Week 4: Rasquachismo and Domesticana

Rasquachismo comes from the Aztec word, rasquache, meaning lower class, poor, and in bad taste with originally negative connotations. At home, my mother used the word to describe something that looked tacky like the bright colorful house that was in my neighborhood. In Chicano and Chicana Art: A Critical Anthology, the authors delve into a more contemporary view of rasquichismo in the Chicano art community. Tomas Ybarra Frausto is one of the first individuals to redefine Chicano rasquachismo to be "the artistic process of selection and combination of materials—many of them found in the home and community—to create objects imbued with new meaning." (76). In this chapter, he depicts rasquachismo as an attitude, that has shaped the community to become more resourceful and appreciative of what they own. One does not necessarily need new and fancy things, but create original beautiful items by simply reusing and recycling within their community. Rasquichismo is meant to be witty and ironic in a playful demeanor that empowers Chicanos. It allows us as a community to reevaluate our cultural footprint and ensure that we are letting future generations to have a better understanding of their culture and identity. Mesa Bains goes further into this discussion by looking at the portrayal of Chicanas within the community by looking closer at the feminist aspects within rasquachismo. She calls this perspective domesticana, as a way to question the representation of women in Chicano art and in her the Chicano community.