Background And Culture Of Mexico

It is a known fact that every human being communicates through language, but perhaps a little known fact that we communicate even through the food we eat. We communicate through food all the meanings that we assign and attribute to our culture, and consequently to our identity as well. Food is not only nourishment for our bodies, but a symbol of where we come from. In order to understand the basic function of food as a necessity not only for our survival, we must look to politics, power, identity, and culture.

Mexico is a country that borders the southern part of the United States and was once occupied by serval different tribes of Indians. There were many smaller tribes that also lived in Mexico but the largest empire was the Maya. This people is known for their advanced knowledge of numbers and medicine. After the fall of this empire the Aztecs were the next empire to take over the Yucatan Peninsula. The Aztec’s government was not beloved by all the people. April of 1519 a Spanish conquistador named Hernan Cortez came to Mexico and took the land that belonged to Aztecs and called it New Spain.

A country rich in history, tradition and culture, Mexico is made up of 31 states and one federal district. It is the third largest country in Latin America and has one of the largest populations—more than 100 million—making it the home of more Spanish speakers than any other nation in the world. Despite the political and social changes that have occurred over the centuries, evidence of past cultures and events are apparent everywhere in Mexico. Many of Mexico’s rural areas are still inhabited by indigenous people whose lifestyles are quite similar to those of their ancestors. In addition, many pre-Columbian ruins still exist throughout Mexico, including the ancient city of Teotihuacán and the Mayan pyramids at ChichénItzá and Tulum. Reminders of the colonial past are evident in the architecture of towns like Taxco and Querétar.

I believe that many different types of Mexican cuisine are an important parts of my culture since it enabled me to shape my own personal cultural identity and shared some core values, along with life lessons. First, tacos taught me how to have excellence in my work and to be careful for whenever I do things in a rush. For example, when my family and I would create tacos with perfection and when I made tacos in a rush that I forgot to season the meat. Second, pozole taught me to collaborate with others and to not give up. Such as, when my family would try and create the best pozole ever, and when I accidentally made the pozole to salty. Third, Mexican tamales taught me to be grateful and to view the world as diverse. Since my grandma when my grandma would always buy tamales before we eat them we would pray for the grateful things that have come our way, and to have a responsibility to myself whenever I would make tamales.

What is it like to live in a Mexican home? There are so many stereotypes of being Mexican or any Hispanic race for that matter. Mexicans are “known” for hitting their children with sandals or not knowing how to speak English. Most of the time we get down graded because we don’t know how to speak English, but in reality most of us do. No one really knows the aspect of Mexican culture.

Mexicans have a strong loyalty to family, church and close acquaintances. Children are raised to toward an ideal versus the appreciation for the uniqueness of the child (Segrest, 2003, p.13). Also, Mexico fits into both predictors of a collectivist society. It is a poor country and it has a very warm climate.

The social order of United States is rapidly changing. The original health care system was designed in such a way that it would meet the needs of the people who spoke English and were educated. Today, people from Asia, Mexico, Latin America, and Africa continue to migrate to the land of opportunities. Adequate support and resources are necessary to help those people to merge into a new culture with new standards. As a result, the nursing today has to adapt to the changing needs of the country. The lack of ability of the physicians and nurses for proper communication, and ignorance of the cultural diversities have a huge negative impact on the quality of care that is delivered. It is very important that we all try to

In our society today, culture is not what it used to be hundreds of years ago. There is no more “pure” culture. Our culture today is enriched with many different traditions and customs that are being shared and adopted. Due to emigration and immigration, a variety of diverse customs, beliefs, and knowledge moved with every exiting and entering human being. Thus, changing and shaping the culture of many. Throughout the world, the beliefs and religious views of culture are dissimilar around the world. By taking the time to read, listen and learn about certain people’s culture, there will be knowledge and understanding that will be gained.

