7 customs and traditions of Mexico that you will like to know
The customs and traditions of Mexico are full of color, celebration and joy , but also of mysticism, tradition and history. Each of them is interesting and attractive both for the inhabitants themselves and for visitors.
A journey through the meaning, culture and manifestations of Mexican traditions is always an invitation to witness and experience them up close. In each festivity there are customs that reflect the historical richness resulting from the combination of two ancestral cultures.
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The 7 most representative traditions and customs of Mexico
Get to know the traditions and customs of Mexico with more history, more curious or surprising.
1. Day of the dead
It takes place on November 1 and 2 and is celebrated throughout the country with some variations depending on the region but with aspects that are preserved everywhere. The custom dictates to put an offering in each home with the photos of relatives and loved ones already deceased.
The offering has very particular elements, such as cempazuchitl flower, colorful paper, incense and food and objects that they liked when they lived those who are being remembered. Skulls made of sugar are also placed with the names of the people who are still alive .
Another deeply rooted tradition is to spend all night in the pantheon in the tomb of those loved ones, and to decorate it with flowers and food, at the same time that you can listen to music, because the atmosphere is more than ceremonious, it is festive. Undoubtedly, this celebration is one of the most typical and recognized among the customs and traditions of Mexico.
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2. Kings Day.
It is celebrated on January 6. The custom is to eat a sweet bread with caramelized fruit above and that hidden inside carries a small plastic or ceramic doll.
The thread is shared among several so that everyone can split their portion and find out whether or not they have taken a doll. Anyone who discovers among their bread the doll of the thread, should invite tamales the Day of Candlemas to the rest of those who shared the thread.
Of the customs and traditions in Mexico, This is one of the children's favorites , because that same day at night, the wise men leave in the houses toys to the children who had to write a letter and put it in a shoe, so that the wise men pick it up and put the toys there.
3. Candlemas Day
On February 2, the Virgen de la Candelaria is celebrated. The custom is to prepare atole and tamales, two of the most typical dishes in Mexico . These are invited by the people who on the Day of Kings have found the doll in the kings' thread.
In addition another custom is to dress with baby clothes or representative of the family's tastes to the child that is placed at birth at Christmas, another custom very typical in Mexico. This tradition is not one of the best known worldwide, but it is one of the most important in the country.
4. Anniversary of Independence Day
The night of September 15, the president in turn goes to the National Palace to perform the so-called "Grito de Dolores" which is what is known as the call made by the priest Don Miguel Hidalgo to begin the rebellion for the struggle for the independence of Mexico.
The festivity full of color, typical food, mezcal and mariachi music all the squares of the Mexican Republic. On September 16 a military parade and a roll call of the armed forces takes place.
5. Guelaguetza
It's a great party that gathers dancers from the 8 regions of the State of Oaxaca They perform folkloric dances accompanied by wind music for a week. It is a holiday that has prevailed over time, full of color and those of greater ancestral tradition in Mexico.
It is carried out in the hill of the Fortín that is located in the environs of the city of Oaxaca.
6. Voladores de Papantla
This Mexican tradition does not have a specific date, It is a ritual that takes place mainly in Papantla Veracruz . It consists of a series of dances and movements prior to climbing a 30 meter high trunk.
Once up, tied a rope that in turn is tied to a cross on the tip of the pole, they go down while they spin and the so-called caporal plays the flute at the top of the pole. All this is done in their typical costumes , and although it is originally from Veracruz, it is possible to witness this ritual in tourist places for the enjoyment of visitors.
7. Mariachis
Mariachi is a musical genre, but the group that plays it is also known.Dressed in a typical charro costume including his hat, each member is assigned an instrument.
The mariachis are requested at almost any Mexican party with typical music to dance or sing . On the other hand, they are an icon representative of the customs and traditions of Mexico because they are present in the pantheons on the day of the dead, in the celebrations of Independence Day, at the Masses of the Candlemas Day.
Bibliographic references:
- Gómez Pérez, M. A .; Delgado Solís, J. A. (2000). Rites and myths of death in Mexico and other cultures. Editorial Group Volume.
