De-Polarizing Archaeology’s Views on Cultural Pride: The Case of Houses and Plants in Castroville

In archaeology, we commonly view pride in cultural heritage as either beneficial or dangerous. When we see it as dangerous—ethnocentric or nationalistic—we challenge it by producing material evidence of cultural hybridity and heterogeneity. When we view it as beneficial—emancipatory and unifying—we bolster it by providing communities with material symbols of past accomplishments and cultural continuity. This paper considers how we might de-polarize archaeological perspectives on cultural pride by defining culture as change and navigation instead of as origin moments and fixity. To this end, I discuss the development of culturally important symbols in Castroville, Texas. I view this evolution as demonstrative of the dynamic and innovative quality of ‘Alsatian-ness’ in Castroville, not the lack of 'true Alsatians-ness’ in the community.