Week 4 - Rasquachismo & Domesticana

I really enjoyed the way Tomas Ybarra-Frausto described rasquachismo. The way it's "neither an idea nor a style but more of an attitude or taste" and "a funky, irreverent stance that debunks convention and spoofs protocol" that "subverts and turns ruling paradigms upside down." Ybarra-Frausto talks about rasquachismo with respect but also makes sure to let the reader know that it is still considered to be an "underclass" sensibility. It is a reaction to lived experiences, not an aesthetic that one actively cultivates, but rather the result of living in certain conditions and dealing with those on a daily basis. It is the beans in the butter container in your fridge, the flowers blooming in the cafe bustelo tin can, the brightly painted houses in the barrio. I appreciate the way in which rasquachismo is fleshed out in this piece, especially since this kind of sensibility is looked down upon when in reality is it just the way people, especially people of color and latinos, have learned to survive.

I also really liked the way Amalia Mesa-Bains described the nuances of rasquachismo. Especially when she stated "One can say that kitsch is appropriate, while rasquachismo is acclaimed or affirmed." I like the mention of the altars that are often found within Chicana homes, the found object style of their organization. In the same ways that Chicano rasquachismo defied the dominant paradigms of the time, so does Chicana rasquachismo (domesticana) but twofold: defying both the Anglo world and the male-dominated Chicano world.