This Hispanic Heritage Month, Abbigail Excellent, a senior at Lake Mary High School, FL, explores the storytelling traditions of many Hispanic and Latino cultures. From oral legends like La Llorona and El Dorado to “dichos” and the works of celebrated authors, Abbigail considers how stories can preserve cultural memory while continuing to evolve for new generations of readers.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Traditions Through Storytelling and Literature
Many believe that a story must be on paper in order for it to carry substance, but in reality, throughout Hispanic and Latino cultures, and many others, stories existed long before they were written down. For many generations, one of the most important things a person could do was carry a story with them, and pass it to the generations that came after them. Some of the best examples of this come from Hispanic and Latino cultures.
An oral legend is a type of story that is passed down through spoken word for a specific purpose. For example, La Llorona or The Crying Women, which originates in Mexico, is used to teach children a lesson. While the story invokes fear through a frightening and tragic woman that laments her drowned children, it is also useful, as it serves as a warning about the dangers of going near bodies of water alone. Even now, it is still a popular piece of Hispanic and Latino culture, and is often referenced in American media around Halloween.
Another example is El Dorado: a story about a search for a golden city by the Muisca indigenous peoples. This story prompted many real expeditions by European explorers searching for it, and the treasures it held, even though the city is imaginary. The city symbolizes wealth and has appeared in writing by authors like Voltaire and Edgar Allan Poe. Though La Llorona and El Dorado have different purposes, both illustrate how stories communicate values while being passed down from one generation to the next.
Everyday language and sayings in Hispanic culture are also extremely important to literature. Another way Hispanic and Latino cultures preserve their heritage is through “dichos,” or traditional sayings. Dichos are sayings dedicated to giving advice or inculcating values. Though they may be a few words long, their meaning accurately reflects experiences and beliefs. By teaching children these sayings, families not only give them advice but also share a piece of culture and language.
Stories are not only what’s on paper, but are transferred verbally. When “dichos” and oral stories are eventually written down, in the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabelle Allende, and Sandra Cisneros, for example, they become a way of preserving the words and ideas of generations that came before.
Abbigail Excellent is a high school senior with a love of English and social studies. She is involved in several activities at her school, including the National English Honor Society, Law Club, and Book Club. Outside of this she participates in cheerleading, track, and enjoys visiting museums. National English Honor Society inspires her creativity and lets her share her love of reading with her peers.
National English Honor Society
The National English Honor Society (NEHS), founded and sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, is the only international organization exclusively for secondary students and faculty who, in the field of English, merit special note for past and current accomplishments. Individual secondary schools are invited to petition for a local chapter, through which individuals may be inducted into Society membership. Immediate benefits of affiliation include academic recognition, scholarship and award eligibility, and opportunities for networking with others who share enthusiasm for, and accomplishment in, the language arts.
America’s first honor society was founded in 1776, but high school students didn’t have access to such organizations for another 150 years. Since then, high school honor societies have been developed in leadership, drama, journalism, French, Spanish, mathematics, the sciences, and in various other fields, but not in English. In 2005, National English Honor Society launched and has been growing steadily since, becoming one of the largest academic societies for secondary schools.
As Joyce Carol Oates writes, “This is the time for which we have been waiting.” Or perhaps it was Shakespeare: “Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer . . .” we celebrate English studies through NEHS.
National English Honor Society accepts submissions to our blog, NEHS Museletter, from all membership categories (students, Advisors, and alumni). If you are interested in submitting a blog, please read the Suggested Guidelines on our website. Email any questions and all submissions to: submit@nehsmuseletter.us.
