CHICANO PARK MURALS

Chicano Park

San Diego, California

Opened April 22, 1970

Photos: S. Arredondo

Barrio Logan Heights aka Chicano Park is located in south east San Diego. The mural down park is referred to by many as “el ombligo”, or “the center of the world” and is located south of down town San Diego, California. Every year an organization called "The Chicano Park Steering Committee" hosts Chicano Park Day, a celebration that attracts vintage and lowrider clubs across the nation. Chicano Park Day also includes live performances from colorful Azteca Indigenous dancers and other musical acts.

Chicano Park has a deep history and once came close to being destroyed by the city in the past. City politicians, who believed the park and its murals were an eye sore and referred to the park as “The Tumor”, campaigned to bull doze the park. Their plan was deterred after hundreds of San Diego activists and local artists protested on April 22, 1970 as bull dozers were about to level the park. After forming a human chain around the entire park to protect it, the city withdrew.

Today fascinated tourists from all over the world come to San Diego to photograph and enjoy Chicano Park.

The Word Chicano

By. D. Arredondo

The word Chicano is probably one of the most controversial words in the Hispanic community.

Mexican-Americans who know little about the word Chicano often get offended when referred to as a Chicano. I personally feel honored when referred to as Chicano. To me being a Chicano means being a proud American of Mexican heritage.
Here is what I’ve learned about the word Chicano as I’ve traveled both Mexico and other parts of the United States. I’ll start off with Texas.

Texas is a pretty diverse state, and Hispanics there view the word differently, depending in what part of this huge state you live in.

I’ve observed that in San Antonio, Dallas and Houston, Hispanics prefer to be called Tejanos or Mexicanos. They are easily offended by the word Chicano.

In El Paso, Texas the word Chicano is embraced by many Mexican-Americans since many Hispanics in El Paso share similar values and customs as Chicanos of California.
In California, the word Chicano is the word to use when refereeing to a Mexican-American.
The word Chicano actually originated in Mexico several hundred years ago. According to one explanation, the pre-Columbian tribes in Mexico called themselves Meshicas, and the Spaniards, employing the letter x (which at that time represented a sh and ch sound), spelled it Mexicas. The Indians later referred to themselves as Meshicanos and even as Shicanos, thus giving birth to the term Chicano. In Mexico it’s alright too and native Mexicans will refer any Mexican American as Chicano or “pocho Americano”. The word "pocho" means "broken" as in the broken and incorrect Spanish spoken by many Chicano's such as myself.
So why get offended over an indigenous word?

Quote

"As one of the co founders of San Diego's Chicano Park and original members who helped take over the land for our park I was impressed and very proud to see your site, murals and work you have done there in El Paso. It makes my pride run deep and wish to say, your doing great. Keep up the good work Rico Bueno" - Letter sent to ConvictedArtist.com by Rico Bueno