Culture of Mexico is a Latin American culture that reflects the complexity of Mexico's history through the blending of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican civilizations and the culture of Spain, imported during the Spanish colonization of Mexico, which lasted for more than three centuries. Latin American culture is the formal or informal expression of the peoples of Latin America, and includes both high culture (literature, high art) and popular culture (music, folk art and dance) as well as religion and other customary practices. ... Mexico is a country in North America and the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. ... Mesoamerica is the region extending from central Mexico south to the northwestern border of Costa Rica that gave rise to a group of stratified, culturally related agrarian civilizations spanning an approximately 3,000-year period before the European discovery of the New World by Columbus. ... Spain is a largely mountainous country located in the Iberian Peninsula, consisting of various geographically diverse regions and known for its culturally diverse heritage, having been influenced by many nations and peoples throughout its history. ...

Way of life

The way of life in Mexico includes many features from the nation's long Amerindian past and the Spanish colonial period. The people of Mexico take great pride of their country, culture, ethnicity, lifestyle and economic independence. Mexican culture also exhibits strong family ties, respect, hard working and socializing together in the community. Mayas at San Juan Chamula, Chiapas Mexico has defined itself, in the second article of its constitution, as a pluricultural nation, in recognition of the diverse ethnic groups that constitute it. ...

Mexico has changed rapidly during the 20th century. In many ways, contemporary business life in its largest cities has become similar to that in neighbouring United States and Europe. Most Mexican villagers follow the older way of life more than the city people do. About three-fourths of the people of Mexico live in cities and towns. Large populated urban areas include Mexico City, Netzahualcóyotl, Estado de México, Baja California, Guadalajara, Jalisco and Monterrey, Nuevo León, while rural areas include Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Yucatán and many more. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Location of Mexico City Coordinates: , Country Federal entity Boroughs The 16 delegaciones Founded c. ... Nezahualcoyotl as shown in the Codex Ixtlilxochitl, folio 106R, painted roughly a century after Nezahualcoyotls death. ... The United Mexican States, or Mexico, is a federal republic, comprising 31 states. ... Location within Mexico Municipalities of Baja California Country Capital Municipalities 5 Largest City Tijuana Government  - Governor José Guadalupe Osuna Millán (PAN)  - Federal Deputies PAN: 8  - Federal Senators Alejandro González (PAN) Rafael Díaz (PAN) Fernando Castro (PRI) Area Ranked 12th  - Total 69,921 km² (26,996. ... Coordinates: , Country State Foundation 1542 Government  - Mayor Alfonso Petersen Farah ( PAN) Area  - City 187. ... This article is about the Mexican city; for other uses, see Monterrey (disambiguation). ... Location within Mexico Municipalities of Chiapas Country Mexico Capital Municipalities 118 Largest City Tuxtla Gutiérrez Government  - Governor Juan José Sabines Guerrero ( PRD)  - Federal Deputies PRI: 7 PRD: 5  - Federal Senators PRI: 1 PRD: 1 PVEM: 1 Area Ranked 8th  - Total 74,211 km² (28,653 sq mi) Population (2005... Catedral de Santo Domingo The Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca or simply Oaxaca   is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located in the southern part of Mexico, west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. ... Location within Central America Country Mexico Capital Municipalities 76 Largest City Acapulco Government  - Governor Carlos Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo (PRD)  - Federal Deputies PRD: 9  - Federal Senators PRD: 2 PRI: 1 Area Ranked 14th  - Total 64,281 km² (24,819 sq mi) Population (2005)  - Total 3,115,202(Ranked 11th) Time zone... Location within Mexico Municipalities of Sinaloa Country Mexico Capital Municipalities 18 Government  - Governor Jesús Alberto Aguilar Padilla  - Federal Deputies PRI: 6 PAN: 2  - Federal Senators PRI: 2 PAN: 1 Area Ranked 18th  - Total 58,238 km² (22,485. ... Tamaulipas is a state in the northeast of Mexico. ... For other uses, see Yucatán (disambiguation). ...

Religion

Main article: Religion in Mexico

An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico.

