Chicano White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
8
descendants in el norte who become legal United States citizens. However, they were still considered as foreigners by the society because they were colored even
though they were legal American citizens. Slowly but sure, the Mexican- American started to find their way to be seen. In the story, Mingo represents
person who wants to get accepted by the American society, on the other hand, Joaquin, his brother, represents a rebel who opposes the United States.
It represents a change in attitude of the Chicano from silently enduring in hopes that conditions might change for the better, in order to be accepted,
to one of vigorously acknowledging his worth, his differences and his identity. The “invisible minority”, the “silent minority” began to find its
voice 2009: 2. The study above
is also supported by the statement he previously wrote in
his book, “It is a play that speaks to the core of the Chicano dilemma: “Are we
Mexican or American?”” Milagro: 2009: 1. This question is simple, but for some people, they have difficulties to choose the answer. They are actually
American but the social and cultural ties around them are Mexican. To answer such questions, some people have to define themselves for who they are. It is
either to become an Anglo-American or to accept the reality that they are Mexican-American.
Martin Milagro talks about the identity dilemma seen in The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa
. He talks about the dilemma between choosing as an American or as a Mexican. Choosing between these two choices is not easy for
them as they are not included in one of the choices. On one side, they will not be accepted as Americans because of their different look. On the other side, they are
no longer counted as Mexicans because they were born in the United States.
9
In 1984, Prof. Manuel Pickett directed the play at California State University at Sacramento. When Jorge Huerta asked him why he chose to produce
this play, Prof. Pickett answered, I directed it because I saw it as a classic work and it was a challenge. The play explores political realities of the time that are
examples of what Chicanos were doing in the 60s. Huerta: 1989: 142. Realities are the aspect that cannot be separated from the play. They are
from political, economic, and social aspect. When directing this play, Prof. Pickett viewed The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa from political realities at that time. It
was about the realities to what Mexican-American doing to become visible by the American society.
One of Luis Valdez famous short plays, Los Vendidos, which dealt with stereotypes of Mexican immigrant in California and how they were treated by
society, was inspired by the character of Mingo. Los Vendidos was a play written by Luis Valdez in 1967 after his first play, The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa.
The character of Mingo in The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa was the inspiration for Luis Valdez to write this play. In Los Vendidos
, Mingo’s character was divided into two characters. First, the Sell-Out, he represented Mingo as a
Mexican-American. Second, the Secretary, she represented Mingo’s Anglicized
character. It was no coincidence that when El Teatro Campesino separated from the
union, their first acto a short play, Los Vendidos, dealt with the identity of Chicano. Now that his theater was no longer intimately connected to the
farm-worker struggle, Valdez could dedicated his efforts to exposing the problems beyond the fields. This issue has always interested Valdez,
beginning with the character of DomingoMr. Sunday in The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa
Milagro, 2009: 3.