Mexicans vs. Salvadorans
Last week the United States lost to Mexico in the final Gold Cup game. My husband and I were both rooting for the U.S. team. We had even bet money – which was my unfortunate idea. Carlos has Mexican co-workers who give him a hard time for being the only Salvadoran amongst them – so I thought this would be a good way to get a little revenge and make some cash at the same time… well, it would have been if our team had won – instead, it lead to us being $40 poorer and some marital discord.
You see, while I was disappointed by the loss, Carlos, a Salvadoran by birth, was more than disappointed – he was angry, and it wasn’t about the money – it was about the Mexicans teasing him, the Mexicans who had beat our team, and, apparently, the entire country of Mexico itself.
When I told him to calm down he said, “You don’t understand! You don’t know how they are! I’m going to have to put up with that shit all day!”
“Don’t let it get to you,” I advised. “They just want to see you get upset. If you pretend it doesn’t bother you, they’ll stop,” I told him, repeating the same advice my mother had given me a million times when my sister’s teasing had gotten on my nerves as a kid.
“You don’t know how it is,” Carlos said. At that moment, his cellphone buzzed with a text message. Carlos cursed then held the screen to my face. “See?!”
The text message was from a Mexican co-worker. It read:
Ey pupusa, ganó México. Mañana tienes que llevar el dinero! jajajajaja!
I tried not to smile because Carlos was obviously really upset, but even their nickname for him, (“pupusa”) – I found funny, cute, and totally harmless. It was just guys being guys – but Carlos didn’t see it that way.
The thing is, I know Carlos doesn’t hate Mexicans. We have Mexican friends – people he really likes very much. He listens to Mexican music right along with me, without complaint, (usually), and likes Mexican food. When I cook Salvadoran dishes he puts Valentina hot sauce on it, (authentic Salvadoran food is not traditionally spicy, but Carlos likes everything picante.) He loves Pedro Infante, Cantinflas, El Chavo del Ocho, India Maria. As a proud Salvadoran, he even confessed that he knows a few bars of the Himno Nacional Mexicano and sang it for me! (Although he only learned it so he could pass as Mexican if stopped while immigrating through Mexico on his way to the United States.)
Even while I try to convince Carlos that he really does love Mexicans after all, I know animosity between Mexicans and Salvadorans isn’t imaginary – it’s real, and there are real reasons for it. If you ask a Mexican or Salvadoran why they don’t like each other, they may give you one of the following reasons, or they may offer no compelling reason at all. Here is what I found – (The content below is quoted from various sources. Sources are included. Latinaish.com does not necessarily agree with or endorse the opinions below.)
IMMIGRATION
“El problema con los mexicanos es [que] quieren tener de menos a los salvadoreños y centroamericanos, nos subestiman… cual crees [que] es el mayor desafio para un salvadoreño o centroamericano al emigrar a USA, es el temor a ser asesinado, secuestrado, mutilado o violado por mexicanos, se aprobechan de los emigrantes centroamericanos cuando ellos tambien tienen la misma necesidad de nosotros de emigrar hacia USA…” – Salvadoreño, Yahoo Answers
“Yo vivo al norte de méxico y el otro día viendo las noticias comentabamos mi mamá y yo como era posible la discriminación de razas sobre todo al sur del país con los salvadoreños ó guatemaltecos que cruzan la frontera, siendo que el presiedente de méxico va cada rato a USA a pedir que no traten mal a sus indocumentados, yo viví en USA una temporada y ví como en USA no los tratan tan mal como dicen los de la “migra” a los mexicanos indocumentados, y me pregunto yo ¿con que cara los méxicanos tratan mal a los salvadoreños ó guatemaltecos que cruzan la frontera?, vi en una entrevista al presidente de guatemala diciendo que había ido con el presidente de mexico para pedir por sus indocumentados y le comentó este que el acababa de llegar de USA por lo mismo y cuando llegó de ahi tenía una llamada del presindente de belice para lo mismo y cuando llego a su pais el presidente de guatemala le esperaba una llamada del presidente de el salvador y era para pedirle por sus indocumentados. Imaginate dijo todos estamos abogando por lo mismo….y me dio una pena ajena con la gente del sur de mi país enterarme que los tratan tan mal y que todavía se quejen que en USA los tratan mal con que cara piden respeto si no repetan… todavía recuerdo un día que llegarona ala casa unos salvadoreños pidiendo comida eran una pareja con dos niños como llegaron hasta sonora solo dios sabe, les dimos todo lo que pudimos y les dimos la bendición cuando se fueron. No todos odian a los salvadoreños aqui hay gente que es del salvador viviendo y los tratamos muy bien saben porque? porque al norte no se vive como al sur del pais, es triste pero cierto.” – Mexicana/Yahoo Answers
