Tag Archives: Mexican

Funerals in Mexico

Nationality: Mexican American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 4/18/2013
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Informant Bio: Informant is a friend and fellow business major.  He is a sophomore at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.  His family is from Mexico.  He has moved around both Mexico and the U.S., spending significant time in Illinois.  He currently lives in Southern California.

 

Context: I was interviewing Stan about folk beliefs and traditions that he has been exposed to.  He shared with me the characteristics of Mexican funerals.

 

Item: “Um, funerals really depend and vary from person to person and family to family.  The range of emotion is very great.  Everything is acceptable.  Hispanic people are very expressive with feelings: wailing, yelling, screaming, and, pounding on the casket (in Colombia) are all acceptable ways of expressing yourself.  There’s no real, like, ‘you have to act in a certain way,’ as long as you have respect for the dead.  One can grieve however they see fit.  Most of the time, there is a casket and subsequent burial.  Husbands get buried next to their wives, and, wealthier people sometimes have mausoleums.

 

People who leave Mexico like to come back to be buried there.  Like, there was this famous Mexican song about this whole thing: Mexico my beloved, if I happen to die away from you, let them tell everyone that I am just sleeping till I come back”.

 

Informant Analysis: The family unit is really important in Mexico.  Religion is also important.  People always get anointed on the death bed as holy rituals are extremely important.  Your final moments and this tradition are important for the person to pass away with a clear conscience and be ready for final judgment.

 

Analysis: Death in Mexico is treated a little bit differently than here in the U.S.  Mexico has more of a tradition of being more open with the topic and treatment of death, seen with the Day of the Dead ritual, in which people celebrate the lives of their ancestors instead of grieving about their passing.  This is shown in the relative openness of grieving behaviors and emotions as compared to the accepted morbid mood that is expressed at U.S. funerals.

 

The significance of the song is that Mexican people have strong national and ethnic pride.  Even if they have left their native land, they still feel a strong connection to their true “home” and never forget their roots and heritage.  This is shown in their desire to have their final resting place be in the land of Mexico, being buried next to their family and closest partner.

Enchilada Sauce

Nationality: Declined to State
Age: 21
Occupation: Student (Fine Arts Major)
Residence: Winnetka, CA
Performance Date: April 23, 2013
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“So, the enchilada recipe started with my grandma. She concocted this, beautiful enchilada sauce, and then she passed it down to my mom, and she made some alterations… and in my opinion, it’s the best. And then now, it’s my term to make the sauce, and I guess I add my own twist to it. But, um… what’s in the sauce: you have your… um, red peppers. The dried ones, they’re long, I don’t even know what they are, I just know how they look. They’re long and dried up and they have tons of seeds and you take the seeds out and you boil them… so they get plump, you know? And then you boil them with garlic… you take most of [the seeds] out so it’s not too spicy. So you throw that in there with garlic, and tomatoes, and onions… that’s all cooked. Together. And then you throw that all in there [a blender], and then you add sugar, and water, and… the secret, is the chocolate. It’s a special kind of chocolate, it’s the Abuelita chocolate, and you cut a chunk off and you throw it in there. And that’s the sauce and it’s the most amazing thing I have tasted in my life.”

She described how her mom tweaks the recipe.

“She, um, she… no, my grandma makes it way more savory, mom makes it sweeter and spicier. So, like, you get those extremes, the sweet and the spicy. My grandma is just more a less like… I feel like that one’s more like… like, smooth? You know what I mean? Like, it’s mellow. But it’s savory, you can taste the garlic, she puts a little more garlic in it. But, umm… and she makes it a little runnier. My mom makes it real thick. That’s the difference between the two of them. My mom adds more chocolate too because I like chocolate [laughs]. But you don’t taste chocolate at all.”

 

The informant felt that the recipe is very important to her because it was her culture (the recipe itself  as well as Mexican food generally was her culture and her family). She explained that everything is regional in Mexico, so no one used the exact recipe that her mother and grandmother used. She said that her mother’s sisters and great-aunt all used similar recipes that were derived from the same ingredients, but that they were all completely different, and that she hoped, with experimentation, her version of the recipe would please her future family.

