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Blue- Title

Red- Key points

White- Subpoints

Green- Rationale/blog entry (answer to 3 questions)

Purple- Citations

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Rationale:

The Kaleidoscope Museum Project is a project where we aim to preserve the cultures of the world, and the uniqueness behind them by recording them in a digital format that is accessible online for everyone, my role in this project as an online contributor to Mexican culture preservation in the Kaleidoscope Museum Project is to incorporate many different aspects of Mexican culture into a padlet where I will use all types of examples/representations to further preserve and show the uniqueness behind Mexico’s culture, we are motivated to continue on this project as of the negative effects we see in globalization, by creating this platform to make a world where we can share out cultures that proportionally overpowers the national cultures we have now.

I believe Mexico’s culture is under threat of extinction as of the surrounding countries around Mexico such as the United States of America, where the globalization of this country is on a level uncomparable to Mexico, where the influence of American culture and the continuous immigration cycle of Mexican people moving to America leaves fewer people to preserve the culture of Mexico, and with the amount of people especially criminals coming from America to Mexico leaves an impact of America in Mexico potentially over time overpowering the Mexican culture.

Mexican culture needs to be preserved because of its large global impact and influence it has on all aspects of the earth. Art such as inspiring artists like Frida Kahlo or foods such as maize, chilis, chocolate, and even tomatoes, the historical value which Mexico has produced for the world the Aztecs, Mayans, and other civilizations, Mexican culture stemming across the globe from North and South America to Spain in Europe and also Africa, Mexico's reputation as one of the most diverse cultures in the world makes it even more important to preserve Mexican culture.

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1. Set zoom to 33% to be able to see the whole Padlet.

2. Check out the key above this to help guide you through the Padlet.

3. Each key point there is 3 subpoints and there are a total of 11 key points, each pointing to a different part of the Mexican Culture

4. For more information on a subject please click on the image above the text as this will lead you to a approach of introducing the information.

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Miguel Hidalgo "The Godfather of Mexico" Biography 

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Miguel Hidalgo "The Godfather of Mexico" Biography 

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IAS kaleidoscope project slide 1 ( clothing )

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Frida kahlo biography for IAS art thread

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Photo gallery of RITUAL-MARRIAGE-DEATH for i&s 

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Man beautifully speaks Nahuatl a language fading very fast in the Mexican culture, showing people how to introduce themselves and the significance of learning Nahuatl.

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Instruments and what it would have sounded like as we have no real recorded music from this time period as of how old it is, yet we have the instruments and there sounds, a treasure drifting away from this era of time.

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What does ancient Aztec / Nahuatl music sound like?

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The 5 types of Mexican Music: Corrido, Son, Ranchera, Mariachi and Banda, this is unique to Mexico as of the storytelling, emotion and rhythm, a beautiful mix of multiple cultures and history in these 5 types of Mexican Music.

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This shows us the distinctive feature behind Aztec dancing, the story it has to tell us about the past of the Aztecs and how they worshipped there Gods, the symbolization behind the dancing they had once done.

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Mexican Cultural Art + More Information on Frida Kahlo

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Mexican Cultural Art + More Information on Frida Kahlo

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Many paintings by different artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and much more, as well as explanation behind how it is culturally important, and how the impact which Frida Kahlo a Mexican painter had on the whole world not just in the artistic field.

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Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution is insightful and beautiful; a reminder of how Anglo-American our conception of modern art is

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Frida Kahlo devotees, this new exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia is your show.

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History of the Day of the Dead, why is it conflicted with Halloween, and how to celebrate it properly, showing Mexicans unique perspective on death not seen a lot in this form of celebration.

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The celebration of Dia de los Muertos is a holiday that is deep-rooted in Mexican culture, observed predominantly in the central and southern regions of the country and across Latin America. During the Day of the Dead, those who observe it honour the lives of loved ones who have passed away, temporarily welcoming their spirits back to the land of the living.

It is a deeply personal, significant occasion, one during which families of Mexican heritage come together to rejoice in the belief that death is a natural part of life, and that relatives who have died are never truly gone. Ofrendas (altars) paying homage to the deceased are set up in homes, and offerings are made to them at graveyards.

Due to the dates and thematic elements of the events, some associate Dia de los Muertos with Halloween, despite the occasions having separate origins and meanings. At Halloween parties, one can expect to see at least a few people with make-up modelled after calaveras, decorative, floral skulls that are prevalent during Dia de los Muertos, while fancy dress shops often market Day of the Dead-themed costumes, accessories and decorations as Halloween paraphernalia.

So why are the two celebrations so frequently conflated with one another?

"Both celebrations have indigenous origins, one Mesoamerican and the other Celtic," Ranald Woodaman, director of the Smithsonian Latino Centre's exhibitions and public programmes, tells The Independent. "The sugar skulls and skeleton imagery remind people unfamiliar with Dia de los Muertos of Halloween, and the fact that they are both celebrated on practically the same date doesn't help."

However, the celebration is "definitely not Mexican Halloween", stresses Mexican-American cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, despite the incorrect assumption that those less acquainted with the cultural festival sometimes make.

While death is a central theme of both Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, the way in which the two occasions address the subject is very distinct. In contrast to the macabre, ghoulish nature of Halloween, those who celebrate the Day of the Dead do so in a respectful manner to remember and honour those who have passed away.

"In both traditions, it is believed that there is a border between the spirit world and the real world and that during this date, this border is thinned. This is the central theme of the way Dia de los Muertos is celebrated today," says Hector Hernandez, a linguistics and culture expert at language learning platform Babbel who grew up in Mexico City.

