Mexican culture and traditions

We jump into the ring with the luchadores, hear what the mariachi bands tell us about Mexican culture , let Latin American dances teach us the rhythm of the country and also take a look at the darker aspects of Mexican culture. What do Mexicans think of cockfights and what do they think of bullfights? We also look at one of the most important festivals in the country: the Day of the Dead.

Lucha Libre is a popular sport in Mexico, comparable to wrestling, which has become known worldwide in the USA through celebrities such as Hulk Hogan or the Undertaker. The fighters, known as Luchadores, wear colorful masks and compete against each other in choreographed matches. One of the fighters usually takes on the role of the evil Rudo and the other plays the good Técnico.

The Mexican Enrique Ugartechea is considered the father of the sport. He established the wrestling style known today as Lucha Libre in the 1860s, which is very different from American wrestling. Luchadores are known for their breakneck jumps through the ring, which are celebrated with thunderous applause from the fans, who like to celebrate their heroes’ victories after the matches with a glass of tequila or mezcal . If the favorite loses, there will probably be a sip of the popular agave liquor , because as the Mexicans say: For everything that is good: mezcal. And for everything that is bad, the same goes. The national drink of the Mexicans, which you can also get in our shop, also plays a leading role in the song “Copitos de Mezcal” by the famous Mariachi Antonio Aguilar. Wherever the guitars of a Mariachi band can be heard, the cult drink is often not far away.

This music is deeply rooted in Mexican culture. Accompanied by guitars, the large and bass-heavy guitarrón and violins, the Mariachi sing about love, death, long-fallen heroes and life in the country. Especially at weddings, birthdays and religious festivals The musicians, often dressed in black and wearing large sombreros, are often seen. Their uniform goes back to the Charros, the Mexican cowboys of the 19th century. This traditional clothing was also worn by the first official police officers in the country. It embodies the perfect man, who is an ace at horse riding, popular with women and an accurate marksman.

While the audience sings along to the well-known songs, a bottle or two of mezcal is passed around. The musicians concentrate entirely on their repertoire, which often includes hundreds of folk songs. They often dance the zapateado, a dance in which the musicians stomp their boots on the ground in a fast rhythm to accompany the music. Dance is the true elixir of life for Mexicans.

Tres Hermanas, also called "The Three Sisters," is a traditional farming method in Mexico that involves growing agave plants for mezcal production. This method involves growing corn, squash, and climbing beans together in a symbiotic relationship to improve soil fertility and reduce pressure from pests and diseases.

The corn acts as support for the beans, the beans fix nitrogen and stabilize the corn, and the pumpkin provides shade for the soil. Tres Hermanas not only supports the high quality of agave plants for mezcal production, but also sustainable and traditional farming methods by reducing the risk of crop failure and improving yields. In addition, it honors the cultural heritage of the indigenous communities in Mexico.

Every year from November 1st to 2nd, the Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico. Preparations usually begin on October 31st and even earlier depending on the region. Día de los Muertos is a festival when the dead return to earth. Skeletons walk the streets all over Mexico and on every corner vendors sell small, colorful calaveras. These are skulls and are often made of sugar.

The skeletons are revelers with colorful make-up. Their faces look like richly decorated skulls, often with a broad smile on their teeth. Women wear the flowers of the Cempazúchitl in their hair. These are upright marigolds with large clusters of bright yellow flowers. The Day of the Dead is not a festival of mourning in Mexico. Mexicans remember deceased friends, family members and partners with much joy and humor. They tell each other funny anecdotes and thus keep the memories of the deceased alive. They drink spicy mezcal together, which you can also find in our shop . Festivities and death are not far apart in Mexico. The popular cockfights and bullfights also prove this.

Bullfighting is a dance with death. It is a macabre sport that still has many fans. Like so many other things, the Spanish brought this spectacle to Latin America. What looks from the outside like the mere torture of an animal is a sport with many rules, whose participants are celebrated as heroes.

The fight is divided into three sections, the so-called tercios. At the beginning, the matador and the bull face each other. They are joined by picadores, riders armed with lances. The bull is provoked into attacking the horses. The riders respond to these attacks with a lance thrust. In this phase, the audience can see how strong the bull is before it is pelted with more lances in the second section of the fight. These banderillas are equipped with barbs and remain stuck in the animal's back. When the bull is weak enough, the president - a kind of referee - signals the finale. Now the matador and the bull are alone again.

Armed only with a sword and his muleta (a small red cloth), the matador faces the bull and challenges him to attack. The matador's skillful evasion is a dance of traditional movements that are performed until the bull is completely exhausted. At the end, the matador tries to ram his sword through the bull's shoulder into its heart, which rarely leads to a quick death.

The sport has many critics and is becoming increasingly rare in Mexico. Bullfighting is already banned in many cities in the country. The same applies to the similarly cruel South American sport of cockfighting.

Although cockfights are banned in Mexico City, Sonora and other parts of Mexico, many other states still allow them. For many Mexicans, corridas are an important pastime. With beer and mezcal, they gather around the wooden walls that form the ring and bet on the roosters. The fights are usually to the death, and it is not uncommon for the winner to later succumb to his injuries. The only winners are the owners of the roosters, who invest a lot of money so that their roosters can compete against each other in the Palenque. Mexico's national drink flows here too, because: For everything that is good: mezcal . And for everything that is bad, the same applies.