MEXICO

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MEXICO
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Language

• The official language in Mexico is Spanish.
• About 92 people speak that language and the
  other percent indigenous languages which include
  various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional
  languages.

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Languages
Derives from the Mayans
Mayan writing
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Population facts/Ethnic makeup

• The population of Mexico is 109,995,400.
• The population growth rate is 1.142.
• Mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60.
• Amerindian or Predominantly Amerindian 30
• White 9
• Other 1

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Population facts/Ethnic Background
San Juan Amerindian statue
Caucasian people
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Religion

• There are various religions in Mexico
• Roman Catholic 76.5
• Protestant 6.3, (Pentecostal 1.4, Jehovahs
  Witnesses 1.1, other 3.8)
• Other 0.3, unspecified 13.8, none 3.1

A catholic symbol
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Religion
A protestant book
An atheist
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Interpersonal Relation/Gestures/Greetings

• People in Mexico usually greet with a handshake
  or nod of their head. Friends greet by embracing.
• When saying goodbye they shake hands.
• Women often greet with a kiss on the cheek. Men
  can greet their female friends the same way.

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Interpersonal Relation/Gestures/Greetings

• Common verbal greetings include Buenos dias (good
  morning), Buenas tardes (good afternoon), Beunas
  noches (good night), and Como esta? (how are
  you?).
• A casual greeting is Hola (hello).
• Males often make piropos (flirty personla
  comments) in passing to females to which they do
  not respond to.

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Interpersonal relations/gestures/greetings

• Mexicans like myself, commonly have more then one
  given name and two last names. (E.X. Teresita
  Aurora Mendez Ortiz.)
• The next to last name comes from the father and
  the last one comes from the mother.
• Coworkers address one another by professional
  title followed by the first surname.
• Acquaintances or coworkers without a title are
  addressed as Senor (Mr.), Senora (Mrs.), or
  Senorita (Miss) followed by the surname.
• Respected elders are often addressed as Don or
  Dona followed by a given name.

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Interpersonal relation/gestures/greetings
Cousins kissing on cheeks
Old friends kissing on cheeks
Brother and sister kissing on cheeks
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Holidays

• National public holidays include
• New Years day (Jan 1)
• Constitution day (Feb 5) which also marks the
  beginning of Carnaval, the week of parties and
  parades before Lent. (Which are totally fun.)
• Birthday of Benito Jaurez (Mar 21)
• Labor day (May 1)
• Cinco de Mayo (May 5) which celebrates 1862
  victory over the French.

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Holidays

• Independence day (Sept 16) which is marked by a
  presidential address and El Grito (the cry of
  freedom) on the evening of September 15
• Columbus Day or Dia de la Raza, which celebrates
  indigenous heritage (Oct 12)
• Revolution Day (Nov 20)
• Mothers day (May 10) Many offices close for half
  a day because schools sponsor special festivities.

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Holidays

• Major religious holidays include
• Christmas (Dec 25)
• St. Anthonys day (Jan 17) when children take
  their pets to church to be blessed.
• Semana Santa (Palm Sunday-Easter Sunday)
• Corpus Christi (May or June)
• Assumption (Aug 15)
• Day of the dead (Nov 1-2) families gather to
  honor the dead.
• Day of the Virgin Guadalupe (Dec 12)
• Noche Buena (Christmas Eve)

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Holidays

• Christmas celebrations begin on December 16 with
  nightly parties (posadas) and end on January 6
  when most children in central and southern Mexico
  get their presents.

Three kings day
Day of the dead
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Rites of passage (dating/marriage

• When dating a young man often meets the woman at
  a prearranged place rather then picking her up.
• Parental approval of the dating and boyfriend are
  important.
• In some areas it is poor character for a woman to
  go out alone after dark, so a young man may call
  on her at home.

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Rites of passage (dating/marriage)

• Many people marry first in a civil ceremony and
  then in a church following catholic traditions.
• Wedding celebrations include music, dancing,
  games, and food.
• Common-law marriage is also practiced and
  recognized.
• Teen pregnancy is common, and while abortion is
  not legal, it is available. However, unmarried
  women tend to keep their child and raise him/her
  with the help of the parents.

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Food

• Staple foods include corn, beans, rice, and
  chilies.
• These are usually combined with spices,
  vegetables, and meats or fish.
• Some foods are and dishes are regional, but
  others are common throughout the nation.
• Cornmeal or flour tortillas are eaten everywhere.
• Other common foods include tortas, quesdillas,
  mole, and tacos.

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Food

• Popular soups include pozole, birria, and
  menudo.
• Other foods are enchiladas and tamales.
• People often make homemade fruit drinks, but
  commercially produced soda is everywhere.
• Popular Mexican foods and restruants in the USA
  usually are very different from those found in
  Mexico.

tacos
tamales
quesadillas
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Clothing

• Most Mexicans, especially in urban areas, wear
  clothing that is also common in the USA.
• Many indigenous groups wear traditional clothing
  either daily or for festivals.
• In some areas, a man wears a wool poncho (sarape)
  over his shirt and pants when it is cold. He may
  also wear a wide-brimmed straw hat.

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Clothing

• Rural men and professional men in the north may
  wear cowboy hats, boots, and jeans.
• Rural women wear dresses or skirts, often covered
  by an apron. They may use a shawl (rebozo) to
  carry a child, cover the head or arms, or help
  support water buckets carried on the head.
• Fabric designs and colors can be characteristic
  of a specific region.
• People often dress up for special occasions.

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Sports/recreation

• Futbol (soccer) is Mexicos most popular sport
  the national team has competed in several world
  cups.
• Bullfighting draws the next highest number of
  spectators.
• Professional wrestling (la lucha) has a large
  following.
• Popular parcipitation sports include baseball,
  basketball, tennis, and volleyball.

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Sports/recreation

• Mexicans enjoy their own form of rodeo called
  charreada, which is often accompanied by a
  fair-like atmosphere.
• Many recreational activites include music and
  dancing.
• Daylong fiestas and weeklong festivals nearly
  always feature fireworks, feasts, and bullfights.
  
• Watching TV is a favorite leisure activity,
  especially in rural areas. Telenovelas (soap
  operas) are especially popular. (I should know)

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Arts

• Song and dance are integral to Mexican society.
• Originating in Mexico, mariachi music has found
  many international audiences. They vary in size
  but generally consist of a singer, violins,
  trumpets, and various guitars.
• Corridos, songs that tell stories, and ranchera
  are other forms of traditional music.

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Arts

• Mexico has become a major recording and
  distribution center for the Americas.
• Dancing such as the jarabe tapatio (mexican hat
  dance), often accompanies traditional music and
  fiestas.
• Revolutionary themes dominated all types of art
  the first half of the century and are still
  important today.
• Diego Rivera and other Mexican artists inspired
  muralist movements worldwide.
• Textiles, pottery, and silverwork are popular and
  can be seen in many markets.

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Arts
Mexican art