Culture Day:

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Culture Day Mexico
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Un Poco de México

• Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) is in North
  America

• The capitol is La Ciudad de México or
  México, Distrito Federal (D.F.)

• Languages in Mexico include
• Spanish, Zapoteca, Mixteca, Nahuatl, and other
  Mayan dialects. (Natives)

• Money is called pesos.

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Un Poco del Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo means fifth of May in English.
Many people confuse it with Mexican Independence
Day, which is September 16th. The celebration of
Cinco de Mayo began in California when some
university students decided that the U.S. needed
more Chicano holidays. This was in 1967. Cinco
de Mayo is celebrated more in the United States
than it is in Mexico. The holiday commemorates
the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862, where
4,500 Mexican soldiers fought some other Mexican
fighters and the French army of 6,500 men. This
battle took place in Puebla, which is about 100
miles east of Mexico City. The soldiers that won
were not trained soldiers. They were made up of
regular people who believed in what they were
fighting for. Even though this battle didnt win
the war, the Batalla de Puebla became a symbol
of Mexican unity and patriotism. This war was
actually caused by debt that Mexico got into
during the war with the United States after their
independence from Spain in 1821. The U.S. was
given Texas to pay part of the debt. In 1861,
Benito Juarez put some laws into effect which is
actually how Mexico got into debt in the first
place. They owed to the United States, Spain,
England, and France. Where the U.S., England,
and Spain took care of business and left, France
decided to stick around with the hopes of
building Napolean IIIs Empire. The Battle of
Puebla was commanded by General Ignacio Zaragosa.
However, France, under the rule of Archduke
Ferdinand Maximillian, did manage to get control
of Mexico for 5 years, but eventually Mexican
resistance and assistance from the U.S. was what
made the French leave. The Battle of Puebla is
very important to the United States, because
Napoleon III was busy taking care of business
with the Mexicans instead of supplying the
Confederate army in the U.S. during the Civil
War. In the mean time, the Union built an army
that later defeated the Confederates at
Gettysburg, ending the Civil War. During the
Civil War, Union forces assisted the Mexicans at
the border by making sure that they got
ammunition between the border of Mexico and the
U.S., as well as encouragement for Union soldiers
to help the Mexican army fight the French. Soif
the Battle of Puebla had not been won by the
Mexicans, the French would have continued to aide
the Confederate army, which may have changed the
outcome of the Civil War. Also, the celebration
of Cinco de Mayo helps Chicanos celebrate their
culture and history in the U.S. Ohand something
else that is pretty coolGeneral Zaragoza was
born in Texasbut it was when Texas was still
part of Mexico.            
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Cinco de Mayo song (sung to the tune of Pop Goes
the Weasel)
                     

• France invaded Mexico in 1862The French were
  strong and powerfulCinco de Mayo!
• The leader of the Mexicans was General
  Zaragoza,He was smarter than the French.Cinco
  de Mayo!
• It was the fifth of May in 1862.The French lost
  the Mexicans won.Cinco de Mayo!

