The Mexican traditions and customs Have evolved over time. The culture of this country reflects the influence of other nations that have intervened during the development process of Mexico, such as Spain and the United States.
However, Mexico still retains elements of the Aboriginal cultures That originally populated this territory, which has allowed this country to maintain its cultural integrity and to differentiate itself from the other nations of America.
In this sense, Mexico has a very rich history, which makes it a country full of attractions.
To begin with, we have cultures Olmec , Maya Y Aztec , Which once occupied the territory of Central America, whose architectural samples, the pyramids, are a hallmark of Mexican culture.
On the other hand, the Mexican nation was a colony of Spain from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century, which is why many aspects of Spanish culture are present in today's Mexico.
20 interesting traditions and customs of Mexico
1 - The Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November of each year. This holiday is probably one of the most relevant nationally and one of the most recognized worldwide.
In this celebration, elements of the pre-Columbian beliefs, of the Mayan and Aztec cultures, and of the Christian beliefs, incorporated by the Spaniards during the colony, are incorporated.
The celebration of the Day of the Dead dates from pre-Columbian times and has its origin in the Aztec celebration in honor of the"lady of death"and the deceased ancestors. In our day, this lady of death is known as Catrina.
The Day of the Dead party takes place in Mexico's cemeteries, where families build altars on tombstones, while offering food to their deceased. The common elements of this day are tequila, chocolate, dead bread and yellow and red flowers.
2 - La Catrina
La Catrina is an image depicting a skull created by lithographer José Guadalupe Posada in the first decades of the 20th century. Originally it was named"La Calavera Garbancera", to make reference to the people who were ashamed of its aboriginal roots and that preferred to adopt the French customs.
Later, in 1948, the skull was taken up by Diego Rivera, who painted it on the mural"A Sunday afternoon dream in the Alameda Central". Also, Rivera gave a new name to this figure: the Catrina, term that refers to the rich people.
Thanks to this mural, La Catrina was transformed into an iconic image of Mexico. Today, it is symbol of the day of the dead.
3 - Day of the Revolution
November 20 is the day of the revolution. On this date, the Beginning of the Mexican Revolution Of 1910, which resulted in the overthrow of dictator José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori.
4 - Feast of Saint Cecilia
The 22 of November celebrates the day of Santa Cecilia, the Santa Patron of the Musicians. The most outstanding party is the one that takes place in Mexico City, where mariachis and other musicians from the north of the country and the gulf meet in Plaza Garibaldi to hold an outdoor concert.
5 - Day of the virgin of Guadalupe
The day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is a Catholic celebration that celebrates the encounter between an aboriginal, Juan Diego, and the Virgin Mary. This Marian invocation is the patron saint of Mexico and is celebrated on December 12.
During this day, the devotees make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Santa Maria de Guadalupe, in Mexico D.F., to see the image of the Virgin Morena.
6 - The inns
From December 16 until Christmas Eve, the children of Mexico participate in the processions of the inns. During these days, the young people wear costumes similar to those that would have been used during the birth of Jesus and revive the story of Mary and Joseph in search of a lodging in which Mary can give birth.
The children go from inn to inn and they receive candles and illustrations from Mary and Joseph. They also go to relatives and friends and sing songs about Jesus and his parents. This process is repeated until they arrive at an inn that receives them, in which they make a small party with typical food and fireworks.
7 - Christmas Eve and Christmas
Christmas Eve takes place on December 24th. This is a day to celebrate with family. Some groups come to the Posada Posada and then have a good night's dinner.
At midnight, fireworks are launched, the bells ring, blow whistles, and drums are played to announce the birth of Jesus. Shortly after midnight, the families go to mass, popularly known as the mass of the rooster, to celebrate the arrival of the baby Jesus.
Later, they return to their homes and have the Christmas meal. Unlike other cultures, children usually do not receive gifts on December 25, but receive them on January 6, during the epiphany.
8 - Day of the Holy Innocents
The day of the Holy Innocents is celebrated on December 28 and refers to the biblical account, according to which King Herod ordered the murder of all male babies born in Bethlehem to kill the baby Jesus.
In Mexico and other Latin American countries, it is customary to make jokes to friends and family. At times, the media also unite and publish false and alarming news.
9 - New Year
Mexicans have a number of rituals and customs with respect to the New Year. Among these customs stand out:
- Spread lentils on the doors of houses as a symbol of abundance.
- Put a coin in your shoe in your pocket to ensure the economic prosperity of the year that will begin.
