Mexican culture and traditions

We'll 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 cockfighting and bullfighting? We'll also explore one of the country's most significant festivals: the Day of the Dead.

Lucha Libre is a popular sport in Mexico, comparable to the wrestling that became globally famous in the USA through celebrities like Hulk Hogan or The Undertaker. The fighters, called Luchadores, wear colorful masks and compete in choreographed matches. One of the fighters usually takes on the role of the evil Rudos, and the other plays the good Técnico.

The Mexican Enrique Ugartechea is considered the forefather of the sport. He established the wrestling style known today as Lucha Libre in the 1860s, which differs significantly from American wrestling. Luchadores are known for their breathtaking jumps through the ring, celebrated with roaring applause from fans who often toast their heroes' victories after matches with a glass of Tequila or Mezcal. If their favorite loses, they probably still have a sip of the popular agave schnapps, because as Mexicans say: For everything good: Mezcal. For everything bad, too. The national drink of Mexicans, which you can also get in our shop, also plays a starring role in the song "Copitos de Mezcal" by the famous Mariachi Antonio Aguilar. Where the guitars of mariachi bands play, 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, fallen heroes, and rural life. Especially at weddings, birthdays, and religious festivals, these often black-clad musicians with their large sombreros are a common sight. Their uniform traces back to the Charros, the Mexican cowboys of the 19th century. This traditional attire was also worn by the country's first official police officers. It embodies the perfect man, an ace rider, popular with women, and a skilled marksman.

While the audience sings along to familiar songs, a bottle or two of Mezcal is passed around. The musicians, however, focus entirely on their repertoire, which often includes hundreds of folk songs. They frequently perform the Zapateado, a dance in which the musicians stamp their boots on the ground in a fast rhythm to accompany the music. Dance, in general, is the true elixir of life for Mexicans.

Tres Hermanas, also known as "The Three Sisters," is a traditional farming method in Mexico used to cultivate agave plants for Mezcal production. This method involves planting corn, squash, and climbing beans together in a symbiotic relationship to improve soil fertility and reduce pressure from pests and diseases.

The corn provides support for the beans, the beans fix nitrogen and stabilize the corn, and the squash 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 failures and improving yields. Furthermore, it honors the cultural heritage of indigenous communities in Mexico.

Every year from November 1st to 2nd, the Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico. Preparations usually begin as early as October 31st, and in some regions, even earlier. Día de los Muertos is a festival where the dead return to Earth. Throughout Mexico, skeletons wander the streets, and on every corner, vendors sell small, colorful Calaveras. These are skulls, often made of sugar.

The skeletons are revelers with painted faces. Their faces look like richly decorated skulls, often with a wide smile on their—teeth. Women wear cempazúchitl blossoms in their hair. These are upright marigolds with large, vibrant yellow flower heads. The Day of the Dead in Mexico is not a festival of mourning. Mexicans remember deceased friends, family members, and partners with great joy and humor. They share funny anecdotes, thus keeping the memories of the deceased alive. While doing so, they drink spicy Mezcals, like those you can find in our shop. Festivity and death are not far apart in Mexico. This is also demonstrated by the popular cockfights and bullfights.

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

The fight is divided into three sections, called tercios. At the beginning, the matador and bull meet. Picadores, riders armed with lances, join in. The bull is provoked to attack the horses. The riders retaliate with a lance thrust. The audience is meant to see how strong the bull is during this phase, before it is thrown with more lances in the second section of the fight. These so-called banderillas are barbed and stick in the animal's back. When the bull is weak enough, the president – a kind of referee – signals the finale. Now the matador and bull are alone again.

Armed only with a sword and his muleta (a small red cloth), the matador confronts the bull and challenges it to attack. The matador's skillful dodging is a dance of traditional movements, performed until the bull is completely exhausted. In the end, the matador tries to thrust his sword through the shoulder into the bull's heart, which rarely leads to a quick death.

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

Although cockfights are prohibited in Mexico City, Sonora, and other parts of Mexico, numerous other states still permit the fights. For many Mexicans, the 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 often even the victor later succumbs to his injuries. Only the owners of the roosters win, investing a lot of money so their roosters can compete in the palenque. Mexico's national drink also flows here, because: For everything good: Mezcal. For everything bad, too.