50 pages • 1 hour read
The Hacienda
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Background
Historical Context: Mexican War of Independence
The Hacienda takes place in the wake of the Mexican War of Independence. The war took place from 1810 to 1821, resulting in Mexico gaining independence from the Spanish Empire. The Mexican insurgents were ultimately successful in overthrowing the government because of the help of Agustín de Iturbide, a royalist general who switched sides in the middle of the war, joined the insurgency, and helped them win the war. Once the war was over, the insurgents set up the First Mexican Empire with Agustín de Iturbide as its emperor. Yet, political unrest did not end with the war. Vicente Guerrero, the original Mexican leader of the insurgency, deposed Agustín de Iturbide the following year and exiled him from Mexico. In The Hacienda, Beatriz’s father was an insurgent who supported Agustín de Iturbide’s rule, so Vicente Guerrero’s followers executed him.
While the novel does not deal directly with Mexican politics, the uncertainty of Mexico’s future and the direct effects of the war underline the entire narrative. The power dynamics between Criollo people—those of Spanish descent—and Mestizo individuals—those of both Spanish and Indigenous heritage—and the Indigenous population is a constant theme throughout the narrative. The hierarchy of the Spanish casta system ensured that white supremacy continued to exist even when the Spanish Empire was not in power. The founding of the First Mexican Empire did not erase the casta system’s racist beliefs instilled in Mexican society due to Spanish colonialism.
Socio-Historical Context: Effects of Colonialism
Although the narrative takes place after Mexico is free from Spanish rule, the long-lasting effects of colonialism pervade the life of every character in The Hacienda. Beatriz mentions that the casta system is no longer in place after the war; however, racism and colorism still exist because of colonialism’s deep roots. The casta system in Mexico was never a strict social system, but those with Spanish heritage acted as if they were superior to those who had Indigenous or Black ancestry. Rodolfo and Juana are Criollo and therefore hold more power and privilege within Mexican society than Beatriz or their Mestizo and Indigenous servants. This racism and discrimination also included colorism, shown in how the novel’s Criollo characters criticize Beatriz for the darkness of her skin.
A major effect of colonization that Cañas discusses in The Hacienda is the tension between Catholicism and Indigenous religions. Even though Catholicism was the major religion in Mexico by 1823, it was also the religion of the Spanish colonizers. Catholicism did not allow the Indigenous and Mestizo populations to practice Indigenous religions because they believed these practices were “demonic.” The fear that spread during the Mexican Inquisition (1571-1820) created deep mistrust between the Indigenous and Criollo populations because it represented how the Catholic church favored white people over anyone else. Although the Mexican Inquisition ended in 1820, the tension surrounding the Catholic church’s hypocrisy in its treatment of non-Spanish Christians extended into the 19th century.
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