Quinceañera Research Paper

Marked as a celebration of the transition from childhood to womanhood, quinceaneras have been a long-standing tradition among Latin American families. Though “quinceanera” literally means “fifteen year old girl,” the term has become more closely associated with the celebration itself, oftentimes by non-latinx people. Among Latin American families and culture, the celebration is often referred to as “fiesta de quince años” (fifteen year party) or simply a “quinces.” To avoid any confusion, I use “quinceanera” to refer to the celebration, rather than the individual, for the remainder of this paper. Historically, fifteen was seen as the age when Latina girls were ready for marriage, and the quinceanera celebrated that transition. While modern quinceaneras have drifted away from this initial intent, and now reflect more of a celebratory coming of age narrative, the marriage and wedding-related symbolism is still apparent.

Mexico Independence Day is always celebrated on September 16th. Mexico gained their independence on September 16th, 1810. Many mexicans celebrate their independence day with fireworks. Many families also have fiestas on this special day in September. On this day people eat a lot of food and drink a lot of drinks. People also will gather around and dance and sing and play music on this day as well. Mexico’s Flags are also flown in the air on this day as well. People have lots of decorations of Mexico’s colors which is Red, White, and Green. Many people plant flowers this day as well. Usually the colors of the flowers are Red, White, & Green. Whistles are blown on this day as well and lots of screaming is done too. People

A Quinceañera is a popular rite of passage ceremony in Mexico, celebrated exclusively by girls. The term comes from the Spanish words quince and años, which mean fifteen and years (cf. Barbezat n.p.). As the name says it stands for a girl turning 15, which marks the end of childhood and symbolizes the start of a new life chapter as a grown woman (cf. Avila García). Important features of the celebration are family, womanhood and integrating the girl in the community as a new adult. Furthermore, the Quinceañera is now also ready to take responsibilities, make her own decisions and has more rights than she had before turning 15, for example driving a car. She is gaining liberty with her 15th birthday, and is about to make new experiences, like

A Quinceanera is an event that comes once in a lifetime and nearly every girl in the Hispanic community looks forward to it. From escorts to princess-like dresses to the party there is a plethora of planning needing to be done. There are several steps leading to the perfect party some of them being the following: pre-planning, rehearsals, and most importantly the main events occurring on the special day.

It can range from a fairytale princess, Cinderella, fairies and butterflies to precious moments in her life. And the third step is having a waltz. In most countries they have traditional customs were the quinceanera dances the first dance with her father. While dancing they play favorite quinceanera songs which are De Niña a Mujer (From Child to Woman) and La Ultima Muñeca (The Last Doll). It’s a special moment in time when the father and daughter are dancing. And the last step in having accessories for quinceanera includes dresses, tiaras, guest book, photo albums, champagne glasses, dolls, bibles, decorations and planning. In most countries in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central, and South America it’s a traditional and custom that their godparents and their parents pay for everything for her quinceanera on her fifteenth birthday. After cousin Christian finished explaining to me, she continued walking down the hall to begin to celebrate her fifteenth birthday. I told myself to never forget the first quinceanera I attended, and what she told me.

Quinceanera is one of the most meaningful and beautiful occasions in Mexican culture. It embarks the celebration of girl’s fifteen birthday that is anticipated with much happiness and enjoyment. It is a celebration of womanhood means she is fully ready to take on her responsibilities and is of marriageable age. The ceremony is celebrated with zest and zeal by the parents.

The conversion from childhood to womanhood is an extremely significant event in practically any culture. This event is known as a Quinceañera, also called fiesta de quince años, fiesta de quinceañera, quince años, quinceañero or commonly known as quince which is consisted of a celebration of a girl 's fifteenth birthday with cultural roots in Latin America but celebrated all over America. Nonetheless, Hispanics, recognize this occasion by doing the celebration of a Quinceañera. The Quinceañera tradition is believed to have initiated several years ago when the Spanish conquerors initiated the tradition in Mexico while others believe the tradition began with the Aztecs. During that ancestral home of the Aztec Indians, whose empire succeeded

Guadalupe Quintanilla was 12 years old, her and her family moved from Mexico to Brownsville, Texas and she was enrolled into school there. She was labeled retarded because she took an IQ test in English and could not understand the English language. After months of humiliation, her grandfather agreed to let Lupe stay home and help him be his eyes. As time passed, she married at 16 to a Mexican-American and gave birth to three children years later. Once her children were enrolled in school, they told Lupe that her children were slow learners. She didn’t understand how they were slow learners when at home, they were so smart. This inspired Lupe to take an English course at a university in which would help her teach her children at home. This

Anacaona was a queen, an Arawak Indian, but all of this was taken away from her when the Spaniards arrived looking for gold. Anacaona was one of the Spaniards first victims, “she was raped and killed and her village pillaged” (Danticat, 23). Anacaona represents all the grandmothers, mothers, and granddaughters of Haiti who have been victimized, abused, raped, and murdered.

Society can lift one up, or it can reject a person like someone rejects a dirty penny on the ground. Although Don Quixote claims to follow the knight’s code, oftentimes he absentmindedly fails to do the right thing in a situation. When he finds a farmer beating his farmhand, he asks questions, gets an answer and leaves without really doing anything.

Mexico is popular for its conventions speaking to the religion, culture and governmental issues in the course of the last five hundred years. A portion of the major occasions celebrate the gala of the Lady of Guadalupe, which is a Catholic festival of the presence of the Virgin Mary to an Indian man at the outset of the times where the Spanish were the leader of the nation. There is also the Day of the Dead, a celebration that combines indigenous and catholic rituals for the honor of the deceased. The Mexican Independence Day when Mexico’s rural poor fight to pull down the Spanish while they were having the control of the country.

Before I knew it, my Quincenera comes to an end. A year filled with a roller-coaster of emotions. I look back and I am so thankful to have got to experience this magical day. My aunts and cousins were right, this was the best day ever. I can not change one thing from this day, the decorations, the dress and the experience were all perfect.

A quinceanera is the fifteenth-year of celebrating birth which can also be known as a fiesta de quinceanera. A quinceanera is a celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday with family roots tied to Latin America. These quinceaneras that are celebrated are celebrated much more differently than other birthdays. In Latin American cultures in the past young women were prepared for marriage by the age of fifteen because if they had not been married by then they became nuns. Before these young women became fifteen they were taught many things to be prepared to provide many things for their husbands like knowing how to cook, care for their children, and weave.

To me the story of Don Quixote is one of a valiant fool. Quixote is a dreamer who wants to do good and be a hero like the characters in his books, but he is not right in the head and ends up damaging things more than fixing them. He wants to be a heroic knight and believes he is defending the peasantry, yet he is mocked and tricked by his neighbors and superiors alike. He is described by the other characters as mad and a potential danger to himself and others. Don Quixote’s madness is central to the novel, but is that madness really a bad thing? Is Quixote’s return to sanity at the ends of the story a positive ending? I would like to argue that Don Quixote’s end game sanity is actually a tragedy.

Attending Don Quixote at the Dr. Phillips Center was truly an inspiring and inspirational experience. Learning about the Spanish culture and their beliefs as well as the history of Don Quixote was very insightful. The music was also very powerful and stood out the most to me. Overall, I really enjoyed the evening and found it to be everything I had hoped for.