Mexican Cultural Treasures added to UNESCO heritage list

Forty six new cultural assets have been added to UNESCO’S (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)  list of  “Intangible Cultural Heritage”. A list containing traditional treasures from different corners of the globe, cornerstones and representations of diverse communities and cultures. A list that gives these treasure distinguished status, & tells the world they are patrimony that is to be admired and safeguarded. Among those treasures are Mexican customs & staples.  Please enjoy the following videos showcasing the Mexican assets that have made it on to UNESCOS’s list.  Congratulations Mexico & fellow Mexicans! May we continue to feel pride for our roots and preserve them with honor.

More on this topic: UNESCO’S Webpage –http://tiny.cc/k8xra , Article: Mexican Cuisine Makes UNESCO’s Heratige List– http://tiny.cc/0porm

Mexico – Parachicos in the traditional January feast of Chiapa de Corzo

Mexico – Pirekua, traditional song of the P’urhépecha

Mexico – Traditional Mexican cuisine

Cool Aztec Names

I’d been dying to do a post like this, thought it’d be super fun to share with the readers! I had already done a post on the meanings of  last names in Spanish, so I went in search of names in Mexican indigenous languages next.   I searched the web, and I found this cool list of Aztec/Mayan names. Sorry if there are any discrepancies, feel free to add your two cents on the subject if you’d like. You can do so by visiting the comments section.  I’m learning along the way too =)  Ok, so  a million thanks to my source all credit goes to them.  I only excerpted some names & tanslated their meaning. You can find the complete list by following the link  =D

Source : http://mx.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070317122716AAbQUdd

TLEXOCHITL= Fire flower

METZTLI / MEXTLI= Moon

CUAUHTÉMOC = descending eagle

TONALLI= Day, energy, warmth

TOPILTZIN= our dear little boy, our prince

TLAZOHTZIN= he who is loved

IZTACOYOTL= white coyote

TEOXIHUITL = Turquoise divinity, beautiful one

EHÉCATL = Wind

ATLANXOCHITL= The most beautiful flower of the sea.

CEYAOTL = Warrior

CITLALTONAC = Dazzling star

CITLALTZIN = little star

QUIAHUITL = rain

TLEYOTL = heart of fire

YAOCIHUATL= woman warrior

There are so many gorgeous and inspiring names, but if I had to pick just one… I guess I’d like to be named: QUIAHUITL( rain) because I adore the rain, it’s so romantic. Plus I’m from So Cal where we don’t get that much rain, so it’s all the more precious to me . Then again, CITLALTZIN (little star) is such a cute and pretty name too. But with a name like TEOXIHUITL (Turquoise divinity, beautiful one) wow who wouldn’t feel like a godess?!  Lol So super hard to choose, all the names rock!

Stunning Mexican Bicentenial Commercials

Here are ” Stars of the Bicentennial” commercials number  5 ,6,7 & 8 featuring the states of Veracruz , Yucatán, Quintanaroo ,

VERACRUZ (sights showcased)

Ecological Reserve Nanciyaga – Catemaco, Veracruz

Peyote (Cactus) of the Birds -Veracruz , Veracruz

Split /Divided Rock – San Andres Tuxtla ,Veracruz

Tajin’s Archeoligical Zone – Papantla ,Veracruz

Eyipantla’s Water fall – San Andres Tuxtla

YUCATÁN (Sights showcased)

Uxmal Archeological Zone – Yucatán

The Lizards Estuary  –   Biosphere Reserve, Yucatán

The Red Ones Salt Mines –  Yucatán

Celestun – Biosphere Reserve ,Yucatán

Underwater Sinkhole  Chichí of the Lakes – Homún, Yucatán

QUINTANA ROO –

Holbox Isle , Whale Shark Sanctuary

Baclar Lagoon of the Seven Colors

Arrecifes Park, Cozumel Quintana Roo

Isle of the Swallow, Cozumel Quintana Roo

Chankaanab Park, Cozumel Quintana Roo

Tulum Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka’an, Cozumel Quintana Roo

Mexico’s April Fools day in December

In Mexico Dec 28 is “Dia de los Santos Inocentes”=Day of the Innocent Saints. On this day the Catholic church remembers the child saints mentioned in the bible who were killed in Bethlehem during Herod’s killing of children in order to prevent  Jesus Christ from becoming King.

In the middle ages there was also  people who celebrated a pagan holiday “Feast of Fools” along the way both merged & in order to celebrate innocence of the children who soul’s where called to heaven & Herod’s foolishness in his thinking he had prevented Christ’s reign people celebrate “Dia de los Innocentes” in a manner very similar to April Fools.

On this day news papers print  funny fake news, friends play pranks on each other, such as the placing of a little white paper doll indicating the “innocence” of the person marked.  Another  very popular way to joke on this day  is the “borrowing trick.”  If you lend something to someone everyone knows that on this day it is fair game to play finders keepers.  Of course if  it’s an items the person really needs or if the person is unwilling to play along in order to avoid any altercations items are given back.  However ,for those willing to play along if you lend an item,  you forfit it . In exchange the prankster gives a basket of candies with the following note: “Inocente palomita que te dejaste engañar, sabiendo que en este día nada se debe prestar. ” = Innocent little dove you have let yourself  be deceived, knowing that on this day lending is not advised.