HISTORY
“Shortly after Central America gained its independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico tried to swallow the region into its burgeoning empire. The fiercest opposition? El Salvador. Eventually, republic-minded Mexicans stopped their country’s ambitions and allowed El Salvador and the other Central American provinces to create the United Provinces of Central America. That lasted into the 1830s, by which time Mexico was too busy dealing with another imperial power to care much about recouping its former holdings. And if you know anything about Mexico, it’s que we don’t take thefts of our lands lightly.” – Gustavo Arellano/Ask A Mexican
GANGS
“The Mara Salvatrucha gang originated in Los Angeles, set up in the 1980s by Salvadoran immigrants in the city’s Pico-Union neighborhood who immigrated to the United States after the Central American civil wars of the 1980s…Originally, the gang’s main purpose was to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other, more established gangs of Los Angeles, who were predominantly composed of Mexicans and African-Americans.” – Wikipedia
JEALOUSY: TPS (TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS)
El Salvador became a “temporary protected status” (TPS) country in 2001, following two earthquakes that killed 1,000 people and destroyed more than 200,000 homes.
After intense lobbying by the Salvadoran government, the TPS was just extended for another 12 months. That means Salvadorans who were living in the United States in 2001 – many of them illegally – can stay and work for another year. TPS comes up for renewal or termination every 12 to 18 months.
TPS is designed to aid countries reeling from a natural disaster, civil war or other destabilizing situation.
…Some of the seven TPS-designated countries get extensions though their disasters happened long ago. Christopher Bentley of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says “assessments” and “studies” help decide whether to extend TPS and whether holders can return safely home.
Jose Romero, a 31-year-old Charlotte construction worker [now] earns three times what he did in his native El Salvador.
He got TPS five years ago after living in the U.S. illegally for five years.
Romero told his fellow construction workers, most of them Mexican, about his TPS. They were happy for him, but jealous.
“They’re never going to give us anything,” he said the Mexicans told him.
- Article by Tim Funk and Danica Coto / McClatchy Newspapers
RESENTMENT: CULTURAL DOMINANCE AND TRYING TO FIT IN
“Juan Carlos Rivera knew that if he wanted to get a dishwashing job at the MacArthur Park hamburger stand, he would have to pretend to be Mexican. But the thought of lying made the Salvadoran anxious.
He paced outside the restaurant, worried that his melodic Spanish accent, his use of the Central American vos, instead of the Mexican tu, would give him away.
…In his best Mexican Spanish, the Salvadoran asked: ¿Tienen trabajo? (Do you have work?)
When asked where he was born, he swallowed his pride and answered: Puebla, Mexico.
The job was his. For three days, Rivera scrubbed plates in conspicuous silence. He knew the Mexican cooks were onto him. Especially the one from Puebla.
…Juan Carlos Rivera struggled to keep up his ruse even when the suspicious cook began to quiz him on popular Pueblan food, including Puebla’s specialty, the cemita.
“How do you like it?” the cook asked.
“With pineapple,” Rivera said. Little did he know that what Salvadorans knew as caramelized sweet bread, Pueblans knew as a meat and avocado sandwich.
“I knew you weren’t Mexican,” the cook said smugly before running off to tell the manager.
- Article by Esmeralda Bermudez/Los Angeles Times
__
“It’s always Mexico, Mexico, Mexico,” said Jorge Mendoza, a 42-year-old painter, one of a group of Salvadoran men who gathered recently at MacArthur Park. “I turn on the radio and all I hear is Mexican music. If I want to watch a soccer game, I have to watch a Mexican team play.”
