Pachucas

Pachucas were the female counterpart of the Pachuco, (a slang term used in the 1940s to refer to a Zoot Suiter). It is said that the origin of this word comes from a border town in the southwest region of the U.S. The word Pachuca does not have its roots in the Spanish language, but from the Native language that was originally spoken in this area. The Pachucas proudly stood side by side with their Zoot Suited brothers, boy friends, and husbands.

With their signature extra high Pompadours (a popular hairstyle of the time, in which the hair is swept back high off the face). These Pachucas often sported custom made coats that matched their mans. The Pachucas were subject to the same racial challenges of that time that their Zoot Suiter men were. This often lead to them being the victims of beatings, sexual assaults, and rapes by the hands of law enforcement and the U.S. Military. It is to all the Original Pachucas in my family and all the Chicano families back then I dedicate these paintings.