*Dia de Los Inocentes is not only just a Mexican holiday it’s celebrated through out the world in various Hispanic/Catholic cultures.

Flying Mexicans: Crazy Cool Culture

WATCHING THIS VIDEO ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW!

TOO FREAKING AMAZING!

Seriously,  I look at these beautiful traditions, the feat these men undertake every time they perform & it’s mind boggling. They’re so brave!

 

Gotta Love these guys, so brave first of all! And so awesome for being so dedicated and passionate about staying true to their roots. Also, for  wanting to share tradition with us all , which we should not miss out out &  how cool are the for passing it on?!!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Totonacs of Papantla, Veracruz performing the “voladores” ritual

The Danza de los Voladores de Papantla (Dance of Papantla’s flyers) is a ritualistic dance in Veracruz, Mexico performed by the Totonac Indians and Olmeca Indians. Five men, each representing the five elements of the indigenous world climb atop a pole, one of them stays on the pole playing a flute and dancing while the remaining four descend the pole with a rope tied by one of their feet. The rope unwraps itself 13 times for each of the four flyers, symbolizing the 52 weeks of the year.

This dance is thought to be the vestige of a pre-Hispanic volador ritual common not only in ancient Veracruz but in western Mexico as well.^[1]

Origins

According to legend, a long drought covered the Earth so five men decided to send Xipe Totec, the God of fertility a message, asking them for the rain to return. They went to the forest and looked for the straightest tree, cut it, and took it back to their town. They removed all branches and placed it on the ground, then dressed themselves as feet/birds and descended flying attempting to grab their God’s attention.

Burning Passion: This is what legends are made of

Today’s post is a taste of the awesome legends that can be found in

Mexico’s culture.  Ornate with passion, heroism, & romanticism.

In Mexico there are many prominent & LEGENDARY geographic landmarks. There are two famous volcanoes that  magnificently exemplify this, & here is  the beautiful story of their origin & claim to fame.

“Our volcanoes have  distinct names, sex, passions, and a historical past, from: birth to legendary fights for love, as do everyday people, although they have been worshiped as gods.It was the Mexica who gave  names to  the legendary couple of huge volcanoes that frame the valley of Mexico, which are located between the states of Mexico, Puebla and Morelos. POPOCATÉPETL & IZTACCIHUATLPopocatepetl derives its name from popoa a Nahuatl verb meaning “smoke” and the noun “tepetl”, “hill”, ie, the “The smoking hill or mountain”, because  a ring of smoke has hovered over it,  from that time and with that slight plume that until a couple of years we saw with some quiet, because  there has been increasing activity of the volcano. Iztaccihuatl derived from the indigenous words iztac, “white” and cihuatl “woman” which together mean “white woman” but , because of the legend she is now know as  the “Sleeping Woman”.

–http://www.alfaradio.com.mx/grc/homepage.nsf/main?readform&url=/grc/redam.nsf/vwALL/MLOZ-5W8VRV

“This Aztec Leyend tells of a heroic warrior & a beautiful princess who died for love.  He was a warrior, brave & intelligent, and so upon their wedding celebration  when the kingdom was attacked the emperor chose him to lead his army. Popocatépetl went to war, and after various months of combat he managed to defeat the enemy. However, before the emperor could find out about the victory ,some soldiers who were filled with jealousy went to him & told the emperor that Popocatépelt had died during battle. Iztaccíhuatl heard the lie & cried bitterly. She fell into a deep depression, stoped eating & eventually fell into a deep sleep. No one or nothing could wake her. When Popocatépelt returned victotrious, he found out about what had happened & went searching for Iztaccíhuatl.  When he found her he :grabbed a torch, carried her in his arms, and left both the palace & city. Nobody ever saw them again. He took her up a mountain to it’s highest peak & when he was close to heaven he laid her down,made her an alter & kneeld beside her. He did not move from her side, he merely mourned his deep loss &  cried out in devastating pain & anger.  The sound of his sorrowful  cries echoed throught the peaks and valleys, and the gods heard him. Taking pity upon the lovers, they covered them in beautiful flowers and snow & made them into mountains themselves, so that they could rest forever more next to eachother, loving eachother. After some days, all the people of the valley were amazed to see two tall mountans that had surged from the land & spouted flames up towards the sky. When the emperor saw this he told his people :”Iztaccíhuatl & Popocatépetl died for love, they could not live without one another. Their love has transformed them, and their loyal hearts shall burn ardently like a flame always.”-http://www.ciudadmexico.com.mx/cercanias/popocatepetl.htm

A YOUTUBE MEMBER POSTED THE VIDEO FOOTAGE HE CAPTURED OF POPOCATEPETL WHILE ON BOARD A PLANE. PRESS THE HQ BUTTON & WATCH IT IN HIGH RESOLUTION. IT’S AMAZING!!

IN THE YEAR 2000 POPOCATEPETL ERUPTED, HERE IS FOOTAGE FROM A NEWS CAST.

I own none of the pics all credits/rights go to their owners.