- Article by Esmeralda Bermudez/Los Angeles Times
PRIDE
“Salvadorans don’t hate Mexicans as much as Mexicans hate Salvadorans…This isn’t a generalization of all Mexicans, but many of them do this. Mexicans are the majority in most places where Salvadorans live, like San Fran, L.A., and Houston. In Long Island and Miami Salvadorans get along with the Ricans, Dominicans, and Cubans fine. The problem is that Mexicans always usually display an arrogance that rubs all Latinos the wrong way. Not the Argentine, snotty type arrogance. The fist pumping, I’m a Mexican! arrogance. They insult us b/c of our accents, and feel they are superior. They don’t understand our history but we have to understand theirs.” – Enrique/Topix.com
FÚTBOL
“Pues supuestamente todo fue por culpa de un partido de futbol. En las eliminatorias para un mundial El Salvador le gano a México y lo descalifico para llegar al mundial. Esa es una explicacion ya que El Salvador nunca a tenido un buen equipo y a los mexicanos les dolió que un equipo como El Salvador los descalificaran…si no me equivoco fue en 1976.” – Salvadoreño/Yahoo Answers
PUPUSAS vs. GORDITAS
(Okay, not seriously, but while we’re arguing, I thought I’d throw it in there for fun.)
(Thanks to Juan for letting me use his video here to bring a little levity to a heavy topic.)
WORDS OF WISDOM
“Esto no es mas que pelear por tonterias … todos somos humanos, somos de la misma especie y los único que nos hace “diferentes” es una simple ubicación geográfica …somos humanos no somos ni mas ni menos, todos iguales … me parece bastante inmaduro pelear solo porque vivimos en distintos lugares del mundo … por cierto soy salvadoreño y ya dejen de pelear por tonterias.” – Salvadoreño/Yahoo Answers
Posted on June 30, 2011, in Culture, el macho, fútbol, history, immigration, politics, race, racism, Salvadoreños. Bookmark the permalink. 28 Comments.
Ay Tracy this post is muy fuerte! I had no idea about this old rife between Salvadorans and Mexicans. Never mind the “reasons”, but the general feeling that Mexicans feel superior… it makes me feel so sad and really want to apologize to everyone who´s ever felt offended by an ignorant Mexicano. Ay ay ay….
I´m proud to be Mexican, but I know that as a pueblo we have many flaws. Many! I know for a fact (there are statistics!) that Mexico is one of the most discriminative countries there are! People will look down at you if you´re poor, if you´re rich, if you´re moreno, if you´re güero, if you´re fat, if you´re skinny, if you´re tall or short… you get the picture.
In the end I believe it´s just ignorance and a lot of bull…
And about Carlos having to endure the “carrilla” from his Mexican co-workers… no hay nadie más carrilludo que un Mexicano! That´s just the way men are… :D
Un abrazo amiga, and here´s to hoping that cultural differences will one day stop separating people!
Received an E-mail from another mexicana saying she wishes she could apologize too – pero, there’s nothing to apologize for. You’re beautiful people with kind hearts. I believe in personal responsibility and people like you shouldn’t feel any blame or guilt.
As I said in response to another comment – Salvadorans joke around and tease each other too – so Carlos should be used to such things.
Abrazos!!
Hm, I’m not Mexican but I’m married to one, and if I were there with him, I think I’d tell Carlos he should remember they talk in a “teasing” (only half teasing) way to everyone, and the worse they talk to you the more it means they like you. Yes I know that is very dysfunctional, almost incredible, but I have to believe it or else I would really start to feel bad about the way everyone talks to me and my husband is the worst (meaning apparently he really loves me) LOL!
Also I think when it comes to futbol, it’s just impossible to be reasonable. When La Seleccion Mexicana loses, sometimes my husband is so upset he vomits. I’m not kidding. Once when a match was going really, really especially badly, he and my brother-in-law suddenly went outside to work on the car (which didn’t need any work)– my theory is they could somehow bear it more easily just listening on the radio rather than watching on tv. Then they disappeared without a word to me or my sister-in-law. Not that they always report to us what they’re doing but it was rather unusual to disappear for hours. However I honestly think they were sweet to do that, doing us a favor so they didn’t do anything stupid to us, in that state. When they got back I knew better than to even try to speak with them the rest of the day…
We live in a very, very heavily Salvadoran area but there are Mexicans everywhere in Houston “hasta en la sopa” as they say, and there are a lot of Guatamalans in our neighborhood too. I have noticed the teasing but when it comes right down to it, I have also noticed a very strong sense of Hispanidad or whatever you want to call it. Having each other’s backs in a not-always-friendly world. My husband and I know about the restaurant kitchens in Houston and nothing like that Los Angeles story happens here. Sometimes if two guys dislike each other already the rivalry comes out, and doesn’t help anything, but that’s not what gets it started.
Beth, I’m loving your comments!
