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The College Cynic
Observing a quinceñera….hmmmmm
Currently, I am feeding into the valley’s depressingly low unemployment numbers, however during the weekends, I become a victim of cheap labor when helping my parents with their business. They own a small, yet well known event-decoration business. This past weekend I had the pleasure of helping decorate a “quinceñera.”
For those who have never attended one, it is the equivalent to a coming of age celebration. In Mexico, the celebration
Decorating for a quinceñera
is held commemorating a girl’s 15th birthday. The ritual-like celebration consists of a mass–in which God is thanked for… something– followed by a loose version of a wedding reception, in which the newly God-approved teen hosts an alcohol and sin-filled party.
Just to clarify, I’m not criticizing or disapproving of the practice, I’m only observing.
But what does that mean in Calexico, to the son of the decorators responsible for convincing partygoers that the hostess is a princess from a far-away land? Well this means I am forced to contribute to this obviously sexist tradition.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that this particular quinceñera party was not as pretentious as most. Don’t get me wrong she was demanding, but while most quinceñeras seek to appear older than they are, this one requested the opposite. I was asked to build a version of the Cinderella Castle in Disney World for the Cinderella themed quinceñera.
Cinderella castle for the quinceñera
It took me four days, but I was satisfied with the result. I am the self-proclaimed master in the insulation foam sheet art.
Yet what I consider to be the most rewarding part of the job I do takes place during the actual setting up of the decorations. I work alongside caterers, waiting staff, and cleaning/setup staff. And after many years, I feel a proletarian connection with those around me, most likely the result of the mutual respect that arises from the understanding of the phony nature of social gatherings.
Workers meet again when the party ends. We usually begin to clean up at the time the party is scheduled to end, although it takes partygoers a while to leave. This particular quinceñera was no different, the party was unofficially extended by the chamber of commerce and city council families who refused to leave–and let’s face it, they’re the same people.
These experiences are not only economically beneficial–I do get paid. They most importantly result in enlightenment, understanding and empathy.
Here is a list of helpful tips for those who want to make the event’s staff happy:
- DO NOT spill your drinks on the table cover, then use cake to clean it up.
-Artists, refrain from using the table covers as your canvases, especially if it is gang-inspired art.
-If you break a glass, get rid of it if possible, wait staff does not know and can be hurt when cleaning.
-Do use an ashtray to put out cigarettes.
-Puke in a trash can or a bathroom.
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About the Blogger
It’s Friday night and you want to know where you can find a typical Imperial Valley teenager. Should you look in El Centro’s bowling alley? No. Just follow the herd of overly dressed teens gasping and reaching for the U.S./Mexico border.Thankfully, 18-year-old Luis Flores keeps his Mexicali escapades to a minimum; and instead, observes and is too often entertained by this and similar trends which rarely take place outside the valley.
Luis Flores is a Brawley-born Calexico resident. He graduated from Calexico High School in 2008, when he enrolled at Imperial Valley College. Like a fellow ivnews.INFO blogger, Luis was a Boy Scout at his local Mormon church. Unlike his fellow blogger, Luis is NOT an Eagle Scout, not even close.
Luis considers himself an “artist,” and no, not just because he’s broke and jobless. This fall he will be applying for transfer admission into various universities and plans to study some form of English, and some form of art.
Luis' blog will deal with those interesting things that make the Imperial Valley unique, aside--and outside--from our depressing national standings. Everything from the point of view of a college student who is still trying to get out of the valley.
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The College Cynic: Observing a quinceñera….hmmmmm
| Wed, 17 Jun 2009 1:49 PMThe ritual-like celebration consists of a mass–in which God is thanked for… something– followed by a loose version of a wedding reception, in which the newly God-approved teen hosts an alcohol and sin-filled party.
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Thanks for the advise, I’ll keep those tips in mind. Nice job with the decorating by the way, the castle looks amazing. Too bad “Quinceañeras” are not your thing, you have a talent…Saludos.
Correction… On the first paragraph, it should read High unemployment
Very funny! And informative…. cake for cleaning up spilled drinks. Thanks, I’ll try it.
Very true. Quinceñeras are supposed to be a traditional, Mexican celebration of womanhood but most people tend to lose the meaning of the tradition (including the aforementioned mass, which you apparently have also missed) and trade that rich heritage for a reason to party and get drunk and/or act stupid.
Although you’re correct in your observations I would have to disagree that this is an “obviously sexist tradition.” To label a tradition from another country as “sexist” is to impose the values and/or beliefs of whatever country you identify with – namely the United States of America – on the culture that the tradition in question is originally from (in this case, Mexico).
What I’m saying is a person shouldn’t judge (or at least be so quick to judge) another culture’s customs without a sufficient understanding of what the actual significance of the tradition entails. In order to clearly and accurately OBSERVE a tradition from another culture you have to UNDERSTAND the tradition and it’s meanings as well as understand the culture in general.
In my opinion, there are many things wrong with the way quinceñeras are celebrated but sexism isn’t one. Why? Because one shouldn’t label another culture’s traditions through the lens of their own culture. Not only is that ethnocentrism and it could that lead to more misunderstandings between culture but, for a journalist, I believe that can lead to bad journalism as well.