Mexico – Fake Flamenco

The Persistence of Memory, Part 2

How will we be remembered? The animated films The Book of Life and Coco show different sides of this topic quite well. Both are good movies to see in order to find out more about the traditions of Día de los Muertos, in Mexican culture which is influenced by the indigenous cultures of the Maya, […]

history, Indigenous Peoples, Mexico, Spanish Culture and Language

Día de los Muertos 2021

This day, according to Mixteca, Maya and Zapoteca tradition, we remember those who have passed on. Here is my graveyard of people who lived with gusto defending human rights, achieving civil rights, and protesting with their art. As is my tradition, I made these gravestones for the year’s muertitos (dearly departed) in time for Halloween. […]

Gardening, Mexico, Spanish Culture and Language, The Americas

Gnomes Join Day of the Dead?

Jolly Scandanavian gnomes seen celebrating Día de los Muertos! Who knew this Mexican tradition would reach Scandanavia? ¡Olé! –Rebecca This post celebrates Flower of the Day and Past Squares; #30. #FOTD #pastsquares

book review, Indigenous Peoples, Mexico

3 Maya Reading Adventures

JC Cervantes makes learning about the Maya pantheon part of the fun in her Zane Obispo middle grade series. The first book, The Storm Runner, answers the question: What would you do if you just found out you were the half human son of the Maya creation god Kulkulkan? JC Cervantes brings alive the Maya […]

Afro-Latinos, Argentina, Chile, Humor, Latinas, Mexico, Spanish Culture and Language

14 Literary/Activist Chicken Jokes

What would famous writers and activists say about the chicken crossing the road? In 1995, when the internet was new, my love interest forwarded a dozen such jokes to me. They were funny, yet not very diverse; one woman and no authors of color? I made my own list, according to what I was studying; […]

archeology, Architecture, history, Indigenous Peoples, Mexico, Spanish Culture and Language

Throwback Thursday: 5 Best Sights at Chichen Itza

Throwback Thursday takes us to the magnificent Chichen Itzá, our destination in 2005 days after our Ruta Puuc tour. (Click name to see the earlier August post.) The site is four square miles, so give yourself a full day to look around. El Castillo – Temple of Kukulkan (Quetzalcoatl) This tremendous monument was built in […]