"The main difference for me is that Dia de los Muertos is about celebrating the lives of those who have passed away. We don't celebrate death."

As a child, Hernandez would honour the life of his grandfather, who he never met, by setting up an ofrenda with his grandmother. Ofrendas are typically elaborate displays that feature photographs of the deceased and items such as their favourite foods, calaveras, candles and bright orange marigolds.

While a large portion of Dia de los Muertos takes place in private among family, the "commercialisation" has led to celebrations becoming "public and performative", Woodaman explains. This is further exemplified in the prevalence of Day of the Dead costumes worn by individuals taking part in the festivities of Halloween.

In recent years, the problematic nature of Halloween costumes has increasingly made headlines in the media, with many questioning and challenging the cultural insensitivity behind costumes that appropriate the traditions of historically oppressed cultures. From party-goers wearing Native American headdresses to dressing up as geishas, it seems that no Halloween celebration can run its course without someone courting with controversy.

Dia de los Muertos is about celebrating the lives of those who have passed away. We don't celebrate death

Hector Hernandez

But when it comes to the Day of the Dead, the question of whether related costumes could be deemed cultural appropriation is still a cause of debate.

Raphael Alexander Zoren, senior editor and founder of travel blog Journey Wonders, says that as a Mexican, he doesn't personally find it offensive when people associate Halloween and Dia de los Muertos with one another, as "it is more likely due to confusion and not because of any harmful intent". Nonetheless, when individuals who do not have Mexican heritage choose to take part in the celebrations, he advises that they do so with reverence.

The intent behind one's choice of dress can make a huge difference regarding whether or not they are perceived as acting in an offensive manner, argues novelist Aya de Leon, who grew up in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area surrounded by Dia de los Muertos celebrations.

De Leon, who is Puerto Rican and describes herself as an ally to the Chicanx community, states that if anyone who is of European descent "does nothing intentional to honour their dead or participate in community ritual or celebration", simply dressing up in Day of the Dead-themed outfits to go out partying, then they are "definitely participating in cultural appropriation and disrespecting tradition".

"Ditto to folks who host or run Dia de los Muertos celebrations without indigenous or Mexican participation. I do personally find all of that behaviour offensive," she affirms.

Nowhere was this lack of regard for the significance of the Mexican festival more heightened than when Disney attempted to trademark the phrase "Dia de los Muertos" in 2013, four years prior to the release of the highly-acclaimed Pixar animation , which follows a Mexican boy called Miguel as he is transported to the land of the dead.

Cartoonist Alcaraz helped to successfully campaign for Disney to abandon its trademark bid, later being hired by Disney as part of a cultural consultant group for the film, alongside playwright Octavio Solis and former CEO of the Mexican Heritage Corporation Marcela Davison Aviles.

Alcaraz says that he is happy to see Mexican culture being shared, as long as it is being done so in a thoughtful way. "Mexican culture is one of the most beautiful in the world," he says. "People should respect other people's cultures though, and not be mindless about it."

So if someone who does not have Mexican heritage would like to participate in Dia de los Muertos festivities, how can they do so in a respectful manner?

We Mexicans do appreciate that people are interested and want to take part in Dia de los Muertos

Hector Hernandez

One way is to ensure that they take an interest in the history and significance of the holiday, which they can do by learning about the festival, travelling to Mexico and making an effort to learn the language, Hernández says.

"We Mexicans do appreciate that people are interested and want to take part in Dia de los Muertos and learn what it's about," he states.

Attending Dia de los Muertos celebrations organised by members of the Mexican community is another way to publicly demonstrate support for their indigenous culture.

Last year, travel photographer Zoren spent Dia de los Muertos in Vancouver, Canada, where he attended an exhibition of ofrendas in a public park that was organised by the Mexican expat community. "I was happy to see the number of non-Mexicans that showed up to learn more about our culture and traditions," he says.

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How to celebrate the Day of the Dead with cultural sensitivity

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The celebration of Dia de los Muertos is a holiday that is deep-rooted in Mexican culture, observed predominantly in the central and southern regions of the country and across Latin America. During the Day of the Dead, those who observe it honour the lives of loved ones who have passed away, temporarily welcoming their spirits back to the land of the living.

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Cultural Music of Mexico and its history

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Cultural Music of Mexico and its history

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Music in Mexico is one of the most important parts of its culture, some could say its the backbone of Mexico itself, the vibrant energy normally associated with Mexico comes mainly from its Music, but this dates back to even before the Mayan and Aztec times, even before the inhabitants living in Mexico had been playing Music of sort and using it for there cultural ceremonies, rituals and worships to God, Music being a incredibly important part of the beliefs people once had about the Aztec Gods and such.

Mexican Music must be preserved because of its impact on the world, with instruments such as trumpets, violins and a type of guitar known as the Vihuela, and the amount of music in the world inspired from Mexican origins, all leads to Mexican Music being a big part of the world we live in now and should be preserved at all costs!

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Mexican Cultural Festivals in a month by month timeline with explanation of each.

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Mexican Cultural Festivals in a month by month timeline with explanation of each.

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Mexican celebrations and national holidays offer the out-of-town visitor a fantastic chance to witness the country at its most raw. The fiestas and celebrations can be loud, raucous, and colorful but also deeply religious, poignant, and touching.

If you're thinking about booking a vacation to Mexico, then take a look at what annual celebration you might be able to experience while you're in the country.

Annual Mexican celebrations

January

New Year's Day (Año Nuevo)

When: January 1

About: Along with much of the rest of the world, Mexico celebrates New Year's Day on January 1. It's traditional for families to come together on this day for some food and to share some stories from the night before. New Year's Day is a day off for many workers, so don't be surprised if it seems a little busier than usual.

