Photo courtesy of UTEP Dept. of Theater and Dance
Born in the U.S – Mexico border, El Pachuco is a caldron full of culture, language, style and music. A persona traced back to the original Chicano. He is a result of the neglect from his Mexican antecedents and the resistance of acculturation from Anglo America.
Their dialect known as Caló is a hybrid of English, Spanish, Aztec Náhuatl, and Romani, a Spanish Gypsy language that dates back to the early 16th century.
“Simon,
Ruquitos, Como el tequilitas y el panchito
And their babes la tencha y la lupita,
Role modeling mariposa-esque movimientos
On the dance floor…
Syncopating tangos wangos,
And cookie caliente cumbias,
Just tirando chancla caranal .”
In his poem “Tirando Chancla” Juan Contreras native El Pasoan and Chicano Studies lecturer at the University of Texas at El Paso, reflects the conflict and creativity present in the Pachuco life style.
“The beauty of having have been a Pachuco back then was the fact that a lot of it was a reflection against segregation, discrimination and racism that were bounded in the southwest during those days,” Contreras said.
This lifestyle originated in the 1930’s in the city of El Paso also known by its residents as El Chuco and quickly spread as railroad workers or “traqueros” moved west to California where the style developed further and Pachucos became known for their Zoot Suits.
A Zoot Suit consists of a distinctive knee length coat or “tacuche” with padded shoulders, wide-brimmed hat or “tando.” Shiny black leather shoes or “calcos” and a long pocket chain that hung down to their knees.
This attire was made famous by Germán Valdéz best known as Tin-Tan during Mexicos Golden Age of cinema of the 1940’s and 50’s. Tin-Tan was from Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico where he adopted the Pachuco style and went on to make more than 50 films including the voice of Baloo the bear in Disney’s the “Jungle Book.”
In 1943, north of the border Pachuco’s became a target of disdain fueled by the U.S. media during the Zoot Suit riots. During that summer in Los Angeles, servicemen back from WWII began harassing Mexican American youth as police stood aside sometimes aiding in the attacks. Some 150 were injured and more than 500 were arrested.
In his book “The zoot-suit riots: the psychology of symbolic annihilation” Mauricio Mazon writes, “ The zoot-suiters, attacked by servicemen and civilians in June 1943, were symbolically annihilated, castrated, transformed and otherwise rendered the subjects of effigial rites.”
Pachucos were labeled as criminals or “cholos” and even became outcasts of their own “raza” or Latino community. The Costa Rican Dictionary defines a Pachuco as “someone who has very “common” habits, very often rude. It also describes someone who has a very informal, playful way of speaking. This kind of “jive” talk is not accepted by the majority of Ticos as socially acceptable.”
Many new generations are unaware of Pachucos and their contributions. We can look back at Tin-Tan “Zoot Suit” the play and later movie that made director Luis Valdez famous and Edmundo Martinez Tostado who recorded the first ever million selling Latino record “Pachuco Boogie.”
Tostado best known as Don Tosti is also from El Paso, TX were many are trying to keep his memory alive and restore the image of Pachucos.
In her dance production titled “Pachuco Zoot: A Tale of Identity” choreographer Lisa Smith and head of the University of Texas at El Paso Dance Program presents a show full of culture clashes, historic music and authentic dress to commemorate this vintage part of Latino history.
“I think it is important for anybody to understand their own culture and I was happy that I was able to bring this opportunity to my students,” Smith said. She uses songs from Don Tosti and voice over by Contreras in a performance where figures from the golden age of Mexican cinema like Pedro Infante and Dolores Del Rio are incorporated to show their influence on this Pachuco lifestyle.
1940 Buick Eight, by Danya PH
During the opening reception VOXXI caught up with Mario Moreno, 66, a real old school Pachuco showcasing his 1937 Dodge Brothers at the entrance of the Warren Theater. He said he is also making an effort to keep this rich history alive by restoring these classic cars from that era.
His son Rocky Moreno, 28, remembers when his dad and mom used to dress up every Saturday night and go to the drive-in movies. Moreno doesn’t own a Zoot Suit anymore but still takes the Pachuco attire very seriously.
“You need to have respect for the dress, many put it on but do not have any respect for it anymore,” Mario Moreno said.
Moreno member of “El Chuco” car club was joined by Eduardo Becket from “Old Memories” car club who showcased his 1940 Buick Eight that night.
“The people that have these cars are of respect,” Becket said. He has spent 5 years restoring his car and some $15,000 and said someday it will be his sons. Beckett and the members of these car clubs believe that the culture and history of the Pachuco, will live on this way, in their cars and in their families.
“The Pachuco originated from the barrio, from the lower classes but that is our culture. I want to teach my son not to be ashamed of his culture, that we are Mexican-Americans and that we will always have a foot in the United States and one in Mexico. I don’t want him to forget where we came from,” Beckett said.
