While watching The Fighting Cholitas I loved how there were many different women in the first part of the video being introduced and how they identify as; more so as well what this means to them. I found it interesting that the Cholitas were characterizing themselves as being old fashioned and people perhaps judging them for that; however in my opinion they were challenging many stereotypes by participating in a male dominated sport such as wrestling. Albeit wearing traditional outfits that I can imagine just by looking at them are heavy.
It was interesting for me to see how there was a certain aspect of performance that goes along with the wrestlers as one of the bad ones was talking about 80% is real and there’s 20% performing. However when I was watching it there is almost a grace that goes along with the performances I thought that they were choreographed wrestling matches. One watching the short documentary can also see the way that it brings people together. Mostly working class, poorer groups as a cholita explained. They are stressed and sad throughout the week however this provides them with an escape and some entertainment during a long week.
I found it interesting the themes of good and bad during the wrestling matches. There are literally wrestlers that choose to be good or bad and this decides how the audience responds to them in terms of booing or cheering. And as one bad cholita describes it sometimes a mixture of both.
I liked when they were interviewing the indigenous Cholita and she was talking about how she does not wrestle for the money it was something that she wanted to pursue and get better at. Moreso when she was showing the camera her award for being one of the best in her field and the pride that went along with that. There was a nice connection there I believe in terms of doing a sport that liberates her as a person along with being able to send her children to school. As she talked about how she wants her daughters to both be professionals and remember that it was their mother who worked hard and made this possible for them. Which is liberating in and of itself.
Question: Do you think that with the aspect of wrestling this cancels out the cholitas being more old fashioned? As they are participating in a male dominated sport?
Hey there!
I really liked how you put forth this idea of “liberation” with regards to the Cholitas and their participation in lucha libre. I really agree, this sport gives these women a sense of autonomy and relief from social pressures and limitations of ‘womanhood’. The notion that they are cancelling out an”old-fashioned” quality through the sport is perhaps less of a matter of eliminating integral elements of their culture, and moreso a powerful act of merging their own identities with newfound source of fluidity and power. The fact that they refuse to take off their skirts is symbolic of this- fighting, for these Cholitas, is an opportunity to stay true to their identities, while displaying the powerful potential they can have in arenas (literally and figuratively haha) beyond what is expected of them as women!