Mexican Wholesale

Like Saint Augustine in the 5th century we all know what time is until somebody asks us to define it exactly.

Likewise, the idea of literature seems clear enough until we begin to ask people what they regard as literature. Is it Shakespeare, the Bible, the morning newspaper, or what?

In a complex society such as ours people will have many different views about what constitutes literature. In a pre-literate or tribal society however there is a general consensus on what constitutes the A literature@ of that society even if it is handed down over the generations by the spoken word only.

In ancient Mexico, the spoken word or the oral tradition was greatly reinforced by the use of painted books in which native history and religion were preserved and handed down through successive generations.

The Maya had the most advanced system of writing in the Americas at the time Europeans began to arrive, but the Mixtec and Aztec peoples also had a very efficient system of written communication through a combination of pictorial and phonetic elements which made up the Mixtec-Aztec writing system.

In a very real sense, these were highly literate societies, although the methods and themes of their literature may seem to us exotic or difficult to understand. It seems strange therefore (to me at least) why there should be any serious doubt that the Maya and the Aztecs had an extensive literature in both oral and written form until it was all but brought to an end by the Spaniards.

Here we shall be concerned with written texts in Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs at the time of the Spanish Conquest in 1521.

The Conquest of Mexico was the crucial turning point in the history of Nahuatl or Aztec literature.

Before the Conquest, a strong oral tradition backed up by the painted codices guaranteed the composition and transmission of what we shall assume for the moment was Aztec “literature.”

Shortly after the Conquest, Spanish missionaries taught the survivors or their sons Spanish and Latin. They also quickly learned to write their own native Nahuatl in Roman transcription or alphabetic letters.

It is at this point that Nahuatl literature enters the world literary stage as fixed texts. However, this is also where the controversy starts between those who believe that the Nahuatl texts are a genuine reflection of pre-Hispanic oral and “written” tradition and those who doubt that we have the genuine native tradition because so much of it has been filtered down through the Spanish missionaries and colonial rulers.

Much of the discussion pro and con focuses on three important sources of Nahuatl poetry: theCantares Mexicanos (Mexico City), the Romances de los señores de Nueva España (University of Texas), and a collection in Paris (samples only).

The Cantares Mexicanos is a collection of poems in Classical Nahuatl which was transcribed into an alphabetic form around A.D. 1550, some 30 years after the Spanish Conquest.

Among these poems are compositions of a heroic type found in other epic poems and sagas elsewhere. Some poems therefore may be described as Cuauhcuicatl (“Songs of the Eagle or “The Eagles”), Yaocuicatl (“Songs of Warriors”), and Teuccuicatl (“Songs of Princes or Chieftains”).

Other categories included Xochicuicatl (“Songs of Flowers” or “Flowery Songs”), Icnocuicatl (“Songs of Desolation or Adversity”), Matlazincayotl (“Songs of the affairs of Matlazinco”), Tlaxcaltecayotl (“Songs about Tlaxcala”), Huehuecuicatl (“Songs of the Old Men”), and a poem about Xopancuicatl.

Many poems of a heroic or epic quality refer to warriors or the warrior cult. Garibay provides these Nahuatl poems with general descriptive titles, such as Canto de guerra mística (“Song of the Mystical War”), Recuerdo de los héroes (“Memory of the Heroes”), Muerte en guerra, feliz para al guerrero (“Death in War, Happiness for the Warrior”), Los tres reyes y la sociedad guerrera (“The Three Kings and the Warrior Society”), Poema de rememoración de héroes (“Poem in Remembrance of the Heroes”), etc, etc. Other warrior songs are: La batalla y el dios (“The Battle and the God”), Ciudades vencidas (“Conquered Cities”), and En memoria de heroes (“In Memory of the Heroes”).

Father A. Garibay was one of the first scholars to attempt to translate and interpret these difficult Nahuatl texts, which admittedly are full of elaborate metaphors and obscure allusions. Again we have to blame our present lack of knowledge on the early Spanish Conquistadores and missionaries who destroyed the painted books and other sources of information we needed to interpret these works correctly.

But we have no choice but to work with what we have. The work of Garibay was followed up by his student M. Leon-Portilla at the National University of Mexico in Mexico City.

