Christmas

by Tanhia Karen García Gómez

The Christmas traditions are influences of several parts of the world. A tradition very common in many places is to sing carols in groups walking on the streets from house to house, this event is known as caroling. “Christmas Carols” give an atmosphere of happiness, hope and celebration, in the house or any other place where it is listened to.

During Christmas, it is common that families send “Christmas Cards” to family and friends, even and they haven’t been seen physically in much time. It is part of the sense of Christmas to reach and to unite to the humanity.

Much people wait for every year the snow.  Many activities come with the snow, including go in sleigh, to ski, to do “ snowmen ”, throwing balls of snow to the other people, and, later the activity returning to the house to take hot chocolate and to warm up themselves and to dry themselves in front of the fire.

Also are very common cooking cakes in family. Most popular they are the sugar cakes. The process is simple, but to be in company of the family is what it makes special, from beating the mass, decorating each cake and finally to cook it.

An element characteristic of Christmas is the decoration of the house. It is very common, that the garden is decorated with lights. The most symbolic element of decoration is the tree or Christmas pine. In the United States, it is very common that the Christmas pine is natural. . One of the most special moments is the process to install the Christmas pine, is the adjustment or decoration of the same, also, the more exciting thing is that it is realized in family.

Santa Claus is the main image of Christmas in the United States. Santa Claus, or San Nicholas, with her particular red shelter arrives at all the houses through the chimneys.

References

http://www.mty.itesm.mx/

http://www.turismoeeuu.com/gente-y-costumbres/

Davis, Fred (1992). Fashion, Culture, and Identity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 69.

Otomi Culture

BY:LAURA ESTRADA CARREÑO


The otomí culture originates from some Mexican towns but in this article I will talk in particular one.

Early twentieth century most of the inhabitants of this community is characterized by keeping the otomí Indian language, their customs, dress and traditions. Otomí people feel proud to wear their traditional clothes: the traditional clothes of women in the otomí group in the community of Temoaya  is a tangle of wool chincuete or blanket or very large and long like a skirt, black, blue, yellow, white with green lines, orange and yellow blouse and blanket or white poplin, short sleeve embroidered with flowers. It is characteristic of clothing quexquemetl otomí use cotton or wool in various colors and all clothing is adorned with floral decorations.

Handicraft production of otomí peoples refers to wool rugs which are made specifically for women mortars and mutates of black stone the wheat straw bags hats baskets and tule chairs piecesavates pottery and maguey fiber sashes tablecloths and napkins and hand- woven textiles made on blackstrap looms.

Otomí culture is very famous in Mexico especially in Temoaya because in this community is Otomí Ceremonial Center where the otomí people celebrate their gods and they organized some ceremonies. Inside of the Otomí Ceremonial Center there are some plazas, stairways, stylized sculptures, there is a museum with some arrows pottery sculptures found in the locality, there is also an a charro small offering in the rainy season one embodiment of the rodeo in the country only.

The feast of saints are framed in the catholic calendar and have at we saw a strong link with the cycles in an old agricultural tradition. The otomí celebrate the Santa Cruz to the virgins of Concepcion, Loreto, Asuncion and Guadalupe, San Pedro, San Miguel , San Juan, San Jaime and Santa Teresa among others mayordomias, schools boards, and groups of dancers are responsible for organizing and planning for all year celebration.

The otomí culture is famous too for their songs especially one called “tzi mare ku” this song is used at final of the wedding when the couple is dancing to say good bye their parent’s house. I present the lyrics song:

TZI MARE KU

Ya go mago tzi mare ku                       
Ya go mago tzi mbare ku                     
Ûna hjpa nghjeya do nthjewi ku Ûna hjpa nkhjeya to ûmûy wi ku

Ûna hjpa nhjeya to nzzengua wi          
Ûna hjpa nghjeya do tzí ma tsí             
Ûna hjpa nghjeya to ùingui ki         
Pohjki kja madí tzi mare ku                 
Ya go mago tzi mare ku                          
Ya go mago tzi mbare ku Tari shudi go nzzengua wi                   
Tari mani go nhjewi pi

