Decolonising the Alamo narrative is long overdue

‘The Alamo celebrates the takeover of Texas by the Anglo US’

A thrilling story is told at the Alamo site. All photos except the last: Rashmee Roshan Lall

A child wearing a reproduction Davy Crockett coonskin hat sold by the dozens at the Alamo gift shop

A friendly Alamo Ranger, one of the detachment that stands on 24-hour guard at this most ‘sacred shrine’ of Texas, took this photo as we visited the site soon after arriving in San Antonio in the wee hours of the morning. It was a magical moment, the site silent and hushed, sans the thousands who throng it every day

Following on from the three Texan writers’ book and exhortation to Forget the Alamo (or at least critically appraise the glorious mythmaking that surrounds one of America’s most popular historic sites), here are some photos of the 18th century site.

One of my brothers-in-law, a theologian and a professor, says that after visiting the Alamo, he always took care to head to the San Fernando Cathedral, the Roman Catholic church a short distance away. “The walk is short, the cultural difference immense,” he said. “The Alamo celebrates the takeover of Texas by the Anglo US. The Cathedral is still the heart of Hispanic culture. So two histories so close together: a heroic stand for freedom (Davy Crocket, Jim Bowie, etc) or an invasion of another country heroically thwarted.”

Quite.

Originally published at https://www.rashmee.com

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life”
– Jack Kerouac

Also read:

Should we remember the Alamo and just forget the myths?

Glorious myths about the Alamo ‘sacred shine’ draw millions every year