According to the standard Garibay/Leon-Portilla interpretation the recurring phrase in xochitl in cuicatl(“the flower, the song”) in Nahuatl poetry not only represents the concept of poetry in Classical Aztec society but reflects the genuine pre-Conquest native tradition. It also purports to show that there was a completely different side to the Aztec character than their apparent limitless bloodthirsty appetite for human hearts.

However, several scholars have recently sharply challenged the Garibay/Leon-Portilla interpretation of Aztec culture in general and Nahuatl literature in particular. In this view, Garibay and Leon-Portilla were simply creating a literature for the Aztecs which, allegedly, existed only in the minds of the translator-historians. One critic goes so far as to claim that Garibay in fact “created” a literature for Aztec civilization for personal and political reasons. Hell hath no fury like that of an academic with a point to make and a reputation to uphold.

The current debate over the question of the pre-Hispanic origin and authorship of these poems and their value as a genuine expression of native tradition may be briefly illustrated from the following excerpts from the Cantares Mexicanos.

In one series of short warrior poems, we find a strange mixture of themes: flowers and song intermingled with references to death on the battlefield. The battle itself is described as “flowery” (tlachinoxochitl).

King Ahuizotl (1486-1502) is said to reign by means of arrows and flowery shields (chimalxochitl). The composer or singer of this song-poem says he is intoxicated with the flowers of war (yaoxochitl) and calls upon the God and Giver of Life (Teotl e Aya ipalnemoani) to carry the city on his shoulders and preserve Anahuac (the Valley of Mexico) in his hands.

In Garibay’s edition, the word “Dios,” which precedes the Nahuatl word “Teotl” in the original text, is omitted and placed in the right-hand margin thus: ( ) Teotl é Aya ipalnemoani (Om. Dios).

There are many such Christian references throughout the poems in the Cantares Mexicanos, such as “obispo” (“bishop”), Santa Maria, Espiritu Santo etc. This is only one such example. In his later translations, Leon-Portilla leaves these out of the text altogether.

Consequently both scholars have been severely criticized on the grounds that they were deliberately altering the original texts to suppress whatever did not support their concept of Aztec society in general and Nahuatl literature in particular.

The explanation for the Christian references in the Nahuatl poems seems rather obvious (to me at least). In fact, Garibay thought he had explained them in his early edition of the Cantares Mexicanos.He quotes directly from the proceedings of the First Catholic Council in Mexico in the 16th century. In that report, church officials noted that the Indians were prone to backslide into their old pagan ways, especially in these song-poems. Therefore the officials gave instructions that priests or persons well-versed in Nahuatl were to examine the poems for any sign of paganism (cosas profanes) and make sure that they were conducive to the conversion of the natives. Garibay gives a number of examples of the way in which the Spanish missionaries appear to have altered the text in very subtle ways to give [alleged] pre-Hispanic Nahuatl poems the appearance of Christian compositions. For example:

Iztac huexotl Aya iztac tolin in
ye imanican Mexico nican Huiya
Timatlalaztatotl tipatlanihuiz
tehuan titeotl ( ) Ohuaya (Om. Spu. So.)
(Ref)

From the white willows, the white reeds
Mexico is the abode,
You, you the blue heron, you have come down flying
You are the god*
(*my translation after Garibay)

Garibay here says that the poet is speaking of the Aztec war god Huitzilopochtli, the blue heron refers to the semi-historical, semi-legendary Aztlan, original home of the Aztecs, and blue is the ritual color of the god. But here, too, we can see the not-so-subtle guiding hand of the priest, for the proof reader adds “Tú, dios Espiritu Santo” (see above bracketed quotation). The result, as Garibay remarks, is grotesque.

Many more examples of such Christian interpolations could be given here. One would have thought this would have settled the matter once and for all, but some critics think otherwise.

For example, J. Bierhorst interprets all of the poems of the Cantares as “Ghost Songs” and completely rejects the Garibay/Leon-Portilla interpretation of “in xochitl in cuicatl” as referring to poetry. Instead, Bierhorst believes that these are songs intended to summon the spirits of dead warriors to return to earth to help their descendants trodden under by the Spaniards.

In this view, the oft-mentioned”flowers” (xochitl) in the poems refer to persons summoned from the Other World. These ghosts descend from heaven fully armed and ready to fight. In return for their services, the warrior ghosts demand payment in human sacrifice or if the war is already in progress, they will automatically arrive as payment.

