Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas for Mexicans

Christmas for Mexicans, in traditional homes and rural areas, is a religious holiday.
It is a celebration of the Nativity. This means the birthday of Our Lord Jesus. In order to prepare for the day of symbolic commemoration, we have the "Posadas". These celebrations are a "Novena" or nine days before the 24 which is the "Noche Buena" or "Holy Night".


These Posadas are an enactment of looking for lodging of St. Joseph and Virgin Mary, called The Pilgrims going to Bethlehem for the Census according to the Scriptures. In Spanish we called them: "Los Peregrinos, San José y la Virgen María". Each family in a neighborhood, will schedule a night for the Posada to be held at their home, starting on the 16th of December and finishing on the 24th on Noche Buena.


Every home will have a Nativity scene. The hosts of the home are the innkeepers, and the neighborhood children and adults are Los Peregrinos, who have to request lodging through singing a simple chant. All carry small lit candles in their hands and four teenagers of about the same height are chosen to carry Los Peregrinos, which are two small statues of St. Joseph leading a donkey, which Virgen Mary is riding sidesaddle. The head of the procession will have a candle inside of a paper lamp shade that looks like an accordion but open at the top and it is called a "Farolito" or little lantern.


The Peregrinos will ask for lodging in three different houses but only the third one will allow them in. That will be the house that is supposed to have the Posada for that evening. Once the innkeepers let them in, the group of guests comes into the home and kneels around the Nativity scene to pray the Rosary. The Rosary is a traditional Catholic prayer, which consists of the following prayers: 50 Hail Mary, 5 Our Father , 5 Glory and the Litany, which is a series of Praises for the Virgin Mary, plus singing traditional songs like Holy Night in Spanish of course!
After all the prayer is done, then it comes the party for the children. There will be a Piñata, (pronounce Pignata, for it has an ñ instead of an n), filled with peanuts in the shell, oranges, tangerines, sugar canes, and seldom wrapped hard candy. Of course, there will be other types of chants the children will sing while the child in turn is trying to break the Piñata with a stick while he/she will be blindfolded.



Although the Piñata was originally from Italy, it has become a Mexican tradition for celebrations where there are children involved. The Piñata was made out of a clay pot and decorated with crepe paper in different colors. Today's piñatas are made out of cardboard and paper mache techniques and decorated with crepe paper. This change was made to prevent the children from cutting their hands when going for the fruit and candy when the Piñata was broken and the clay piece would become a hazard. They have all kinds of designs besides the traditional star.
For the adults there is always "Ponche con Piquete"(sting), which is a hot beverage or "Punch" made out of seasonal fruits and cinnamon sticks, with a shot of alcoholic spririt. A good substitute here in Ohio is hot apple cider with fruits, without the "spirits".


On Noche Buena, December 24, everybody goes to Misa de Noche Buena which is at midnight. After the Mass, everyone goes to their respective homes to have dinner with family and any friend who does not have a family is always welcome to be part of a family celebration, and most important of all to place the Baby Jesus in the manger in the Nativity scene.


The presents are not received on Christmas, for Christmas is a celebration of Life of Our Savior.
The New Year's Eve, there is a Misa de Gallo, (Rooster's Mass) that takes place at midnight also. Some families go to church earlies to give thanks for all the blessings received during the year.


The children's celebration of receiving presents is not until January 6th, "el día de Reyes", the day of the Kings, or the Wise Men Day. It is the Magi who brought the presents to the Baby Jesus, thus, they bring the toys to the boys and girls who have been good. The children place their shoes by the window, so the Magi place the present in the shoe. It the present is bigger than the shoe, it will be placed next to it. Many children, get a new pair of shoes for a present.
El dia de Reyes is celebrated with a "Merienda" consisting of hot chocolate and "The Rosca de Reyes". "La Merienda is the meal that takes. place any time between 5 P.M. and 7 P.M. it is not a heavy meal but the equivalent of "High Tea".


