgo, where it’s said that men preferred loose-fitting pants.
How is El Pachuco presented in Zoot Suit?
and presented is seamlessly smooth, innovative, and comprehensive." El Pachuco is a multifunctional character in Zoot Suit, since he serves as both a narrator and a part of Henry ’s consciousness, often talking to him and giving him advice in times of hardship. Valdez describes El Pachuco as the very embodiment of the “ pachuco myth.”
What does El Pachuco represent?
In this way, El Pachuco represents not only the quintessential image of a pachuco, but also the ways in which this identity is tied to Mexican history and the Chicano community's cultural heritage.
Who is El Pachuco in zoot suit?
El PachucoHenry ReynaLieutenant EdwardsDella BarriosSergeant SmithGeorge ShearerZoot Suit/Characters
What does the El Pachuco symbolize to the Mexican Americans and or Chicano culture?
Furthermore, the Pachuco subculture provided the means for young Mexican Americans to resist the prejudices and inequalities in the United States. The Pachuco emerged in multiple places along the Mexico and United States borders, especially in the El Paso area (Cummings 2003: Cummings 2011).
Where did the term pachuco come from?
“The word 'pachuco' originated as the local Mexican Spanish slang term for a resident of the city of El Paso, probably early in the 20th century. Even today, El Paso is still called “El Chuco” or “El Pasiente” by some.
Are zoot suits still illegal?
In Los Angeles, it is illegal to wear a zoot suit. This law doesn't make much sense today, but back in the 1930s and '40s, good fabric was hard to come by because of the war effort. Zoot suits, because of their excessive fabric, were seen as unpatriotic.
Is zoot suit based on a true story?
It's the story of a real-life murder trial and the so-called Zoot Suit Riots, set amid rampant discrimination in 1940s Los Angeles. A play called "Zoot Suit" was a cultural phenomenon in the 1970s and '80s, launching the careers of many Chicano actors.
Why are cholos called cholos?
It first emerged in the early 17th century as a term used by Spanish colonizers as follows: "The child of a Black male and an Indian female, or of an Indian male and Black female, they call mulato and mulata. The children of these they call cholos.
Are pachucos still around?
And pachuco style remains alive and well in Mexico, cultivated by a small but fervent group of aficionados who gather at a series of legendary Mexico City ballrooms to dance the mambo and the cha-cha, flaunt their zoot suits, and keep the flame of defiance burning. "Today, being a pachuco means being part of a culture.
What did zoot suits symbolize?
34 Through cultural associations, the suit became for many symbolic shorthand for danger, waste, otherness, and racial inequality. The zoot suit had acquired symbolic valences in part by the fallout from the riot as a cultural expression of what it meant to be Mexican-American.
Why do they call El Paso El Chuco?
The nickname stems from the popularity of the Pachuco zoot suit style that is said to have originated in the El Paso-Juárez area in the 1930s, a news release said. Others say the name "El Chuco" originated in reference to an El Paso shoe company that was called "el shoe co.," by Juárez residents, Ortega said.
Why did Chicanos wear zoot suits?
As they struggled to navigate older familial and generational values and widespread bigotry, fashion became an important form of cultural expression. For Mexican youth, who would call themselves Pachucos and Pachucas, the zoot suit did just that.
What does the pachuco cross tattoo mean?
Pachuco cross tattoos symbolise solidarity and allegiance in Chicano gangsAshley Tyson/The Tattoo Dictionary. “A gang tattoo associated with Chicano (Mexican- American) gang members, a pachuco cross is usually worn between the thumb and the fore finger of the left hand” says Aitken Smith.
What kind of influence does El Pachuco have over Henry?
Henry's decisions are deeply affected by El Pachuco throughout the play. This is mostly because El Pachuco only interacts with Henry and the audience every now and then. Even so this interactions have a huge impact on Henry.
What era is El Pachuco's zoot suit from?
1940sThe play is set in the barrios of Los Angeles in the early 1940s against the backdrop of the Zoot Suit Riots and World War II. As in the play, Edward James Olmos portrays El Pachuco, an idealized Zoot Suiter, who functions as narrator throughout the story and serves as Henry's conscience.
Who is Henry's brother who is attacked by the Marines when wearing his brother's zoot suit?
Who is Rudy Reyna? Henry's brother who is attacked by marines when wearing his brother's zoot suit. Who is George? The boys' defense lawyer who speaks Spanish and aids Henry.
How does zoot suit end?
Through the efforts of George and other lawyers, as well as activist-reporter Alice, with whom Henry has a brief romantic encounter, the boys win their court appeal and are freed. The play ends with a Reyna family reunion as Henry returns home and Rudy is about to leave to join the Marines.
What is El Pachuco's character?
El Pachuco. El Pachuco is a multifunctional character in Zoot Suit, since he serves as both a narrator and a part of Henry ’s consciousness , often talking to him and giving him advice in times of hardship. Valdez describes El Pachuco as the very embodiment of the “ pachuco myth.”.
