Hispanic Awareness Month begins September 15 and runs until October 15th each year. This time was set to coincide with the independence of a number of Hispanic countries. Hispanic Heritage month highlights the contributions of people of Hispanic heritage in the United States as well as featuring the cultural and artistic pride of this community. Native American Month is celebrated during the month of November. The two cultures are undeniably linked together. Many people of Hispanic culture have traditions that tie into those of the native peoples living in the Americas before the arrival of the Spanish. It is important to remember that we celebrate Hispanic and Native American heritage as an integral part of the American experience.
History
The origin of Hispanic culture begins when the native peoples in Central and South America were first colonized by the Spanish Empire beginning in the 1500s. Christopher Columbus in his 1492 journey across the Atlantic Ocean introduced European, specifically Spanish, culture to the native populations in the Caribbean. The eventual conquest of native peoples began as well as the expansion of the Spanish Empire to present day Mexico, Central America, and eventually South America. The Spanish also controlled large parts of present day US from Florida through Texas to California.
After 1821, 50% of newly independent Mexico was north of the Rio Grande River. With the annexation of Texas and the acquisition of Mexico's territory by war in 1848, the US nearly doubled it's size and dramatically increased the number of citizens of Hispanic origin. Since that time, and with continual immigration from Latin America, the Hispanic population has increased to nearly 20% of the United States total population. This number is expected to increase to 30% by 2050.
Native Peoples
When the Spanish arrived in the New World, they encountered native people with highly organized societies. In the Caribbean it was the Taino. In Mexico, they encountered the mighty Aztec civilization. The Aztecs were a sophisticated society who had built their capital, Tenochtitlan, on a lake in central Mexico. The Spanish conquistadors were awed by the site and commented that they had seen nothing this splendid in all of Europe. Yet the Spanish were not interested in preservation, but in domination. Gold and Silver were the main attractions and Mexico had plenty. As the Spanish continued their conquest south, other native peoples fell to Spanish domination including the Maya, Guna, and Incas. Although war caused many deaths of native peoples, disease was estimated to cost up to 80% of all native deaths.
In the United States the Spanish encountered the Pueblo peoples, the Mississippi, Seminole, and others. Florida is the site of the oldest European settlement in the US at St. Augusta. Every Spanish settlement brought the Catholic religion to the native people. Missions in the Southwest of the US show this history. There are 5 in the San Antonio area alone. Catholicism mixed with native animistic religions to produce a wide variety of regional traditions. To this day, Catholicism remains the dominant Christian religion among the Hispanic population. In the month of September and October we honor all the traditions of Hispanic Heritage.
Native Americans of North America
Native Americans in North America are related culturally to those in Central and South America. They have many similarities, most especially the harmonious relationship with nature. Contact with the Spanish resulted in the reintroduction of the horse into North America. This became an important aspect of native culture in the US and contributed to the heavily nomadic lifestyle of the plains people. These include the Lakota(Sioux), Shoshone, Kiowa, Choctaw, Osage, and others.
European explores from both Spain and France had multiple contacts with native peoples, but they did not attempt to conquer their lands. It was only when the British came that actual settlement began on a large scale. After American Independence, the expansion of the US led to devastation of the native populations of North America. Besides disease, natives were subjected to slavery, forced migration from native lands, massacres from white settlers and army units, forced assimilation to European white culture, and finally the settlement onto reservations.
In spite of all their hardships, the native peoples of North America and those south of the US border have retained much of their proud heritage. We can see these in Pow Wows that are performed to highlight the different types of dances which are an integral part of the ceremonial life of natives. It is also important to learn as much as we can about native history, not as something separate, but as a key part of American history. We honor Native Americans in the month of November to remember what was and what still remains for us to cherish.