Culture in Pictures: Mexico
This thread is designed to share the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries through picture. Each person that contributes should include a description of the picture included. Every few days I will post a new thread with a new country as the theme. Today we start with Mexico. Please remember to only include pictures that portray what is indigenous to Mexico, as each country will get it's turn! Remember to vote for your favorites...it will encourage your fellow SpanishDictians to contribute!
So here is my contribution for Mexico:
The striking images of Rivera, Kahlo, and Siqueiros document the history and culture of Mexico. Internationally known, these artists are widely respected for their ability to portray many different aspects of Mexican culture.
23 Answers
La Pirámide del adivino (The Pyramid of the Magician) (Uxmal, Yucatán). Pertenece a la cultura maia y fue construido en los años entre 700 y 1000. It belongs to Mayan culture and was built in the years between 700 and 1000.
One of the most stunning and culturally rich dance expression of its kind, the Mexican folk dance is a display of the colorful heritage of the country. The dance is heavily influenced by the complex history of Mexico, which includes the Spanish Colonial Period, the Mexican War of Independence and the 1910 Mexican Revolution. It showcases a unique mix of the cultural influences on the indigenous cultures in Mexico. This has now developed into a beautiful dance form, with its inspiring Mexican music and the rich colorful attire.
Each region and state in Mexico, presents the Mexican dance form in a style that reflects its own unique customs and traditions. The characteristics are easily differentiable in the music, the dance and the costumes of the dancers. While some have a more indigenous expression in their folk dance, there are others who draw heavily from the European dance forms, such as the Flamenco.
There have been so many beautiful, colorful pictures of Mexico added to this thread. The one thing that does stand out for me on my trips to Mexico is how colorful the country is.
I thought I would add something a little different. Another thing Mexico is noted for is humor. So this is the picture of a store front I saw in Cozumel. It never ceases to amaze me the funny and creative ways the vendors use to entice tourists to spend money. 
I saw dozens of Mariachi Bands while staying in Oaxaca (Southwestern Mexico).
This is the zócalo in Oaxaca.
This is part of the Day of the Dead celebration.
Mayan script
Whenever I think of Mexico, I think of textiles.
The textiles weaving is an age-old tradition in Mexico that has retained a lot of its original methodology. While man-made fibers and dyes have been introduced into the country, much of the handwork is done as it was ages ago. Popular articles of clothing in the Mexican culture include shoulder capes called quechquemitl, sleeved tunics called huipils, rectangular shawls called rebozos, and blanket capes called sarapes, which are among some of the most beautiful and colorful textile articles in Latin America, and considered a national symbol of Mexico.
Let's not forget the beverages...
Tequila was first produced in the 16th century near the location of the city of Tequila, which was not officially established until 1656. The Aztec people had previously made a fermented beverage from the agave plant, which they called octli (later, and more popularly called pulque), long before the Spanish arrived in 1521. When the Spanish conquistadors ran out of their own brandy, they began to distill this agave drink to produce North America's first indigenous distilled spirit.
Mezcal, or mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant (a form of agave, Agave americana) native to Mexico. The word “mezcal” comes from Nahuatl “mexcalmetl,” meaning maguey.
The maguey grows in many parts of Mexico, though most mezcal is made in Oaxaca. There is a saying attributed to Oaxaca regarding the drink: "para todo mal, mezcal y para todo bien también" (for everything bad, mezcal, and for everything good, too.
My toast to all my friends at Spanishdict---Amor y salud y pesetas y tiempo para difrutarles
Tuve tantos fotos para escoger, pero pienso que he encontrado mis favoritos. Disfruten.
(I finally got it after >10 edits)
The road between Palenque and San Cristóbal (Chiapas)
There are like 5 other people under the tarp because it's pouring rain.
La día de Independencia en San Cristóbal
Chicos
Una parada para la día de Indepencia
LINK TO THE ALBUM: imageshack
The word "chocolate" originates in Mexico's Aztec cuisine, derived from the Nahuatl word xocolatl. Chocolate was first drunk rather than eaten.
.
Selma Hayek and Gael García Bernal - famous mexican actors.