- Sweep towards the street, to get the negative experiences of the house.
- Eat twelve grapes when the countdown begins to receive the new year. Each of these grapes represents a desire.
- Throw water out of the house to drive away tears, worries and negativity.
- Stand on a chair if you want greater success at work.
10 - Epiphany
The epiphany is celebrated on January 6. On this day marks the arrival of the Magi to Bethlehem, so it is a Christian festival. The custom is to eat the thread of Kings, which is a baked fruit bread with a figure of the baby Jesus in the center
11 - Candelaria Day
Candelaria Day is celebrated on February 2nd. In Mexico, the families gather to bring the image of the Infant Jesus to the church in order to be blessed.
This holiday is based on Jewish law, according to which newborn children had to be presented in the temple 40 days after their birth.
On the other hand, the custom is to eat tamales during this date. The tamales are provided by the person of the family who has received the figure of the child Jesus when the Reyes thread was stung.
12 - Carnival of Veracruz
In Mexico, there are many festivals during carnival, which are characterized by extravagant parades, dances and live music. The most important carnival of Mexico is the one of Veracruz, that lasts nine days.
May 13 - May 5
May 5 represents a memorable date in Mexican history. This day in 1862 the Mexican army defeated the French forces that tried to invade the territory of the country, during the battle of Puebla of Saragossa.
It should be noted that this date is celebrated more vigorously in the United States and not in Mexico.
14 - The Morisma
The Morism is a representation of the battles between Moors and Christians that took place in Spain during century XV. 2000 people participate in this fictional battle, including"soldiers", musicians and dancers. This celebration takes place in August.
15 - The day of Independence
September 16 marks the day of Mexico's independence. On this day, in the year 1810, the Mexicans declared themselves independent of the Spanish regime.
16 - The piñata
The piñata is a container of paper mache, cardboard or clay, decorated with colored papers and stuffed with candy and other snacks.
With the piñatas is made a children's game that consists of bandage the children and hang the piñatas from the roof of a house or the branch of a tree.
The children take turns to beat the piñata with a bat until it is broken and the caramels are spread; Then the participants grab as much candy as they can.
The traditional Mexican piñata consists of a circumference surrounded by a series of peaks. Another of the most common figures for piñatas is a donkey. The tradition of piñatas comes from China and was brought to Italy by Marco Polo; From there, spread throughout the rest of Europe and, later, the Spaniards introduced this custom in Latin America.
17 - Tamales
The tamales, along with the tacos, are one of the Most recognized dishes of Mexico . These are buns boiled with corn flour wrapped in corn leaves, stuffed with meat or beans. They are eaten during the most important celebrations of the country: Christmas and Day of the Dead, for example.
18 - The mariachis
Mariachis are traditional musicians from Mexico. Beyond music, these represent a cultural revolution, through the use of typical costumes and instruments that summarize the essence of the Mexican people.
The songs of the mariachis, known as rancheras, talk about machismo, love, betrayal, disappointment, death and heroes.
19 - Dance of the Flying
The dance of the flying or the flying palo is a precolumbian dance that has adapted to the current culture of Mexico.
This tradition begins with a dance and, subsequently, five participants climb onto a 30-meter pole. Four of these participants tie a rope and throw themselves from the pole, while the fifth participant stays upstairs dancing and playing a flute.
20 - Quinceañera
The quinceañera or fifteen year celebration is a celebration that takes place when the girls are fifteen years old, as a way to reflect the transition from childhood to maturity.
The celebration of fifteen years in Mexico has its roots in the Aztec culture, according to which 15 year olds were able to fulfill the tasks of any other adult, such as being parents.
Similarly, it was at this age that European girls were introduced into society, attending dances. In this sense, the quinceañera party mixes pre-Columbian and colonial aspects.
References
- The inns. Mexican Festival. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from britannica.com.
- Christmas in Mexico. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from whychristmas.com.
- April Fools on December 28th. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from nside-mexico.com.
- Tamales. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from inside-mexico.com.
- Herz, May. The Day of the Dead Offering A Work of Love and Tradition. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from inside-mexico.com.
- Traditional Mexican Culture. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from traditional-mexican-culture.com.
- Collins, Camille. What is the mariachi? Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from mexconnect.com.
- A Brief Introduction to Mexican Culture. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from hourtranslation.com.
- The Culture of Mexico. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from livescience.com.
- Catrina. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from mexican-folk-art-guide.com.
- Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from timeanddate.com.
- What's Santa Cecilia's Feast. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from event-carnival.com.