Bierhorst and others offer so many more criticisms of the Garibay/Leon-Portilla method of translation and interpretation that one wonders why the poems were preserved in the first place if they were so controversial from the beginning. Again the answer seems fairly obvious.

Some years ago I was doing some private research on the Huichol Indians of Jalisco and Nayarit. I visited the Huichol museum at the twin-towered Cathedral in Zapopan to the north of Guadalajara, where I met a Father Buenventura who showed me an instructional manual for priests dealing with the Huichol Indians.

In it was a diagram of the ririki or native temple or god-house showing how the various items used in the Huichol ceremony could be gradually, almost imperceptibly, converted into a Catholic mass.

This was simply a continuation of the process of conversion of natives to Christianity beginning in the 16th century. The universal aim of the Spanish missionary- priests was to wipe out all trace of native religion, which they regarded as idolatry and the work of the devil.

However, they were clever enough not to destroy all the symbols of the ancient “pagan” world; rather they used every means at their disposal to convert the Indians. As the so-called “Christian Humanist,” A. Garibay himself noted in his edition of the Cantares Mexicanos, the Christian interpolations in the poems were intended to do precisely that.

One of the great ironies of events in Mexican history is that, in some cases at least, the very opposite has happened. The conquered have conquered the conquerors and certain aspects of religion in Mexico are simply a thin veneer of Christianity superimposed over pre-Conquest native religion. The old gods of Mexico are not yet dead.

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Musicologists and folklorists have argued for years over the origin of the word – Mariachi. The explanation that appears most frequently – especially on record jackets and in travel brochures – is that it is a variation of the French wordmariage, meaning wedding or marriage, and comes from the time in the nineteenth century when Maximillian, a Frenchman, was Emperor of Mexico.

According to this myth the Mariachi was named by the French after the celebration with which it was most commonly associated. But this explanation, always regarded as highly doubtful by linguists, was totally discredited recently when a use of the word was found that predated the time when the French arrived in Mexico.

Currently, however, the best scholarly opinion is that the word mariachi has native roots. One theory is that it comes from the name of the wood used to make the platform on which the performers danced to the music of the village musicians. But whatever its true source – and the truth may never be discovered with absolute certainty – the word today has one meaning that is crystal clear: Mariachi means one of the most exciting and enchanting musical ensembles found anywhere in the world.

The Beginning of the Mariachi We Know Today

Although the origins of Mariachi music go back hundreds of years, in the form we know it the Mariachi began in the nineteenth century in the Mexican state of Jalisco - according to popular legend, in the town of Cocula. The Mariachi was the distinctive version of the Spanish theatrical orchestra of violins, harp and guitars which developed in and around Jalisco. In other areas such as Veracruz and the Huasteca region in the northeast, the ensemble evolved differently. By the end of the nineteenth century, in Cocula the vihuela, two violins, and the guitarró n (which had replaced the harp) were the instruments of the Mariachi.

The principal music played by these early Mariachis was the SON, the popular music of the day. A mixture of folk traditions from Spain, Mexico, and Africa, the son was found in many regions of the country. The son from Jalisco is called the son Jalisciense. La Negra is the best-known example.

Zones from other regions include the son Jarocho or Veracruzano, from the region around the Gulf port of Veracruz; and the son Huasteco, from northeastern Mexico. The most famous example of the son Jarocho is La Bamba. A typical son Huasteco, also known as the Huapango, is La Malagueña. It is interesting to note that there are some zones, such as El Gusto, which are common in all three regions and clearly date back to a common ancestor.

By: Jorge Tamayo Re-published or Posted on July 30, 2011 by AetnaJo B.

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What Mexico Has Given to The World
Mexico has given the world so much. Certain contributions that Mexico has bestowed upon us may surprise you. Read on to catch a small glimpse of Mexico’s many gifts.

The Poinsettia
Each year, just before Christmas, poinsettia plants start to make their annual appearance in grocery and retail chains nationwide. The poinsettia has become synonymous with the Christmas holiday season and many bring this plant as a gift when visiting friends and family. Indeed, the plant’s bright red flowers lend a joyous presence to any environment and holiday decorations don’t seem complete without them. This plant is native to Mexico and originally came from a particular region near present-day Taxco. The Aztecs, whose name for the plant was ‘cuetlaxochitl’ used the poinsettia medicinally and also as a dye.