Dance troupes from all over Mexico come to Mexico's Guachimontones archeological site to perform on astronomically significant days.
http://artcamp.com.mx/laforja/
La Forja Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Men at a Cockfight - Chaucingo, Guerrero
Guachimontones is a part of Mexico’s culture and history that was once a lost world. It is located 40 kilometers West of Guadalajara. This site is over 2,000 years old and the architectural style is unique to the region and in the world. Guachimontones is one of the most impressive archeological sites ever seen. The characteristic that distinguishes this pyramid from the rest of the cultures of Mesoamerica is its unusual architectural style defined by ceremonial centers in the form of concentric circles. Their formal circular architecture, which is incomparable to any pyramid in Mexico and the throughout the world, is located in the center of the Tequila Valleys, and is the largest and most complex site in the world. These are the Guachamimontones, The Lost World.
Guachimontones Pyramid has only been excavated for the past ten years and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The discovery of these circular structures has caused great admiration and has created a new scope and expectation towards the outlook and research of one of the first civilizations in all of Mesoamerica. This archeological site also seems to be the parting point of this forgotten link to Western Mexican Cultures and history.
In the surrounding areas of Teuchitian Mexico, a great number of artifacts made of ‘obsidian’ (a material that was utilized for the production of art pieces during the pre-Hispanic era,) have been discovered. This complex, highly organized society began in western Mexico in 1000BC and reached it pinnacle in 200 AD. It was discovered that Teuchitlan had been a metropolis of sorts which housed around 25,000 people who were fed by produce from hundreds of ‘shinampas,’ where small agricultural islands were irrigated by an ingenious system of canals, dams and floodgates. Their economy was booming as they traded in salt from the flats of Sayula and more importantly, they were situated next to the third largest ‘obsidian’ deposit in the world. They controlled more than 1,000 ‘obsidian’ mines from which some 14,000 tons of the precious volcanic glass were extracted.
The Teuchitlan’s workshops were full of skilled craftsmen who fashioned the ‘obsidian’ into knives, spear heads, mirrors of extraordinary quality, unique ultra thin earrings and flat bladed swords call ‘macahuitls’ that were capable of chopping off an enemy’s leg or a horse’s head with one blow. Since this society was without any hard metals, they believed that ‘obsidian’ was the very gift of the gods. In ‘Guachimontones-The Lost World,’ ‘the Teuchitlan the men often played a ball game of skill and at the end of the day, the captain of the winning team of the ‘Teuchitlans,’ would receive the great honor of loosing his life as a sacrificial victim. Answers to questions abut the ‘Teuchitlans can be found in 25 ‘maquetas,’ clay models found buried in various sites that were under the influence of the Teuchitlan tradition. Found were extraordinary works of art that are about 2,000 years old that reveal what the curious circular architecture was typically used for. These little clay figures give us a three-dimensional look at people chattering with their neighbors, carrying on with business or playing everyday games.
The people of Teuchitlan worshiped Ehecatl, a gentle god, who did not need human sacrifice. Unlike the Aztecs whose ceremonies resulted in rivers of blood coursing down the sides of their pyramids, the god of the people of ‘Teuchitlan’ was a kind god.
Other than their unusual architecture, another Teuchitlan custom that is well known is their distinctive way of decorating their ceramic pieces, a process now referred to as ‘pseudo-cloisonne.’ After firing up the pot, they would roughen its surface and apply ‘ahaute’, a mixture of charcoal, oil of sage seed and a glue-like substance from the ‘camote‘ tuber. When the black coating was almost dry, they would carve out certain areas and fill them with bright colors made from inorganic materials such as ‘azurite’ and red ochre, leaving the raised chaute as a black border. Many of these ceramic pieces display a glimpse similar to those found in Mexico’s famous codices, which indicates that the innumerable ceramic pieces spirited out of western Mexico probably contain a wealth of priceless information.
The bright light of the Teuchitlan traditions began to dim around 500 AD for reasons that may never be known. For unknown reasons, a day came when every building around the circular pyramids was burned to the ground. This indicated an abrupt end to the enigmatic civilization of the ‘Teuchitlans,’ of Mexico.
Es un ingrediente indispensable en los guisos Mexicanos.¡¡¡Andale!!!
He is an indispensable ingredient in Mexican's dishes
The culture of Mexico reflects the complexity of Mexico's history through the blending of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican civilizations and the culture of Spain, imparted during Spain's 300-year colonization of Mexico. Influences from the United States have shaped Mexican culture, and to a lesser extent, influences from Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Mexican culture is known for the unified nature of the family. The country's divorce rate is among the lowest in the world. Children regularly live with their parents until they marry, even if they remain single until their thirties or later. It is also quite common for family units to remain connected, often with grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and children all living in the same area or even in the same house. Loyalty within the family is absolute – brothers will fight for the honour of their sisters, and family members are often tapped for employment opportunities.