The sauce recipe, as well as all other foods prepared by her family, are made with ingredients that are measured by eye. The performance of this recipe, is thus, always subject to change (more change than the written recipe) because it is made for specific reasons and specific people (for example, the informant’s mother adds extra chocolate for her daughter because she prefers it). The sharing and modification of recipes present in the performance of this recipe is central to most cultures now, and is indicative of the fusion of different cultural foods because it is a representation of changes made to older forms.

Fiesta, Santa Barbara

Nationality: Caucasian
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 4/25/13
Primary Language: English

Informant: “So, Fiesta’s a cool thing in Santa Barbara that it’s, like, this week in August where the entire town just agrees that they just wanna get really drunk and everyone’s like, ‘Yeah, sure.’ Um, I think they have a couple of events that’s meant to celebrate our Spanish history because we were founded by Saint Barbara or… (scoffs)

I think it’s meant to celebrate becoming sort of the town that it is today so, and celebrating our Spanish tradition, so a lot of people will, like, just go to all the bars and get really drunk because that’s how they interpret Fiesta, um, And it’s always really funny because State Street, like, our big street, is just filled with confetti and als— cause, do you know what cascarones are? They’re these– the eggs that they hollow out and then they fill with confetti. So they’re hollowed out confetti eggs and you crack– you are supposed to crack them in your hands, this is a lesson I learned, you crack them in your hand and then you just go like this (he rubs the palm of his hand in a circle on the top of his head) and put it on people’s hair. And there’s confettis everywhere so State Street is just littered in confetti because it falls everywhere, like, Starbucks, ugh– over the summer, so much confetti to sweep up, disaster. It turns into a disaster zone over the summer. But if you crack the eggs without cracking them in your hand first, like you just try to put it on people’s heads, the shells are a lot harder than you think and they’ll just… hurt people. So that’s an important thing. But cascarones are a huge thing. And then we have a lot of flamenco dancing that goes on which is amazing. Um, yeah, it’s, like, some of the biggest flamencoing stuff goes on in Santa Barbara, outside of Spain, um, and, yeah. They have all of this, like, the spirit of the fiesta which goes to one of the young flamenco dancers and there’s this whole culture there that I never even knew about. Um and a lot of traditions about flamencoists and stuff which is really cool, um, but one thing I found really interesting about Fiesta is how mixed it got with the Mexican culture because of, just of, our city has kind of a, uh, em, decently sized Mexican population so there’s always, like, mariachi bands playing and stuff which isn’t at all related to Spain. I mean, like, it’s Latin America versus Spain so, like, there’s a really interesting confused mix of, like, Mexican versus Spanish culture and everyone just kind of accepts it. Which, like, the analyst inside of me is just, like, I wonder what’s significant about that about globalization, about, like, people wearing sombreros and thinking, like, you know this is a Spanish thing versus, like, a Mexican thing so that, that was always, like, something I’ve gotten into as I got older. Because as a kid it was like ‘Confetti, hey!’ and now I’m just, like, what are the implications now of, like, this mixed culture. Um, but for the most part, like, it’s pretty Spanish and we celebrate, like, we have streets called, we have a street called De La Guerra which translates into, like, ‘from the war.’ Uh, and that’s a pretty historic street for us and that turns into kind of like a little market with lots of Spanish food being served and, um, it’s a big, it’s a big just part– it’s a week of party; it’s amazing. So. That’s I guess sort of a tradition… And drunk people knock on lots of people’s doors and ask to use their bathrooms. That’s what my friend hates about Fiesta. Constant music, constant drunk people…”

Lavelle: “Trying to use your bathrooms?”

Informant: “Trying to use your bathrooms.”

Lavelle: “That’s really funny.”

Informant: “Yeah, pretty brazen.”