Epiphany (Dia de los Reyes Magos)

When: January 6

About: Marking the beginning of the end of the Christmas celebrations, Epiphany sees many Mexicans eat rosca de reyes (king's cake). This oval-shaped treat is meant to represent the Three Kings in the form of a crown and it might have a little figurine inside which symbolizes Jesus. They say the person who finds the Jesus in their slice should hold a fiesta on Día de la Candelaria.

February

Candlemass (Día de la Candelaria)

When: February 2

About: A deeply religious day, Candlemass sees loved ones come together in Mexico to share a meal of tomales. More religious families may also dress a baby Jesus and take it to their church.

Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución)

When: First Monday in February

About: A day off for Mexican workers, Día de la Constitución marks the day in 1917 when the country's constitution came into law. You're likely to see celebrations across the country, including picnics, parties, family gatherings, and festivals.

Valentine's Day (Día del Amor y la Armistad)

When: February 14

About: Valentine's Day in Mexico is celebrated in much the same way as it is elsewhere: chocolates, roses, dates, soppy messages, and romance. However, in Mexico, there is more focus paid on the love between friends so you wouldn't be out of place sending a little message to your buddies.

Mexican Army Day (Día del Ejército)

When: February 19

About: Mexican Army Day honors two significant events in Mexico's history: the creation of the Mexican Army in 1913 and the Loyalty March of 1911, when Cadets of the Military College led the president, Francisco Madero, to the National Palace. Mexican Army Day is your chance to see military parades, flag raising ceremonies, and tributes to the fallen.

Flag Day (Día de la Bandera)

When: February 24

About: Dia de la Bandera is a day of patriotism where you will likely see many, many Mexican flags hung across the country. You may also see a parade or two in which the crowds will salute the flag as it passes.

March

Anniversary of the Oil Expropriation (Aniversario de la Expropiación petrolera)

When: March 18

About: Aniversario de la Expropiación petrolera celebrates the day that former Mexican president Lázaro Cárdenas signed an order that took control of the majority of the foreign oil companies working in Mexico.

Benito Juarez's Birthday (Natalicio de Benito Juárez)

When: Third Monday of March

About: A public holiday in Mexico, the third Monday of March marks the birthday of Benito Juarez, a celebrated politician and democracy advocate. Indigenous Zapotec, Juarez, went on to become the 26 th president of Mexico and brought about several political and social changes. Many Mexicans will take advantage of the long weekend to take a trip and spend time with their families.

Extra: Semana Santa and Pascua

When: The week before Easter week

About: One of the most important festivals in the Mexican calendar, Mexico's Easter-time celebrations are divided into two very special weeks: Semana Santa and Pascua. Businesses and schools often close during this religious period, while families will take the chance to have a vacation together.

Semana Santa celebrations include parades, ceremonies, rituals, and dramatic reenactments while some towns have their own unique way of celebrating it.

Pascua is a calmer week when Mexican families tend to take their vacations.

Read more: For the full insight into the Easter-time celebrations, check out our in-depth blog post on Semana Santa and Pascua

April

Heroic Defense of Veracruz (Heroica Defensa de Veracruz)

When: April 21

About: This civic holiday celebrates the cadets and navy personnel from the Heroica Escuela Naval Militar and Mexican Navy who attempted to defend the city of Veracruz after it was occupied by the United States in 1914.

Children's Day (Día del Niño)

When: April 30

About: On Children's Day, parents might buy presents for their little ones while schools will throw mini celebrations for their pupils. Children enjoy games, eat candies, and generally have fun.

May

Labor Day (Día del Trabajo)

When: May 1

About: A day to celebrate the Mexican workforce, Dia del Trabajo is a national holiday across the country. As with many other national days of rest, the local population will use this time to spend with their friends and family.

Fifth of May (Cinco de Mayo)

When: May 5

About: Often confused with Mexican Independence Day by the rest of the world, Cinco de Mayo actually marks the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla. While the Cinco de Mayo celebrations are big in the United States of America, the largest celebrations in Mexico are typically focused in Puebla, where the actual battle took place. Here you will find a great celebration, replete with parades, battle reenactments and more.

Miguel Hidalgo's Birthday (Natalicio de Miguel Hidalgo)

When: May 8

About: May 8 marks the birthday of Miguel Hidalgo, one of the leaders of the Mexican revolution nicknamed The Father of Mexican Independence.

Mothers' Day (Día de las Madres)

When: May 10

About: As you might expect, Mothers' Day in Mexico celebrates the moms. Children normally show their thanks and love through gifts of flowers and chocolates. Many Mexican families will also come together for a big meal, often with traditional dishes.

Teachers' Day (Día del Maestro)

When: May 15

About: Teachers' Day has been celebrated in Mexico since 1918. On May 15, schools will either close completely or hold a day of fun activities for the kids and teachers. Youngsters may also bring in presents for their teachers as a way of thanking them for their hard work.

Students' Day (Día del Estudiante)

When: May 23

About: Students' Day in Mexico is a chance for the population to celebrate the freedom to be educated.

June

National Maritime Day (Día de la Marina)

When: June 1

About: A celebration of the Mexican Navy and the civil maritime sectors, National Maritime Day is marked with the flying of flags at government buildings. It's particularly popular, unsurprisingly, in the coastal regions, where you might find parades, fireworks, and dances.

Fathers' Day (Día del Padre)

When: Third Sunday of June

About: Fathers' Day is a celebration of all the dads in Mexico. Typically, families will come together to share a meal while fathers might receive a gift or two from their children.