The roles of the parents in Mexican culture are generally well-defined, with the father acting as the family's ruler and the mother as the family's heart. Machismo (Spanish for "male chauvinism") is quite common in Mexican families, with the father exercising authority in a manner not unlike a dictatorship. Some have called adultery a social norm for men, and abuse, both physical and emotional, is common. Wives are generally expected to endure this treatment from their husbands, and many consider it acceptable behaviour. A mother is often exclusively responsible for maintaining the household and caring for the children, who as a result often revere her, while fearing their authoritarian father.
In the past few decades, these stereotypes have begun to somewhat break down. As influences from the United States continue to shape Mexican culture, machismo is slowly becoming more recognized and despised, especially in the northern part of the country, where the American influence is more pronounced. In southern and more rural communities, however, these basic behaviors continue to exist.
Community:
Unlike the United States where citizens take pride in their economic independence, one nation that still values “community” in its cities and towns, its plazas and schools, and its work organizations is Mexico. In Mexican culture the expectation of working and socializing together is a key component of society, and has a basis in the strong ties formed within the family.
However, lack of faith in the government and other organizations is a result of widespread political corruption. Even at the lowest levels, police officers readily accept mordidas ("bribes") from those wishing to avoid the nuisance of a traffic ticket or a night in prison. In recent years, the government has begun addressing this corruption by reducing the number of state-owned businesses and calling on Mexicans to refuse to give bribes. This, however, has proven difficult, and the progress has been slow.
During the Spanish conquest and colonization of Mexico, Roman Catholicism was established as the dominant religion of Mexico, and today, about 89% of Mexicans identify themselves with that division of Christianity. Evangelical denominations have grown in recent years, to about 6% of the population. Other religions make up the remaining 5%, with the most notable growth among The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Religion:
The methods of Spanish domination of the Mexican indigenous people often resulted in forced conversions to Catholicism, which ultimately meant that the people continued in their previous belief system. This led to widespread religious syncretism, since indigenous religious practices were incorporated into the practices of Catholicism. It also explains the general lack of conviction among Mexican Catholics today – instead of being a religion that was chosen by individuals, it was forced upon a whole group.
Perhaps the most striking example of this fusion of different traditions is the widespread veneration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Day of the Dead is another example of religious syncretism, in which the European Catholic All Souls' Day is combined with indigenous rites of ancestor veneration. In many Mexican communities, curanderos (traditional healers) use indigenous folk medicine, spiritual, and Christian faith healing to treat ailments and "cleanse" spiritual impurities.
In the southern areas of the country, which are predominantly indigenous, traditional religion has been mostly incorporated into Catholic rituals, as can be seen by the change in priest's attires, which instead of being decorated with the usual western symbols, instead include indigenous weaving designs and symbols. For example, the Christian cross converted to a flowery tree of life. In Mayan communities, the jmen, or healer, has an important place in the community comparable to (but not in competition with) that of a priest.
Art:
Mexico is known worldwide for its folk art traditions, mostly derived from a combination of the indigenous and Spanish crafts. Particularly notable among handicrafts are the clay pottery made in the valley of Oaxaca and the bird and animal figures made in the village of Tonala. Colorfully embroidered cotton garments, cotton or wool shawls and outer garments, and colorful baskets and rugs are seen everywhere. Between the Spanish conquest and the early Twentieth Century, Mexican fine arts were largely in imitation of European traditions. After the Mexican Revolution, a new generation of Mexican artists led a vibrant national movement that incorporated political, historic, and folk themes in their work.
Music:
The music of Mexico is extraordinarily diverse and features a wide range of different musical styles. The best-known Mexican genre by far is ranchera, interpreted by a band called mariachi. This style of traditional Mexican song which is considered old-fashioned but respected traditional music and is usually listened to as much as modern music.
Cuisine:
Mexican gastronomy, in terms of diversity of appealing tastes and textures, is one of the richest in the world, rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals, though some people unaccustomed to eating it characterize it as greasy and excessively spicy. Popular dishes include tacos, enchiladas, and pozole. Traditionally the main Mexican ingredients consisted of turkey, sweetcorn (not really sweet), tomatoes, peppers, chilies, squashes, peanuts, avocados, guavas, chocolate and vanilla. The Spanish then influenced these by adding milk, cheese, rice, wheat, cinnamon, oranges and peaches.