My informant is a native of Santa Barbara, California and he has been aware of the celebration of Fiesta for many years. He enjoyed it innocently as a child and it’s always been a tradition he looks forward to during the summer. My informant loves Santa Barbara and the traditions the community has. My informant has also begun to question some of the practices that are accepted at Fiesta, the drunken escapades most specifically. Also, my informant is interested in learning more about how Mexican culture was infused into this Spanish tradition.

Quinceañera

Nationality: Mexican, German
Age: 20
Occupation: Studeny
Residence: Quartz Hill, CA
Performance Date: April 20, 2013
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Quinceañeras are celebrations in hispanic cultures when a girl becomes a woman at quince años, or fifteen years old. Marcea had a quinceañera of her own, in which I participated as a dama. She explained the traditions of of the quince and what it meant to her.

 

This tradition has gone back hundreds of years, and is this Hispanic equivalent of a Sweet 16 in American culture.

The participants of a quince have unique names and functions. The girl being celebrated is named the Quinceañera. Her court is a group of damas (girls) and chambelanes (boys). The court is usually made up of fourteen damas and fifteen chambelanes. Altogether there are fifteen couples, symbolizing her age. Marcea’s court had less couples, instead they had six. This is a group of the Quinceañera’s friends and family members, generally under the age of 20. Some members of the court can be very young, not even gone through puberty yet. Marcea said that the demographic for courts skews younger, partly because the Quinceañera’s closest friends and family are usually around her age. She made the parallel to bridesmaids and groomsmen, which are generally the same age as the bride and groom. In a quince, the court symbolizes youthfulness and the process of maturation. They help to present the Quinceañera to the world.

The Quinceañera’s godparents, aunts and uncles are called padriños and padriñas who act as donors and contribute to the celebration. Padrinos and padrinas are also present at Hispanic weddings. The donors are the individuals that will guide the Quinceañera in her adult life. It is not an official declaration of future involvement in the Quinceañera’s life; however, as it is usually the family who guides the girl, it is usually the family who act as padrino and padrina. Since hispanic families tend to be large, this can cover a large price of the celebration. Sometimes there is just one, sometimes there is a couple for every aspect of the celebration. Typically, a couple will sponsor one aspect of the quince. For example, one aunt and uncle will pay for the limousine, another for the cake, so on and so forth. There is a special dance for these couples during the celebration. Marcea herself didn’t have any padrinos or padrinas for her quince. She appreciates the advice her family gives her throughout her life, but there was no formal representation of this in her celebration.

There are traditionally two parts to each quince- a church ceremony which lasts about an hour and a party which can last of hours afterwards. As a large portion of the Hispanic population is involved with the Catholic Church, the religious ceremony is a large part of most quinces. Marcea did not have a church ceremony as part of her quince, because she hadn’t had her communion yet, so the priest would not bless her. However, Marcea was able to describe the process to me. Usually, parents, godparents and the court are part of the church ceremony. They give the Quinceañera her gifts- rosaries, a tiara and a bouquet that is left on the alter of the Virgin Mary to pay tribute. It is a time of thanksgiving for life and womanhood.

Usually court arrives to the party in a limousine, often sponsored by a padrino and padrina. There is generally a large room with a dance floor and a dj, giving the guests plenty of opportunity to dance, which Marcea says her family loves to do, as well as providing space for the traditional dances that will take place. In addition there is a slideshow featuring the Quinceañera playing in the background.

During the party, one of the traditions is the changing of the shoe. Marcea described this as “ a pretty popular tradition that people usually keep,” emphasizing its importance within the celebration. At the beginning of the night, the Quinceañera wears flats. Her dad changes her shoes from flats to heels, symbolizing her development from a little girl into a woman. Marcea prepared beforehand and marked with a marker the hole that her dad had to use to fasten the shoe, revealing the weight of the moment and her desire for nothing to go wrong. Afterwards, the father and daughter dance together. At this time, her father is supposed to recognize her as a mature woman. Marcea identified this time as one of the most emotional for the men of the family.