July and August

There are no major Mexican celebrations in July or August.

September

Anniversary of the Boy Heroes (Dia de los Niño's Héroes)

When: September 13

About: Dia de los Niño's Héroes pays tribute to six teenage cadets who died, bravely defending Mexico City's Chapultepec Castle against the United States Army. It's said that the last boy alive, Juan Escuti, jumped from the building draped in the Mexican flag rather than give it to the US troops.

Cry of Dolores (El Grito de Dolores)

When: September 15

About: More the beginning of Independence Day than a holiday in its own right, El Grito honors the moment independence leader Miguel Hidalgo rang his church bell and called the Mexican people to rise against the Colonial occupation. Now, the Mexican president will lead El Grito de Dolores from the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City. Sometimes, however, the shout may take place in the Dolores Hidalgo, where the original call to arms was made. If you head to other Mexican cities and towns, you may hear local government officials reenacting their own El Grito.

Read more: The Story of El Grito and Mexico's Independence Day

Independence Day (Día de la Independencia)

When: September 16

About: After El Grito the night before, Independence Day in Mexico is marked in a spectacular celebration of sound, light, and color. Expect street parties, fireworks, flowers, and lots of flags across the country.

Read more: Independence Day in Mexico: The Tale Behind the Fight for Freedom

Morelos' Birthday (Natalicio de José Ma. Morelos y Pavón)

When: September 30

About: The birth of Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, another independence leader, is celebrated on September 30, particularly in Morelia which has taken his name. Here you will find street stalls, food, local shows, and more. School children will form a parade down the main streets accompanied by drums and bugles.

October

The Day of the Race (Día de la Raza)

When: October 12

About: The Day of the Race, an alternative to Columbus Day, celebrates the indigenous people of Mexico. In some parts of Mexico, native communities come together in their traditional clothing to celebrate the day.

November

Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos)

When: November 1 to 2

About: The main Day of the Dead celebrations take place on November 2. On this day, families pay tribute to their lost loved ones by visiting the cemeteries where they are buried and leaving them flowers, their favorite food, and tributes. Throughout the day, Mexican families will also come together to eat food and drink. You may also see special parades with floats and people in highly elaborate costumes.

November 1 is known as Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels) and pays tribute to children and infants who have died.
Read more: Day of the Dead in Mexico Explained
Revolution Day (Día de la Revolución)

When: November 20

About: Revolution Day honors the start of the Mexican Revolution. Cities will throw their own celebrations with parades and ceremonies taking place.

Mexican Navy Day (Dia de la Armada de Mexico)

When: November 23

About: Not to be confused with National Maritime Day, Mexican Navy Day celebrates the country's navy with a series of parades and ceremonies. Head to the coastal towns for the best celebrations.

December

Day of the Virgin Guadalupe (Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe)

When: December 12

About: Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe marks the day when a man named Juan Diego met the Virgin Mary in Mexico City in 1531. It's said that Mary instructed Juan Diego to arrange for a church to be built on Tepeyac Hill. Now, celebrations take place across Mexico to honor this miracle, while the followers of Catholicism will attend church.

Las Posadas

When: December 16 to 24
Itinerary: Book our Winter Holiday in Colonial Mexico vacation to experience a true Mexican Christmas
About: A Christmas tradition, posadas are a reenactment of Joseph and Mary's quest to find a place to stay before the birth of Jesus. Traditional songs are sung, p iñatas are struck, and food and drink are consumed. To truly experience a traditional Mexican Christmas, you can't miss out on a posada.

Christmas Eve (Nochebuena)

When: December 24

About: Christmas Eve in Mexico (called Nochebuena) will mark the end of the posadas, while children receive gifts from baby Jesus. It's normal for families to come together and enjoy a traditional Mexican Christmas meal while Christians may also go to church for a Midnight Mass called Misa de Gallo.

Christmas Day (Navidad)

When: December 25

About: The largest Christmas celebrations take place on December 24 in Mexico, soChristmas Day is a family day, where workers get time off to catch up with their loved ones and eat leftovers from the night before.

Day of the Innocents (Dia de los Santos Inocentes)

When: December 28

About: Day of the Innocents, which can be likened to April Fools' Day, is a day for pranks and tricks. It actually commemorates the tale of King Herod ordering all baby boys to be executed in a bid to kill baby Jesus.

New Year's Eve (Víspera de Año Nuevo)

When: December 31

About: In Mexico, the new year is welcomed with a flash of bang and color. Fireworks take place across the country including in the capital of Mexico City with plenty of fiestas and street parties taking place. If you come at this time, you may also pay witness (or even take part) in the eating of 12 grapes at midnight. It's said that if you manage to finish your dozen grapes in less than 60 seconds, you will get 12 wishes come true.

Public holidays in Mexico

Public holidays in Mexico mean workers can take the day off and relax with their friends and family. Here are the public holidays for 2019 and 2020.

Public holidays in Mexico 2020

Experience a Mexican festival in Mexico

To witness or take part in a Mexican festival is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can be both joyous and humbling at the same time. However, logistically, it can be difficult to organize with luxury hotels and villas snapped up quickly. Make sure to speak to a Journey Mexico Travel Planner who can organize your whole trip for you taking in the very best celebrations throughout the country.

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Mexican Celebrations: Monthly Guide to the Annual Holidays and Festivals

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Mexican celebrations and national holidays offer the out-of-town visitor a fantastic chance to witness the country at its most raw. The fiestas and celebrations can be loud, raucous, and colorful but also deeply religious, poignant, and touching.

