K. If all of the world's cultural heritage (sports, music, fashion, architecture, literature, painting, etc..) was contained in a time capsule, what would you include to demonstrate the legacy of your country?

1. México
K. If all of the world's cultural heritage (sports, music, fashion, architecture, literature, painting, etc..)
was contained in a time capsule, what would you include to demonstrate the legacy of your country?
IE Application Intake: September 2016 Diana Fridman

2. La Lotería
“La Lotería” was originated in Italy during the middle
ages, adopted in Spain, then brought to Mexico in 1769.
Initially lotteries were hand-crafted in tin plates. It wasn’
t until the end of the XIX Century that “loterías” were
printed on cardboard, which allowed the game to
become more accessible to the rest of the population.
The Mexican version of the game includes illustrations
related to popular Mexican figures. It is a form of folk
art with colorful cards, and Mexican designs which is
what I would like to share about Mexico. Our colors,
food, dance, art, music, and most of all, our people. I
selected some cards which represent significant
aspects of our culture.
Let’s begin with a basic timeline; we have to go back to
the origins to understand the different influences in our
culture.

3. First
Settlers
50,000
B.C.
1521 1876
Prehispanic
Era
Colonial
Era
Independent
México
1910
Porfiriato
1920
Mexican
Revolution
Today
Contemporary
Mexico
200
B.C.

4. Mexico’s cuisine has a great variety of tastes, smells, flavors and colors. We have created thousands of
different traditional dishes, which led to having traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed in the Representative
List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010:
“Traditional Mexican cuisine is a comprehensive cultural model comprising farming, ritual practices, age-old
skills, culinary techniques and ancestral community customs and manners. It is made possible by collective
participation in the entire traditional food chain: from planting and harvesting to cooking and eating.”
www. unesco.org
Chile en Nogada, Puebla Cochinita Pibil, Yucatán Mole Negro, Oaxaca
El Pescado - Our Cuisine

5. El Pescado - Our Cuisine
Colonial Era: During the Spanish conquest, traditions, customs, religion and language had to be adopted
by the natives. Spaniards imported a large variety of animals such as cattle, chickens, goats, pigs and
sheep as well as rice, wheat, oats, olive oil, wine, almonds, along with many other spices. As a result of the
impact of the culture clash, different mixtures and unique flavors were created within different regions in
the country.
Prehispanic Era: Prehispanic diet was founded on native
ingredients such as herbs, beans, tomatoes, nopal, cocoa,
vanilla, avocado, fruits, peanuts, turkey and fish among others,
but the most important were corn and chile. Locally developed
cooking processes include ground level ovens, grinding stones,
stone mortars, and nixtamalization, the process in which corn
grains are soaked and cooked in lime water loosening the tough
hulls to obtain nixtamal (corn dough for making tortillas).

6. La Sirena - Our Folk Dance
Mexico is internationally recognized as one of the countries with the largest
variety of traditional dances. Typical dances vary depending on their place of
origin and usually represent social happenings. Mexico’s folk dances are cheerful
and colorful due to the upbeat costumes, movements, meaning and music.

7. La Sirena - Our Folk Dance
Considered Mexico’s national dance.
Jarabe Tapatío was born at the end of
the XIX century in Jalisco. It’s main
identifier is the “zapateado”. Usually,
music is played by the traditional
mariachis. Male dancers are dressed as
“charros” and female dancers are
dressed as “china poblana”.
Jarabe Tapatío
Traditional dance from Yucatan.
“Jarana”means bustle. Female dancers
usually wear “huipiles” which is the
typical local dress with embroidered
flowers. Men wear “guayaberas” and
white pants. The music played during
this dance is called “Charanga”.
One of Mexico’s most humorous and
original folk dances. It goes back to the
prehispanic era and the rituals that
honored the God of the Elder and the
God of Fire. It is originally from
Michoacan. Dancers usually wear face
masks made of wood that simulate
elder people’s smiling faces and wear
a traditional “jorongo”.
Jarana Yucateca
Danza de los Viejitos

8. La Mano - Arts
Prehispanic Era - Art was regularly based on nature, gods or the political situation at
the time. Diverse tools and instruments such as ceramics, pottery and animal,
vegetable and mineral based paint were used by the various cultures (Aztec, Maya,
Mixteca, Zapoteca, Tolteca, Otomi, Totonaca and Tarasca). Murals, codices and
monuments were diverse forms of expressions used during this period.
Colonial Era - Art during this era was based on religion (building and decorating
churches) with traces of indigenous elements.
Independent Mexico - This is the time period with the most dramatic effect on art. It’
s the era of the Mexican muralist movement when Diego Rivera, David Alfaro
Siqueiros, José Clemente Orozco, Fernando Leal and Rufino Tamayo were asked by
the government to create artistic narratives on murals which reflected Mexican
history and culture, using art to reinforce political messages. Tamayo was the only
artist to decline this request, causing both controversy and the first international
artistic breakthrough. During this period, we also have the representation of folk
culture with Frida Kahlo`s inspiring story and artistic pieces.

9. Colonial Era: During the colonial era, the first music school was
established. Spaniards took advantage of the local musical talent and
used it as a form of accelerating cultural adoption for the townspeople. In
the XVII century, european writers and musicians arrived to the country
and began spreading various musical styles.
Independent Mexico: Music was much more classical during this time
period. The Mexican Philharmonic Society was established, and along
with it, the first musical conservatory.
El Pájaro - Our Music
Music is the most popular form of expression in the country
Prehispanic Era: Prehispanic music included five main sounds and was divided into three genres:
● Ritual music - played during ceremonies or rituals such as births, weddings or funerals
● Warrior music - anthems that were usually sung prior to battles
● Recreative music - played during social gatherings. Songs and dancers were more than mere
entertainment; they were a form of communication.
“Amo el canto del zenzontle,
pájaro de cuatrocientas voces;
Amo el color del Jade
y el enervante perfume de las flores.
Pero amo mas a mi hermano el hombre.”
Nezahualtóyotl.

10. Mexican Revolution: During and after the revolution, the most popular types of music were born.
El Pájaro - Our Music
Mariachi
Originated in Jalisco.
Originally, mariachis traveled
from town to town singing
love songs. It became the
most representative style of
mexican music and was
declared the “national music”
after the Mexican revolution
in 1920.
Ranchera
Can be defined as a rural type
of music from the traditional
mexican “ranchos”. It was
created by peasants as a
response to the ruling
classes. It originated in the
19th century. Song lyrics were
usually related to love, nature
and patriotic themes.
Banda
Originated in the state of
Sinaloa the last two decades
of the 19th century, the
objective of Banda music was
to imitate military bands
including polka rhythms.
Banda became very popular
after the revolution.
“Amo el canto del zenzontle,
pájaro de cuatrocientas voces;
Amo el color del Jade
y el enervante perfume de las flores.
Pero amo mas a mi hermano el hombre.”
Nezahualtóyotl.

11. El Corazón - Our People
heartwarming ● happy ● undefeatable ● festive