The Rosca de Reyes is a big oval wreath made out of egg bread (like an egg bagel, but huge) with dry fruit decorations and sprinkled sugar on top, but inside, there is a little ceramic doll which represents the Baby Jesus. The person who gets the piece of bread with the Baby, must be the Godparent of the Baby Jesus in the celebration of the Candelaria, on February 2nd..
"El dia de la Candelaria" is the day of the Candle or Light, known as the Day of Purification. That day, the Nativity scene is put away with a party given by the person who got the Baby Jesus in his/her piece of bread during the Rosca de Reyes celebration. He or she will be responsible for making a "Ropon" or christening gown for Baby Jesus. Generally, they have a Dinner with Tamales (Tamales are corn bread filled with meats in a sauce or raisins wrapped in corn husks).


Lately, these traditions have been modified. For example, the Posadas are now nine parties that are celebrated in differentes friends homes before Christmas. Also, with the North American Free Treaty Agreement, known as NAFTA, Christmas is now celebrated the American style, with Santa Claus, the meals and presentes, mostly among the afluent people. Others take trips to sky resorts in the United States or Europe, or travel to turistic places within Mexico.
All the education institutions are on vacation during the holidays, they do not get back to school until after January 6th. Also, the government offices and the other institutions connected with the government close during those two weeks.

TAKEN FROM THE FRIENDS OF NAYARIT MEXICO FACEBOOK PAGE.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Cinco de Mayo

On May 5, 1862, Mexican troops defeated an invading French army in the outskirts of Puebla, a city around 60 miles east of Mexico City. How did events come to this point; what were French troops doing in Mexico and why?
On September 15, 1810, a priest, Miguel Hidalgo, sounded the church bells to unite Mexicans in a war of independence from Spain. Independence was declared the following day, September 16th. But it took Mexicans 11 years to oust the Spaniards.

They were barely getting their house in order when an unprovoked war was thrust on them by the US wanting and taking about 50 percent of its territory. Needless to say, Mexicans weren't happy with this circumstance and blamed their leader, Santa Anna, accusing him of great treason. This led to a rebellion to oust him from office.

Once this was done, Mexico entered into one of its most important historical periods, the formation of its Constitution of 1857.

There were two political forces at work, the Liberals who wanted to create a country not unlike the US: A representative republic, democratic, federal, religiously tolerant, free market economy, and an educational system independent of religion, and, most importantly - separation between the State and religion. This instrument would provide Mexican citizens with vast constitutional protections rivaling those in the U.S.

The other political force was the Conservatives who wanted strong ties to Spain, only the Catholic religion would be allowed, national industrial protectionism (limited imports), regulated freedom of expression, no opposing political parties. They also believed Mexico should be tied to a European monarchy with the head of Mexico having absolute power, and to distance the country as much as possible from the US.

This terrible schism led to the civil war known as "La Guerra de Reforma" (The War of Reform). In 1861, the Conservatives were defeated, and their leaders executed. But the combination of so many years of fighting had placed Mexico in heavy international debt with England, Spain and France.

Meantime in the French court of Emperor Napoleon III, a wealthy Mexican land owner and Conservative, who had access to, and meetings with, the Emperor's wife, the Spaniard Eugenia de Montijo, planted the idea of establishing a monarchy in Mexico as a way of stopping the further territorial expansion ambitions of the U.S.

The U.S. was tied up in its Civil War, so France convinced Spain and England to join in sending troops to collect monies owed them by the new Liberal controlled government presided by Benito Juarez.

Troops from the three countries landed in Veracruz in late 1861. The English and Spaniards were able to negotiate a repayment schedule that was acceptable to all. The parties, including the French, signed the agreement. The Spaniard and English troops left Mexico without incident.

The French commander, Dubois de Saligny, declared, "My signature is worth as much as the paper it is written on." Declaring they were there at the invitation of the exiled Conservative government to establish a monarchy and save Mexico from its non Catholic leaders, French troops began their long march to capture Mexico City.