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Mexican Historical Dances with explanations and videos

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Mexican Historical Dances with explanations and videos

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5 alluring types of Cultural Mexican Dances with videos on each of them showing the beauty and meaning behind the dance, truly something special to the dance community with its mix of dance moves not seen used often or combined together.

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The Beauty of Traditional Mexican Folk Dances

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It is undeniable that Mexico has countless impressive and varying displays of culture which are rich and breathtaking in every form. One element that Mexico does not lack are traditional folk dances. For Mexicans, dance is an activity deeply rooted in its people who, from pre-Hispanic times, have formed a vast repertoi

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Dance isn't just something to entertain or to have fun, its a strong message, stronger then any verbal message, this is why they used these dances for the purpose of communicating to the Gods as they felt this more important/personal on a level to the Gods, and bring a sense of identity to the mexican people.

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After a lifetime of dancing, George Washington University professor Manuel Cuellar came to realize, he said, that "the body can create meaning, different meanings and a sense of belonging and be as powerful as the verbal, even more powerful than the verbal."

In his book, "Choreographing Mexico: Festive Performances and Dancing Histories," Cuellar, a professor of Latin American literature, makes the case that dance was paramount to unifying and giving meaning to Mexico, in creating lo mexicano, a sense of Mexicanness. This fall, the book won the De la Torre Bueno First Book Award by the Dance Studies Association.

Folklorico dance, the traditional dance of Mexico, has been a central feature in Cuellar's life from kindergarten in the parades he watched in the remote village where he grew up to his days as a newly arrived immigrant to the United States, performing with companies on the West Coast during college and even now as a dancer, choreographer and academic adviser with Corazon Folklorico, D.C., Inc.

"There was a point when I started thinking critically about struggle, not only my life but the community I belonged to in Mexico and in the United States, and the role of popular, national productions-cultural and literary campaigns of the early 20 th century-Mexican muralism, literature and film that I studied in my classes."

Dance was also paramount and yet this aspect has not been as carefully studied in scholarly works published in the United States as were muralists such as Diego Rivera and David Siqueiros, said Cuellar. Employing photographic, cinematographic and choreographic renderings of a festive Mexico through what Cuellar calls queer methodology, filling in the gaps and silences in the archives with lived experiences and memory, Cuellar highlights the importance of dance and movement in citizen formation and national belonging.

When the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova incorporated Mexico's popular dance, El Jarabe Tapatío (the Mexican hat dance) into her repertoire on a successful tour of the country in 1919, she captivated not only Mexicans who turned out in droves to see her dance-up to 30,000 in plazas and bullfighting rings-but also elevated the country's culture to the world stage. Dancers, like Martha Graham, and Jewish modern dancers, were drawn to the country and dance became a key component in the burgeoning Mexican cinema of the 1930s and 40s.

All of this activity did not go unnoticed by Mexico's political leaders who began promoting dance as central to the culture, staging Indigenous and mestizo dances at regional fairs such as La Noche Mexicana (Mexican Night) to commemorate the country's independence in 1921 and inaugurating the country's national stadium with 1,000 dancing schoolgirls in traditional attire performing El Jarabe Tapatío in 1924.

"Mexico institutionalized dance. Dance became part of the curriculum," he said, "a part of festivities to celebrate Independence Day and Mother's Day-that is really important in Mexico."

Dance was incorporated into massive literacy campaigns with teachers, including women, traveling the countryside to educate the masses and organize cultural festivals in what was then primarily a rural nation and a way, following the revolution, to consolidate or assimilate Indigenous groups, Afro Mexicans and others into one country.

"We are a mixed-race country," said Cuellar. "In America, everything is black and white. In Mexico, no. We [supposedly] don't see difference; we are the result of Indigenous and European."

The state, however, subsumed the Indigenous materials (clothing, styles of dress), the pyramids of the Aztec, the food even, insisting at the same time on nationalizing and modernizing these elements into Spanish and Western ideas.

"This was like sanitized renditions of their culture taken away from the original context, but they were also adopted by [different] communities which infused them with their own meaning," said Cuellar. "It's not like it was an empty canvas. We carry history within our bodies."

The dances also provided a sense of identity and authenticity as the people moved beyond Mexico to the United States. In the 1960s, the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico was winning international competitions, Cuellar explained. Mexican Americans, migrants seeing these dances who were familiar with the music, with the dance vocabulary and the movements, saw themselves reflected and elevated, an alternative to the depiction by Hollywood at the time of Mexicans being lazy.

Recently one evening in the Great Hall of the Library of Congress, Cuellar and Paulette Chavira, a dance instructor and academic adviser with Corazon Folklorico D.C., conducted a class in Danzón for the public, as a way of "bridging solidarity," he said. "It's a very popular dance (with an Afro Cuban lineage) practiced in the plazas [in Mexico]. We want to emphasize the similarities and what we share [across the Americas]."

"It is literally walking in someone else's shoes, dancing in someone else's shoes. I think this sense of Latinx Heritage month, certain legacies are only visible when it comes to bodies, musical genres," Cuellar said. "Dance allowed them to approach the other to engage with the other from the body more so than with the mind. That's what I wanted to transmit."

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Dance Embodies the Meaning of Mexico | GW Today | The George Washington University

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An award-winning book by GW professor of Latin American literature and culture Manuel Cuellar recounts the importance of dance to the country's identity.

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The Aztec Death Whistle a mysterious artifact found at a excavation site of a altar for what is known as the wind God, the Aztec Death Whistle has a incredibly horrifying sound as if a person screaming incredibly accurate to the sound as well, researchers speculate it was most likely used for religious festivals or rituals

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This is ‘the most terrifying sound in the world’ — hear the Aztec Death Whistle

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Mexican clothing shown through many examples

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Mexican clothing shown through many examples

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This website speaks on the difference between Mexican clothing in the same category with very culturally special pieces of clothing such as; Fajas, Huipil, Quechquemitl, Sarape, and finally the best pieces of the collection.