The Spanish arrival and colonization brought Roman Catholicism to the country and became the main religion of Mexico. Today, 89% of the population belong to the Catholic faith, making the country as the second largest Catholic nation in the world, after Brazil. ^[1] Other Christian religions include Evangelical, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses. Mexico has no official religion; however, most people in Mexico report they are Christians, and this is reflected in several aspects of life there; Christmas is a national holiday and every year during Easter all schools in Mexico, public and private, take vacations. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (788x1226, 278 KB) This is also the Virgin of Guadalupe, a 16th century painting of unknown provenance. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (788x1226, 278 KB) This is also the Virgin of Guadalupe, a 16th century painting of unknown provenance. ... An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Evangelicalism is a theological perspective in Protestant Christianity which identifies with the gospel. ... For other uses, see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (disambiguation). ...

In the southern areas of the country, which are predominantly of indigenous populations, traditional Amerindian religions are practiced and has been incorporated into the Spanish Catholic faith.

Art

A photograph of a 1954 stone carved mural at the ITESM in Monterrey, Mexico, portraying a battle between the mythological gods Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca.

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 Tonalá. 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 produced more personal works with abstract elements. Mexican art photography was largely fostered by the work of Manuel Álvarez Bravo. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1984x945, 395 KB) Summary The mural of the rectory of ITESM in Monterrey, Mexico. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1984x945, 395 KB) Summary The mural of the rectory of ITESM in Monterrey, Mexico. ... ITESM Main Building (Rectoría) and mural ITESM is the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, also known as the Tec de Monterrey, or simply Tec. Originated in Monterrey, Mexico, it has currently over 30 satellite locations throughout the country. ... Nickname: Motto: El Trabajo templa el Espíritu Location of Monterrey in northern Mexico Coordinates: , Country State Founded 20 September 1596 Government  - Mayor Adalberto Madero ( PAN) Area  - City 860 km² (332 sq mi) Elevation 537 m (1,762 ft) Population (2005)  - City 1,133,814  - Density 1,989/km² (5... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ... Tezcatlipoca as depicted in the Codex Borgia. ... Island of Salvation Botanica, Piety Street, Bywater neighborhood, New Orleans Folk art describes a wide range of objects that reflect the craft traditions and traditional social values of various social groups. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ... This article is about the Mexican Revolution of 1910. ... Diego Rivera (December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957, born Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez in Guanajuato, Gto. ... For other uses, see Orozco (disambiguation). ... David Alfaro Siquerios (December 29, 1896 in Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico - January 6, 1974 in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico) was a painter and muralist known for his social realism work. ... Rufino Tamayo holding a guitar in a photo taken by Carl Van Vechten, 1945. ... Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954) was a Mexican painter, who has achieved great international popularity. ... -1... Manuel Álvarez Bravo (February 2, 1902 – October 19, 2002) was a Mexican photographer. ...

Literature

Main article: Mexican literature

A late 18th century painting of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Mexican poet and writer.

The literature of Mexico originated from the concepts of the Amerindian and Spanish settlements of Mesoamerica. Outstanding colonial writers and poets include Juan Ruiz de Alarcón and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Mexican literature plays an important role in Mexican culture. ... Sor Juana (12 November 1651 (or 1648, according to some biographers) – 17 April 1695), also known as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz or, in full, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz de Asbaje y Ramírez, was a self taught Mexican scholar, nun, and writer of the... This article is about the culture area. ... Juan Ruiz de Alarcón y Mendoza (1581? - August 4, 1639), was a Mexican dramatist. ... Sor Juana (12 November 1651 (or 1648, according to some biographers) – 17 April 1695), also known as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz or, in full, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz de Asbaje y Ramírez, was a self taught Mexican scholar, nun, and writer of the...

Music

Main article: Music of Mexico

Indigenous Aztec dancers in Mexico City.

A traditional Mexican hat dance called "Jarabe Tapatío".

