Mi Familia

The book, “Voices From the Fields: Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories” is a collection of poems written by migrant children and their stories.   Each life shared has a unique perspective to what life is like as a child of a migrant farmworker.  One thing that each story has in common is the importance of family and how that sense of family shapes them into who they are. 

América Reyna, Bonita
Written & translated by,
Teresa Maturino

Like my child

I carried you carefully

Like my wet tears

I wiped you softly

Like my fragrant roses

I smelled your spoiled milk

Like my lonely dolls

I caressed you gently

Like my body

I bathed you thoroughly

I was young 

You were a baby

Just like me

you carry vivid blood

Just like me

the bold size of our eyes

tanned colored skin

wild ideas

Ay mija,

Reyna, eres más que mi hermana.  

(Oh sweet one,
Reyna, you are more than my sister.)
(p. 75)

This poem shows how deeply one can love especially when you are responsible for the raising of the other.  This is a common occurrence among migrant children, the older siblings are left to care for the younger ones while the parents work in the field.  Victor believes that his family is strong because they work together.  José is in third grade and works in the fields on the weekends, during the summer and sometimes during school to help his family.  José knows what hard work is and yet when he grows up, he hopes to pick strawberries.  He has pride in what he does because that is what all of his relatives do.

The migrant children, know how hard their parents work to provide for them; their parents know that if their children get an education, they won’t have to work as hard.  Obtaining an education is encouraged, but the motivation to learn is the desire to take care of their parents.  Manuel hopes to be able to buy his parents a “blue car or a house”.  Victor would give his parents all the money he earned and his parents would give him back what he needs to survive. 

Children of migrant workers are taught to respect their grandparents as well as their parents by listening to their advice.  Mari’s grandmother says “keep on fighting and fighting until we get the best” (p. 88).  Mari will be attending Fresno State.  When Frank was studying in school his father told him to “put more desire” (Atkin, p. 61).  Frank’s grades improved from B’s to A’s.  Jesús believes his mother when she tells him “Behave well, you’ll be something good.  Behave badly, you won’t be anyone” (Atkin, p. 73).  He tries to behave and listen to her advice.

Victor feels that “there isn’t anything more important than (his) family” (Atkin, p. 53).  Migrant children have strong family ties because they work together, take care of each other, and respect one another.  Their families are the greatest influence on who they will become.

Reference:

Atkin, Beth S. Voices From the Fields: Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories. Toronto, Little, Brown and Company, 1993.