Mexican Culture – Mexican Family Culture – Mexican Food Culture
Facts About Mexican Culture – Mexican Family Culture – Mexican Food Culture
The United Mexican States commonly knows as Mexico is a country that is located in the south of the Norte American continent.
Capitol of Mexico is the Mexico City which is also the largest city in the country.
Even though there is no official language over 90 percent of Mexicans speak Spanish.
A side from Spanish there is 62 Indigenous Amerindian languages that are recognized as national languages.
Close to 95% of Mexican are Catholics which makes them the second largest Catholic nation in the world (there are over 110, 000, 000 Mexicans in Mexico). Religion and family plays an important if not curtail role in lives of Mexicans. Many Mexicans attend the church regularly and great majority of them respect and live by Mexican family traditions.
Mexican Family Culture
While West is about to forget the real meaning of the word family Mexicans are well aware of its meaning and significance. Mexican family is the most important institution in Mexico and family always comes first.
The key to the Mexican family success is the respect of the Mexican family traditions. In the Mexican family men are the protectors and providers and women are taking care of the household. Even though present modern trends have influenced many changes in all aspects of Mexicans lives the importance of family didnt change.
Family is still the building block of the Mexican society. This is best represented by family reunions which are very important events in Mexican culture. In fact important dates for the Mexicans families are all the religious holydays as well as some national holidays such as the Mexican Independence Day. This is because all these events are times when family gets together and enjoys the reunion.
About Mexican Art
Mexican folk art traditions are known worldwide. One of the most respected and popular art of Mexico is clay pottery from the valley of Oaxaca and some other regions in Mexico. Very interesting part of Mexican folk art are traditional Mexican toys and traditional Mexican games.
Pre Columbian architecture such as monumental structures such as Mayan pyramids are very important part of Mexican art and culture in general. Today they represent a great pride for Mexicans and very popular touristy destinations.
Interesting thing is that one of the most popular forms of modern Mexican art that is combined with traditional Mexican art is Mexican tattoos. In the last decade Mexican Tattoo designs flooded the United States and become one of the most popular designs in Latin America as well as in some European countries.
Mexican American Culture
Mexican Americans are proud of their Mexican origin and preserve their traditional culture as much as possible which is not difficult in the south of the United States because there is over 25 million of Mexican Americans living in that area. However this doesnt mean that there are no differences between Mexican Americans and Mexicans living in Mexico.
Mexican American Culture Differences
Even though Mexico and United Stated are neighboring countries and there are about 30 million of Mexicans living in the United States there are many Mexican American culture differences. This is mostly due to the different life stiles and origin.
The fundament of Mexican American culture differences lies in the facts that Mexican culture is greatly influences by Spanish culture and the American culture is greatly influences by English culture.
Mexican Food Culture
Mexico is famous for many things but traditional Mexican food is probably one of the most famous Mexican trademarks. This is because Mexican food culture is very rich and diverse and most importantly Mexican food is delicious.
Interesting View of Mexican Culture by Jacques De Marco
In order to bring you closer to this amazing and very rich culture that Ive been, it is safe to say, obsessed with for the past 10 years I will write about its building blocks in form of the historical overview.
Then I will write about the distinctive characteristics of the Mexican people and their way of living, and in the end I will write what have some very intelligent (poorly, ordinary and highly educated) Mexicans have told me about the life in Mexico and their culture.
Mexican HistoryThe Building Blocks of Mexican Culture
The very foundation of the traditional and modern Mexican culture is quite mystical and intriguing.
The first major building block of the Mexican culture resides in the ancient Mesoamerican cultures and civilizations, primarily the Maya and the Aztec.
These two ancient civilizations were more than intriguing, very advanced and powerful. They were not powerful only militarily but scientifically, technologically, and spiritually as well.
The evidence of the greatness of these two ancient Mesoamerican cultures is overwhelming (Mayan Pyramids, Aztec Pyramids, Mayan calendar, Aztec calendar, medical surgeries, use of the first anesthetics, military tactics and discipline, complex hieroglyphic writing, the Aztecs Capital City which was the largest city in the world at the time, etc)
The second major building block of the Mexican culture is the Spanish culture. The arrival of the Spanish and other Europeans in the 16th century was the beginning of an end for the indigenous Mesoamerican way of life and the birth of what is to become the Mexican nation two centuries later.
The third building block of the Mexican culture is an event and its consequences which is celebrated in present Mexico as the Mexican Independence Day. This event was the declaration of war against the Spanish rule by the Father Miguel Hidalgo on September 16, 1810. The Mexican war of Independence lasted for 10 years and on August 24th 1821 the Mexican independent nation was born.
Since the 1821 Mexico had undergone many changes. Mexican people survived the French intervention, Mexican American war, Mexican revolution, loss of 55% of the Mexican territories to the United States (the Mexican cession), discrimination, major economical crises, and so on.
What are the Mexican people like?
One of the biggest secrets and enigmas in the world is the Mexican optimism that defies all of the Mexican hardships, problems and challenges that are the inseparable part of the rich Mexican history and troubling Mexican present.
Mexicans are honorable, passionate, direct, religious, family oriented, stubborn, hardworking, talented for playing instruments, singing and dancing, very emotional, proud, righteous, easygoing; Mexicans love good food and drinks, celebrations, dancing, singing, traveling, love making, resting, spending time with family members and friends, the Mexican flag and other symbols of the Mexican nationality, Virgin of Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe, as Mexicans call the Virgin Marry), sports (especially soccer), and all other things that make this life special and fulfilling.
An Advice from a Fellow Mexican
Mexico is the place where heaven and hell meet.The Mexican Philosophy professor.
In Mexico everything goes if you know the right people and if you have enough money.The cab driver in Mexico City
Tequila is the Mexican national drink which is why Mexicans love to drink it so much.The waiter in the local Mexican bar. Mexican women are most protected women in the world. Therefore, my friend you should be careful what you are doinga friendly advice from the bohemian Mexican man.
Living in Mexico is like being on the lifelong vacation Canadian businessman living in Veracruz City.
If you dont like spicy food, tequila without salt and lemon or passionate and hot tempered women you should go back right where you came from because living here is not a smart thing for you to do.The captain of the local fishing boat in the small Mexican town close to the Veracruz City.
Son, in Mexico you can find peace or turmoil depending on who you are Mexican priest.
