Outside influences and traditional knowledge in domestic space among the colonia residents of Cameron Park, Texas

Abstract

This research is based on qualitative field-work among the residents of the "colonia" community of Cameron Park, north of Brownsville, Texas. Colonias are substandard and rural subdivisions usually within 50 miles from the Mexican border. They are often characterized by the lack of basic infrastructure such as sewage, paved roads, treated water and street fights. The residents are mainly of lespanic origin; hence the Spanish term. They are Mexicans or first and second generation Mexican-Americans with often a limited literacy of English and little or no formal education. Coping with these grim surroundings and various levels of social, geographic and linguistic isolation, the 3,500 residents of Cameron Park engage in a daily struggle to improve their life conditions. This study aims to improve basic knowledge of the colonia sub-culture by using housing issues as reflections of sociocultural characteristics. It also provides specific information on Cameron Park to help the ongoing Texas A&M University community development project led by the Center for Housing and Urban Development (Cff-FJD) in the College of Architecture. As part of the "Colonias Project", CfHUD is involved with building and managing community centers in colonias along the Texas-Mexico border, including one in Cameron Park. My research focuses specifically on the use and organization of the domestic domain. During a bimonthly stay of three to four days with a family within the community, I conducted informal interviews of a number of residents. They were asked about their cultural background, daily activities, perception about issues related to housing and the community. The in-depth characteristic of these interviews limited the number I was able to conduct during my field-work. My findings therefore are not necessarily a representative sample of the entire colonia but rather focus on issues of relevance to my informants. My conclusions identify sociocultural patterns that characterize the colonia sub-culture and offer specific suggestions to individuals or agencies involved in ameliorating the conditions of these unique settlements.