The Redefinition of Malinche

Identity, Power, and Cultural Mediation in La Malinche by Carmen Tafolla

Abstract

This article analyzes Carmen Tafolla’s poem La Malinche through the lens of Bonny Norton’s (2000) theory of identity and power relations. Malinche, a controversial historical figure in Mexico’s colonization, is often depicted as a traitor, leading to the pejorative term malinchismo (MONSIVAIS, 2001). Tafolla’s poem challenges this narrative by giving Malinche her own voice, allowing her to reclaim her identity and reject the label of chingada. Instead, she emerges as a cultural mediator who navigated between two different worlds, envisioning a new identity rooted in mestizaje. This analysis explores how Tafolla reinterprets Malinche, shifting her from a position of submission to that of an active historical agent.