Author Archives: Matthieu Munoz

Bunuelo-

Example of a stack of Buneulo

Example of a stack of Buneulo

This item of folklore was shared to me by my grandmother, as she recalled traditions that she used to share with her family when she was young. This particular item is a dessert she used to bake during christmas at the farm..

Informant:

“During Christmas time at the farm, we would make this special dessert, called a Bunuelo. Its a pastry made of flattened dough, with brown sugar and cinnamon on top. They would make them by hand at home, with the help of the whole family. It was only made during christmas time, in their house. This dessert was not only consumed by them, but also shared with neighbors.”

 

 

 

My analysis:

As this dessert has its origins in Mexican culture, I would say that the annual rite of creating this dish is an infusion of hispanic heritage into the holiday. There may have been obvious attempts to create bonds through this dish, both in the communal creation of the dish, and also by the sharing of the dish with neighbors. The creation of the dish by hand also possibly indicated a variation on recipes or a particular family recipe. although this may be lost to time.

Christmas Tamales and Thanksgiving Beans-Mexican food traditions.

My Informant is a student who has ties to her hispanic heritage. She shared a piece of her cultural heritage with me, involving a traditional food related to her heritage that she and her family ate during the holidays.

Informant:

She described to me the family tradition of baking tamales on Christmas.

“Every year my family bakes tamales on Christmas. Its a special family recipe, only family and friends know it. The recipe was passed down from my Grandmother to the current generation. The recipe involves steaming the tamales with banana leaves.”

“She also described to me that the family has a tradition of making beans on Thanksgiving.
“My family makes beans on Thanksgiving, its a family recipe. It has been passed down from generation to generation, I think it started with my Grandmother as well. It started I think in the 80’s, and we have done it this way ever since. We make it with Chorizo, and the beans are specially made in a style called ‘frijoles de la joya.’ which means ‘beans right out of the pot’.”

My Analysis:

My initial thoughts are that these meals are a means by which my informant’s family infuses holidays with a direct tie in to their heritage. It may also serve as a means to foster unity, and forge closer social bonds with friends and family. The mentioning of a family recipe may potentially indicate possible variations in the recipe over time as it is passed down from generation to generation. I also believe that the annual nature of both recipes transforms the recipe from a simple addition into a yearly ritual which creates anticipation.

Capirtoda-Traditional Mexican Food

Capritoda

Capritoda

My Informant is a student who has ties to her hispanic heritage. She shared a piece of her cultural heritage with me, involving a traditional food that she and her family ate during the holidays.

 

 

 

 

 

Informant.:

“During Christmas time, we make Capritoda, which is a bread pudding. We only eat it on christmas as a special dessert. Its a special family recipe, passed down from my grandmother.”

I asked why they only ate this dish on Christmas, as I recalled that it was normally eaten around the lenten period. She replied “There’s no official reason, it is usually eaten on lent but it’s just a desert a lot of people in my family like, so we cool it together and eat it on Christmas”

My analysis:

I found it extremely interesting that my informants family chose to utilize a traditional food from the easter season into a christmas celebration. In most hispanic tradition, the dish symbolizes the death by crucifixion of Jesus, and is also served on good Friday. Although my informant did not give a specific reason for this change, and I can only speculate the reasons as to why. However, it does provide an interesting contrast to me, that a dish associated with the death of Jesus is made in this family only during a celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Chupacabra

My Informant is a student who has ties to her hispanic heritage. She shared a legend that she heard as a child, that was passed down to her from her Grandfather.

Informant:

“The Chupacabra is a forest creature that attacks Children. My grandfather described it as the size of a dog and that it has claws and growls. The Chupacabra also attacks and sucks the blood out of the live stock, thats why you find animals dead and drained of blood.”

My analysis:

The Chupacabra is an urban legend that is common among many families of mexican-american descent. In this instance, the legend is utilized possibly to frighten children into behaving. It also displays characteristics of a legend in that the way the narrative is presented as if the Chupacabra were a real creature. Unlike other stories of monsters or ghosts, the Chupacabra seems extremely realistic in its description. It is also possibly utilized as an explanation for wild animal attacks, when there seems no other alternative.

La Lllorana

My informant is a student who has very deep connections to her hispanic culture. She shared with me a Mexican folk Legend that she heard as a child, and explained to me the significance of this legend.

Informant:

“Then I grew up being scared of the legend of ” La Llorona” also known as the weeping woman. My cousins would scare me when the electricity went off they said she would come for me as she picked other kids from the street.”

I asked her to elaborate more on the legend, and this is what she told me. “La Llorana is a spirit who comes out at night, the name means ‘crying lady’. She comes for children because she lost her own and you can hear her crying all night long.”

My analysis:

My informant repeated the legend, with the implication that at one point she had really believed in the existence of the spirit. She clearly had a belief that this spirit could really be responsible for events such as a power outage, and that it was a foreshadowing of her arrival. Her fear may have arisen out of a common cultural background, of hearing stories about La Llorana and her intended targets all her childhood.

In my research, I  have discovered La Llorana referenced in scholarly literature and its origins analyzed. Apparently the legend of La Llorana traces its origins back to 1550, when the first reports of a ‘woman in white’ first surfaced.  There are many variants of the legend, although one analysis traces La Llorana to Mesoamerican roots, comparing the ghostly figure to the goddess Cihuacoatl. It is an interesting interpretation, that it was a prototype of the legend. However the weeping woman is not restricted only to mexican legends, but may also be found in various cultures around the world, possibly indicating a common motif.

My research:

Kirtley, Bacil F. “” La Llorona” and Related Themes.” Western Folklore (1960): 155-168.