Others perceive Mexicans as “the-lazy-mañana-Indian-with-a-wide-straw-sombrero-sleeping-next-to-a-cactus,” as “the-wetback-running-to cross-the-border-to-become-one-more-in-the-14-million-Mexicans-count-living-in-the-USA,”or the “night-shift-hospital- cleaning-lady-in-Milwaukee,” or “a-dishwasher-in-an-Italian-restaurant-in-Manhattan,” “a-uniformed-maid-in-Sacramento” or
“another-exploited-worker-in-a-sweat-shop-in-some-hidden-town-of-Alabama.”
These are partial descriptions of the national identity of our brothers and sisters.
A better way to describe us is: The Taco.

The Taco symbolizes Mexico. The Taco is not merely a tortilla rolled up and stuffed with food, nor just a Mexican dish, or a Tacobellish fast food item.

The Real Taco is:
A way of eating prevalent since Prehispanic times
A nutritional and balanced dish adopted by the “Conquistadors”
Our national Identity
An extraordinary culinary surprise for the senses
A mystic experience that opens new channels of consciousness
An orgasm for any ethnic taste buds
A festival of smells and textures
A parade of rich colors
A symbol and subject for Writers and Composers,
Literati and Poets, Politician and Civilians
A way of life
A exciting double conundrum,
An insinuating, codified, erotic language
A way of flirting and laughing
A social activity

The taco stands only for Mexico, its people and the colors of its flag. The Real Taco is the national symbol of every Mexican around the globe. The taco unites poor and rich, middle classes and beggars, farmers and city-dwellers, there is no distinction when we eat tacos. We all submit to the rules. We all know how to do it. Taco-eating is a happy and emotional ritual full of laughter, obeyed and follow by everyone, without doubts, opinions or remorse.

The taco represents the hot, sharp, mixed, colorful, emotional, and strong spirit of Mexico and its people. All those who where born or raised in Mexico or abroad, even those who have only visited us, can hear the call of our national identity: the “Real Taco.”

Colectivo de ArtencontrArte/Art versus Art Collective artencontrate@artstar.com

My father wrote this. He and I collaborated on a project where he used a variety of mediums to convey graphically and visually the variety of tacos.. different foods, different ways of eating them, different locations, etc.

If anybody is interested in using this project let me know. =)