3: Perspectiva Cultural
As most girls did, my older cousin once had an American Girl Doll phase, but by the time she got to her mid-teens, very much outgrew it, leaving behind an extensive collection of clothes, furniture, accessories, and most importantly: SO many dolls. I was given the Josefina American Girl Doll by my cousin for my birthday, solidifying her as my favorite cousin ever.
Josefina Montoya was a lot different than my other dolls, not by just her physical appearance, but her historical background as well. Josefina had long and dark hair that was kept together in a side braid, tied with blue ribbon. She had dark eyes and brown skin, and woven accessories that were colorful and striped. She didn’t wear the same shiny mary-jane shoes that Kit and Samantha came with, but instead soft brown moccasins. I didn’t recognize these shoes or her accessories, but was fascinated by their intricacy.
As I learned more about Josefina by reading her accompanying historical background book, my eyes were opened to a new culture. Josefina and her family lived in New Mexico, while it was under Mexican rule. She lives with her dad and three older sisters in a ranch, where they raise and own goats, and have a huge garden full of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Because she spoke both Spanish and English, her book, which was mainly written in English, had many Spanish words and phrases scattered throughout, along with a glossary in the back of their definitions.
These Spanish words filled the book, in order to add layers and meaning to Josefina’s story. She often wears a “mantilla” which is defined by American Girl as “a lacy scarf that girls and women wear over their head and shoulders,” on page 113. This was one of the accessories that the Josefina doll came with, and knowing the name and significance of what I previously thought was just a shawl made me appreciate it more. Her home was made out of “adobe,” defined as “a building material made of earth mixed with straw and water” on page 112. I had never seen houses made of anything other than bricks or drywall, so reading about this new style of house showed me a new part of the world. Josefina’s family called Christmas Eve “la Noche buena” which made me feel more connected to Josefina’s story and culture, because although the night has different names for different families, the celebration and the joy is the same for both.
Josefina’s backstory was one of my first in-depth introductions to a culture other than my own. Growing up in a fairly homogeneous suburb, I did not see many other ethnicities or cultures represented in my school or neighborhood. Being exposed to the rich Mexican culture of Josefina opened my eyes to the world outside of my town. Even though Josefina’s story was fictional, her language and culture were not. Being able to draw differences and similarities to Josefina’s culture allowed me to understand and respect this different way of living even more.
Reading these books introduced me to a new language, which I then chose to pursue in school all the way until my sophomore year of high school. Being introduced to Spanish and Mexican culture for the first time via Josefina sparked a lifelong interest in different languages and cultures, which I now pursue through learning Chinese, previously at the middle and high school level, and now at the college level. Josefina was different from my other dolls, but I am grateful for these differences because they allowed me to explore new parts of myself and new passions for cultural appreciation.
