Mexico

Mexico is bordered to the north by the States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean. Bing almost two million square kilometres, Mexico is the fifth largest country in the total area and is the largest independent nation in the world. With an estimated population of over 113 million, it is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world.

Location

Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for Fifth of May which is held in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla. The significance of this celebration is to remember that the Mexican’s took down the French when the Mexican army was outnumbered by the French and since the battle of Puebla no country in the Americas has subsequently been invaded by any other force.

The history of Cinco de Mayo is that in 1861 a French fleet tried to invade Mexico whilst the US were in Civil war. When the French invaded Veracruz, with their 8,000 troops, they marched toward Mexico City, but, they encountered heavy resistance forts near Puebla and they were attacked by poorly equipped, small Mexican army of 4,500. But on May 5. 1862, Mexicans managed to decisively crush the French army, then considered "the premier army in the world". The Mexican’s victory was short lived, being that a year later the French invaded Mexico for three years(1864 to 1867) until the US came out of their Civil War and helped Mexico get rid of the French.

Celebrations, Customs and Traditions

Dia de los Muertos means ‘Day of the Dead’ but really, this celebration is important to both the dead, and the living. The Day of the Dead is held on the 1st and 2nd of November, during these days the Mexican’s remember the members of their family who have passed away.

The first day is dedicated to the children who have passed away, this day is called Día de los Inocentes meaning “Day of the Innocents” or Día de los Angelitos meaning “Day of the Little Angels”. The second day is spent remembering the deaths of any adults or elderly, this day is called Día de los Muertosor Día de los Difuntos meaning “Day of the Dead”.

The families of the deceased bring gifts to the graves of their loved ones, such as a favorite toy for the children, or a favorite food and drink for the adults. Paper mache sculptures depict the dead in an everyday context, such as skeletons, and most are comical in nature.

Celebrations, Customs and Traditions

Is a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries. Although the term nowadays refers exclusively to professional wrestling, it was originally used in the same style as the English term "freestyle wrestling", referring to an amateur wrestling style without the restrictions of Greco-Roman wrestling. Mexican wrestling is characterized by colorful masks, rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers. The wearing of masks has developed special significance, and matches are sometimes contested in which the loser must permanently remove his mask, which is a wager with a high degree of weight attached.

Celebrations, Customs and Traditions

GamesBote pateado -A hide and seek game with a twist that requires a can to play. The “seeker” must go back and forth to the can between searches giving the players time to hide again.

Burro castigado - Similar to hide and seek. The seeker has 10 minutes to find five players or he/she becomes the “punished donkey”.

Coleadas - A game in which children hold hands on one is in charge of running and zigzagging around things until other fall off.

Chinche al agua -“ Buck buck” is a team game in which players from one team jump on the backs of players from the other and try not to fall off.

Piñata - the piñata game in which children are blindfolded and try to break the piñata.

Games

Mariachi MusicThe common perception of the music and look of

mariachi developed in the 20th century, as the music was transformed from a regional rural folk music to an urban phenomenon that came to represent Mexico. The music was first introduced to Mexico City in 1905. During this time, many farm workers moved to the city, including those from Jalisco, which settled around Plaza Garibaldi. These mariachi musicians developed new practices, such as performances in plazas and restaurants. However, it also continued its more traditional venues such as serenades, and performances at major family events.

During this time, the Mexican government was heavily involved in cultural promotion as a way to create a unified Mexican identity after the end of the Mexican Revolution. One of these efforts was the promotion of mariachi as an international symbol of Mexican identity, first with radio and sound recordings and later with films.

Traditional Music

Ranchera Style

Traditional rancheras are about love, patriotism or nature. Songs are usually in a major key, and consist of an instrumental introduction, verse and refrain, instrumental section repeating the verse, and another verse and refrain, with a tag ending. Instrumentation may include guitars, strings, trumpets, and/or accordions, depending on the type of ensemble being utilised. Besides the typical instrumentation, ranchera music, as well as many other forms of traditional Mexican music, is also noted for the grito mexicano, a yell that is done at musical interludes within a song, either by the musicians and/or the listening audience.

Traditional Music

  A guiro is a dried gourd with ridges on the surface of the shell to provide a rough place to rake a wooden stick across. Dating to pre-Columbian times, this percussion instrument is still used by Salsa bands today. Some guiros can be produced by metal, plastic or fibre glass. This instrument is also known as a calabazo, guayo, ralladera or rascador.

Maracas are a percussion instrument that are used in Salsa music. They are made of the fruit of the higuera tree. The round and small fruit is first dried. Through two drilled holes, small pebbles are inserted and a handle is attached. The amount of pebbles in a maraca is traditionally an uneven number to create a distinct sound.

The guitarrón mexicano or Mexican guitarron, is a very large, deep-bodied Mexican 6-string acoustic bass played traditionally in mariachi groups. Although similar to the guitar, it is not a descendant of that instrument, but was independently developed from the sixteenth-century Spanish bajo de uña. It achieves audibility by its great size, and does not require electric amplification for performances in small venues.

Musical Intruments

CelebritiesCesar Millan: A Mexican-born dog trainer that has gained fame in the reality series The Dog Whisperer.

Diego Boneta: An actor who had a leading role in the musical Rock Of Ages, and played the role of Alex Santiago in Pretty Little Liars alongside Ashley Benson.

Kat Von D: A Celebrity tattoo artist who is featured on Miami Ink and LA ink.

Javier Hernandez: A Mexican star striker for Manchester United and Mexico's national team also known as Chicharito.

Salma Hayek: A Mexican actress who gave a memorable performance in Frida in 2002. She’s also the voice of Kitty Softpaws in the movie Puss in Boots.

CuisineTropical fruits such as guava, prickly pear,

sapote, mangoes, bananas, pineapple and cherimoya (custard apple) are popular, especially in the centre and south of the country. It has been debated how much Mexican food is still indigenous and how much is European. However, the basis of the diet is still corn and beans with chili pepper as a seasoning as they are complimentary foods.

In most of Mexico, much of food, especially in rural areas, is still consumed in the home with the most traditional Mexican cooking still done domestically, based on local ingredients. Cooking for family is considered to be women’s work, including cooking for celebrations. Traditionally girls have been considered ready to marry when they can cook, and cooking is considered a main talent for housewives.

Mexican street food is one of the most varied parts of the cuisine. It can include tacos, quesadillas, pambazos, tamales, huaraches and food not suitable to cook at home including barbacoa, carnitas and since many homes in Mexico do not have ovens, roasted chicken.

GovernmentThe federal government of Mexico is the national government of the United Mexican States, the central government established by its constitution to share sovereignty over the republic with the governments of the 31 individual Mexican states and one Federal District, and to represent such governments before international bodies such as the United Nations.

HistoryThe Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica from the 14th to 16th centuries. The Nahuatl words aztecatl  and aztecah  mean "people from Aztlan", a mythological place for the Nahuatl-speaking culture of the time, and later adopted as the word to define the Mexican people. Often the term "Aztec" refers exclusively to the Mexican people of Tenochtitlan (now the location of Mexico City), situated on an island in Lake Texcoco, who referred to themselves as Mexica Tenochca or Cōlhuah Mexica.