Visitors who go beyond their Mayan past will benefit from the understanding that culture in the country isn't made up of a single influence.
There is no one take on anything. Not their national dress, not their pottery and handicraft, not their music. I liken it to a really good curry. It takes a whole lot of ingredients that can be conflicting and unusual, but they all form one great dish.
I was visiting a weekend market with my host. I told her I watched The Book of Life on the plane into Mexico. We had an interesting conversation about the icon of the Day of the Dead, La Calavera Catrina. She said that Mexicans find her beautiful and elegant. I told her all I saw was a skeleton in a gorgeous dress and a big floppy hat. It took me a while to see her from another point of view.
Like in most cultures, death isn't the end. In Mexican pagan belief, the departed carry on in a different world. But they can disappear if those left behind don't keep their memories alive. It is a beautiful thought, personified by a skeleton of a beautiful lady. She is as vital in the nether world as she must have been in this one.
Metaphysical concepts here belie the nature of the people. I learned that prior to Christianity's entry into the country, there was no concept of the devil or evil incarnations. The devil depicted in scenes from the Tree of Life was usually just a playful demon, a character that if anything is like a naughty kid who played pranks. Does it not tell you something about the indigenous population?
Unlike some societies today that rape their own land, Mexicans use and replenish their resources. I was amazed to see how the cactus could be a source of water, drink, food, shelter, handicraft and even clothes. I was given a needle that was made from its root. And believe me is IS sharp.
Each territory within Mexico is famous for a certain product. Whether silver production or intricate embroideries, they are all of very high standards. A shop keeper in a market commented how sharp my eye was in noticing which of her embroidered blouses were the best of the lot. I had no clue that the ones I was appreciating costed hundreds of dollars and took months to make. It was very hard to leave her store with nothing in my hand. It is worth noting that purchasing a locally made product (I did end up buying a hand crafted leather bag), means giving a sustainable livelihood to very talented artisans living in some of the poorest regions in the country.
I was surprised to hear that the richest man in the world is Mexican. Even more surprised that, perhaps either as an act of love and/or ego, he gifted a magnificent museum to his wife. She is a well known lover of art, and she just needed a place to store them. So they figured, why not share it with the people. And while they were at it, they decided to design the museum like something out of a sci-fi movie. Gorgeous modern architecture.
Like many museums, the Museo Soumaya is free for Mexicans. And fortunately for everyone else too. I noticed that unlike many prestigious museums around the world, there weren't so many security guards or glass cases to protect the work. And just from my observations, they didn't need them. Mexican visitors were so respectful of the work that there was no fooling around or brash behavior.
I started to understand how art and culture was in their blood.
It is easy to get inspired in this city. There is so much originality and depth, founded on centuries of evolution, that it carries its own voice. Yet, if the Kpop craze in Mexico is anything to go by, the people are still evolving and accepting of global influences.
I think that is my takeaway about Mexican culture.
It has a vibrant energy that at once is deeply rooted in its past, yet open enough to welcome the future.
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