Nidhi Week 5 - The Real Cowboys
Dusty roads, lone cacti, rolling tumbleweeds, and most of all, the cowboy hat. What do these things have in common? They are all iconic symbols of the Wild West, cowboy culture in particular. Popularized by early 20th century Hollywood films and movie stars such as Clint Eastwood and John Wayne, these films became instant hits in the US and across the world. The wild cowboy became a physical representation of our stars and stripes, so much so that many people thought of the whole US as the ‘Wild West.’
But did you know that those famed, horse-riding, bandit-roping legends aren’t truly our creation? ‘Cowboy culture’ actually stems from Spanish colonial ranching, and the men (and women) themselves were modeled after Mexican vaqueros. Spanish explorers reintroduced horses to America in the 15th and 16th century after their extinction from the continent thousands of years ago. Vaquero is a Spanish term, meant to describe the men who work with livestock. The Indigenous and Mestizo communities of Mexico mixed their own techniques with those from Spain, creating the typical roping and riding we know today. As migration to the Western frontier of the US occurred, American pioneers adopted these ways from the vaqueros, and the cowboy as we know it was born.
Things that seem wholly American are often actually a blend of different cultures and traditions. The banjo was based on instruments brought over by enslaved Africans. The cowboy hat was modeled after sombreros worn by Mexican riders. Even the founding ideals of our country—equality, liberty, and natural rights—were influenced by Enlightenment thinkers from England and France. And the beloved cowboy, synonymous with America to so many people around the world, wouldn’t have existed without indigenous riders and Mexican vaqueros.
Hi Nidhi! Thank you for your blog, and you have actually opened my eyes. If I had never read your blog, then I would have never known these dusty roads, tumbleweeds and cowboy hats didn’t originate from America. It’s silly, because my whole life I have believed these symbols originated from the U.S. rather than Spain. This makes me think of how many things are easily rebranded to be another. For example, I often see products from China, Japan, and Korea all get mixed up to a point where we no longer give credit to where they came from. I think that while it is important to share culture and develop new ideas—I think it is also important to shed light on where cultures come from.
ReplyDeleteAnother point your blog reminds me of is how America is truly so diverse with different cultures embedded everywhere, on Thornton Avenue to just our everyday lives. On a side note, thank you for bringing this fact to my attention, and I will definitely research more about cowboy culture!
Hi Nidhi! I really enjoyed reading your post, especially how you highlighted the historical roots of cowboy culture. It made me reflect on the culture in some areas of the United States that take pride in a sort of "cowboy culture," but are unaccepting of other cultures in general. For example, many people by the border in Texas are very conservative and also hold beliefs that make them resent people of color, immigrants, and other cultures, when in reality the very foundation of America is based in the mixture of various cultures.
ReplyDeleteYour point about the cowboy hat being modeled by sombreros and the banjo coming from instruments brought over by enslaved Africans were fascinating details that made me think about what other aspects of stereotypical American culture is rooted in other cultures. It is so eye opening to realize that these icons of the American frontier would cease to exist without the original influence from other cultures. I was wondering what prompted you to focus specifically on rodeo ideas such as roping and riding, which are not very present in Fremont or even the bay area as far as I know. I really enjoyed your blog!