The foundation of the music of Mexico comes from its indigenous sounds and heritage. The original inhabitants of the land, used drums, flutes, gourd rattles, sea shells and voices to make music and dances. This ancient music is still played in some parts of Mexico. However, much of the traditional contemporary music of Mexico were written during the Spanish colonial period. Folk songs called corridos have been popular in the country, since the 16th century. It may tell the story about the Mexican Revolution, Pride, Mestizo, Romance, Poverty, Politics and Crime issues. Mexican music redirects here. ... For other uses, see Aztec (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Location of Mexico City Coordinates: , Country Federal entity Boroughs The 16 delegaciones Founded c. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... This article pertains to the musical instrument. ... Various seashells A shell is the hard, rigid outer covering, or integument, of certain animals. ... The word voice can mean: The human voice. ... Corrido is a popular narrative song and poetry form of the mestizo Mexican cultural area (which includes the Southern states of USA, taken from Mexican sovereignship in the midst and late 19th. ... This article is about the emotion. ... Mestizo is a Spanish term that was formerly used in the Spanish Empire and continues to be used today in Latin America to refer to people of mixed European (Spaniard) and Amerindian ancestry living in the region of Latin America. ... Look up romance, romantic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A boy from Jakarta, Indonesia shows his find. ... For other uses, see Politics (disambiguation). ...

Today, popular musical groups known as Mariachis perform along streets, festivals and restaurants. A Mariachi group includes singers, guitar, trumpets, violin and marimba players. Folk dances are regarded to be one of the most important features of Mexican culture. The most significant of this dance tradition is the "Mexican hat dance", known as "Jarabe Tapatío". Traditional dancers perform a sequence of hopping steps, heel and toe tapping movements. This article is about the Mexican musical genre and ensemble. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Trumpets in the Bible According to Eastons Bible Dictionary, trumpets in the Bible were of a great variety of forms and were made of various materials. ... For the Anne Rice novel, see Violin (novel). ... The marimba ( ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family. ...

National holidays

Main article: Public holidays in Mexico

A skull made out of sugar, given during the Day of the Dead festival.

Mexicans celebrate their independence day from Spain in September 15 and 16, and other holidays with colourful festivals known as "Fiestas". Every Mexican city, town and village holds a yearly festival to commemorate their local patron saints. During these festivities, the people pray and burn candles to honour their saints in churches decorated with flowers and colourful utensils. They also hold large parades, fireworks, dance competitions, beauty pageant contest, party and buy refreshments in the market places and public squares. In the smaller towns and villages, football, boxing, cockfighting and amateur bullfighting are also celebrated during the festivities. This is a list of holidays and celebrations in Mexico: See also Flag flying days in Mexico Fiestas Patrias Categories: | ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (913x1033, 189 KB) Summary Photo of a candy skull made of sugar, a common gift and decoration for the Day of the Dead in Mexico. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (913x1033, 189 KB) Summary Photo of a candy skull made of sugar, a common gift and decoration for the Day of the Dead in Mexico. ... For other uses, see Day of the Dead (disambiguation). ... Fiesta can mean: A festival or holiday. ...

Mexico also celebrates Carnaval (in February 3 to February 8), Semana Santa ("Easter", on March or April), Cinco de Mayo ("5th of May", celebrated on May 5) and Día de los Muertos ("Day Of the Dead", celebrated on October 31 to November 2). Other festivities include Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe ("Guadalupe Day"), Las Posadas ("The Inns", celebrated on December 16 to December 24), Noche Buena ("Holy Night", celebrated on December 24), Navidad ("Christmas", celebrated on December 25) and Año Nuevo ("New Years Day", celebrated on December 31 to January 1). "Guadalupe Day" is regarded by many Mexicans as the most important religious holiday of their country. It honours the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, which is celebrated on December 12. In the last decade, all the celebrations happening from mid December to the beginning of January have been linked together in what has been called the Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon. Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Holy Week (Sp. ... Cinco de Mayo (5th of May in English) is primarily a regional and not an obligatory federal holiday in Mexico. ... This article is about the Mexican holiday. ... It has been suggested that Los Posadas be merged into this article or section. ... Noche Buena, often translated as Holy Night, is a traditional Christmas eve dinner in the Philippines. ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... This article is about January 1st in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Cuisine

