The Spanish song “La Juala de Oro” by Los Tigres del Norte, expresses the emotional struggles Mexican immigrants face when adapting to the United States. “La Juala de Oro” means “the Golden Cage” and is a metaphor in this song for how although the speaker of the song is in the United States, a country full of opportunity, he feels trapped since he is not able to go back to his country Mexico since he is an immigrant. The voice of the song expresses a feeling of melancholy for being away from his country Mexico. The voice of the song expresses the loss of culture he witnesses in his own family, as his children adapt an American identity and reject their Mexican identity. The voice of the song holds on to his Mexican identity even as he adopts an American identity as a Mexican immigrant. “La Juala de Oro” explores the conflict of assimilating a mestizo identity for Mexican immigrants.
The voice in “La Juala de Oro” begins by establishing a sense of homesickness that he feels in the United States. The voice of the song states that he’s been “established” in the United States for 10 years now and is still an illegal immigrant (lines1-6). The voice expresses that he has come with his wife and children and says that his children, whom he brought when they were young, have forgotten his “beloved Mexico” (lines 7-10). The voice expresses how although his children were born in Mexico, they do not remember Mexico, alluding to how they have disconnected from their Mexican identity, which pains the voice of the song. The voice also further says that he “can never forget and cannot return to” Mexico (lines 11-12). The voice of the song feels pain for being far from his country and watching his children disconnect from his country as well.
The voice of the song begins to question whether living in the United States is worth being away from his country. The voice states, “What’s money good for if I live like a prisoner in this great nation? When I’m reminded of this I cry. Although this cage is made of gold it’s still a prison” (lines 13-18). The voice expresses unhappiness even though he has more money in the United States than in Mexico, and states that although the United States is a grand nation, he still feels imprisoned. The voice speaks to his son in Spanish, “Listen son, would you like to go back and live in Mexico?” (lines 19-20) to which his son replies in English “What are you talking about dad? I don’t want to go back to Mexico, No way dad.” (lines 21-23). This dialogue between father and son expresses how the son has disconnected from his Mexican identity by rejecting to go back to Mexico and even rejected the Spanish language, while the father still cherishes Mexico and embraces the Spanish language. The voice further says about his kids “they’ve forgotten Spanish they think like Americans they deny that they’re Mexicans though they have my skin color” (lines 26-29). The voice witnesses the assimilation of his kids to the American culture with pain since he doesn’t feel like his children identify with him anymore even though they are still a part of his ethnicity. The voice of this song expresses a feeling of melancholy as he witnesses his children lose their sense of Mexican culture as they adapt an American one, while the voice of the song continues to cherish and miss his country Mexico.
Bibliography
Carlosmeza70regio. “”La Jaula De Oro” Los Tigres Del Norte – Video Oficial.”YouTube. YouTube, 28 Nov. 2009. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.
“The Golden Cage (La Jaula De Oro).” La Jaula De Oro Lyrics + English Translation (Version #2). N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.
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