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Cantamos!
De la sierra morena Cielito lindo Vienen
bajando Un par de ojitos negros Cielito lindo De
contrabando.   Coro Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay! Canta y
no llores Porque cantando Se alegran Cielito
lindo Los corazones   Ese lunar que
tienen Cielito lindo Junto a la boca No se lo des
a nadie Cielito lindo Qué a mí me toca!  Coro
http//sanfrancisco.about.com
http//sanfrancisco.about.com
Cielito Lindo Pavarotti and Iglesias For
Cambodia and Tibet
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Bailamos!
El jarabe tapatio Mexican hat
dance http//www.teachnet-l
ab.org/miami/2005/sampedro5/la_raspa.htm  
Set One1. First Count--Jump up in place and put
your right foot forward with toes pointing
out.2. Second Count--Jump up in place again,
putting left foot forward.3. Third Count--Jump
up in place again, putting right foot forward.4.
Fourth Count--Stay put, and bounce!5. Repeat
until chorus begins.
Set Two1. The pairs of children link right
elbows and skip around each other. this lastsfor
3 counts. Stop and clap twice.2. Now reverse for
3 counts. Stop and clap twice.3. Continue until
the chorus ends and then repeat steps in set one.
The Mexican Hat Dance is the official dance of
Mexico. It tells the story of a man trying to
court a woman. Since its origin in 1734, it has
become popular throughout the southwestern United
States and through all of Mexico as a source of
pride within the Mexican culture. Here is how to
do the Mexican Hat Dance.
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Comemos!
Mexican Chocolate  2 squares unsweetened
chocolate 1/2 tsp vanilla  1 tsp ground
cinnamon  4 Tbsp heavy cream  2 cups milk 2
egg yolks 2 Tbsp sugar  In a saucepan, stir
chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and cream together
over LOW! heat, stirring constantly until
chocolate melts. Slowly add the two cups of
milk, while stirring. Mix well. Let warm over
low heat -- DON'T LET IT BOIL! Beat egg yolks
and sugar until foamy. Slowly pour about 1/4 of
the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture,
stirring constantly (the eggs need to heat
slowly). Pour the egg/chocolate mixture back into
the saucepan. Beat until mixture is frothy. Can
use cinnamon sticks to stir. (For today, we will
use Abuelas Hot Chocolate) http//www.dltk-kids.c
om/recipesdb/view.asp?rid25
Buñuelos Flour Tortillas Cinnamon  Sugar  Vegetab
le Oil Cut or tear tortillas in pieces. Let oil
heat in a skillet. Carefully put pieces of
tortilla in oil, turning them occasionally until
they are light and crispy. Remove the tortilla
chips from oil and place them in a bowl lined
with paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with
cinnamon and sugar.                
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El Ojo de Dios
http//www.dltk-kids.com/world/mexico/ojo_de_dios.
htm http//ojos-de-dios.com
Materials 2 popsicle sticks Yarn (three
colors) Scissors Glue Glue two popsicle sticks
in a cross. Let dry. Begin in the middle and
wrap yarn around each arm until a nice band of
color is formed. Snip yard and tie on the next
color. Continue wrapping yarn until another band
of color is formed. Snip the second color and
tie on the third color of yarn. Proceed to wrap
third color until the band is complete, then tie
off. You may choose to make and add tassels, if
you like. The " Ojo de Dios" or God's Eye is an
ancient symbol made by the Huichol Indians of
Mexico.  In Mexico, The central eye was made when
a child was born. Each year, a bit of yarn was
added until the child turned five at which point
the Ojo was complete. 
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Un Poco de la Piñata
The piñata is a fun game that is often found at
parties. However, it is not just a fun game. It
has a lot of special meanings. Originally,
piñatas were clay vases shaped like pineapples
(pignatta in Italian is fragile pot, and piña
is Spanish for pineapple). The paper design
for the piñata may have originally come from
China. Europeans had Piñata Sunday for the
first day of Lent. In Spain, the first day of
Lent became a fiesta called Dance of the
Piñata. They used a clay pot called la olla (la
oya), which they eventually decorated. When
Spanish missionaries came to North America in the
16th c., they used piñatas to attract converts.
However, the natives already had a similar
tradition using a clay pot on a pole to celebrate
their war god. The Mayans used their form of
piñata as a game, in which they dangled the pot
from a string. The Spanish started adapting the
tradition to teach their own beliefs. One of the
meanings of the piñata is a mask of Satan, with
seven points representing the seven deadly sins
(pecados). The piñata also represented fe
(faith) which must be blind (blindfold),
esperanza (hope) which is when the stick,
representing virtue is hit toward el cielo (the
sky or heaven) and people would await the reward
of the treat. This was an example of good
overcoming evil and rewards gained through faith.
The piñata also symbolized caridad (charity),
because everyone was blessed through that faith
with the treats within. The beauty and treats of
the piñata represent how Satan tempts and very
deceiving. The piñata is filled with candy and
fruits. Colaciónes are bags filled with
special candy for children who did not get much
from the breaking of the piñata. The piñata can
often be found at Las Posadas (a tradition at
Christmas time) and represents the star of
Bethlehem.                    
In the United States, piñatas are popular for
birthdays and other special occasions.
Direcciónes Más arriba! More upwards!Abajo!
Lower!Enfrente! In front!
http//www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/wdevlin/wdpi
natahistory.html
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Adiós!