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Louie and Ida Rivera Life History and Perspectives

Dublin Core

Title

Louie and Ida Rivera Life History and Perspectives

Description

Louie and Ida Rivera, a married couple living in Barrio Hollywood in Tucson, Arizona discuss their life histories and comment on aspects of pachuco culture and its language, Caló. Louie was born in 1927 in Jerome, Arizona and after some time in the Navy, he moved back and worked in the Jerome mines. He recounts his youth as a pachuco, but notes that the culture started earlier in the 1930s among braceros coming from Mexico to work in the United States. Louie goes into detail about some of the aspects of pachuco fashion and defines terminology. Louie also talks about caló, calling it a street language. He then breaks down some of the differences between pachucos and cholos and talks about treatment by police and media. Later in the interview, Ida tells of her experiences growing up working to help her parents pay for her brother’s medical bills. She discusses how she learned caló from her husband, and how women were involved in the culture as well.

Creator

Cummings, Laura (Laura Lee)

Source

Dr. Laura Lee Cummings Pachuco/Caló Oral History Project Collection (MS 592). Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries.

Publisher

University of Arizona Libraries

Date

1990-01-08

Contributor

Rivera, Louie; Rivera, Ida

Rights

This item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the University of Arizona for non-commercial uses. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the University of Arizona.

Relation

Interview with Louie and Ida Rivera in Aviary

Format

Audio cassette

Language

English
Spanish
Pachuco
Caló

Type

Sound

Identifier

MS592.14

Coverage

Arizona--Tucson

Citation

Cummings, Laura (Laura Lee), “Louie and Ida Rivera Life History and Perspectives,” Special Collections Online Exhibits, accessed January 5, 2026, https://exhibits.lib.arizona.edu/items/show/17125.