Mexico
Overview
Mexico is located south of North America. Being the third largest country in Latin America it has mass rural and urban areas. The official name of Mexico is the Estados Unidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States) which consolidates 31 diverse states and the Federal District. In the past there were lots of civilizations that lived in Mexico, the most commonly known are the Aztec and the Mayans. But Mexico has its beautiful landscapes, varying from high mountains and deep canyons in the center with a mass amount of rain forest in the south and east along with deserts in the north.
Daily Life
Mexican society is diverse both ethnically and regionally. It depends what socioeconomic level, ethnicity, gender, and racial perception to tell you what daily life could be like. There could be a successful lawyer in Yucatán and a Mayan peasant has an utterly different lifestyle from each other. The Mexicans who spent some time living in the U.S. and came back to Mexico have a more American way of life. Most people speak Spanish but in the popular areas there are some people who speak English as well. Family is very important in Mexico and is the very center of life for most Latino families. Even in big cities lifestyles will change greatly if you just walk a block. You might be in a trendy part of town and later find yourself in a more rustic place.
Art
The most recognized Mexican art form is most likely mural. The mural is inspired by the architecture of the Aztec, Maya, and the other past civilizations. Some famous artists that made murals are Deigo Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco showing aspects of the Mexican Revolution. Another famous category of Mexican art is their Folk Art. In Mexican Folk Art incorporates animalistic likeness. In Latin America it is believed that animals represent wisdom. The most common animal is the rooster. The rooster is the symbol of the sun and it represents strength and imposition in the ranching life. Folk art isn’t only making animals it’s also hand painted bowls and stunning crosses. Folk art has imagery telling people Mexico’s beautiful stories and struggles.
Cuisine
Like lots of other countries their cuisine varies by region but also on what they have: possibly corn, squash, and beans. Most Mexican dishes will have these main ingredients. From Oaxaca Enmolada is a rolled corn tortilla filled with shredded chicken and cotija cheese sprinkled with sesame seeds and crumbled cheese. Posole (or Pozole) is a soup with corn kernels, also known as maize, simmered with red chiles, tomatoes, pork shoulder, aromatic spices. The Aztecs thought maize was a scared plant which explains why it is reserved for special occasions. Sopa de Lima is another common dish in Mexico. This dish is from Yucatán and is like your Grandma’s chicken soup. This is a bowl with chicken, avocados, cilantro, lime, and corn tortillas.
Fashion
European and native elements are combined into traditional Mexcian clothing. These clothes are made of wool and silk (introduced by the Spanish) and cotton, bark, and agave (used by native Mexican pre-Hispanic civilizations to make their clothes.) Traditional garments are called huipil that date back to the indigenous women in central Mexico and Central America. Ponchos have been used for a long time dating back to 500 B.C., from before the Spanish colonization. Ponchos are made out of wool or fleece. Ponchos were worn to keep the wearer warm and dry. Another beautiful clothing piece is the China Poblana. This is a combination of a skirt, shawl, and a blouse to flatter femine features. Poblana came from Puebla, Mexico. Many Mexicans don’t know where the term “China” came from. This dress was also scandalous when upper class women wore it because it was considered too provocative for traditional clothing at the time.
Music
Mariachi music is surely the first thing that pops up when you think of Mexican music. Mariachi is believed to come from the French term “mariage” which means marriage. They can be found playing at weddings, quinceañeras (a girls’ 15th birthday parties), festivals, and even there to serenade women on their birthday. This group is composed of trumpets, violins, a “vihuela” (a five string guitar), and a classical guitar. The mariachis wear “charro” that is a traditional silver suit. There is also ranchera music in Mexico. This is traditional folklore and its songs are usually about love, nature, or patriotism. Ranchera was derived from the word “rancho” because the music came from rural Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. “El Grito Mexicano” a yell is done when there is an instrumental interlude by musicians or the audience. This yell is very common in Ranchera music. From the movie Coco here’s a small excerpt from a common song that many people have heard in Mexico and around Latin America called 'La Llorona’.
Transportation
Air travel is the fastest in Mexico because it is such a big country. Being in an airplane is convenient to get from one destination to another. But booking a flight in a Mexican airline can be hard if you want it at a low cost. Mexico also has buses, taxis, and private cars but they have other unique options to travel. There is colectivo which is like a taxi but it can have as many passengers as the driver thinks he can fit in. In other words, it is a shared taxi with lots of passengers which can result with an uncomfortable car ride. Even though riding a burro is less common it is still used in the rural areas of Mexico. This mode of transportation is unfortunately not comfortable or quick but the people who use it don’t seem to be in a hurry. Maybe known as rickshaws or tuk-tuks in other places in the world the mototaxi is a three-wheeled contraption with a bench in the back. This is a very cheap and convenient way to move but some mototaxis have specific areas where they are able to run and are not authorized to take passengers out of their area.