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Response to Juan Tejeda

Dr. Roberto "Cintli" Rodriguez
© Nephtali De Leon (Excerpt from Poem)

he touched so many Raza
gavachos y mayates,
he touched everyone
between two cultures
and two nations,

Mayate, a Black Beetle Hero (from Aztec Náhuatl)
Response to Juan Tejeda, & Others asking me about, or offended, by my use of the word “Mayate” which they referred to as “Racist.”

© Nephtalí De León, Wednesday, Aug 09, 2023

Language is more subjective than most other forms of communication. Each one of us has our own interpretation of the meaning, nuance, and significance of a word – beyond the dictionary mandate. Here I am accused of being “racist” by my using the word “Mayate” referring to black people, in my poem praising Dr. Roberto “Cintli” Rodriguez, at his recent and so untimely passing away.

In our case (Raza), we are victims and beneficiaries of the fact that
we grew up with a mixed salad bowl of expressions in English, Spanish, Náhuatl, and Spanish Caló, Gypsy. This is at least 4 modes of expressions all rolled up into one. Our speech, which has recently begun to be used in writing as well, is referred to as “Caló.” By recently, I mean in the last 50-60 years. As a Chicano people (by name), we are younger then LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) established in 1929, which makes them 96 years old.

The first time ever that the word Chicano appeared on the cover of circulated books, (beyond some chapbooks and such) was in 1971-72. There were only three such books. Chicano Manifesto by Armando Rendón, Chicano by Victor Villaseñor (who later changed the title, no longer using Chicanos), and Chicanos: Our Background & Our Pride, my own.

In comparison to the centuries that these other sources of language had to develop and establish their identities, and modes of speech and writing, in regards to our Chicano people and language, we are not even an infant. Our language is becoming. As such, it is fresh, experimental, spontaneous, picaresque, and certainly not in a dictionary. Established institutions frown on it, misunderstand it, or don’t understand it all.

Examples: When I was a serial guest Poet and Art Teacher at San Antonio County Jail (at prisons for men and women) the guards forbade me to use the word “carnal,” (for brother), because it would tip off others that I was a gang member. When I asked San Antonio reporters why they did not use the word “Chicano” in their reports, several reporters told me that their editors told them not to use the word. I suspect many of us know that our own USA community and that of Mexico expressed dissatisfaction with our self denomination as “Chicanos” – and many still do, thus the wider use of Hispanics and Latinos. Now even Latinos with an X. In other words, we’re still having to fight for our identity as Chicanos, with or without an X ! This should tip us that we’re not only in transition but in a birthing stage that is not over.

Back to language and the use of language. It is part of our birthing evolution, at its most infant stage. Therefore we are still assigning meaning , nuance and significance to our language – and it could be taken in so many different forms of interpretation. For instance, the worst that can be said to anyone is “Vayan a la chingada.” When my poet friend Roberto Durán (from Califas) and I, were told that, at the hotel, we were shocked. But I knew that there was more to it. The desk clerk said, “I drew you a map on how to get there.” We followed it. It was the most delicious Mexican food in Houston that we had ever eaten. “La Chingada,” is the name of the restaurant.

To police our language too closely, is to stifle our spontaneity and to dampen our creativity. But worse, it can easily lead to language genocide and even suicide. See what happened to Mecha (Movimiento Estudantil Chicano de Aztlan). It is almost gone. In San Antonio, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center touts its bookstore as “the largest Latino Bookstore in the Nation,” yet the times I have been there, almost everyone would call themselves a Chicano or Chicana, something that I have pointed out publicly and on the spot.

The best indication as to what we mean with our language is intent. Intent can be read between the lines. But best of all is to encourage the use of our Caló in order for us to develop our own language and expressions, as did English, Spanish, etc… over hundreds of years. As a culture and a langue, Chicano is young. It has been buffeted about ever since birth, but it is strong willed and persistent.

In terms of Caló, it has not been used by anyone enough – yet. It exists in much the same way Chicanos existed in the woodworks, under the nose of others. It will take our freedom fighters of culture and language to cultivate its use, growth and sustainability. It comes with code-switching, and I see more poets doing it lately. Just as Náhuatl is beginning to get some traction, so is Caló.

Who uses “Mayate,” for Black people? Or Llantitas? These are words of either statements or endearment. There is no malignity or racism in them. It is how our upbringing, biases or sensibilities interpret them. It is also part of the colonizing effect that we are all victims of. We are taught to judge from the perspective of some sense of “academic” or more “correct,” or “proper” usage. Politically correct?

No language belongs to academia. Educators are the self appointed arbiters. Language belongs to the people that speak it. More so, our own Caló that even the natives are not sure of, as they are in the throes of its creation. Jose López of La Puente, California, did the best possible job of gathering our language in his Barrio Language Dictionary.

As to the word Mayate? Let’s see if it fits the requirements to be a racist word. Wikipedia says this about “Racism.”

"Racism is discrimination, antagonism and prejudice towards people based on their race or ethnicity. Racism can be present in social actions, practices, or political systems that support the expression of prejudice or aversion in discriminatory practices."

The Náhuatl word, “Mayatl,” never had any of these conditions or intentions in its creation.

I know your concern is well founded and well motivated which prompted me to comment. I fully agree that we must form supportive bonds between all colonized and persecuted communities.

In closing, I do make a blanket apology to anyone that may be offended by my use of Caló words for themselves or for any other group of people. In my personal case I probably interact with more Black people than other Chicano artists and poets: with Mr. Z in Hawaii where we read our poetry together, with Dulce Coco in Puerto Rico (poet & musician, author of Poemario Afrolírico), with the Poet Fatimah from Georgia, with our own Poet Laureate Andrea Vocab Sanderson and our County Commissioner Tommy Calvert, who agreed to be a guest on my celebration platform, “Coffee, Tea with Nephtalí.” As to the organizer and activist Bonita Gill from Alabama, this is what she had to say, by a post on Facebook, “ I’ve learned SOOO much from my other family! I’ve met SOOO many people who have been instrumental in my healing!
Nephtali De Leon is one of the persons! (Aug 07, 2023)

Note: Also included who registered their concern are -- Laura Rios Ramirez, Liliana Patricia Saldaña, Alvaro Itzli Ramirez, Eddie Vega, Ernesto Cuevas Jr. and Abel Salas. Please forgive me if I omitted some, and/or, if I included you when I shouldn't have. I love you pueblo mio! Thank you for keeping me on track ! Abrazos !