People and Culture of Mexico
Posted on August 21, 2008
Filed Under Mexico vacations |
What is really about Mexico? We already knew about the beaches and resorts we can visit to but we almost forgot the most imperative factor of the area, the people. When a person travels, knowing what area to go to is imperative but knowing the people is much greater. Travel is not just about the satisfying but on how you are affected after your travel. The people you meet along the way makes a difference for they influence much of our travel. Through the locals, we appreciate more the area and appreciate the differences we have from them in terms of physical and cultural attributes. Mexico is the most populous country to those who speaks Spanish all over the world and second only to Brazil in Latin. Mexican culture is wealthy and varied. So before traveling to Mexico, it is necessary to know the people and their culture so tourist would have an understanding on how to deal with them.
Mexican history begins with the arrival of the conquistadors but civilization really starts when hunters from Asia and Africa settled the area since 20,000 B.C. There are three dominant influences that make the Mexican people of today. First, the native cultures which are the Maya, Inca, Aztec, Toltec and many other societies and cultures. Second is the Spanish. They complete transformed Mexico’s culture, architecture, society and language. The Spanish spoken in Mexico today is the most obvious example. Third is the United States. The United States shaped the country and enriched the culture. This was due to some conflicts and other wars both countries engaged with before.
Spanish is the official language though Mixtec, Otomi, Trascan and Zapotec are still spoken to some local areas. But almost all of them can make out and speak Spanish. There are at least 50 different dialects spoken in Mexico, and some of them differ widely from the average American Spanish language. Though there are many influences, you can be assured that tourist will have an easy way to communicate with them since in the tourist areas, English is very common. If you venture into the country a tour guide or translator is just available. Mexican Spanish is different in imperative ways from the Castilian Spanish of the mother country. You will notice many commonly used words either through their similarity to English or because the words themselves, such as rodeo, canyon and corral, have been absorbed into the American speech. Most of the five million Mexican Indians retain their own ancient tongue while still speaking Spanish.
Religion is of great importance in Mexico, with about 90 percent of the people practicing Roman Catholicism with minority populations of Jews, Protestants, Muslims and others. In many villages, many stupendous churches, chapels and tabernacles all across the country are fantastic tourist attractions, and you can even find tours that specialize just in churches. One will most likely find a Catholic church in the plaza or central square, surrounded by a few stores and government buildings and, of course, an open-air marketplace. Although the country has no official religion as compared to there Latin countries, Roman Catholic has somehow influence the government for Christian holidays and Fiesta in memory of a saint are celebrated throughout the country.
Once the Spaniards arrived, the cities became more like towns with plazas and homes with patios. But in modern day, life in the cities became quite similar to that of the U.S., however many Mexican villagers still follow the older way of life. Nearly 75 percent of all Mexicans now live in cities or towns. Today, many households consist of an average of five or six people. Families live in rows of homes built in the Spanish colonial style and those who are in suburbs live in apartment buildings.
And always remember that Mexicans consider themselves Americans. They are very sensitive about this. They Live in America that’s why they have to be called one. They want to be called as Estados Unidos Mexicanos to be compared with Estados Unidos Americanos for the US people.
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