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The Art and History of Traditional Fashion in Mexico — Live Colorful

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A few days ago I went to a temporary exhibition in Mexico City with approximately 100 public and private collections of traditional Mexican clothing. I enjoyed seeing the more than 225 mannequins and 400 items from clothing, accessories, designs, painting and photographies. It’s the first time I enc

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50 Mexican traditions, holidays and festivals, unique to mexico itself.

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50 Mexican traditions, holidays and festivals, unique to mexico itself.

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Mexico is known for its wild and colourful festivals or traditions, celebrating very unique topics such as death, the mexican rodeo which has its own holiday on september 14 known as Charro day, also many religious practices such as baptism or communion, heavily focused onto the christian religion.

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50 Mexican traditions, holidays & festivals to discover & embrace

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We’ve listed some of the most important Mexican traditions, celebrations, holidays & festivals, from the famed to the lesser known.

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Top 3 traditions you must experience for yourself!

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Top 3 traditions you must experience for yourself!

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Why we need to preserve Mexican indigenous language.

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Why we need to preserve Mexican indigenous language.

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This article uses the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis to show its point of language is one of the main influencer's of how we see the world and our way of interpreting everything around us, even seen as the embodiment of history itself.

With insight into how much in danger Mexican indigenous languages are in with evidence from UNESCO to back up the statements which they claim.

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Preserving Voices: Indigenous Languages of Mexico and The Worlds Within Them - Psydeh

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The UNESCO Atlas of World’s Languages in Danger indicates that in 2024 there are 8,324 languages recorded worldwide, among which around 7,000 are still spoken today, and around 2,500 are…

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There are hundreds of Mexican languages which are on the verge of extinction yet the main ones with more speakers and a higher chance of saving would be Nahuatl, Mayan, Tesltil and Tzotzil.

Nahuatl comes from the Aztecs in the 7th century, now spoken by 1,651,958 people everywhere in Mexico as it was originally a dominant language in all of central Mexico, the most spoken indigenous Mexican language.

Mayan was spoken mainly in Guatemala especially the high plains area, known as the second most spoken language indigenous language by 774,755 people.

Telslitil and Tzotzil are both distinct descendents from one another yet unique in there own way, spoken originally by the Chiapas, 3rd and 4th on the most spoken indigenous Mexican languages most likely because of its reach in the Guatemalan area and the Mayan empires spread.

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ILS Translations - Technical Translation Services

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Not Just Spanish—A Look at the Language of Mexico - ILS Translations

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Mexico is a diverse and rich country with many languages and dialects. Learn more about the linguistic diversity and heritage of Mexico in this blog!

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The video explains rituals held by the Mesoamerican religious people including human sacrifice, blood sacrifice and other incredibly unique yet gory religious details, with explanation behind complexities normally confused with the Mesoamerican religions, and the many Gods behind the Mesoamerican religon.

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Aztec Human Sacrifice: Unveiling the Rituals, Beliefs, and Complexities of an Ancient Civilization

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The creation of a Mesoamerican + Christian religion

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The creation of a Mesoamerican + Christian religion

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Also known as "Colonized Mesoamerica" in this period of time the spanish people had invaded and ransacked many of the temples owned by the Mesoamerican people as the Spanish believed them to be offensive as of the human sacrifices/sacrifices of blood, one of the main reason of this mix of religion was because of the rules set for the people of Mesoamerica where they were not allowed to worship certain Gods or worship them less as of the brutal rituals and sacrifices such as Huitzilopochtli, in this process of trying to change the Mesoamerican people into Christians there were many rebellions held by the people but in the end the Spanish were far to strong, leading to the submission of the Mesoamerican people into the christian religon.

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Mesoamerican religion is a group of indigenous religions of Mesoamerica that were prevalent in the pre-Columbian era. Two of the most widely known examples of Mesoamerican religion are the Aztec religion and the Mayan religion.

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Mexican food stems from a long course of history, the latest we know of is the indigenous people, the staples also known as the "holy trinity" for the Mesoamerican people were corn, beans and chilis, which we can see incorporated into many foods in Mexico now such as Elotes, Molotes, Quesadillas, the use of chilis in many variations of food around the world such as Hot chocolate (literally as it adds chili into hot chocolate), then as the Spanish colonized the Mesoamericans, they were introduced to meat and dairy to create new foods such as the creation of pan dulce (sweet bread) or al pastor, foods unique to Mexico stemming from there history still alive and popular now!

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Mexican food history is fascinating! The story of Mexican food history and culture is fundamentally about colonization, agriculture, geography, and even philosophy!

There are many reasons you may want to learn more about how Mexican food has changed over time. Maybe you want to learn more about your culture. Maybe you're a history buff! Or maybe you're a foodie who wants to know why Mexican food today is the way it is.

Personally, I'm a Mexican-American dietitian. I found learning about Mexican food history really helped heal my relationship with food. It helped me break away from black and white thinking about nutrition.

Ever since, I've been incorporating mini history lessons into my work with my clients.

In today's blog post, we'll go over major influences on Mexican food, a rough timeline of Mexican cuisine throughout history, and finally compare and contrast Mexican food today vs back then.

So let's get started!

Why learn about the history of Mexican cuisine?

First I want to address the big question: if I'm a dietitian why talk about food history? I have slightly different answers depending on who you are.

(Of course learning about it just because history is cool is also fair!)

