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Doctor Andreatta
Final Anthro Paper...

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Doctor Andreatta HSS 138-01 15 November, 2017 Los Tradiciones y Las Días Festivos de México Santa Claus sliding down the chimney, heading to the local bar on Cinco de Mayo, and mourning the death of a loved one with a funeral are all events that an individual within the US culture can identify with. With that being said, not all of these occasions are familiar to people of different cultures. Although Mexico may share a border with US territory, it does not share the same values and traditions as its American neighbor. To the Mexicans, Christmas starts with a celebration in the honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Cinco de Mayo is all about remembering the fallen soldiers of the battle of Pueblo, and the deaths of loved ones are lavishly celebrated two days of the year to honor their spirits during Dia de Los Muertos or The Day of The Dead. During the first of nine days leading up to Christmas, Mexican children dawn traditional Indian costumes and hurry out the door in hopes of not being late to church early in the morning. Once there, they receive a blessing from the priest and are then taken to a nearby park for pictures before joining in on the fun (Ross). The reason for all this celebration is to honor Lady Guadalupe; a highly-devoted figure of the Catholic Church in Mexico. At night, a silent procession is held in her honor and families carry large alters with her picture to the church and light shrines (Poole). Although the first night kicks off the start of the Christmas season in Mexico, the most important celebration is called Las Posadas and is held every night during the nine days leading up to Christmas. This celebration, Spanish for “the inns”, revolves around the

concept of hospitality. The origins of Las Pasadas stems from the search in which Mary and Joseph struggled with looking for a place where Jesus could be born. This event is remembered by having the local children dress as pilgrims and go house to house in search of the secret site for where the neighborhood party is being held. They arrive on the doorsteps of their neighbors singing songs and asking “May Mary rest here?” in which they hear the reply “No, the inn is full” and continue on to find the location of the party. When they finally find themselves at the door of the party, they ask their question and instead of being turned away they are then invited in to join in on the festivities (Olaiz). On the last night of Las Pasadas, when the children arrive at the door of the party and ask “May Mary rest here?” they are answered with “there is only room in the stable.” At that, everyone enters the house, sings songs, and says prayers as baby Jesus is placed into a manger (Kelley). Often we hear that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day, this is not so. Cinco de Mayo is the commemoration of the Battle of Puebla. On May fifth, 1862 an outnumbered and sorely prepared group of Mexican soldiers successfully defeated their French enemy. Although Mexico would eventually come under French occupation a year later this victory gave hope to the Mexicans (Leonard). In the US, we celebrate this holiday with partying and drinking whereas in Mexico it is more of a civil holiday where banks are closed, mail delivery stops, and citizens anticipate a long weekend. During this time, reflection occurs and storytelling is a very popular way of remembering and honoring those who fought in the battle of Puebla (Rossmann). Typically while families share stories, they do so over a large meal. The traditional dish in Mexican households on this day is Mole Poblano . Mole  is a combination of chiles and spices

with a slight chocolate aftertaste and is a very important dish in many aspects of the Mexican culture (Zaslavsky). Beginning on the night of October thirty first and continuing into November second, the Day of the Dead celebration is anything but dull. Before speaking of the lavishness and exuberance of the celebrations that occur on these days, it must first be understood why these festivities take place. The Day of the Dead in Mexico is all about honoring loved ones and ancestors who have passed. During these couple of days, Mexicans clean, decorate, and maintain vigil over the graves of their relatives. If a family neglects to honor the graves of their loved ones, they are said to experience punishment either in life or in the after death for this. (Sugar, Colonialism, and Death. ..). Another required aspect of this holiday is the three masses that must be held. These masses are to honor the saints and souls and whether or not citizens choose to attend they are fully aware that the cathedral timing of the events are regulated by church doctrine. On November first should be in devotion to angelitos, or “little angels” in English, and should honor those who were children when they passed. November second is devoted to the honor and remembrance of adults and generally all souls who have departed (Skulls to the Living …  ). Putting religion aside, Mexicans honor their relatives with lavish festivities and fun. The ofrenda is an essential aspect of The Day of The Dead and consists of offerings such as breads, candies, and other foods to deceased family members that are then placed on their graves. After honoring their ancestors, Mexicans rush to the streets for colorful parades and fun! Incredibly detailed costumes and floats cover the streets as families gather to eat candies and enjoy time with friends showing that Mexicans both honor and embrace death (Sugar, Colonialism, and Death. ..).

All-in-all we find that in Mexican culture the togetherness of family is the most important aspect of celebrations. Whether it be feasting on a meal to honor the fallen soldiers of the battle of Puebla, decorating and honoring the graves of deceased loved ones, or reliving the biblical search of Mary and Joseph to find a place to give birth to baby Jesus, Mexicans do everything with their families by their side.

Works Cited Zaslavsky, Nancy. Fiesta of Flavors .

Ross, Michael Elsohn. A Mexican Christmas . Millbrook Press, 2002.

Leonard, David J., and Carmen R. Lugo-Lugo. Latino History and Culture: An Encyclopedia . Routledge, 2015.

Brandes, Stanley. Sugar, Colonialism, and Death: On the Origins of Mexico's Day of the Dead . Cambridge University Press. PDF.

Poole, Stafford. Our Lady of Guadalupe: The Origins and Sources of a Mexican National Symbol, 1531-1797. University of Arizona Press, 1995.

Olaiz, Hugo. How to Celebrate a Mexican Pasada: A Packet for Lay Leaders, Musicians, and Clergy . Chartered Comittee on Hispanic Ministry Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. PDF.

Kelley, Emily. Christmas Around the World. Millbrook Press, 2003.

Brandes, Stanley. Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead: The Day of The Dead in Mexico and Beyond. John Wiley & Sons, 2009.

Rossmann, Liliana C. "Cindo de Mayo: Stories, Rituals, and Transcendence in Celebration."...