	Joel Roberts Poinsett

The plant adopted its current name after the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett (1825-1829). This dignitary was so impressed with the plant that he had it shipped to his plantation in South Carolina.

Some decades later, in California, Albert Ecke, started to sell the flowers from his florist stand near Hollywood, California. It is believed he found the plant growing wild, in the foothills of present day Los Angeles. Ecke noticed that the plant’s flowers would bloom in a profusion of bright red around the Christmas holiday season. The plant proved enormously popular as a holiday decoration and a multi-million dollar business was born. Today, the base of operations is located in Encinitas, California, where the poinsettia is grown in greenhouses and shipped world-wide.

Chocolate
Chocolate is one of life’s true pleasures. When Cortes met with Montezuma, the Emperor of the Aztec Empire in 1519, he was presented with a frothy drink, presented in a golden goblet that was accompanied by a tortoise-shell spoon. This drink, a spicy blend of chiles, vanilla and ground cacao beans, was called ‘xocoatl’ which translated, means bitter water. Of course, Cortes’ eyes were riveted by the golden vessel that the exotic drink was served in. However, after tasting the golden cup’s contents, his taste buds were captivated by the exotic and invigorating taste of this native drink. Cortes soon learned that the cocoa bean was a valued means of currency, its pods utilized to purchase a variety of goods. When Cortes returned to Spain, his ships were heavily laden with gold and silver but also, amongst the cargo was the cocoa bean. Once this magical bean made its way to Europe, its evolution included the addition of sugar which led, ultimately to the creation of, what we now call today, chocolate.

Vanilla
Vanilla has enchanted people with its sublime taste for hundreds of years. The first people to cultivate it were the Totonacs, an indigenous people who resided near the Gulf of Mexico in present day Veracruz. Native to Mexico, the vanilla bean is derived from the world’s only known edible orchid. Vanilla is used as a flavoring agent in many desserts as well as exotic perfumes. Vanilla is the world’s second most expensive spice after saffron and delights connoisseurs the world over with its fabulous taste and unique attributes. Today, much of vanilla’s production occurs in Madagascar in the Tropics, however, its birthplace will always be Mexico.

The Avocado
The ancient Aztecs held the avocado in high esteem. Today, this wondrous fruit is enjoyed daily the world over, frequently eaten as guacamole. The avocado is native to Mexico, Central America and South America. The Spanish conquistadors, upon discovering this fruit, applauded its attributes in letters written to the crown. They even discovered that the seed, when crushed, releases a red dye that works extremely well for inking documents. Some of these documents survive today. Another name for the avocado is ‘alligator pear’ due to the rough green texture of its skin and shape. The avocado is a nutrient-rich super food, containing more beta carotene than any other fruit and surprisingly, exceeding the banana in potassium content. As well, the avocado contains many other important vitamins and minerals. The Aztecs definitely knew a good thing when they tasted it!

Tequila
The history of tequila is an interesting one. For thousands of years in Mexico, a sacred drink called pulque was enjoyed, a fermented beverage. Pulque is made from a type of agave, the maguey, which is native to Mexico. Due to the plants appearance, oftentimes it is mistaken for a cacti. The agave was used historically by the indigenous peoples of Mexico for a wide variety of uses. The leaves produce fibers that can be made into rope, clothing and paper. Its flowers and stalks are edible and the sap of the plant produces a sweet liquid called ‘aguamiel’ (honey water).

The Spanish conquistadors, upon their arrival in Mexico, were keenly interested in the Aztec’s drink of choice, pulque. Curious and motivated, with their supplies of brandy running low, the Spaniards set out to make their own beverage from the agave. Promptly, they had distilling pots sent over from Spain and as a result, North America’s first indigenous distilled alcohol was born. Some decades later, a Spanish aristocrat discovered the blue agave plant which grows in a specific region of Mexico, in Jalisco state. It is the blue agave that Tequila is derived from. The rest is history, as they say. Today tequila is considered Mexico’s national drink and even has a city named in its honor, aptly named Tequila.

