“One interesting fact I learned was that it is likely that the Spanish colonizers of Mexico came from Andalusia, not Castile, which already had its own distinct pronunciation. The Aztec architecture has melded with the Spanish architecture the same way the Nahuatl language has meshed with Spanish. The country’s roots are literally beneath it. The site was excavated and the ancient Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan was discovered buried underneath the present day structures! How astounding is it to think that the center of town for Mexico City residents today is the exact same center of town of their ancestors centuries ago?! Visiting the site you see before your eyes what makes Mexico, well, Mexico. In the late 1970s, workers laying electrical cables accidentally came across some ruins poking out from the ground. Even though the plinth is no longer there, the word stuck and today other Mexican cities also use the word zócalo to refer to their main squares.Įl Zócalo in Mexico City serves as the cities central gathering spot for festivals, protests, concerts, markets, and, of course, the annual “grito” (shout) marking Mexican Independence Day. However, the monument was never completed, leaving only a zócalo (base) in the designated space. This is because in 1821, plans were made to erect a monument in honor of Mexico’s independence from Spain.
The word zócalo is Spanish for plinth (or a base), but in Mexico it is also used to refer to the main square of a Mexican town. In the historic part of town you will find El Zócalo. Wandering around the streets of Mexico City, I began to notice more and more of these unique distinctions. In Mexico, the Spanish language takes on new life with a version that is uniquely its own by incorporating the Nahuatl language spoken by the indigenous Aztecs before the Spanish colonization. Though as a Spaniard I can be understood across the Spanish-speaking world, it is the small nuances that embody the culture and history unique to each place and make our language so rich. I thought this was all my native language had to offer, but I found the missing ingredient on my recent trip to Mexico. My Spanish heritage has always made me seem slightly out of place with my Latin American friends, whether it’s the lisp on my tongue when I say “gracias” or the paella and lentejas (Spanish lentils) my dad served us at home growing up. On the other hand, my roots are from Spain. This is exemplified in the Spanglish spoken there. On the one hand, Miami is a wonderful and unique city-an exquisite melting pot of all things Latin, mixing Cubans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, Argentines, and so many more together in a beautiful, imperfect harmony.
I often felt I couldn’t distinguish which parts of my life and language came from which continent. I was born in Spain but raised in Miami, so I’ve always felt equal parts Spanish and Latina.