The Formative Period begins with the first appearance of pottery and ends with the rise of the Teotihuacan and Mayan civilizations. It was an epoch marked by the emergence of effective agriculture, the establishment of human settlements and the development of fundamental arts. The earliest site of the period discovered so far is Chiapa de […]
Continue ReadingThe solar year was the basis for the civil calendar by which the Mexicas (Aztecs) determined the myriad ceremonies and rituals linked to agricultural cycles. The calendar was made up of 18 months, each lasting 20 days. The months were divided into four five-day weeks. The year was rounded out to 365 days by the […]
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If Lake Chapala could speak for itself, Mark Twain’s famous comment might come to mind: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” Since torrential rains began battering much of central Mexico in mid-August, the nation’s largest lake has undergone a truly astonishing transformation. Tourists boats that were forced to dock over a kilometer away […]
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The Complete Text (English & Spanish) Published or Updated on: December 1, 1998 by Dale Hoyt Palfrey © 1998
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When reenacting Mary and Joseph’s quest for shelter in Bethlehem, participants in the traditional Posada processions stop to sing a litany at several designated homes. The verses alternate one by one between those seeking lodging outside and those responding from behind the door. The lyrics are as follows: Español English Outside Singers Inside Response Outside […]
Continue ReadingNo sooner had the Spanish conquistadores vanquished the Aztec Empire militarily, than the spiritual conquest of Indian Mexico began. The Spaniards were devoutly Roman Catholic. It should be remembered that Spain’s rise to power came as a direct result of regaining the Iberian peninsula from Moslem rule. In return for having driven out the Moors, the Pope […]
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Dale Hoyt Palfrey © 1995 Her face is unforgettable and she goes by many names: La Catrina, la Flaca, la Huesuda, la Pelona — Fancy Lady, Skinny, Bony, Baldy. A fixture in Mexican society, she’s not some trendy fashion model, but La Muerte — Death. Renowned writer Octavio Paz observes that, undaunted by death, the […]
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Fiestas abound in Mexico. The following listing of major Mexican holidays, by no means complete, is intended to help the newcomer to Mexico understand the motive for hearing rockets blasting off at dawn, finding a local bank or post office closed on a weekday, or encountering traffic brought to a halt by a passing parade […]
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Dreaming of a white Christmas? If you’re spending December in Mexico, forget it! The closest you’ll come to frosty is to reminisce on winter wonderlands while sipping an icy margarita. You can expect the holiday season south of the border to be as warm and colorful as a tropical garden. And you’ll discover a delightful […]
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Dale Hoyt Palfrey The most important center of the Mexican highlands after the fall of Teotihuacan was Cholula, near the twin volcanic peaks Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl and the city of Puebla. The Great Pyramid there, dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, is the largest single structure in the New World. Towering 181 feet high and covering an area […]
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