The Jumping Bean
Mexican jumping beans have delighted children for ages and definitely have a bit of magic about them. Placed in the hand, the little beans begin to ‘jump’, seemingly on their own accord. Many adults have fond childhood memories of being mesmerized by the jumping beans’ antics. Not quite a toy but definitely a curiosity, the jumping bean needs to be credited for untold hours of amusement. Interestingly, however, jumping beans are not beans at all. Deep in the deserts of mainland Mexico as well as in certain parts of Baja California, a native plant grows that gives ‘birth’, so to speak, to the jumping bean. This plant bears flowers that moths find particularly attractive. These moths lay their eggs on the plant, inside a seed capsule. As the egg begins to grow, it starts to move around as the moth larvae inside develops. This is the famous Mexican jumping bean. Should conditions be ripe, some months later, a moth will emerge from the ‘bean’ and the cycle carries on.

Chewing Gum
Deep in the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula grows the tropical sapodilla tree, whose trunk, when cut, oozes a milky white substance called chicle. This ingredient, in combination with flavorings and sugar, created the basis of our modern day chewing gum. Since time immemorial people have chewed on a variety of substances, ranging from sweet grass to wax to tobacco.

However, it is chicle that deserves credit for the gum industry as we know it today. And, curiously enough, it is General and Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna who helped bring this event to fruition. While in exile in the U.S., Santa Anna thought he had a great business idea. He imported chicle from Mexico in hopes it could be used as a rubber substitute in carriage tires. Alas, the chicle proved not suitable for this purpose. However, a business acquaintance named Thomas Adams, who had purchased the chicle from Santa Anna, discovered another use for the product, namely chewing gum. A whole industry was born and ‘chiclets’ became available in every corner drug store, to the joy of children everywhere. Today, the vast majority of chewing gum is produced with a less expensive substitute than natural chicle. However, the ‘real thing’ can still be found in certain specialty shops nationwide.

Resources: Mexonline.com

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Resource: Mexonline.com

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Batopilas

Batopilas’ local church

Although there were various mining centers that were formed at the bottom of some canyons, such as Urique, Maguarichi, Uruachi and Ocampo, none can compare with the mineral richness of the Batopilas Canyon. The veins of La Bufa and those of the town of Batopilas itself reached renown of a world level. Its mining towns and mines characterize and identify this canyon. Among the outstanding are La Bufa, Batopilas, Cerro Colorado, the Raramuri communities of Munérachi and La Yerbabuena, and the Jesuit mission of Satevó.In spite of the fact that the climate is extreme in the high regions of the canyon range, in the winter it is possible to admire a curious phenomenon – while the surrounding peaks are covered with snow the depths of the canyon are a subtropical or tropical climate year around. Due to this, towns like Batopilas have flora and fauna with many different characteristics than in the Sierras above. Oranges, papaya, mango, avocado are regular staples of the habitants. Bougainvillas and tabachine (a flowering tree) are among the tropical vegetation. Animals may include parrots, rosy boas, deer, and even possibly jaguar.

A Brief Bit of History – Batopilas is considered the “Treasure of the Sierra Madre” because of it’s historic past and present beauty. Founded in 1709 as San Pedro de Batopilas when the Batopilas mines were discovered, the small pueblo slowly, but steadily flourished due to this mining activity.

The Jesuit mission of San Miguel de Satevó, just outside the town, is known as the “Lost Mission” as there are no records describing it’s existence. Believed to have been constructed in the 1760′s, the mission is one of the canyon’s best preserved. It’s setting is ideal near the edge of the Batopilas River.

The silver mines of Batopilas were some of the richest in Mexico. In the 18th and 19th century both Spaniards and Mexicans gained great wealth out of the area. American John Robinson purchased an old claim in 1861 which turned out to have a large, hidden vein. He decided to sell the claim to fellow American Alexander Shepherd for $600,000 US in 1880.

Alexander Shepherd was the last mayor of Washington, D.C. and had been ousted under unproven corruption charges. Once Shepherd moved his family to Batopilas, he filed over 350 mining claims and formed the Batopilas Mining Company. His mines became some of the wealthiest in the world at their peak.

Noting the difficulty and time (over eight days) of transporting the silver ore to Chihuahua, Shepherd opened his own facilities and foundry along the river at his Hacienda San Miguel. Over 20 million ounces of silver were extracted from the mines, and this great wealth allowed Shepherd to bring cultural events and technological advances to this once sleepy town. Batopilas was the second city in Mexico to have electricty. His hydroelectric works provide the towns power still and he also built an aqueduct which is still in use today. So famous for it’s wealth were Shepherd’s mines that Pancho Villa once robbed a mule shipment of $40,000 US in silver bars.

