The Buenavida America

By José N. Uranga

The Buenavida America continues to follow The Buenavida Dilemma and The Death of the Brown Americano by describing the trials and successes of the Buenavida family from 1900 to the present in New Mexico and the southwest in general. A central theme of the book is whether Hispanics must necessarily sacrifice their language and culture in order to fully assimilate and be successful in the U.S. society.

Praise for The Buenavida America

Generational novels have that rare gift of granting the reader insights into ones own past and future. Jos Uranga performs that task exceedingly well, adding the pleasant placement of the Buenavidas into meaningful historical context.
Paul A. Garca, Ph.D, University of Kansas, School of Education, retired

Sharing a life story is not as easy as just telling a story. Jos Uranga does this with historical references and background that intrigue and educate.
Rebecca Dukes, Vice-President, University Advancement,
San Jos State University

Jos Uranga does a fine job providing important food for thought in The Buenavida America and his book highlights poignant cultural threads imbedded in the history of New Mexico. The fictional yet historical based testimonios illustrated by the Buenavida family shed light on the complexities, challenges, and victories Hispanics experience while traversing identity in present day America.
Maria Martnez Bain, Ph.D,
New Mexico State University

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491729663

José N. Uranga

Jose N. Uranga is a retired environmental attorney. He has a bachelor's degree in political science from New Mexico State U a Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University, and a masters degree from the University of Texas, San Antonio. He has previously published two other books, The Buenavida Dilemma and The Death of the Brown Americano. He and his wife Joan live in Sarasota, Florida.

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Copyright © 2014 José N. Uranga.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The Buenavida America is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-2936-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-2966-3 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 04/18/2014

CONTENTS

BUENAVIDA FAMILY TREE

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1   ALL IN THE FAMILY

CHAPTER 2   TIERRA AMARILLA PROTEST

CHAPTER 3   THE CORTINA WARS

CHAPTER 4   A ‘MATANZA’ TO REMEMBER

CHAPTER 5   LOS PENITENTES

CHAPTER 6   THE ETHICS OF WAR

CHAPTER 7   ‘EL MONTE’

CHAPTER 8   ‘THE GREAT WHITE HOPE’

CHAPTER 9   THE DIGNITY OF THOSE HARVESTING OUR FOOD

CHAPTER 10   THE ABSENCE OF A HISPANIC CULTURAL PARADIGM

CHAPTER 11   ‘LA MÁLAGUEÑA’

CHAPTER 12   AUNT MICAELA’S ADVICE

CHAPTER 13   EL CORRIDO DE LITO URQUÍDEZ

CHAPTER 14   THE HOME OF THE BRAVE

CHAPTER 15   ‘HISPANIC-AMERICA’

CHAPTER 16   WE ALL HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL

CHAPTER 17   THE HISPANIC IMMIGRATION CONUNDRUM

CHAPTER 18   THE BUENAVIDA ‘COLCHA’

CHAPTER 19   THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG

CHAPTER 20   FABIÁN GARCÍA’S LEGACY

CHAPTER 21   THE DENIGRATION OF THE PRESIDENCY

CHAPTER 22   THE INSIDIOUS INSTITUTIONALIZING OF DISCRIMINATION

CHAPTER 23   ‘HISPANIC FIRSTS’ TRIVIA

CHAPTER 24   HE FOUGHT WITH MADERO

CHAPTER 25   GIVING BACK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PRAISE FOR THE BUENAVIDA AMERICA

José Uranga’s book was so interesting as I found myself thinking of my own history growing up as the son of a Methodist minister in New Mexico, Arizona and California and remembering my chats with my father. The book not only tells the story of the Buenavida family, but it eloquently speaks to so many of us Hispanics who shared similar experiences that have molded our very existence.

— Danny Villanueva,

former NFL player and broadcasting pioneer.

This book captures fascinating and personal insights and experiences about growing up in a large, extended Hispanic family in New Mexico. José Uranga shares vividly how these affect perceptions and values of the generations that follow, with the historical foundations serving as a backdrop to the captivating narratives. A must read for anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of the Southwest and its cultures.

—Mike Johnson, past Chairman,

New Mexico State University Foundation

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO OUR HISPANIC PREDECESSORS WHO SUFFERED BLATANT DISCRIMINATION AND SEVERE INJUSTICES IN THIS, THEIR OWN COUNTRY AND YET PERSERVERED. IN SO DOING, THEY MADE THE WAY EASIER FOR ALL OF US WHO FOLLOWED.