Main article: Mexican cuisine

Mexican cuisine is world-renowned for its blending of indigenous and European cultures. Popular dishes include maize, tortilla, tacos, enchiladas, frijoles, atole, tamales, and pozole. Traditionally the main Mexican ingredients consisted of chicken, pork, beef, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, peppers, chillis, onions, peanuts, avocados and guavas. Popular beverages include water flavoured with a variety of fruit juices, and cinnamon-flavoured hot chocolate prepared with milk or water and blended until it becomes frothed. Alcoholic beverages include mescal, pulque and tequila. Not to be confused with Tex-Mex, which is often referred to as Mexican food in the U.S. Mexican food is a style of food that originated in Mexico. ... This article is about the maize plant. ... This article is about the Mexican Tortilla. ... The Ars Technica Community Operating System (TACOS) is an imaginary operating system ostensibly created by the members of the popular computer enthusiast web site Ars Technica to represent computing Utopia. ... Enchiladas with mole sauce An enchilada is a traditional Mexican dish. ... Traditional cornstarch-based Mexican hot drink. ... For the city in Ghana, see Tamale, Ghana A tamale or tamal (from Nahuatl tamalli) is a traditional Mexican foodstuff that begins with corn (maize) flour mixed with water and lard. ... Pozole (from Spanish pozole, from Nahuatl potzolli; variant spellings: posole, posolé, pozolé, pozolli, posol) is a traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew made from dried lime-treated maize kernels (also called maiz blanco or cacahuazintle), with pork (or other meat), chili, and other seasonings and garnish (lettuce, oregano, cilantro, avocado... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Pork (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Beef (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Solanum tuberosum L. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, grown for its starchy tuber. ... Binomial name L. Corn (Zea mays L. ssp. ... Binomial name Solanumlycopersicum Linnaeus ref. ... Compact orange pepper plants in the genus Capsicum. ... For the parody newspaper, see The Onion. ... For other uses, see Peanut (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Persea americana Mill. ... For the beverage, see Hot chocolate. ... Froth is foam consisting of bubbles in a liquid. ... Mezcal is a Mexican distilled spirit made from the agave plant. ... Pulque, or octli, is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of the maguey, and is a traditional native beverage of Mesoamerica. ... Various brands of tequila Tequila is a spirit made primarily in the area surrounding Tequila, a town in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, 65 km northwest of Guadalajara and in the highlands of Jalisco, 65 km east of Guadalajara. ...

Sport

Main article: Sport in Mexico

Bullfighter in Mexico.

The traditional national sports of Mexico are Bullfighting and Charreria. Football is also highly appreciated and is regarded to be the most popular contemporary recreation in the country. Most state has its own representative teams. Among the country's significant teams include Club América, Chivas de Guadalajara, Cruz Azul and Pumas de la UNAM. Notable players include Hugo Sánchez, Claudio Suárez, Luis Hernández, Francisco Palencia, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Jared Borgetti, Rafael Márquez, Pavel Pardo, Guillermo Ochoa, Jorge Campos and Oswaldo Sánchez. Sport in Mexico are the recreation activities of Mexico. ... Bullfighting, Edouard Manet, 1865–1866. ... Charrería is the Mexican style of traditional Spanish horsemanship that developed in central and northern Mexico under the hacienda system. ... Soccer redirects here. ... Club América, most commonly known as just América, is a professional Mexican football club playing in the Primera División. ... Club Deportivo Guadalajara, also known as Guadalajara and usually referred to by its nickname Chivas (goats), is a Mexican sports club. ... Club Deportivo Social y Cultural Cruz Azul, also known as Deportivo Cruz Azul or simply Cruz Azul, is a Mexican professional football club. ... Club Universidad Nacional, also known as Universidad, UNAM, or Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club. ... Hugo Sánchez Márquez (born July 11, 1958), popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi and Hugol, is the Mexican National Teams coach and Mexican former football striker who played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid. ... Claudio Suárez Sánchez (born December 17, 1968 in Texcoco, México) is a Mexican international football player currently playing for Chivas USA as a defender, in the MLS since 2006. ... Luis Arturo Hernández Carreón (born December 22, 1968 in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico) is a retired Mexican football striker, the second highest goalscorer of all-time for the Mexican national football team, and their highest goalscorer in World Cups. ... Juan Francisco Palencia Hernández (born April 28, 1973 in Mexico City) is a Mexican football player, specializing as both a midfielder and striker, currently playing for UNAM Pumas in the Primera División de México. ... Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo (born January 17, 1973 in Mexico City), also known as Cuau, is a Mexican international football striker, who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer. ... Jared Francisco Borgetti Echavarría (born August 14, 1973 in Culiacancito, Sinaloa) is a Mexican football striker, who currently plays for CF Monterrey in the Primera División de México. ... This article is about mexican footballer who currently plays for FC Barcelona. ... Pável Pardo Segura (born July 26, 1976 in Guadalajara, Jalisco), is a Mexican international football player, who currently plays for VfB Stuttgart as a Defensive Midfielder in the German Bundesliga. ... Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña (born July 13, 1985 in Guadalajara, Jalisco) popularly nicknamed Memo, is a Mexican international football goalkeeper who currently plays for Club América in the Primera División de México. ... Jorge Campos Navarrete (nicknamed El Brody or Chiqui-Campos) (born October 15, 1966) is a Mexican football coach and former goalkeeper, one of the most notable Mexican players of the 1990s. ... Oswaldo Javier Sánchez Ibarra (born September 21, 1973 in Guadalajara, Jalisco) is a Mexican international goalkeeper currently playing for Santos Laguna in the Primera División de México. ...

