A Mi No me Manda Nadie! Individualism and Identity in Mexican Ranchero Speech

Rancheros are presented as a distinct subgroup of Mexican campesinos 'peasants' who enact a liberal individualist ideology that centrally values private property, especially land, & hard work as the legitimate route to el progreso 'progress'. Both male & female rancheros are tough & independent "ranch" people who construct their identities in contrast to indigenas 'Indians' (whom rancheros view as communally oriented), & catrines 'city people' (whom rancheros see as fancily dressed, & acting, "dandies"). A history of frontier isolation & mobility in la sociedad ranchera 'ranchero society' facilitated the development of both autonomy & strong ties of reciprocity for mutual support in hostile conditions, as well as common ways of living, dressing, & speaking. This valuing of both autonomy & affiliation undermines the often-invoked dichotomy between "Mexicans" & "North Americans" as communal, or group-oriented, & individualistic, or self-oriented, respectively. Rather than predominantly one or the other, rancheros value both autonomy & affiliation. This historically constructed identity is enacted in a particular way of speaking, franqueza 'frankness', direct, straightforward, candid language that goes directly to a point. Informal verbal performances by members of these families within their homes, both in Chicago & Mexico, are analyzed for their construction of ranchero identity through franqueza. 43 References. Adapted from the source document