BUENAVIDA FAMILY TREE

Juan Buenavida (1830-1913)

Tomas Buenavida (1854-1934)

Ramón Buenavida (1876-1961)

José Buenavida (1910-1990)

John Buenavida (1946- )

Carlos Buenavida (1973) Lucy Buenavida (1974)

PROLOGUE

The United States is unique among nations because of its long history of open immigration. This ‘open door’ policy allowed our country to become rich with a diversity of cultures, races, and languages. The patchwork quilt of the American dream has been constantly rewoven by each new wave of arriving immigrants determined to succeed here.

Most Hispanic families have chosen to assimilate quickly in order to succeed in the United States. However, some Hispanic immigrants have chosen to not follow the melting pot legacy of their predecessors. Why have some Hispanics retained their language and clung to their culture, even if doing so slowed their assimilation? This book and the two prior books of the Buenavida trilogy, The Buenavida Dilemma and The Death of the Brown Americano, attempt to describe, analyze, and explain this ‘angst’ and difference of opinion in the Hispanic community. It posits the proposition that Hispanics may be able to fully assimilate yet preserve their language and culture.

To fully assimilate in the U.S. culture, most Hispanics assume they have to give up their language and culture. This price has been deemed to be too high by some and most Hispanics, as a result, are walking a tight rope—striving to be mainstream and yet attempting to retain their ethnicity.

One additional factor influencing Hispanics, and not impacting prior groups of immigrants, is the history of U.S. imperialism against Hispanics. The U.S.-Mexican War of 1846-1848, the U.S-Spanish War of 1898 and the various U.S occupations of ‘banana republics’ in Central America in the twentieth century, all helped foster the strong anti-American ‘gringo’ sentiments of today. The fact that the first two above wars were blatant land grabs from weaker nations only added insult to injury.

The recent anti-immigration reform and ‘English only’ rhetoric of U.S. conservatives aimed at Hispanics has only helped to polarize the country. Projected to become 20-30% of the U.S. population in the twenty-first century, Hispanics aspire to be accepted for their contributions to the U.S. society and not marginalized should they choose to retain their culture and language while still being proud and productive Americans.

BE KINDER THAN NECESSARY BECAUSE EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING SOME KIND OF BATTLE.

—Unknown

CHAPTER 1

ALL IN THE FAMILY

The Rio Pecos Alianza, by the 1920’s, was in decline. Originally established in the 1850’s to protect and promote the small society of Hispanic families living along the Pecos River in southeastern New Mexico, it was now mostly a social organization.

An executive committee comprised of seven Alianza family representatives now led the Alianza and met only quarterly. The Buenavidas were accorded one representative due to the family’s role in establishing the Alianza. The Committee met to plan Alianza social events, to hear any petitions for assistance, and to resolve disputes among Alianza families.

In June, 1922, Roberto Aragón submitted a request to speak to the Committee. His written request stated that the subject was ‘confidential.’ Most of the Committee knew the Aragόn family, and wondered why young Roberto wanted to address the Committee.

The Committee rotated its meetings among committee members’ homes and it was Ramón Buenavida’s turn to host. Due to the unknown confidential subject of the petitioner, Ramón had his wife and children go visit his mother-in-law.

Roberto Aragón was a lanky, thin cotton farmer, in his mid-twenties, handsome, and visibly in a state of disarray. He had heavy bags under his blood-shot eyes and he was unshaven. He wore his denim work clothes with a patina of dried sweat and dust. Ramón thought the young petitioner looked like a drunk as he had the other six committee members introduce themselves around his dining room table. The summer setting sun’s rays reflected light off the room’s china cabinet and the two wall mirrors. It was seven p.m.

Members of the Alianza Committee, Roberto began as he stood at the head of the table, I am here to request your help in saving my marriage.

As the Committee members had now all perked up, Roberto continued, As you know, I am married to Lorina Sandoval and we have one son, Robert, who is two years old. One week ago, Lorina woke up crying hysterically and told me she no longer wanted to be married. I was shocked and asked her what I had done or said to cause her to feel this way. She, at first, didn’t want to talk about it. I persisted by telling her that she needed to at least tell me the reason if she was leaving me.

"What she told me shocked me further. Lorina cried as she told me that our son’s recent ability to call her ‘Mommy’ had caused her to remember that her stepfather had called