What is the Pachuco style?
The Pachuco Style was an act in Life. and his language a new creation. ] I speak as an actor on the stage. The Pachuco was existential. for he was an Actor in the streets. both profane and reverential. Related Characters: El Pachuco (speaker) Related Symbols: Zoot Suits.
Why does El Pachuco want to tell Henry not to expect justice?
A proud man, he often urges Henry to forget about people like Alice who try to convince him that they’ll be able to help him win his court case. To that end, El Pachuco is something of a pessimistic pragmatist, which is why he tries to tell Henry not to expect justice from the American government.
What is El Pachuco's metanarrative?
It’s also worth mentioning that El Pachuco is a metanarrative character, often addressing the audience to call attention to something that’s happening in the play. In turn, he demonstrates his self-awareness and the close attention he pays to the ways in which he and his fellow Chicanos present themselves.
What happened to El Pachuco in the Zoot suit riots?
During the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943 (while Henry is in prison), El Pachuco gets into an argument with several white men, who ultimately beat him and strip off his zoot suit. In the aftermath of this altercation, El Pachuco rises wearing a loincloth and looking—according to Valdez’s stage note—like one of his Aztec forebears.
What does "pachuco" mean in Ecuador?
In Ecuador, “pachuco” means a feeling of a hangover, not necessarily caused by excessive drinking. A discomfort.
What does "es una chinga" mean?
Es una chinga - “It’s a chinga” - Usually said when describing a particularly hard job or task. Like a doctor’s shift in an emergency room, for example.
What does "va/viene hecho/hecha la madre" mean?
This expression can also be replaced by “va/viene hecho/hecha la madre” which translates to “comes/goes made like a mother” which makes absolutely no sense, but is hilarious.
Can you say "chingona" and skip the whole "esta" thing?
In the later situations, you can also say chingón/chingona and skip the whole está thing.
Overview
Pachucos are male members of a counterculture associated with zoot suit fashion, jazz and swing music, a distinct dialect known as caló, and self-empowerment in rejecting assimilation into Anglo-American society that emerged in El Paso, Texas in the late 1930s. The pachuco counterculture flourished among Chicano boys and men in the 1940s as a symbol of rebellion, especiall…
Etymology
The word "pachuco" is uncertain, but one theory connects it to the city of El Paso, Texas, which was sometimes referred to as "Chuco Town" or "El Chuco." People migrating to El Paso from Ciudad Juarez would say, in Spanish, that they were going "pa' El Chuco." Some say "pa El Chuco" comes from the words Shoe Co., a shoe company that was located in El Paso in the 1940s during the war. The majority of Mexican migrants would cross the border in order to work for this famo…
Style
Pachuco style was a dominating trend among Mexican-American youth in the 1930s-40s. Pachucos became known for their distinguished look, dialogue, and actions. Pachucos dressed in recognizable Zoot suits, and often styled their hair into ducktails. Things like decorative chains and tattoos were also sometimes part of the pachuco look. The unique speech of pachucos was a very important element of their defined style. Consisting of creative phrases and some English …
Culture
It is known that German Valdés” Tin Tan” lived in Cd Juarez Chihuahua Mexico, where the word Pachuco emerged from.
The Mexican Nobel laureate Octavio Paz writes in the essay, "The Pachuco and Other Extremes" that the Pachuco phenomenon paralleled the zazou subculture in World War II-era Paris in style of clothing, music favored (jazz, swing, and jum…
La Pachuca
The "Pachuca," the female counterpart of the Pachuco, had an aesthetic sensibility as strong as the male zoot suiter. The Pachuca's hairstyle tended to be a high "coif" or bouffant, with the hair put up in some way (a more pronounced version of the typical hair style of the time) by ratting their hair or affixing hair rats. Their makeup was heavy, particularly using a red colored lipstick. The preferred colors of clothing were black and gray. Some pachucas wore the traditionally male zo…
Costa Rica
The term "pachuco" is used in Costa Rica to define Costa Rican slang. It nevertheless differs from the Mexican slang.
In Costa Rica the term "pachuco" refers to someone who has common habits and who is often very rude. In Costa Rica the word pachuco refers to a person who has manners that are socially unacceptable and often uses shocking language when speaking. Pachuco is also a pejorative na…
See also
• Zoot Suit Riots – a confrontation between pachucos and U.S. servicemen in Los Angeles during World War II in which unarmed pachucos were brutally beaten and jailed
• The opening scenes of the film American Me depict confrontations between pachucos and white American soldiers during the Zoot Suit Riots.
Further reading
• Barker, George Carpenter. Pachuco: an American-Spanish argot and its social functions in Tucson, Arizona. University of Arizona Press, 1950.
• Cummings, Laura L. (2003). "Cloth-Wrapped People, Trouble, and Power: Pachuco Culture in the Greater Southwest". Journal of the Southwest. 45 (3): 329–348. JSTOR 40170329.