Alexander Shepherd died in 1902, leaving the mines to his sons who ceased operation in 1920, although other miners would later try unsuccessfully to restart the old mines. In 1938, one son, Grant Shepherd, wrote The Silver Magnet about life in Batopilas and Alexander Shepherd. It is an excellent description about this once world famous town.

Ruins of the Alexander Shepherd’s Hacienda San Miguel Tropical vegetation in Batopilas  The 17th century “Lost Mission” of Satevó Today, the town of Batopilas is a community of 800 inhabitants, but in it’s greatest mining period at the end of the 19th century, it had up to 7,000 inhabitants. It has preserved, to a great extent, it’s architectural heritage from the richness of those times.

To get to Batopilas

Local miner on the road to Batopilas

You can get here either from Creel or Guachochi,  but either way you will need to take the road that connects them. At kilometer 70, take the detour to Samachique. From here it’s 55 kilometers on a dirt road which descends dramatically to Batopilas giving you some of the canyon’s most exceptional views. Use caution as this road has some sharp cutbacks and is rather narrow in some areas. La Bufa is the perfect spot for a commanding view of the Batopilas Canyon system.Most visitors choose to take a tour company to the canyon’s bottom, both for the safety factor of an experienced canyon driver, and for the opportunity to take photos and take in the view. Most drivers will pull over upon request. Creel is the perfect place to set up this trip.

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The Tarahumara or Raramuri, as they call themselves, inhabit the Copper Canyon, as it is known in the U.S., or the Sierra Tarahumara in northwest Mexico. The actual name Tarahumara was what the first Spanish called these Native American people.

The Spanish originally encountered the Tarahumara throughout Chihuahua upon arrival in the 1500′s, but as the Spanish encroached on their civilization the shy and private Tarahumara retreated for the nearly inaccessible canyons of the Sierra Tarahumara. Only the Jesuit missionaries followed at first and with only scattered success.

	Tarahumara

After mineral wealth was discovered in the mountains, many areas where Tarahumara Indians lived became desirable lands to the miners & mining companies forcing the Tarahumara once again to head farther into the remote canyons. Today, the Tarahumara are Mexico’s second largest native Indian group with between 50,000 & 70,000 people.

Today the Tarahumara live in caves, under cliffs and in small wood and stone cabins in remote areas. They live a simple life undisturbed by modern technologies.

They are known as a quiet and considerate people who are expert farmers and runners. Rarámuri has been translated to mean “runners” in their native language. Due to severe drought in northern Mexico, the Tarahumara have suffered famine in the past few years.

	Copper Canyon

Corn is the main staple along with beans. Potatoes, and apples can also be found. Some Tarahumara raise domesticated animals such as goats and cattle. Fish, small game & herbs (a Tarahumara speciality) round out their diet.

Traditional clothing for the Tarahumara consists of a white cloth shirt, sometimes with colorful prints, white cloth pants or wraparounds with colorful belts or accessories. Headbands of cloth usually red are worn upon the head. Sandals or huaraches are the footwear of choice.

Running is what the Tarahumara may be most legendary for in the world. Relief and various organizations have entered Tarahumara runners into events such as the “Leadville 100-Mile” in Colorado. The runners have surprised many by running in their tire-soled sandals and winning some of the these long distance races.

	Tarahumara ceremony.

Running or “foot throwing” has always been a tradition and necessity of the Tarahumara. It is their only mode of transportation and many of the small communities are far apart. They also have their own events, and this is were “foot throwing” comes into effect. It is a competition known as Rarjíparo and consists of a small wooden ball which is “thrown by the foot” by teams in race to finish before the other teams. The races can last days. The Tarahumara are very religious and desire their privacy and respect if you should happen unto their festivals. Two larger events are Semana Santa (Easter Week) and the Fiesta Guadalupana in December. These religious rites are a mixture of Christian and Tarahumara beliefs.

There are also other times of celebrations, such as harvests, which are interwoven with tesgüino. It is an alcoholic beverage made of corn and grasses that is good only for a couple of days after it is brewed. Natives will drink until passed out in some cases.

The Mexican Government recommends asking for permission when taking photos, entering accommodations or crossing Tarahumara land. Respect all celebrations as well as rights to privacy by these proud, but quiet people.