Then the father hands his daughter to her chambelane, a sign of his respect for her maturity. The dance proceeds, with the Quinceañera and her court. Marcea isn’t aware of any symbolism in the courts dances, besides entertainment and fun. Courts tend to take dance lessons for a year to a year and a half before the quince. Marcea and her court took dance lessons for about four months beforehand. There is a formal dance, which was the waltz for Marcea’s quince, and the baile sorpresa, which included cumbia, hip hop and the hustle. The songs we danced to were by Rihanna, Selena and Chris Brown. Usually the baile sorpresa is salsa or cumbia; however, Marcea’s quince had a mixture of diverse dances.

Although Marcea didn’t participate in this tradition, at some quinces the Quinceañera is given the responsibilities of a woman within the celebration itself. She is responsible for speeches, cake cutting and even service. While watching videos online to brainstorm for dress ideas, Marcea saw girls serving their padrinos.

The dress is usually white, symbolizing purity at the coming of age. Recently girls have been wearing pastel colored dresses. They are usually large ballgowns. There are never trains on these dresses, because the style is reserved for weddings.

 

 

The whole event is centered around the Quinceañera. It symbolizes the transition from a girl to a woman, with all the responsibilities it entails. There are many aspects of the event which I was not able to include, as it is a vast celebration. The tradition is documented in the award-winning film Quinceañera, which juxtaposes the purity and extravagance of the celebration with pregnancy, poverty and the trials of everyday life.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0451176/

“Tamales on Christmas Eve”

Nationality: American
Age: 7
Occupation: None
Residence: Redondo Beach, CA
Performance Date: April 2013
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

            At a tender seven years of age, the informant shared a family tradition of eating tamales on Christmas Eve, which, according to her account, is a shared tradition among most Mexican families. Her mother’s side of the family is Mexican and has practiced the tradition through generations. Indeed, the informant described an annual large family gathering with such an excess of tamales that it feels like “forever” until the leftovers are finished.

            For the informant, it seems the tamales on Christmas Eve is a fun way to spend her vacation―she talks about how delicious the food is, her presents the next day, and the fact that school is on recess.

 

            Every night, uh, I mean before every Christmas night, we go to Nana’s. Actually, we used to go to Nana’s, but then she passed away. But we would go, and lots of people were there and we would make yummy tamales during the night and take them home!

            I don’t make the tamales, I just eat them. I’m not old enough; they don’t let me touch the things in the kitchen yet. Usually it’s just the girls, but sometimes my dad helps, too, and the other people. I don’t know all of them, just some, but there are lots. I didn’t know my family was so big.

            My mama said she did it with Nana when she was a girl, too, and that lots of Mexican families do it. I just know that we make so many tamales, like, so many tamales. Well, there’s rice and beans, too, but even when we bring them home we just keep eating the tamales the next day, and the next day, and the next day. . .it feels like forever. It’s still my favorite dinner though! We eat the tamales, and then the next day we get presents. Plus, there’s no school.

 

            Although some of the finer details may be absent from the informant’s narrative, in sifting through her account we can find some more thematic values embedded in the tradition. Family is clearly an important element in the Mexican Christmas Eve tradition. For one, the women gather together in the kitchen, presumably to “catch up” and bond through the cooking process. The informant mentions how so many family members gather together that she doesn’t even recognize them all. In that vein, her Nana’s recent passing seems to have made a significant impact on her family’s practice of the tradition. The informant did not provide information about where her family would make tamales in the future, but it is quite evident that the familiar setting of her grandmother’s home, a symbol of the stable matriarchy, is no longer accessible to her, further showing how integral family is to this tradition.

            Additionally, the theme of bountiful celebration is quite clear. The family makes so many tamales that guests must take them home, and even then the informant herself must eat tamales for days after Christmas Eve. While the rest of the year she and her family may practice moderation, tamales on Christmas Eve is clearly a happy abandonment of that principle.