Question In 3–5 sentences, differentiate between cultural assimilation and cultural accommodation. Focus on how Tejanos reacted to the newly dominant Anglo-American culture after Texas became a U.S. state
Many Tejanos learned English, dressed like the white people and ate Tex-Mex instead of traditional Mex. Even though many took on these aspects of Anglo culture, they did not fully assimilate. They accommodated their own culture due to the need to fit in with white folks in public. At home, they still spoke Spanish, dressed in Mexican styles and ate Mexican food. They also remained Catholic and prayed to the Virgin Mary.
This illustrates a situation in which Tejanos engaged in cultural accommodation rather than assimilation. While they adopted certain aspects of Anglo-American culture in public settings to navigate social and economic opportunities, they retained their own cultural traditions and practices in their private lives. By accommodating Anglo-American culture in certain contexts while holding onto their Mexican heritage in others, Tejanos were able to balance assimilation pressures with a desire to preserve their cultural identity. This exemplifies the complexity of cultural adaptation and negotiation faced by minority groups in culturally diverse societies.
Tejanos ate spaghetti when their anglo friends were over and tacos when it was just their family because they wanted to fit in. Some would go to churches other than Catholic. All of this was to assimilate to white culture. But really they were accommodating because when they were at home or around Mexican friends and family, they still did Mexican things--spoke Spanish, Catholic, ate that food and dressed traditional.
Thank you for providing additional insight into the nuances of cultural assimilation and accommodation among Tejanos in Texas. It appears that in public or mixed social settings, Tejanos made efforts to assimilate into the dominant Anglo-American culture by adjusting their food choices, religious practices, and even church attendance. However, this behavior was more a form of cultural accommodation rather than full assimilation, as they still maintained their Mexican cultural practices and traditions in private or within their own community. This demonstrates the complexity and flexibility of cultural identity among Tejanos, as they navigated between assimilation and accommodation depending on their social context.
Cultural assimilation involves the process of a minority group adapting to and taking on the dominant culture's beliefs, values, and practices. This often results in the minority group losing aspects of their own culture. Cultural accommodation, on the other hand, involves the minority group retaining their own cultural identity while also adapting to aspects of the dominant culture.
In the case of Tejanos in Texas after the state became part of the U.S., many Tejanos faced pressure to assimilate into Anglo-American culture. Some Tejanos chose to assimilate in order to gain social and economic benefits, such as job opportunities and land ownership. Others, however, resisted assimilation and sought to maintain their cultural traditions, such as speaking Spanish and celebrating Mexican holidays. This led to a complex relationship between Tejanos and Anglo-Americans, with both cultural assimilation and accommodation occurring to varying degrees.