Bellas por naturaleza: Mapping national identity on US Colombian beauty queens

Each year, Colombia hosts more than 300 beauty pageants at the local, regional and national levels. Aside from a form of entertainment, pageants have become an expression of cultural identity, regional pride, as well as a distraction from civil and political tensions. The beauty pageant has also bec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Latino studies 2013-09, Vol.11 (3), p.293-312
Main Author: De La Torre, Michelle Rocío Nasser
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attractiveness
Audiences
Beauty contests
Coffee
Colombia
Communication
Cultural and Media Studies
Cultural Identity
Cultural Studies
Culture
Diaspora
Discourse
Drug trafficking
Ethnicity
Ethnicity Studies
Independence Day
International relations
Literature
Migration
National Identity
Original Article
Pageants
Physical attractiveness
Politics
Postcolonial/World Literature
Regional and Cultural Studies
Regionalism
Regions
Self Esteem
U.S.A
United States of America
Women
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Summary:Each year, Colombia hosts more than 300 beauty pageants at the local, regional and national levels. Aside from a form of entertainment, pageants have become an expression of cultural identity, regional pride, as well as a distraction from civil and political tensions. The beauty pageant has also become a source of national and cultural identification for diasporic Colombians. This essay examines Concurso Señorita de Independencia de Colombia , a beauty pageant that celebrates Colombia’s Independence Day in Houston, TX. Through a close reading of participants’ regional garb and discourses, I discuss how Colombian identities are mapped on to US colombianas and how they are charged with the role of “international advocates” for an improved image of Colombia.
ISSN:1476-3435
1476-3443
DOI:10.1057/lst.2013.17