Salvadorans aren’t strangers to teasing either — it was something that I had to get used to actually because it felt rude at first. Carlos doesn’t get as annoyed when Salvadorans tease him – but when Mexicans do it, it rubs him the wrong way because I guess he perceives it as something deeper. (Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.)
Wow – your husband is really passionate about fútbol… jajaja. He vomits if they lose? … I’m sorry but I’m laughing. That is awesome in a weird way.
I love when Central Americans, Mexicans and other Latinos get each others’ backs. That kind of unity works so much better.
You say Houston is a different atmosphere in the restaurant kitchens compared to what was described in the L.A. story —- would be an interesting documentary – comparing how various Latin groups get along in cities across the nations, wouldn’t it? … I have so many cool documentary ideas. Wish I had the money and the crew to tell people to go do it. LOL.
Qué lindas Sue!!! Y qué buen post Traix! Lastimosamente si han pasado cosas a través de la historia en que los Salvadoreños nos hemos sentido descriminados fuertemente por los Mexicanos.
Para un Salvadoreños, obtener una visa de turismo para visitar México es casi pedir de rodillas. Te piden un mil documentos y muchísimas veces, te la terminan negando.
Eso recienten mucho los Salvadoreños, que los Mexicanos exigen muchísimo a los USA pero ellos son muy duros con los Centoamericanos.
Anyways…. siempre habrán “issues” entre los paises pero lo importante es ir derribando los obstáculos y abrazando a nuestros hermanos. Yo en lo personal, he tenido la inmensa dicha de conocer a Mexicanos maravillosos; amables, amigables, respetuosos etc. y espero conocer a más. Amo la comida mexicana, su música y espero en DIos que muy pronto la situación en cuanto al crimen organizado se normalice. Me muero por ir a Cancún y conocer tantas ciudades tan bellas y llenas de historia!
Qué Viva México y qué Viva El Salvador!
Yo también conozco un montón de gente buena – Mexicanos, Salvadoreños, lo que sea. Qué viva México, El Salvador, y amistad.
Te digo hermana, that is a very touchy subject for us Mexicans y los salvadoreños, aunque para mi en lo personal nunca ha sido un problema… Apoyo lo que dijo Sue, y creo hay oportunidad para todos en este mundo. Thank you for including my video on Pupusas vs Gorditas… como ves en la comida no hay pleito. Mejor pongamonos a comer todos juntos :-)
“Mejor pongamonos a comer todos juntos” — That is something I can agree with :)
I didn’t know about the history between Mexico and El Salvador. Thanks for informing me. My husband, a Guatemalan, echos pretty much everything Carlos has stated/feels. You can call my Esposo anything, but don’t call him a Mexican. As a non-Latina, I have noticed that the Centro Americanos really seem to stick together and have somewhat of a fraternal feeling amongst themselves (especially when it comes to Mexico) and I always wondered why that was and where it came from. I’ve learned there is a lot of historical/policital reasons for this.
I also think the current rift also comes from a stereotype/sentiment from Americans that every Latino or Moreno is automatically lumped in to the “Mexican” category.
Case in point, yesterday at my husbands work, someone he had never met or talked to, asked him if he was Mexican. Tired of being stereotyped, he (surprisingly) patiently, asked that person if she was Canadian. When she said NO, that she was American, Anssel said he was American too, but if she did need to know, he was from Guatemala and that Guatemala is a very separate country from Mexico and it was the same as calling her Canadian without any background. I was proud of his “education” moment, but can understand his frustration.
You gave some great advise to Carlos (ignore the teasing) and just remind him that someday he’ll be able to tease his Mexican coworkers if/when Mexico finally loses in futbol! (Or he could take the high road and mourn with them, but that wouldn’t be as much fun. I’m so naughty and clearly not a buen ejemplo!)
Melanie – YES. You bring up another category I should have included! LOSS OF IDENTITY! (This is why I love the conversation that happens in comments!)
Latinos in the U.S. who are not Mexican begin to resent Mexicans because they’re the dominant culture and ignorant Anglos lump them all together under the same title – MEXICAN. Carlos can not stand being called a Mexican either. It’s a loss of identity. He tells people, “I’m Salvadoran.” and they say, “From Mexico?” — “No, from El Salvador.” …. “Where’s that?” —– or “Do you speak Mexican?”
It gets old, I’m sure. Your husband was right to educate the person by calling them Canadian. LOL. I bet she won’t make that mistake again.
This strife exist b/w Hondurans and Mexicans too. I was even discouraged from a Mexican family to not even think of dating their well-t-do chiropractor son. I was not Mexican, nor good enough.
