After a brief outburst of Latin dance, renowned author, journalist and professional dancer Alma Guillermoprieto said, "My beautiful, beloved Mexico, if I should die far from you, let they say that I'm asleep and bring me back home."
Guillermoprieto's lecture, entitled "How to Be a Mexican," traced Mexican culture and pride throughout the country's history. Filled with classic and contemporary examples of Mexican film, music and dance, her lecture described the development and meaning of Mexican identity.
"It was very intriguing how Guillermoprieto presented the impact of both traditional and modern influences on Mexican identity," said Clay Giese, a senior who attended the lecture.
Guillermoprieto, who has published numerous books and written for The Guardian, The Washington Post, Newsweek, The New Yorker and various other publications, focused on the meaning of Mexican identity in today's world as well as the foundation of Mexican culture.
She began her lecture by saying, "I am going to talk about two countries: Mexico and the past." She then went on to explain that the past is indeed a place - a place we can never visit again. With this in mind, she said Mexican culture does not throw out the past, but rather takes it up and brings it along as the culture moves forward. She said Mexicans are indeed Native Americans, and proceeded to trace the development of Mexican culture through periods of European invasion, drug trafficking, urbanization and even Americanization, citing a Mexican cover of an Elvis song as an example of changing times.
"Yo soy mucho mexicano," was repeated again and again as Guillermoprieto explained how being Mexican is a value.
"A Scottish man may think being thrifty is a value," Guillermoprieto said. "Being a Mexican is a value in itself."
She further explained that simply "remaining" Mexican has cost a lot of blood and suffering, and Mexican identity is rooted in pride and nationalism. When asked what she thought of the Americanization of Mexico, Guillermoprieto said there is just as much "Mexicanization" of America.
To conclude her lecture, Guillermoprieto said, "I am very, very Mexican. Culture is like water: It flows where it will and no matter how much you try to keep it down, it always finds its course."
