Iconic Mexico: An Encyclopedia From Acapulco to Zócalo (2015)

Contents

Volume 1 Preface

xi

Acknowledgments

xv

Introduction

xvii

Timeline

xxvii

Acapulco

1

Adelita Document: Interview with an “Adelita” (1979)

7 13

Alebrijes

14

Álvarez Bravo, Manuel (1902–2002)

18

Angel of Independence Monument Document: Inaugurating the Angel of Independence (1910)

24 29

Ballet Folklórico Document: Mexico’s National Ballet (1962)

31 38

Bell of Dolores Document: The Grito de Dolores (1810–Present)

40 44

Bimbo Document: The Social Responsibility of Capitalists (1972)

46 51

Bracero Document: Bracero Laborers (1942–1964)

53 58

Bullfighting Document: A Ban on Bullfighting (2013)

62 66

Cabañas, Lucio (1938–1974) Document: “Mexico: Terrorism Still on the Rise” (1972)

68 74

v

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Cancún

77

Cantinas Document: The Campaign against Cantinas (1929) Document: Sample Slogans Used in the Antialcohol Campaign

82 87 89

Cantinflas (1911–1993)

90

Cárdenas, Cuauhtémoc (1934–) Document: Coming to Terms with the 1988 Elections (1988)

96 102

Cárdenas, Lázaro (1895–1970) Document: Solidarity with the Cuban Revolution (1959)

105 110

Chapultepec Park Document: A Visit to Chapultepec (1839)

113 118

Charro

121

Chávez, Carlos (1899–1978)

127

Chichén Itzá Document: Early Adventure Traveling to Chichén Itzá (1843)

133 139

Chicle Document: It’s Not Nice to Chew Gum in Public (1580)

142 147

Chile Pepper

149

China Poblana

154

Chocolate Document: Drinking Aztec Chocolate (1519)

160 165

Constitution of 1917 Document: The Constitutional Claim to Land and Water (1917)

168 174

Corrido Document: “La Adelita” (ca. 1914)

176 181

Cri-Crí Document: A Cricket Mocks Walt Disney (ca. 1945)

183 188

Cuauhtémoc (ca. 1495–1525) Document: The Iconic Stoicism of Cuauhtémoc

190 195

del Río, Eduardo (1935–)

197

Día de los Muertos

203

Díaz, Porfirio (1830–1915) Document: Praise for Mexico’s Strongman (1908)

208 213

Ejido

217

El Tri Document: “Abuse of Authority” (1974)

224 229

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Familia Burrón, La

230

Flores, Chava (1920–1987)

236

Fox Quesada, Vicente (1942–)

241

Frontera, La Document: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)

247 252

Golden Age Cinema Document: Codifying Mexico’s National Cinema (1949)

256 262

Gringo Document: A Gringo Among Revolutionaries (1914)

265 270

Inés de la Cruz, Sor Juana (1651–1695) Document: Sor Juana’s Complaints (1689)

272 277

Infante, Pedro (1917–1957)

279

Juárez, Benito (1806–1872) Document: The Legacy of Benito Juárez (ca. 1857)

284 289

Kahlo, Frida (1907–1954)

294

Lara, Agustín (1900–1970)

300

Las Casas, Bartolomé de (1484–1566) Document: In Defense of the Indians (1519)

306 311

Lecumberri

313

Locos del Ritmo, Los Document: “I’m No Rebel” (1960)

319 324

Lucha Libre

326

Maize Document: Mystery Corn (1899)

332 337

Malinche Document: Inventing “La Malinche” (1826)

339 344

Mariachi Document: Safeguarding Mariachi as World Heritage (2011)

346 352

Metro

356

Mole

362

Monsiváis, Carlos (1938–2010)

368

Monte de Piedad Document: A Culture of Hocking Goods (1886, 1933)

373 378

Muralism

380

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Volume 2 Narco Document: The Ever Wily Lola la Chata (1945)

387 392

National Cathedral

395

National Flag Document: Mexico’s National Anthem (1853)

400 405

Niños Heroes, Los Document: Storming Chapultepec Castle (1847)

407 412

Olmec

414

Olympic Games of 1968 Document: Olympic Victories (1968)

419 424

Pan Dulce Document: A Recipe for Sweet Breads (1611) Document: Bakers’ Strike (1895)

427 432 433

Papel Picado

434

Paz, Octavio (1914–1998) Document: A Toast to Nature (1990)

440 445

Petróleos Mexicanos Document: Nationalizing Mexico’s Oil (1938)

447 452

Piñata

455

Poniatowska, Elena (1932–) Document: Testimonials of a Massacre (1975)

460 465

Popocatépetl-Iztaccíhuatl Document: Meditating on El Popo (1846)

468 473

Posada, José Guadalupe (1852–1913) Document: Posada the Prophet (1929)

475 480

Partido Revolucionario Institucional Document: The Language of Power: PRIspeak (ca. 1930–2000)

483 488

Pulque Document: Pulquería Culture (ca. 1830)