For more information on the Tarahumara Indians and the Copper Canyon region they inhabit also see
Copper Canyon

Resource: Mexonline.com. Posted by Aetna Jo Buitron on March 26, 2011.

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Templo Mayor - Visiting Mexico City is an exciting proposition, one that promises the traveler many opportunities for adventure. A grand metropolis with one of the world’s largest populations, the city is an international destination for many travelers. Today, Mexico City offers the visitor the chance to explore one of the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

Located in the heart of the city, the Templo Mayor Museum and ruins are a must-see when visiting Mexico. In 1978, a worker digging a city construction project near a downtown cathedral hit something big and hard with his shovel. The object in question was a 500 year old stone sculpture depicting an ancient Aztec goddess. This huge stone sculpture was no ordinary find. An incredible work of art depicting the moon goddess Coyolxauqui, this sculpture was the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Archaeologists were immediately summoned to the site and what was determined next was nothing short of incredible. The scientific community conceded that this magnificent sculpture provided evidence that what lay hidden underneath the streets of modern day Mexico City, was in fact, the ruins of the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. More astounding yet, the ruins appeared to be those of the capital’s great pyramid, the Templo Mayor.

It has long been known by historians that the Spanish conquistadors, upon seizing control of Tenochtitlan in 1521, destroyed the Aztec city in order to establish their own. Temples were torn down and priceless artworks decimated. Spaniards built atop the structures they had razed, thereby erasing any vestiges of the once great city of Tenochtitlan. These ancient ruins and their mysteries, which are still unfolding, may have forever remained submerged underneath tons of rock and concrete, had it not been for that city worker in 1978.

Mexico was initially hesitant to destroy historic colonial buildings that lay atop these ancient ruins. Nonetheless, the decision was made to do just that. The legend surrounding the founding of Tenochtitlan is one that still lingers in the collective consciousness of Mexico today. Indeed, the country’s flag represents this legend graphically. An eagle is depicted, perched upon a cactus, devouring a snake. This was the sign that the ancient Aztecs sought in determining where to build their temple. According to legend, the Aztecs did encounter such an omen and the construction of Tenochtitlan and its great pyramid, the Templo Mayor soon commenced.

Construction on the temple began in 1390. When it was completed in 1487, in order to commemorate the event, thousands of people were sacrificed over a 4-day period. The temple stood 200 feet tall with dual shrines atop its precipice. One shrine, dedicated to Huitzilopochtli (god of war and sun) stood adjacent to the shrine dedicated to Tlaloc (god of rain and fertility).

Today, when visiting the site, some artifacts remain “in situ”, giving the visitor the opportunity of seeing the objects in their original setting. However, the site’s museum houses the majority of artifacts excavated thus far, approximately 6,000 objects.

Excavations are ongoing with one currently in progress that promises great rewards. Archaeologists believe they have uncovered nearby the tomb of Emperor Ahuizotl, the ruler of the Aztecs when Columbus landed in the New World and uncle to Montezuma. This would be an extraordinary discovery. To date, a royal burial chamber of an Aztec ruler has yet to be located, mainly due to the customary way in which the Spanish built over existing structures. The invaluable information that would be gleaned from such a discovery would be outstanding and perhaps, even monumental.

Resources: Mexonline.com

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Margot van Voorhies–The Art of Mexican Enamelwork the latest title from Schiffer Publishing, is a lavish art book that showcases the work of one amazing and prolific jewelry designer. Van Voorhies created a jewelry company, Margot de Taxco, in Taxco Mexico in 1947 producing a stunning amount of intricate and now highly collectible pieces in silver with semiprecious stones and brilliantly colored enamel.

Her story isn’t just one of a designer but as a woman of the early 20th century, finding her way as both an entrepreneur and an artist. She was, in many ways ahead of her time, living as an independent woman and making choices that were outside societal norms. In 1937, after the murder of her mother and a divorce, she moved from San Francisco to Mexico. She had previously worked as a cosmetologist but found new work in a photography shop and in 1938 she married Antonio Castillio (who was 20 years her junior) and moved to Taxco. Castillo was a silversmith working for William Spratling and after the marriage, Castillo and his new bride established their own workshop. Influenced by the Mayan aesthetic as well as other regional imagery, van Voorhies created silver jewelry sets that quickly drew attention and business. In 1947, Margot created her own business, Margot de Taxco, where she continued to innovate in silver and champlevé. It was under this new label that she envisioned some of her most elaborate and memorable designs.