For dietitians/healthcare providers

For dietitians, understanding history helps make us more compassionate providers. It helps us understand why food customs may be the way they are, and encourages us to focus on the right issues.

Let's talk about sodas, for example. Mexico has the highest soda consumption in the world ( 1). A dietitian who doesn't understand the history behind this would just think this is due to cultural preferences. They would focus on getting their client to "learn to like" water.

On the other hand, a dietitian who knows the history behind this would know that soda consumption is so high in Mexico due to historical issues with water safety. They would then ask questions to make sure their client has adequate access to safe water at home.

As you can see, two dietitians with the same credentials and the same client can take very different paths if one knows their history.

For individuals

For Mexican-American individuals, knowing how long our cultural foods have been around can really help us tune out diet culture noise!

It's a lot easier to dismiss the latest fad diet as nonsense, when it's telling you to eliminate a food you know has been nourishing your ancestors for thousands of years. Knowledge is power!

Major influences on Mexican food culture

To start the discussion on the history of food in Mexico, let's talk about all the different cultures and people that have made Mexican food what it is today.

Indigenous Food

The first group is the Indigenous people of Mexico and Central America. There were many Indigenous groups of people across Mexico, with their own traditions and foods.

When discussing Indigenous food in Mexico, we have the most historical data on the Aztecs and the Maya. So for our purposes we'll mostly discuss Aztec and Mayan food.

Indigenous Mexican food is responsible for many of the hallmarks of Mexican food today: corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, avocados, chocolate, chilies, the list goes on and on (and on).

Also, a lot of the tools we associate with Mexican food like the metate and the molcajete were originally part of the Indigenous tradition.

Spanish Food

The Spanish introduced most of the common proteins you see in Mexican food today, including beef, pork, chicken, and goat.

Spanish colonization is also responsible for dairy in Mexican food, as well as almost all use of added fats and oils.

Other major influences

Of course Mexican food is more than just Indigenous and Spanish food. Many other cultures have influenced Mexican cuisine throughout history.

Middle Eastern Food

Middle Eastern food contributed sugar, coffee, and (my personal favorite) al pastor to Mexican food.

French and German Food

You can thank France and Germany for pan dulce and Mexican beer, respectively.

African Food

While rice originated in Asia, Mexican rice is strongly influenced by African cooking techniques. The use of plantains in Mexico is also strongly influenced by African food.

Timeline of Mexican Cuisine

Mexican food culture has been constantly evolving for thousands of years. Here's a brief summary of the major dates in Mexican food history.

Pre-Hispanic Era

Pre-Hispanic Mexican food was also strongly influenced by the rest of Mesoamerican cuisine. The Aztec and Mayan empires had strong trade routes across the continent.

This means there's some overlap between Mexican food, Central American food, North American food, and even South American food.

Food from this era used many of the same staple ingredients we see in Mexican food today. Corn, beans, squash, tomato, chiles, and avocado were the main staples.

Of course there were many fruits and vegetables native to Mexico that were also eaten. Examples include nopales, jicama, pitaya, guava, chayote, and many more.

Proteins from this era included small wild animals like birds, fish, small mammals, and insects. Plant-based proteins were also common, such as chia seeds, beans, pumpkin seeds, and more.

Importantly, turkey was especially common in Mayan food at this time. Turkey is still one of the most authentic foods to serve with mole.

Most Ancient Mexican Dishes

Your favorite Mexican dish may trace its roots back to this era. Examples of popular Mexican dishes from this era include:

Spanish Colonization

Immediately after Spanish arrival in the Americas, the Latin American food system changed drastically.

The Spanish colonizers were very adamant about bringing Spanish food with them and cultivating Spanish food in the Americas.

This includes most livestock we know today: pigs, cows, chicken, goats, and sheep. It also includes all dairy products.

The Spanish were very intentional about introducing wheat to Latin America for their own religious and health purposes.

Perhaps most interestingly, the Spanish introduced the concept of frying food in oil to the Americas. Prior to this, oils were used rarely if at all in Mexican food. This means olive oil was also a Spanish introduction.

This is when we start to see Indigenous Mexican food start to look a little more like the Mexican food we recognize today. Some foods that represent this fusion of Mexican and Spanish cuisine include:

Tostadas (fried in oil)

Refried beans (sautéed in lard)

Flour tortillas

It's also important to point out the ways that Spanish colonizers disrupted Indigenous foodways, in addition to simply introducing Spanish foods to the Americas.

Spanish colonizers forced Indigenous people to grow wheat, diverting Indigenous land and labor away from corn and toward Spanish crops like wheat. Certain Indigenous foods were outlawed for religious reasons.

Post Revolutionary Period

After the Mexican revolution, many immigrants arrived in Mexico. This period is responsible for Mexican foods like:

Modern Period

Don't forget that history is still happening!

The modern period of Mexican food history is characterized by a shift in labor. More people are moving into cities and fewer people work in agriculture.

This means we are seeing more processed and convenience foods as there is less time to prepare meals at home. (Note: I'm NOT saying this is a bad thing. This happens to most societies over time).

There's also been an increase in trade with the United States and other countries. Mexican foods that come from this era include:

Processed snacks (like chips, Cheetos, etc.)

Instant masa harina ("maseca")

Sodas

Mexican Food Then vs Now

One of the coolest things about Mexican food is how much it still resembles its ancient origins.

But, like all cuisines, Mexican food has evolved over time. Changes in Mexican food are due to social and economic changes over time, as well as exposure to other cultures and their foodways.

Here are some of the major changes we've seen in Mexican food over the years.

