MEXICANS
Tags: Mexico, Mexican Culture, Festivals, Culture, Mexican Food

You have heard, perhaps witnessed, many things about Mexicans. For example, you can have some information about their festivals, food and even their ethnic origins. So, in such a complex mass of information, did you have any common thoughts about Mexicans? You may have noticed that they are generally colored and have a different energy. You may even find this colorfulness and energies exaggerated, but in the end, you will be sure that otherwise, it would not suit the culture of a Mexican.

Graphic Design: Agah Düzenli

More than half of the people are mestizo, the rest are Hispanic and Indigenous peoples. The origin of the indigenous people comes from Meso-American civilizations such as Aztec and Maya who lived here before the discovery of America. The arrival of the Spaniards was after the discovery. As a result, the local people, who did not warmly welcome the foreigners who came to live on their land, struggled but failed and continue to live as a minority today. No matter how undesirable, even as a result of war, the nations living together interacted, so their cultures became common, and today all of them have become a part of Mexico, which has a rich culture.

As they are passionate about their traditions, festivals also get their share of this passion and Mexicans take care to celebrate the “Fiesta” with the same enthusiasm every year. That’s why, let’s share their excitement by mentioning two important and unique festivals: Day of the Dead and La Mosa.

The festival they call the Day of the Dead is celebrated to commemorate the dead. They are dressed as skeletons, decorated baskets are prepared and these baskets are placed in the tombs. The most important reason for them to do this is because they believed that the dead passed to the side of the living that day. So they put the things they love in the basket so that they can please them. In order to understand the logic of this festival, where commemoration and celebration are not contradictory, it is necessary to believe that the dead like them only die when they are forgotten.

La Mosa is the festival where a war reenactment takes place. Nearly 2000 people, dressed as medieval soldiers and armed, fight each other. One side represents the Christians and the other the Moros. In fact, the goal is more of a ritual confrontation than a completely correct reenactment. In this ritual, they symbolically portray the struggle between dark and light forces. However, some religious rites, walks, dances, songs and meals are also a part of the festival.

One of the festivals is war and the other is death themed. In fact, although both concepts are words that cause uneasiness and are avoided when they come to mind, Mexicans overcame this and became a community of entertainment. Thus, both death and war turned into festivals in their hands.

Mexican cuisine, with its riot of colors, pleases the eye with its abundant ingredients and the use of various spices. Meals are usually made by combining meat and vegetables, and sauces are an indispensable part of the meal. The local drink, which has its origins in the Aztecs and takes its name from the Mexican town, is tequila. As expected, this drink is indispensable for Fiestas.

Do you think Mexicans, whose lives, meals and entertainments consist of color, have so much culture because of the colorfulness of their souls or are they so colorful because of their culture and traditions?

Author: Damla Kaya

Translator: Evgheni Batu