At this point the story becomes not only Margot’s but also that of the maestro silversmiths she worked with. The author, Dr. Penny Morrill has developed a history of modern Mexican silver through her research, writings, and teaching at George Mason University. She has established the Spratling-Taxco Collection at Tulane University’s Latin American Library to further the study of Mexico’s silver tradition and innovation and she adeptly navigates the complicated business history of van Voorhies and surrounding businesspeople and artists. Sadly, the story of the Margot de Taxco line does not end well. After a strike by workers in 1974, the business went deeper and deeper into debt and in 1977 Margot went into bankruptcy. Everything was auctioned off. Many of the dies for her designs in silver or enamel were bought by silversmiths Manuel Quinto, Meliccio Rodriquez and Benjamin Santarriaga. Reproduction Margot de Taxco pieces can be found online today. The last chapter of the book highlights contemporary Mexican enamelists, the artistic heirs of the Margot de Taxco legacy. 

The book serves both as a biography and an art book. It’s a well-researched jewelry history but also contains 485 brilliant photographs and includes an appendix that features the drawings for many of the Margot de Taxco designs. The book sells for $49.99 and can be purchased through the publisher atwww.schifferbooks.com as well as at your local bookseller or through online retailers.

Resource: Luxist.com by Deidre Woollard

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The colonial village of San Cristobal de las Casas nestled in the grand Valley of Jovel in the state of Chiapas, and is surrounded by majestic forests of pine and oak rich with orchids, ferns and begonias is the crown jewel of the Chiapas central highlands. San Cristobal is in the center of one of Mexico’s most authentically indigenous regions. Founded in 1528, San Cristobal was named after its first bishop, Bartolomé de la Casas, who was a fervent supporter of the local Indian rights.

Today San Cristobal (population 120,000) is a classic Spanish Colonial town with a lively and celebrated Indigenous heart. It is a city of cobblestone lanes, red tile roofs, opulent churches and small tree-filled plazas. Long, straight streets ramble up and down several rolling hills that spread outward from the city’s main plaza. It is actually a series of traditional barrios (neighborhoods) that trace their roots to the old custom of trades, candle makers, blacksmiths, carpenters and fireworks makers giving each barrio a special magic in a colorful quilt-like quality.

Good views of the colonial city are had from two hills in the city center; Cerro San Cristobal and Cerro Guadalupewith a small Spanish colonial church waiting for those who venture to climb the hundreds of steps to reach the top. The city’s cool mountain air (altitude is nearly 7,000 feet / 2,100 meters) is invigorating and refreshing.

The city has some fascinating festivals, including Semana Santa (Easter), Feria de la Primavera y de la Paz (Spring Fair), Feast of San Cristobal, and the Día de los Muertos(Day of the Dead).

Ringing San Cristobal are many traditional Indigenous village where no fewer than 10 different dialects are spoken. These villages are an anthropologists delight with traditions dating to pre-conquest times. Two principle communities, Chamula and Zinacantán are easily reached and are must-sees. Their festivals and churches demand a traveler to open their eyes to new ways of seeing and dreaming.

One can use San Cristobal as a base to visit many outlying communities such as Tenejapa, Amatenago, Ocosingoand the Maya ruin of Tonina and Comitan with it’s wonderful, little visited Maya ruins of Tenam Puente andChincultik and the magnificently colorful Lagos de Montebello, a Mexican National Park. All can be easily visited in one day.

Palenque, Bonampak and Yaxchilán, the crown jewels of Maya sites, can be visited alone or with a guided tour on longer, two and three day visits. These sites are located in the selva of Chiapas, a vast track of jungle, filled with numerous varieties of trees, orchids and wildlife. Deeper in the selva one may visit the largest natural lake in Chiapas,Laguna Miramar, with it’s crystalline waters, perfect climate and a mix of virgin forests, a small intimate Maya site and great swimming.

San Cristobal is a wise choice to use as a base to explore the numerous, spectacular and intimate seldom visited wonders of Chiapas as well as the colonial city itself.

Below, you’ll find businesses and services available in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Resources: Mexonline.com

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