Cooking methods

Prior to colonization, Mexican cooking methods mostly included:

Cooking on a comal (griddle) - note this technique does not use oil

Baking in an underground oven or pit

Steaming

Boiling (including making soups and stews)

The biggest difference here is that cooking prior to European contact didn't involve frying or oil.

While pre-Hispanic Mexican food contains fats (from fish, seeds, and avocado), extracting oil from plants was very rare. This means all frying techniques, olive oil, and lard were all introduced by the Spanish.

Ingredients

Many of the core pre-Hispanic ingredients are still common in Mexican food today. This includes:

There are also some pre-Hispanic Mexican ingredients that are not as common as they used to be, including spirulina and insects. You will still see these ingredients in Mexican food, but not to the same degree as before.

Ingredients that have been more recently introduced to Mexican food include:

Dairy

Sugar

Olive oil

Certain fruits like coconut, mango, limes, tamarind and more

Rice

Processing and Labor

Many pre-Hispanic cooking tools are still common today. Think of the molcajete and the metate. These were used in pre-colonial Mexico to grind foods.

Since foods were ground by hand, Indigenous people developed processing techniques to soften grains like corn and make it easier to grind. This process is a signature of Mexican food and carries its own unique health benefits.

Since colonization, mills have been introduced and are much more common now. Although you will still see plenty of hand grinding on the metate or molcajete.

Like most other countries, Mexico has seen a lot more industrialization of its food system. This is due to changes in the labor force and economic system.

Regional Differences

It's important to point out how large Mexico is and how many different climates and terrains are present in Mexico alone.

While many ingredients are common across Mexico (like corn, beans, and squash), there are distinct regional differences in Mexican food.

Northern Mexico places more emphasis on wheat flour, red meat, and dairy, for instance. Yucatán has a distinct cuisine that closely resembles its Mayan origins. And of course, coastal areas of Mexico will have more seafood, etc.

How can I learn more?

We've gone over a lot in this post but trust me when I say we've just scratched the surface!

If you would like to learn more about Mexican food history I have some books and trainings I recommend.

Recommended Reading
(Note: these are affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase I'll earn a small commission. I'm only recommending books I've personally read.)
The Body of the Conquistador by Rebecca Earle

Chilies to Chocolate: Food the Americas Gave the World by Nelson Foster

America's First Cuisines by Sophie Coe

Eating NAFTA by Alyshia Gálvez

The Columbian Exchange by Alfred Crosby

Trainings and Webinars

I offer training on the link between Mexican History and Nutrition! We'll go even more in depth than we did in this blog post, and connect what we learn with building nutritious meals today.

Check out my pre-recorded trainings below:
Mexican History and Nutrition Workshop Mexican History and Nutrition Workshop - for Health Professionals
How did Mexican food evolve?

Mexican food has a foundation in Indigenous Latin American foods like corn, beans, and squash. Colonization by the Spanish introduced livestock animals like beef, pork, and chicken, as well as dairy.

Colonization also disrupted certain native foods like corn and amaranth in favor of wheat.

Other regions also influenced Mexican food like France, Germany, and the Middle east (among others).

Today, globalization and economic changes are shifting Mexico toward a more industrialized and processed food system.

What foods are originally from Mexico?

Many foods are originally from Mexico. These include corn, many beans, squash (including pumpkin and zucchini), tomato, avocado, chile, guava, chocolate, vanilla, chia seeds, spirulina, and more.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, Mexican food history is rich and fascinating.

Today we've covered basic staple ingredients and cooking methods from different eras of Mexican history. My goal is for you to see that while Mexican food has changed a lot over time, a lot of the Mexican food we know and love today is fundamentally Indigenous food.

As a dietitian, I teach food history to help my clients (and other dietitians) understand the big picture. It's so much easier to focus on what actually matters and tune out the fad diet noise when we understand just how long our cultural foods have been nourishing us.

Want to learn more about Latin American food history? Get my full reading list.

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Introduction to Mexican Food History (And What that Means for Nutrition)

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Explore traditional Mexican food history from ancient to modern times. Learn about native Mexican foods, colonialism, and trade in food.

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Tenochtitlan, known as one of histories greatest cities

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Tenochtitlan, known as one of histories greatest cities

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The incredible city of Tenochtitlan had many unique elements first used such as the advanced architecture and advancements, with a aqueduct system able to provide fresh spring water to the citizens of the city, bridges that could be raised up to prevent enemy attacks, the templo mayor a humongous pyramid in the middle of the city created for the rituals and religious beliefs of the Mesoamerican people, held as a sacrificial ground for humans, even having floating gardens known as "Chinampas" allowing year round growing of crops as of its intricate placement in the shallow parts of the lake which Tenochtitlan had been built on, a structure incredibly ahead of its time, holding large amounts of knowledge on the events and history of this time.

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Style of Mexican housing (Hacienda style)

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Style of Mexican housing (Hacienda style)

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Hacienda style is a type of unique Mexican style, originally a royal style for spanish kings or conquistadors typically for a vacation place for these people meaning it was designed for relaxation, the roofing of the Hacienda style uses tubing the curvature allows cool air into the houses as a form of ventilation, the adobe walls were essential for keeping cool or warm air depending on the time of day as of how thick these walls are they could absorb warmth, and the small windows which controlled the amount of sunlight into the building to prevent overheating inside the building also created for the purpose of keeping cool in the extreme weather.

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Learn About Mexican Architecture And The History Behind The Hacienda Style

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Part of the vacation experience is the cultural immersion and exposure to new types of architecture which is why you may want to check out the Hacienda style.

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Interview of Michael Heralda and his Aztec music

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Interview of Michael Heralda and his Aztec music