Culture of Mexico
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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. from the United States have shaped Mexican culture, and to a lesser extent, influences from Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Language
Native languages
Spanish is the official and predominant language of Mexico, spoken to some extent by nearly the entire population. Dozens of indigenous languages exist, but are spoken by relatively few. However, some of these languages, particularly Nahuatl, have had a significant impact on Mexican Spanish, lending words that are not found in the Spanish of Spain or the rest of Latin America. This is especially evident in the names of common plants and animals, such as the use of "zopilote" instead of the standard "buitre" as a translation of "vulture". Some words such as "escuincle/a", which literally means dog but has taken on the meaning of "child", have become common in the daily vocabulary of Mexico. Other words from Nahuatl have been incorporated into Spanish throughout Latin America, and even English, such as tomato, chocolate, coyote, and avocado.Chingar
The word chingar and idioms employing it have become characteristics of Mexican Spanish and important parts of Mexican culture. Octavio Paz devotes a full chapter in his cultural treatise The Labyrinth of Solitude to the term. Often extremely vulgar, the word is generally translated as "to rape", but many other uses exist. The history of the word is generally traced to the conquest of the Spanish, when the conquistadors took Native American women, the original chingadas. Chinga a tu madre ("rape your mother") is often considered the strongest Mexican curse, and vete a la chingada roughly translates "go to hell". Other uses are somewhat more tame – a Mexican might say no me chingues, a fairly strong version of "don't annoy me", or if a Mexican is beaten in a business deal or in sports, me chingaron might be used.Also the word chingar has good or neutral meanings. Soy chingon, could be interpretted as "I rule" or "I'm the very best." ¡No chingues! is akin to the English "no way!!" (meaning you find something hard to believe). ¡Que chingon!, is an aggressive way of saying, "Wow, that's cool!" ¡Que chinga!, roughly translates to "what a heavy duty!" ¡A la chingada! is an aggressive expression that signifies shock and speechlessness, similar to English expressions such as "Oh my God!" or the more vulgar "What the fuck?" and "Holy shit!"
The word fregar ("to clean the floor", or simply "to clean hardly") are used sometimes in the same way that "Chingar" is used.
Relationships
Family
Mexican culture is known for the unified nature of the family. The country's divorce rate is among the lowest in the world (0.33 divorces per 1000 population, compared to 4.95 in the United States) [link]. 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 honor 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 not uncommon. Wives are generally expected to endure this treatment from their husbands, and many consider it acceptable behavior. 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 break down somewhat. 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 a decline in the sense of community is clearly present, and most people commute to work and socialize on some basis other than geographic proximity, 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.
International
Mexico's relationships with the rest of the world are also quite complex. The arrival and conquest of the Spaniards left the country searching for an identity – as a result of extensive inbreeding with the Spanish (the vast majority of Mexicans are mestizo, that is, mixed blood), they lost their native heritage, but similarly are not like their European conquerors. Today, the Spanish are generally well-thought of.Gringos, that is, those from the United States, are also often treated well. However, many Mexicans have not forgiven the United States for taking half their land as a result of the Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Additionally, feelings of being politically neglected and the illegal immigration issue often lead to hard feelings.
Mexico has a tradition of military non-intervention in foreign affairs, since it has Presidesnt Benito Juarez philosophy of Non-Intervention and being a Peaceful Nation with the slogan: "El Respeto Ajeno es la Paz" which translates into, "Respecting the rights of others guarantees Peace" remains cental and in the heart of Mexican National Policy and in the Mexican Constitution. The mexican government generally avoids supporting interference and war, yet during World War II, a Mexican batallion fought for the Allies and many Mexican youth fight and die in American Wars. President Fox, could not support the United States invasion of Iraq, for constitutional and ethical reasons. Peace rather than warfare is current concern for Mexicans. The Mexican army, navy and airforce are not necessarily for warfare purposes, but instead are considered by economically challenged persons as good career and educational choices, a similar phenomena occurring in the United States.
Religion
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, after being introduced by missionaries and settlers from Europe and the United States in the 19th century. 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.
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 Saints' 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 Tomala. 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. The painters Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros became world famous for their grand scale murals, often displaying clear social messages. Rufino Tamayo and Frida Kahlo (Rivera's wife) produced more personal works with abstract elements. Mexican art photography was largely fostered by the work of Manuel Alvarez Bravo.
Literature and Poetry
- Main article: Literature of Mexico
Juan Rulfo wrote two of the most influential works in the history of Latin-American literature: El llano en llamas, a collection of short stories, where Rulfo depicts themes such as social injustice and every-day life in the poorest zones of Mexico, and Pedro Paramo, a both oniric and realistic novel which is commonly associated with the beginning of "magical realism".
The influential poet Octavio Paz won the Nobel Literature Prize in 1990. He was an influential figure also in the fields of diplomatic service and cultural promotion.
The city of Guadalajara hosts the biggest and most important International Book Fair of the Spanish-speaking world each year, known best as the "FIL" (Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara in Spanish, or Guadalajara International Book Fair in English). In 2006, it will be celebrating its 20th edition and the guest of honor will be "Andalucía".
Music
- Main article: Music of Mexico
Cuisine
- Main article: Cuisine of Mexico
Sport
- Main article: Sport in Mexico
External links
References
- Homs, Ricardo. Gran Reto Mexicano. México: Editores Asociados Mexicanos, 1993. (Spanish)
- Paz, Octavio. Laberinto de la Soledad. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1976. (Spanish)
- Riding, Alan. Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans. New York: Vintage, 2000. (English)
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