One of my most important themes as I write is to provide an accurate portrait of Northern Mexican Americans, those born in the US but also of Northern Apache Heritage from the border lands. It is of no coincidence that I do not believe that if you are born in the US but your parents are from Sinaloa south, I do not consider you to be Northern Mexican. The first reason is history. You have no history to the north other than a mere coincidence which implies of a different heritage.
I see this all the time especially when southern Mexicans are quick to point out I am not Mexican in their Jalisco definition. But I remember my grandfather commenting that the southern Mexicans would ask him where did he find my father. Did he find him shirtless on white horse bareback with a bandana around his head? Because of his appearance, too Apache looking and he was. This meant that my father was seen as not belonging to the southerners and as I have aged I have lived this similar existence. And just like my father, I do not deny it.
Therefore if my definition of Mexican American is not related to Chicanos who are primarily southerners born or moved to the north, I do not see any relationship to other people from the Caribbean, Central or South America. Mexican Americans have zero relationship to Puerto Ricans or Cubans or even Michoacanos.
The Puerto Ricans or the Central Americans sure want the access to Chicano Studies employment but out in the streets as my friend Ruben Lopez states they want nothing to do with us and neither do we. Why lie? I do not like other groups interferring in our existence that is being pummelted even by these southern Mexicans who pretend to be the voices of the Northern Mexican Americans when they can barely handle the desert.
If you are interested in reading more, I have posted a cover of my book "Unwanted and Not Included: The Saga of Mexican People in the US" and read the chapter "Mexicans are not Latinos" and to be inclusive, I do not accept the White notion that Whites mixed with Mexicans are Mexican Americans. They are not. They are white and because they are of two different parents they should not be thrown in with us because we are the mix category. Whites with a Mexican parent means you are white, like the author Kevin Johnson. He is not Mexican American like me and I find it insulting that those Whites believe they can be lumped with us and then use that position when Whites want a token voice. Much like Richard Rodriguez whose family was from Colima which is Centro Mexico should not be the voice of Northern Mexicans from California by heritage. What doe these outside voices know what it is like to come from the desert. Just because White authorities label them to be so.
Northern Mexicans are really natives who were not conquered by Catholocism whereas Southern Mexicans are extremely Westernized even in their folklore. Even Mexico City recognizes that the north still practices native religion which is why they call their mercado de brujeria, el mercado de Sonora.
Catholicism is not part of my Apache heritage unlike the southerners.
