Even in a multicultural, polyglot city like L.A. (which has the largest population of Asian-Americans (1.4 million) in the country and where the percentage of the population which is Asian-American is roughly equal to that which is black) most discussions of race appear to still be framed in the outmoded, bipolar terms of  black and white.  For example, whereas a lot of people and many organizations honor Black History Month, Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month is almost completely unrecognized except by some Asian-Americans. The centuries-long struggle and strife of blacks in America is well-documented and worth honoring- but Asians have also been subjected to legal segregation, racist violence, widespread discrimination and harassment. So why is it that the Asian-American experience is so downplayed?

According to polls, 23% of Americans are uncomfortable voting for an Asian-American to be President of the United States. This is in contrast to 15% compared with an African-American candidate and 14% compared with a woman candidate. A lot of Asians are suspected and viewed of holding allegiances to Asia, and not the U.S. which plays into the "perpetual foreigner" syndrome. True, many Asians are more recent immigrants than the white or black population but even Asians born in America often speak, in my experience,  of "Americans" only in the third person. Last year, coming up with movies to showcase for APA Heritage Month resulted in the suggestion of Chinese Kung Fu movies the distinction between Asians in Asia and Asians in America remains a lot harder than distinguishing African-Americans from Africans or white people from Europeans partly because America loves Asian movies and Korean dramas seem to show at all hours of the day, but Hollywood almost never casts Asian-Americans in anything and, to date, there have only been three TV shows to focus on Asian-Americans.

Maybe because my girlfriend makes fun of me about my supposed 'crush" on Lila Downs, I overlooked this DVD on my top ten list of last year. It was only recently that I watched Loteria Cantada and I wasn't disappointed. I have to admit, it took me a while to get into Lila's last release, La Cantina. It wasn't until the DJ's started bumping "Cumbia De Mole" at the clubs that I gave La Cantina the once over again. The concert footage was recorded in Mexico City and in her home state of Oaxaca in 2006. Each song on this DVD was edited by nine different visual artists, bringing the concert footage to life with color and imagery synonymous with Mexican art. The DVD is set up like Loteria, with each song being a different card in a Loteria deck. The footage and sound quality are broadcast quality and even if you feel the visual art maybe be too ambitious, Lila performance is top notch. If you are a fan of Lila's music and classic Mexican art like me, this is well worth getting.

Below is a clip from the DVD. It's Lila's version of the Son Jarocho standard, "La Iguana," courtesy of youtube.com.

Maneja Beto comes into town two or three times a year with little fanfare and that’s too bad. They are the best Mexican rock band out on the scene right now that isn't actually from Mexico. Hailing from Austin, TX, Maneja Beto continues on a path that bands from Mexico no longer follow. Maneja incorporate traditional Mexican musical influences with their Anglo and Roc N' Español influences. At their performance at the Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena, Maneja Beto tore threw an hour and half set that featured most of the songs from their brilliant release, Accidentes De Longitud Y Latitud. One of the things that make Maneja unique is that two of the band member’s play multiple instruments. Bobby Garza doubles on percussion and keyboards and shares vocal duties with Alex Chavez. Chavez plays keys and a whole array of guitars (electric as well as traditional Mexican instruments such as the Jarana and the Requinto)
Much like Café Tacvba, Maneja Beto has great songs and can mix all their influences together and still retain their own sound. But unlike Café Tacvba, Maneja does not have an engaging front person, which perhaps is the reason their rise to popularity has been much slower.

There is a Mexican saying “Traen la cara de nopal” which roughly translates to,  “You have the face of a cactus." It is what some Mexicans say to each other when one forgets where they came from. It’s something one can’t shake no matter how much you are educated, how much money you earn, where you move to or how much one assimilates into Anglo culture. In the end, you have to look in the mirror and see yourself, "la cara del nopal," the face of a Mexican.

The thing I like about Maneja Beto, with all their painted nails and their obvious love of bands like Joy Division and The Smiths is they never try to hide their “caras del nopal.”  I think that many bands from Mexico right now could learn from them.