I’m sorry that happened – it must have been hurtful. I had a similar experience – a Korean guy I dated wouldn’t introduce me to his family because he said they wouldn’t accept me. The relationship didn’t seem worth pursuing so we broke up after that…. Less than a month or two later, I met Carlos – so it’s all good.
Sounds like you avoided a mean suegra at least. {abrazos}
Tracy, I had absolutely no clue this tension existed between mexicanos y salvadoreños. Soy mexicana estadounidense and I don’t feel this way about anyone. I want to see all Latinos succeed, here and abroad. It bums me out to learn that the Mexican government treats Salvadorans la misma manera that our U.S. government presently treats Mexicans. That was a bit of an eye-opener. I can honestly say I don’t know which stereotypes bother me more, the ones we have here in the states, or the ones that exist outside our borders. The closing “Wisdom” you ended with is spot-on. I wish people everywhere would just start treating each other with respect. We’re all peers. Un abrazo.
Ezzy, I didn’t know the resentment between some Central Americans and Mexicans existed until I met Carlos and other Salvadorans…. Unfortunately a lot of Central Americans who immigrated to the United States have had bad experiences which have shaped the way they feel. The important thing for people to realize is that bad experiences are simply bad experiences, and you can’t automatically take it with you and pre-judge or generalize others of a similar background. We all deserve to be judged by our own individual actions.
Abrazos!
Hi Tracy! My husband, who is also Salvadoran, was extremely upset Mexico beat USA, and couldn’t even sleep, he was so mad! I’ve known about his hate for Mexcico’s futbol team since I first met him. Your post goes much deeper into the actual layers of the two country’s resentment, which I am grateful for!
My pleasure, Cristina. Whether it makes complete sense or not, and whether we agree with their reasons or not, it always helps to understand our husbands a little better.
It´s interesting to see this topic approached from this side of the border. I´ve lived with the anti-México sentiment IN El Salvador my whole life.
In fact, I always get teased when I go back “home” por hablar como Mexicana and for being a “traitor” for marrying a Mexican. It really is all just in a teasing manor, not with real hatred or negativeness. It’s just the way Latinos are…teasers…light bullies. Heck, aren’t apodos a light form of bullying?
When my husband, un mexicano, went to El Salvador the first time my friends and brother in law, con las copas encima, kept teasing him all night long about that one futbol game back in who knows what year when ES beat Mexico. My husband was like “HUH?” Of course, he had NO clue which game they were referring to, nor did he know Salvadoreños were so passionate about their futbol arch-enemy, Mexico. Funny thing is Mexico barely even considers El Salvador a match in futbol games! LOL!
So, the sentiment goes both ways. Carlos is just clearly outnumbered at work!
Agree that Mexico doesn’t see El Salvador as a threat in fútbol, and any animosity there is mostly on the Salvadoran side, (out of jealousy that their team isn’t as good.)
Carlos is definitely out-numbered at work. To make matters worse, most of the Mexican guys are related, (brothers or cousins), and live together – so when one of them starts in on Carlos, the rest join in… I honestly don’t think they’re being hateful – it just gets to be a bit much sometimes and they don’t know when to stop.
Some of the guys have been to our house and one of them invited us to their son’s birthday party last year. Sometimes they get Carlos’s back when there’s a gringo at work they all don’t like. LOL.
Apodos are definitely a form of this “light bullying” in Latin culture! – {putting psychologist hat on}, but I think Carlos is more sensitive to it than some because his mother was emotionally abusive to him and used the teasing to humiliate him in front of others.
I can say that the dislike of Mexicans are not just from Salvardoreans. I am American-born, but my dad is from Guatemala and he has discontent for Mexicans as well. I cant say ‘discontent’ because its not like he hates them, as he had Mexican friends. it was more of a smack-talking kind of thing. All the other Guatemalans I knew in the past also had their attitudes on how Mexicans are. Hondurans, Salvadoreans…all the same attitudes. Its a Central American thing. The thing is that not only in the U.S the Mexicans have a pride about them that is extremely annoying, but they have that superior attitude in Mexico as well, beating up crossing Central Americans and dumping them back over the border when they try to cross through Mexico to get to the United States. Guatemala, along with El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and so forth won its independence from Spain shortly after Mexico and they were melted into th Mexican Republic before forming the United Provinces of Central America two years later.
