National Cultures And Ethnic Groups Codexery

Culture of Mexico

A cultural mosaic blending indigenous, European, African, and Asian influences.

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Culture of Mexico

Sophia A01361289 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Western and Native American civilizations are both considered parental influences on Mexican culture.[1] An individual Mexican's cultural practices are shaped by factors including family connections, sex, faith, geographic setting, and economic standing.[2] Urban life in Mexico now resembles that of the United States and Europe, while rural populations tend to maintain older customs.[2]

Quick Facts

Origin
Mexico
Major influences
Spanish Empire, preexisting indigenous cultures
Primary religion
Roman Catholicism (89% of population as of 2010)
Notable icons
  • Pyramids of Teotihuacan
  • murals of Diego Rivera
  • image of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Key festivals
  • Dia de los Muertos
  • Christmas
  • Easter
Distinctive music
  • Mariachi
  • Norteño
  • Son Huasteco
  • ballet folklórico
Cuisine staples
  • Maize
  • chili peppers
  • tacos
  • mole

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

The cultural foundation of Mexico is a blend of Spanish colonial traditions and the civilizations that existed there before the Spanish arrived.[1] Roman Catholicism was introduced to Mexico through Spanish colonization and subsequently became the dominant faith.[3] According to 2010 data, Christians made up 95.6% of Mexico's population, with Roman Catholics accounting for 89% of the total.[4] Folk art in Mexico largely originates from pre-Hispanic and Spanish handcraft traditions.[5]

Following the Mexican Revolution, artists created a dynamic national art movement that wove together political messages, historical narratives, and folkloric imagery.[6] Large-scale murals by these artists, frequently placed on government structures, were used to advocate for social causes.[6] Frida Kahlo and Rufino Tamayo created more intimate artworks that incorporated abstract styles.[6]

What the cited sources add

The mexconnect article notes that Mexico in 1910 was a country in despair.[7] Three artists would be at the forefront of this change – David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, and Jose Clemente Orozco.[7] Rivera’s subjects reflected his appreciation for Mexico’s history and its indigenous cultures.[7] Records show that the first Lebanese arrived Mexico in 1892, initially concentrating around Puebla.[8]

The first Middle Eastern restaurant in Mexico was opened in Puebla by Yerbagues Tabe Mena y Galeana in Puebla in 1933.[8] Cumin, which seems indispensable in so many Mexican dishes, is in fact from the Mediterranean, introduced to Mexico by the Spanish conquistadores.[8]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Culture of Mexico" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Cultural exchanges between Mexico and the Philippines Geo-Mexico, the geography of Mexico", geo-mexico.com, 2010-09-04; Hough, "Oriental Influences in Mexico", American Anthropologist, 1900, p. 66–74; Eye, "Al Pastor and the Lebanese Influence on Mexican food", Beach, Village & Urban Living in Oaxaca, 2020-07-29; "History of Korean Immigration to America, from 1903 to Present Boston Korean Diaspora Project", sites.bu.edu; Cocking, "The Untold History of Afro-Mexicans, Mexico's Forgotten Ethnic Group", Culture Trip, 2017-07-19; "Mexic en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Culture of Mexico" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Mexico - Daily life and social customs - Encyclopedia Britannica (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Culture of Mexico" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Mexico"; Reich, "The Mexican Catholic Church and Constitutional Change since 1929", The Historian, Fall 1997, p. 77–86 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Culture of Mexico" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency", www.cia.gov, 12 September 2022; "Religión", Censo Nacional de Población y Vivienda 2000, 2000; "Church attendance", Study of worldwide rates of religiosity, 1997; "The Largest Catholic Communities", Adherents.com (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Culture of Mexico" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Mexican Folk Art - Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Culture of Mexico" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Mexican muralists: the big three - Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros. : Mexico Culture & Arts", www.mexconnect.com, 2 June 2020 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  7. "Mexican muralists: the big three - Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros. : Mexico Culture & Arts", www.mexconnect.com, 2 June 2020. facts only, no text reused. mexconnect.com
  8. Eye, "Al Pastor and the Lebanese Influence on Mexican food", Beach, Village & Urban Living in Oaxaca, 2020-07-29. facts only, no text reused. theeyehuatulco.com

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Culture of Mexico (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Named in this entry

Teotihuacan

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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