Mexico is also known for its strong boxing tradition, having produced world champions such as Julio César Chávez, Salvador Sánchez, Érik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Márquez and Jesús Chávez. Other popular recreational activities include lucha libre (Mexican professional wrestling), baseball, fishing, scuba diving, Jai alai, cockfighting, and basketball. For this mans son, also a boxer, see Julio César Chávez, Jr. ... Salvador Sánchez Narvaez (January 26, 1959 - August 12, 1982) was an all-time great Mexican boxer born in the small town of Santiago Tianguistenco, Mexico. ... Marco Antonio Barrera Tapia (born January 17, 1974 in Mexico City) is a Mexican professional boxer. ... Juan Manuel Márquez Méndez (born August 23, 1973, in Mexico City) is a Mexican professional boxer and the reigning world WBC Super Featherweight defending champion. ... Jesús Gabriel Sandoval Chávez (born November 12, 1972) is a Mexican professional boxer. ... One of the most well known Lucha Libre wrestlers (luchadores), Rey Mysterio. ... This article is about the sport. ... For the computer security term, see Phishing. ... Scuba diving is swimming underwater while using self-contained breathing equipment. ... Now defunct Milford Jai-Alai Fronton in Milford, Connecticut. ... The Cock Fight by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1847) A cockfight is a contest, held in a cockpit between two fighting cocks (roosters) trained to severely injure and/or kill one another. ... This article is about the sport. ...

The country also hosted the summer Olympic Games in 1968 and the FIFA World Cup in 1970 and 1986. The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... The FIFA World Cup, sometimes called the Football World Cup or the Soccer World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the mens national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the... The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from May 31 to June 21. ... The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. ...

Hair

In Mexico there are many kind of hair but the unusual one are the deadlocks Locks may have also been part of Mexican culture before the 16th century Spanish conquest. In a description of an Aztec ritual, Historian William Hickling Prescott referred to locked Priests of the Aztec civilization, a Mesoamerican people of central Mexico in the 14th century, 15th century and 16th century. On the summit he was received by six priests, whose long and matted locks flowed disorderly over their sable robes, covered with hieroglyphic scrolls of mystic import. They led him to the sacrificial stone, a huge block of jasper, with its upper surface somewhat convex." (William H. Prescott, History of the Conquest of Mexico

See also

• Cinema of Mexico
• Culture

The history of Mexican cinema goes back to the beginning of the 20th century, when several enthusiasts of the new medium documented historical events – most particularly the Mexican Revolution – and produced some movies that have been only recently been rediscovered. ... For other uses, see Culture (disambiguation). ...

References

External links

• Mexican Culture
• Mexico: History and Culture

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