Ma tzi ngande bi iñuhjti gui                
Go nzzengua ma khja-ûni, kjangu ki 
Go-ûthjo di nzzengua tzi mare ku       
Go-ûthjo di bini tzi mbare ku

Ya go mago tzi mare ku                   
Ya go mago tzi mbare ku                 
Ûna hjpa nkhjeya to ûmûy wi ku       
Ûna hjpa nkhjeya do nibi ku              
Kja go ma thjewi hri nkhjeya pà /
Hjantze nû tzi tada i pahj ya mà

Hjâ go mago tzi mare ku             
Hjâ go mago tzi mbare ku

Check back later for an English translation of the song.

Frida Kahlo and The two Fridas

                                       by Yoana Escamilla Santoyo 

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderon(1907-1954)    best known as Frida Kahlo, was born  in Coyoacan . One of Mexico’s greatest artists, her life became part  of Mexico’s history.

To summarize her life I’ll do mention of some important facts. On her adolescence Kahlo contracted Polio at the age of 18th, then she suffered a very horrendous bus crashed and after this accident she started to paint to entertain herself because she was disable to continue with her studies of medicine as she wanted.

The first aspect to point out is that almost all her paints are self-portraits. “I paint self-portraits”-Frida Kahlo once said-“because I am the person who I know best , I paint my own reality the only thing  that I know  is  that I paint  because I need to.”

Her paintings reflect not only the changes of her face and feelings but also the advance in her life and according to some critics her paintings are surreal and to this , Kahlo answers on her diary “I never paint dreams or nightmares I paint my own reality”  love, sadness, pain, lost, surgery and most often the passion for her husband  the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and to illustrate this point , I would like to do mention of the great paint  “The Two Fridas”.

It was painted after Diego and Frida’s divorced .The two Fridas sit next to each other holding her own hand. On the right side it is Frida who represents what Diego always wanted  his loved wife , dressed it  on  Mexican  cloths and her left hand holds a little portrait of Diego from which blood flows.

On the left side there is another Frida completely different , because this woman is dressed  with a white  dress and with a broken heart and instead of  Diego’s portrait  she holds  a pair of surgical pincers  which cut off the connection  between  Diego and Frida  representing their divorced and the drops of blood symbolize the pain she feels living without him.

This masterpiece and some others are located  at Museum of modern art  in Mexico city made in oil on canvas. I traveled to Mexico city recently just to admired this painting.When I arrived to the museum there was an advertisement  in which said  that some paintings where in an exhibition in L.A. including The two fridas , in that moment I felt really sad because it was the opportunity to see  the real painting of Frida Kahlo. I will be satisfied after see it.

As has been noted  this gorgeous work has transcended  over the time , and not only make us feel amazed with the colorful and  passion she reflects on her self-portraits but also “Using her own unique "folkloric" style of painting, Frida painted the diary of her life.” (Mike Brooks).

References:

Mike Brooks .”In Loving Memory of Frida Kahlo (1907 - 1954),” [enlínea]. August of 2005. Available on the website: http://www.fridakahlofans.com/index.html Enciclopedia Espasa,  vol.6 2003 Espasa Calpe S.A.

THE MAGUEY

by Guadalupe Miranda Allende


I remember when my grandfather told me about this important plant, He had a lot of magueys in his land.


The maguey lives in the semi-desert, it mature between eight and twelve years and bloom only once, dying shortly afterwards. It has wide spiny leaves, called “pencas” are stored nutrients that allow to survive in a hostile environment. Also, there are a big number of insects, for example: the worm “magueyero” and the ant “aguamielera”, these are human foods.

• The maguey has been used to do other things:
• Aguamiel or Pulque: Very nutritious drink, has a very low percentage of alcohol because it’s produced by fermentation.
• Mezcal: It’s a kind of tequila.
• The leaf fibers. Used for weaving, hammocks and packaging.
• Paper.
• Tiles made from the “pencas”.
• Nails, awls and needles with the spines of the “pencas”.
• In ancient, the Mayas used it to make wind instruments.

Well, I think this plant is very important because it has lots of benefits for everyone and there are few places that retain it. For this reason we must care of this magnificent plant.