During Porfiriato, Diaz made sure there was a change in Mexico’s identity by transforming the art and culture. This transformation of identity developed the period of the Westernization of Mexico. The influences for the westernization of Mexico came to Diaz from the fascination with European culture. In fact, Mexico City was known as little Paris from all the different changes made to the city. Before the changes in Mexico, it consisted of indigenous art and culture that was slowly being taken away. Diaz’s goal was to diminish all pre-Hispanic art to lead the nation into a more modernized society. Mexico went under a lot of nation-building projects to be able to keep up with its political, economic, and culture. (Martinez Rodriguez 2) In

a city where an eagle with a snake in its beak rested on a cactus. This

Mexico City dominates the whole country’s economy. The Federal District of Mexico City produces a significant portion of the total GDP of the country, for example, 12 percent in the year 1998. Mexico City is the center of manufacturing, and contains about 45 percent of the nation 's industrial production. Manufactures include textiles, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, electrical and electronic items, steel, and transportation equipment. In addition, foodstuffs and light consumer goods are produced. The city is also important in Mexico 's banking and finance industries (Mexico City 2001b).

Also they have become major import and exporters to various countries. Mexico has outdone some countries especially when it comes to the automotive industry (United 23). The automotive industry accounts for approximately 20.3% of their manufacturing (United 23). It also makes up about 3.6% of the national GDP in Mexico (United 23). Mexico has not only surpassed South Korea, but they have also passed Brazil, and they are now the sixth largest worldwide vehicle producer (United 23). This has taken them not only to the top for just rising economies, but now they are known worldwide for some of the best vehicles and automotive parts. Ten manufacturers are in Mexico currently, “including General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, Fiat, Renault, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Mazda.” (United 23). They now have this expertise in exporting because they have improved access to international markets (“Why” 1). Not only that but, they have also gained more skilled laborers, and they now have competitive production costs (“Why” 1). Lastly, Mexico has also strengthened their democratic governance (“Why” 1). These have all played major factors in the success of Mexico, and that is what brought them to the top. Mexico’s economy has increased around 83% in overall income in the last couple years (“The” 1). Their main income comes from exports. The top five export destinations for Mexico are of course number one being the United States with 70% of exports, and number two being Canada with 5.4% (Simoes 1). Number three of five top exporting countries for Mexico is Spain with 2.1%, number four is China with 2%, and five of five is Colombia with 1.8%, so the researcher can see the United States is by far the largest exporting country for Mexico, but others play in (Simoes 1). Overall Mexico has grown over the past years and decades. They have not only become a large economic partner, meaning a trader or importer

The History of Mexico is a long and rich one, but it is also a really fascinating one. Before the spanish arrived in Mexico, it was already largely inhabited by native Mexicans. These native Mexicans were known as the Chichimecs and they were mostly hunter and gatherer societies. In the rest of Mexico however existed much more advanced populations. Populations like Mayans, Totonacs, Huastecs, Otomis, Mixtecs, Zapotecs, Tlaxcalans, Tarascans, and the Aztecs. These civilizations developed elaborate urban systems of religious, political, and commercial purposes. Cities like Tenochtitlan and Chichen Itza are examples of such cities. When the Spanish arrived into central Mexico, the Aztecs had controlled most of the mesa central through a tribute system. The reason the Aztecs were in the central mesa region was because of their prophecy to found a city on the basis of an eagle with a snake on its beak that was resting on a cactus, this later became Mexicos national symbol. Tenochtitlan was founded in the 1300s and became the capital of the Aztec empire, which they then began warring with local Tribes. Mexicos name actually derives from the Aztec god of war Mexitli. From the time the Spanish landed in Mexico until the end of Hernando Cortez’s conquest 1521, Mexico was a colony of Spain. Cortez first entered the valley of Mexico on the mesa central in 1519 after marching from Veracruz, the town that he had founded on the gulf coastal plain. With only 200 men, the conquest of the

People from different backgrounds, cultures, religions, or countries are all different from. People are supposed to be different. We are not all the same and that is what makes each culture unique. People from different cultures have their own beliefs, way of living life, and dance culture and we should accept this and learn more about others.

Mexico is a country in North America, right under the United States of America and right above Central America. The official name of Mexico is actually “Estados Unidos Mexicanos” (United Mexican States). It contains many beautiful beaches from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It has a various ideal of landscapes from mountains. to deserts, to jungles. The language the people speak there is Spanish or there are about 68 native language groups. As the 12th most populous country in the world, the population for Mexico is about 127.5 million people living there.This country is full of ancient ruins that are millions of years old throughout the Spanish colonial-era towns. Its capital is Mexico City kinda by the bottom of the country. Mexico City has the highest elevation and is oldest city in North America. It is also one of the largest cities in the world.