Religion ⛪
The ancient Mexican religion is called the Nahua religion, or religion of the Nahuatl (the first natives of Mexico). It is believed to be a mixture of many different Mexican religions, practiced by many of the several native tribes on the region, like Mayans , Toltecs, Zapotecs and Olmecs, among others.
Their beliefs changed when La Virgen De Guadalupe appeared to an Indian man named Juan Diego in the year 1531. They turned to Catholicism when the Spanish came. Catholicism is now majority in Mexico, with an 92%.
Their beliefs changed when La Virgen De Guadalupe appeared to an Indian man named Juan Diego in the year 1531. They turned to Catholicism when the Spanish came. Catholicism is now majority in Mexico, with an 92%.
Literature
The original literature of Mexico dates back to the indigenous settlements of Mesoamerica, but with the arrival of the Spanish many baroque writers couldn't help but capture a more localized view on Mexican culture. As a result, many writings include a hybrid and mixed tone of these two cultures.
Mexican literature is one of the most prolific and influential of Spanish language literatures. It has internationally recognized authors such as Juan Rulfo, Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes, Amado Nervo and several others. The Mexican Revolution changed the course of literature in Mexico as novels and plays of the civil conflict were written. This also led to such literary movements as “Estridentistas” and “Los Contemporáneos,” which were groups of individuals committed to the modernization of literature and Mexican culture in the first half of the 20th century.
Mexican literature is one of the most prolific and influential of Spanish language literatures. It has internationally recognized authors such as Juan Rulfo, Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes, Amado Nervo and several others. The Mexican Revolution changed the course of literature in Mexico as novels and plays of the civil conflict were written. This also led to such literary movements as “Estridentistas” and “Los Contemporáneos,” which were groups of individuals committed to the modernization of literature and Mexican culture in the first half of the 20th century.
Art
Mexican writers and artists have received worldwide acclaim for their creativity and originality. Within their work both a folk and a classical tradition have been strong.
The country’s best-known writers have gained their reputations by dealing with questions of universal significance, as did Samuel Ramos, whose philosophical speculations on humanity and culture in Mexico influenced post-1945 writers in several genres. The prolific critic and cultural analyst Octavio Paz is considered by many to be the foremost poet of Latin America. The novels of Carlos Fuentes are honoured throughout the world, and Juan José Arreola’s fantasies are widely admired. Among dramatists, Rodolfo Usigli, Luisa Josefina Hernández, and Emilio Carballido have made important contributions.
Perhaps the most widely recognized Mexican art form is the mural, which is heavily influenced by the extant art and architecture of the Aztec, Maya, and other pre-Columbian civilizations. The Mexican Muralist school counted among its members the most-powerful figures of the genre. The murals created by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros, depicting aspects of the Mexican Revolution, the country’s modernization, and class struggle, have become legendary. Orozco is also perhaps the most-popular of Mexico’s folk artists. His animated plaster-of-paris skeleton characters are both satirical and lifelike. Other notable artists include Nicolás Enríquez, Rufino Tamayo, Juan Soriano, and Frida Kahlo.
As in other Latin American countries, music and dance have provided cross-generational cohesion in Mexico. Although traditional music, including mariachi and ranchero songs, vie for listeners with Mexican hip-hop and salsa, countless popular songs have been passed down from generation to generation, resulting in a shared sensibility that bonds families and provides a social glue for regional and national culture. Mariachi music features guitars, violins, and brass instruments, but electronic synthesizers and heavy downbeats can be added to produce nortec music, and accordions often accompany norteño bands.
The country’s best-known writers have gained their reputations by dealing with questions of universal significance, as did Samuel Ramos, whose philosophical speculations on humanity and culture in Mexico influenced post-1945 writers in several genres. The prolific critic and cultural analyst Octavio Paz is considered by many to be the foremost poet of Latin America. The novels of Carlos Fuentes are honoured throughout the world, and Juan José Arreola’s fantasies are widely admired. Among dramatists, Rodolfo Usigli, Luisa Josefina Hernández, and Emilio Carballido have made important contributions.
Perhaps the most widely recognized Mexican art form is the mural, which is heavily influenced by the extant art and architecture of the Aztec, Maya, and other pre-Columbian civilizations. The Mexican Muralist school counted among its members the most-powerful figures of the genre. The murals created by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros, depicting aspects of the Mexican Revolution, the country’s modernization, and class struggle, have become legendary. Orozco is also perhaps the most-popular of Mexico’s folk artists. His animated plaster-of-paris skeleton characters are both satirical and lifelike. Other notable artists include Nicolás Enríquez, Rufino Tamayo, Juan Soriano, and Frida Kahlo.
As in other Latin American countries, music and dance have provided cross-generational cohesion in Mexico. Although traditional music, including mariachi and ranchero songs, vie for listeners with Mexican hip-hop and salsa, countless popular songs have been passed down from generation to generation, resulting in a shared sensibility that bonds families and provides a social glue for regional and national culture. Mariachi music features guitars, violins, and brass instruments, but electronic synthesizers and heavy downbeats can be added to produce nortec music, and accordions often accompany norteño bands.