Besides that, Mexicans are the majority and it is annoying when people just call you a Mexican and when you try to explain that you are not, they look at you and ask what the difference is. They dont seem to understand that its an entirely different country. Us who have Central American heritage grow up with that, and its annoying and sometimes we just blend in to the greater Mexican-American community.
Besides growing up a minority Latina in a city where most Latinos are Mexican. I also grew up Bi-cultural since my mom is a Polish-American. Unfornately, the Latino culture that I was around was Mexican, so I grew kind of accustomed to that as well.
I dont hate Mexicans. My fiance is Mexican. And he better not forget that he is with a gorgeous half Guatemalan half Polackita muchacha, and he better appreciate it because I am truly unique.
However, believe me, I wont become a Mexican. I have and intend to continue to contribute my own unique heritage to me family and cook Guatemalan dishes and American dishes. I believe that if you are in a mixed relationship you dont become what your partner is, but you share to the relationship your own unique culture. I am proud to be what I am and he is proud to be Mexican. Our children will be truly unique because they will have a mix of cultures. I will only show my children my side because I am not Mexican and I know nothing about Mexico. It would be his job to teach the kids that if he wants to. I dont celebrate Mexican holidays, I dont eat Rosca de res or whatever they call that nasty cake on three kings day with the dolls inside, even though Guatemalans celebrate three kings day too, they still have a Santa Claus, and its what I know. I wont ever go to Mexico unless its Los Cabos or Cancun, which means I will never meet my fiance’s dad because he lived in Mexico City. Everytime a Mexican boxer fights I root against them, I also root against the Mexican team. Is the Chapina in me too proud? maybe. But you have to be what you are.
Proud Mexican speaking it is sad that all central Americans feel they need to root for the United States team because their teams suck so bad. Oh well good luck with that we are only getting better, and by the way the reason we are sp arrogant is because the u.s.a belonged to us so we are not immigrants just moving to the northern provinces. Viva Mexico cabrones!
This is a very interestingand touching subject for good or for bad. Im american born but my mom and dad are salvadorian and for that i consider my self salvadorian, and lived among mexicans my entire life. From my experience about mexican and salvadorians is that mexicans belived them selfs to be superior to other latin countries witch they r not, and to make u feel less they will do anything even to use language thats unapropriate to salvadorians or other countries such as the word (cerote) they think its funny as for salvadorians its not funny its a very offencive word, to us salvadorians its like una mentada de madre, or like if you where to call a black person the (N) word. its funny how u said that they called ur husband a (pupusa) they have called me a (pupusa) as well and i completly understand wher his coming from maybe alot of people cant see thise but to us that are in your husband carlos position we can really understand him, Mexicans tend to do it with much more fellings than just to call him a pupusa they think that if they call us that its going to bother us and it does, its not the word its self, its the intension behind the word that bothers us. and i dont hate mexicans because i have mexican famaly as well but the things that have come up truought the years thats has gotten me to think of this conclusion about the rivalery between the two.
.
Thanks for taking the time to leave this comment and lending your feelings/experiences to the conversation, Jaret. I know what you mean by “intention” – the intention behind one’s words sometimes says more than the words themselves.
Let only the ignorant ones fight. Only the ones with more wisdom and cleverness will survive.
I think Salvadorians just have an inferiority complex towards Mexicans. Growing up in L.A. in the 80′s and 90′s in noticed Salvadorians copied everything Mexican. They listen to our music, eat our food, watch our movies/novelas/ tv shows, drink our beer, etc… Hell, I even know a Salvadoranian family who own a Mexican themed restaurant. So why do they get all upset when someone mistakes them for a Mexican, what’s the big deal?
Funny, I was just talking to my husband about this yesterday. We joke sometimes about opening a restaurant and he asked what would be on the menu. I named several Salvadoran dishes and he said, “What about…” and then started naming Mexican dishes. I told him it would be just a Salvadoran restaurant – completely authentic, without mixing in Mexican dishes like most do. He said we [our imaginary non-existent restaurant LOL] would lose business because you wouldn’t get enough customers without the Mexican food, but this is one thing I never understood. Salvadorans have so much pride but you always see “Salvadorean & Mexican restaurants” owned by Salvadorans. If one has pride, they should have confidence to serve their own distinct food without playing into the Anglo stereotype of lumping everyone together — it’s only contributing to the very problem they complain about.
It’s a complicated issue and I’m sure there are valid reasons from the other side, but you too have a point. Thanks for commenting and for doing so respectfully on such a heated topic.
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