Naturally, for me, Mexican culture is hard to define within a paragraph or even a whole essay. It is because of the wide variety of nuances, influences, and history that reaches Mesoamerican civilizations such as Mayan and Aztec. There are many manifestations of Mexican culture – in art, food, customs, values, and religion. Hence, if I were to define Mexican culture, I would say that it is a unique blend of Mesoamerican heritage mixed with European cultural influences that shaped the linguistic and religious beliefs.
In general, when describing Mexican culture, one of the first things that come to mind is religion. Mexican people are very religious as some of the significant Mexican holidays are religious, such as Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, which is celebrated to 12th December. Although Christianity was imposed onto Aztec and Mayan civilizations, it later became an essential part of the Mexican belief system. Spirituality and family values are also key characteristics of Mexican culture. For example, the Day of the Dead festival (1st & 2nd November) represents both of those values as it unites all families to remember and honor relatives and friends who passed away. Their souls come back to Earth; hence, families prepare unique offerings to treat their ancestors.
In modern popular culture, it is easy to imagine the first associations that people have when they hear about Mexico. They probably imagine something from this list: big hats, colorful clothes, delicious food, and mariachi bands. I would select three symbols representing Mexican culture: costumes during the Day of the Dead celebration (1), Mariachi band, and Pyramid of the Moon: Teotihuacán (3).
Day of the Dead celebration represents the mystical, spiritual, and family-oriented tradition, which connects living people with the dead, creating a strong bond with one’s ancestors.
It is hard to imagine any holiday without a decent mariachi band. Music is a big part of Mexican culture, as it represents the passion and the spirit of the human soul.
Finally, the pyramids that can be found across Mexico symbolize the connection of Mexican culture with Mesoamerican civilizations.