Jan
27
The Faces of the Popular Culture
Posted by: Brian | January 27, 2009 | Comments Off on The Faces of the Popular Culture
Hi everyone, I had some troubles finishing this reading, but I succeed at the end. I found this article really interesting and really complete, it described many aspects of the Latin America’s popular culture. Although it was very long with plenty of information, there are many aspects that weren’t covered because Latin America is huge. I come from Mexico and I consider that there many aspects that were missing for this article, but I do agree with the syncretism of traditional culture with the modern culture,. Really can’t talk about Brazil, Peru or Argentina but I definitely can talk about Mexico my beloved country that I miss to much so let start.
It’s a true fact that even though I’m Mexican born and bred I don’t have any of the indigenous culture, I’ve only read about it and I found it really interesting, all their gods, pyramids, calendars, beliefs, royalty, etc. I think that the only tradition from indigenous people that is conserved in my house is to eat with pepper lots of pepper and tortilla every single lunch.
Then the Spaniards came to Mexico and colonized and leave behind them a complete new bunch of traditions that came to be part of our culture first the religion I consider myself as an active catholic. I go to church every Sunday, and respect the catholic calendar. With the mestizaje new traditions were raised like the charreria considered the Mexican national sport for many years even before the soccer came with the English people. In my family horse and bull raids are considered normal activities on special weekends when the whole family go to the ranch.
Then the English people arrived to Pachuca, Hidalgo for mining and in their free time they played soccer and ate pastries, now the the Pachuca football team the ‘’Tuzos’’ is the oldest club and one of the traditional food in Pachuca is the Pastes that are the pastries that the English used to eat.
Now with time the Americans arrived and they’re still in Mexico helping to shape this new culture, oddly the sport played in my family even though I’m Mexican isn’t soccer is American Football, my grandpa played, my dad played and all my brothers played as well.
Well now I think that my family is a living example of the popular culture in Latin America, a complete syncretism between indigenous, Spanish, American and Lebanese culture that shaped this new popular culture and it can be in our every day activities, food, and the way we treat each other in the family.
I’ll see you all in class!