And so it was that on May 5, 1862, the most potent army in Europe of its day met the Mexican army of veterans and farmers outside of Puebla. Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza, addressed his troops, "Your enemies are the first-rate soldiers of the world; but you are the sons of Mexico, and they are here to take your country."

The battle began at noon - the French stormed the Mexican defensive position once and were repelled. A second charge brought the same results. It was then that the Mexican troops attacked, driving the French back in disarray. Hostilities came at the end of the day due to heavy rainfall making any more action impossible.

French commanders were so sure of quick victory that before beginning their march had sent a message to Napoleon III declaring the Emperor owner of Mexico. Instead, it took three months to capture Puebla, and eventually all of Mexico.

Having captured the country, the French were never able to appease the population. Widespread resistance finally led to their defeat and departure from Mexico. The Intervention lasted until 1867.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Three Kings Day – Dia del los Reyes – Epiphany Jan 06

Today (January 6th) is Dia de los Reyes ( Three Kings day or the start of Epiphany). In Mexico and particularly in Jaltemba Bay the day will be celebrated by the giving of gifts and the eating of the Rosca de Reyes (bread ring of the kings).

Most people will be familiar with the story of the three wise men following the start to Bethlehem bringing gifts to the baby Jesus. This year in Guayabitos they were featured in nativity scenes with their gifts.
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For more traditional Mexicans this is the day that gifts are given to children rather than on December 25th but in my experience children seem to receive the larger gifts more commonly on the 25th.

This evening most Mexican families will celebrate the event by eating the Rosca de Reyes which is on sale in most food stores and on the street.

It will be accompanied by hot chocolate. This medium sized one costs 140 pesos and would serve a family of 8 to 12. It is not served as a desert but rather as the late evening meal called cena at about 8 pm.

The bready, sweet cake contains several “monitos”, small plastic figures of the baby Jesus. The people who find the monitos in their piece of cake will host the meal of tamales that will be served on February 2nd to mark the end of the Christmas celebrations.

Epiphany starts on January 6th and ends with Candlemas on February 2nd. Candlemas is also known as the Feast of Purification. For Christian the celebration marks the day on which the baby Jesus was presented in the Temple.

For us it falls on January 6 but for Roman Catholics in many countries it is celebrated on the Sunday that falls between January 2 and January 8. For those who celebrate according to the Julian Calendar it will be around the 19th of January.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Leaving, on a Plane again

Leaving on Tuesday, January 11, back again to Guayobitis, Mex. Our time at home for a visit has been wonderful. Over the Christmas Season we were able to visit with many of our friends on the Lower Mainland. Sorry, we didn't get to see all of you.( We will be back in the Spring).

We, along with Dar's Dad, went to Kamloops (by Via Rail) for Christmas. We left Vancouver at 8:30 pm. Christmas Eve and arrived in Kamloops at 5:30 am, Dec 25. It was nice. Dar's Dad did not want to drive in a vechicle, so he picked the train. It was quite tiring because you don't get a lot of sleep with all the people and noises. We had four days there with Dar's brother and sister-in-law, niece and nephew, their beau's and seven of Collete's family. It was real nice to have all of Dar's family together as her sister and brother-in-law droped in, out of the blue, on December 26. We all had a few good drinks and way to much food. The laughs were enjoyed by all, so the time there was wonderful.

New Year's Eve saw us off to Woody's Pub, seeing Dar's hairdresser Chris for awhile and then off to Langley to a friends place for some serious drinking for me, and bring in the New Year with a bang. I paid for it the next day, getting to old to do that kind of drinking, but had loads of fun anyway. Darlene was the DD.

Saw my family on New Year's Day and had an excellent visit. Also a couple of Basketball games for my oldest Grandson, who has recently broke his nose in a game.

As I said, off this Tuesday, so will get a couple friends in (visiting) this weekend and then it will be time to heard 'er South again, and warm up.
Wish you all could come with us, what a Party that would be!
See you in the Spring!
Love Brad and Dar