Week 6: Domesticana

 From our reading of  “Domesticana: The Sensibility of Chicana Rasquachismo” I was able to understand that domesticana is different from rasquachismo in its underlying effort to defy “an imposed Anglo-American cultural identity” as well “restrictive gender identity within Chicano culture” besides the repurposing of common household items to reach a means (Mesa-Bains 94). This was my first time hearing either term, but I was interested in recognizing that I had unconsciously participated in domesticana by making an altar on the walls of my room. 

Originally, my altar was created and set up in my dorm, but has since been transplanted to my room back home. On the right wall I have some of my friends’ graduation pictures and papel picado. The papel picado shown were the first pieces I ever created, as can be seen from the lack of complexity, and are supposed to be complimentary. The yellow one depicts a bursting sun and the blue one is the moon over a hill. 

Below the pictures of my friends is a watercolor and ink painting I did of a cactus. I picked that subject matter because I feel comforted by having nopales in my surroundings. Since I was little my grandpa has always harvested nopales from our garden for our food and I have come to associate cacti not only with him but with the area I live in, thus they remind me of home. 

On my other wall there are two other paintings I did, but these are not as sentimental, I simply created them for fun and decided to place those there. However, there is a small doodle of a bear next to them that was given by my little cousin that I like to keep there to remember her. 

The last part of my altar (that also serves as my work area) is the artificial rose and the 3 of hearts leaning against it. The rose was a gift from my boyfriend from a past Valentine’s Day and I like to keep it by my altar as a way of showing my appreciation. The 3 of hearts is an allusion to our very first date, where we played Swiss for hours, and our anniversary date, which lands on a third. 

The altar I have depicted here is not conventional, or pretty, but it is a space in my room that comforts me. I like to look at it from time to time when my eyes are tired from participating in zoom classes and think of the nice memories I have of my friends and family. 

I would also like to say that not only am I surprised that I was participating in domesticana without knowing the concept, but that I actually have three other altars in my room that use different materials like candles, pine cones, paintings (both done by others and myself), up-cycled soda bottles, and funkopops, among other things.