Film, Video La Quinceanera: A Coming of Age Ritual in Latino Communities
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Title
- La Quinceanera: A Coming of Age Ritual in Latino Communities
Summary
- Norma Cantu, professor of English at the University of Texas at San Antonio, presented this talk as part of the Benjamin Botkin Lecture Series sponsored by the American Folklife Center. The Quinceanera, the traditional coming-of-age celebration for Latinas, is an an elegant party on the girl's 15th birthday, highlighting God, family, friends, music, food and dance. Many questions emerge as one looks at this fascinating and complex rite of passage: what are its essential elements? What are its origins in indigenous Mexican tradition and in European tradition? What are the components that define it as a coming of age ritual? How does the performance of the feminine play out in the celebration? How do "border theory" and "mestizaje theory" apply to this particular event? In answering these and the more critical question--why would a family spend thousands of dollars to celebrate a birthday?--we can gain insight into the cultural practices of Latino communities.
Names
- Library of Congress
- American Folklife Center, sponsoring body
Created / Published
- Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 2006-11-08.
Headings
- - Biography, History
- - Culture, Performing Arts
- - Culture, Folklife
Notes
- - Classification: General Works.
- - Classification: Social Sciences.
- - Norma E. Cantu.
- - Recorded on 2006-11-08.
- - Kids, Families.
Medium
- 1 online resource
Digital Id
Library of Congress Control Number
- 2021687858
Online Format
- video
- image
- online text