489 494

Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon Document: Fathoming the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon (1887)

497 501

Quetzalcoatl Document: The Aztec “God of Air” (1524)

504 509

Sabina, María (1894–1985) Document: Mushroom Chants (1956)

510 515

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Salinas de Gortari, Carlos (1948–) Document: Inaugural Address of President Salinas de Gortari (1988)

517 523

Santa Anna, Antonio López de (1794–1876) Document: Santa Anna’s Dispatch (1838)

526 531

Slim Helú, Carlos (1940–) Document: Development Wisdom from a Billionaire (2009)

532 537

Sombrero

541

Student Movement of 1968 Document: A Warning to Student Demonstrators (1968)

548 553

Subcomandante Marcos (ca. 1957–) Document: Who and What Is Marcos? (1994–1995)

556 561

Superbarrio (1985–) Document: Superbarrio for President (1996)

563 568

Taco Document: Taco Recipes (1908, 1917)

571 576

Tehuana Document: A Voluptuous Isthmus (1859)

577 582

Telenovela Document: Praise for a Telenovela (1987)

584 590

Tequila Document: A Drink Worthy of World Heritage (2006)

591 596

Terremoto of 1985

598

Tijuana Document: Plan de San Diego (1915)

604 609

Tin Tan (1915–1973)

612

Tlaloc Document: Tlaloc Songs (ca. 1964)

617 621

Tlatelolco Document: The Marketplace (1519)

623 628

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

631

Villa, Francisco “Pancho” (1878–1920) Document: Pancho Villa’s Air Force (1914)

637 642

Virgin of Guadalupe Document: Mexico’s Virgin Mary (1938)

644 649

Vocho Document: The Beetles (1945–2003)

652 657

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Voladores Document: Flying Indians (1615)

658 663

Xochimilco Document: Battle at Xochimilco (1519)

666 671

Xoloitzcuintli Document: Setting Standards for the Hairless Dog (1956)

674 679

Zapata, Emiliano (1879–1919)

682

Zócalo

687

Bibliography

693

Editor and Contributors

697

Index

000

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Preface

An oft-repeated phrase coined by the late historian Leslie Byrd Simpson is that there are “many Mexicos.” Perhaps even more so in today’s postmodern age, it is a phrase that continues to resonate. Amid the country’s remarkable diversity the “many Mexicos”—including those that extend to the global diaspora—are nevertheless held together by shared points of identity. Within the rich heterogeneity that is “Mexico,” a repertoire of belonging binds Mexicans to their nation and to one another. This two-volume collection provides for high school and college students as well as for interested nonspecialist readers the first in-depth exploration of this shared repertoire that links the “many” into the “one.” From “Acapulco” to “Zócalo,” Iconic Mexico delves into 100 of the most iconic elements of Mexican history, culture, and politics. Here readers will find rich, indepth treatments by scholars on the most iconic people, places, social movements, and cultural manifestations—including food, dress, film, and music—that have given shape, form, and meaning to modern Mexico and its people, both at home and in the international diaspora. Each entry is organized along a common structure: an opening introduction followed by a historical discussion on origins, an analysis of the icon’s trajectory over time (including its transformation through engagement with other iconic elements of Mexico’s body politic), and a concluding segment that incorporates a reflection on the ways in which the icon continues to resonate into the present. Each entry is followed by a list of “See also” terms that crossreference other entries in the collection and a “Further Reading” section that identifies some of the most significant works on the topic to help guide readers toward further research. Generally speaking, I have chosen to include only text-based sources in this section. There is ample material on the Internet for readers to pursue, and the entries themselves often provide many indications for further exploration through film and music. Many of the entries found in this collection, such as “Cancún,” “Sombrero,” “Taco,” and “Tequila,” will surely ring familiar to readers. Others, such as “Angel of Independence Monument” and “Ballet Folklórico,” may likely be familiar only to those who have spent some time in Mexico either as tourists or students. Still others, such as “El Tri,” “Vocho,” and “Xoloitzcuintli,” will no doubt come across as bewildering, in pronunciation and meaning alike! I encourage the reader to explore widely and to use the “See also” section at the end of each entry as a way of deepening their knowledge on a particular term. xi

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| Preface Many arguably iconic aspects of Mexican national identity did not make it into the top 100 list of entries. For instance, it was simply impossible to include biographical entries on the numerous historical figures who have shaped Mexican history, from Montezuma and Hernán Cortés to Miguel Hidalgo and Archduke Maximilian. Where possible, I have sought to address this lacuna by consolidating historical figures under a different iconic figure or a common iconic rubric. Thus, readers interested in learning about Montezuma and Cortés should look under the entry “Cuauhtémoc” (the Aztec successor to Montezuma who heroically resisted the Spanish), while those interested in Miguel Hidalgo (Mexico’s independence leader) should look under “Bell of Dolores” (the church bell famously rung by Hidalgo that became an icon of Mexican independence), and readers curious about Maximilian should look under the entry “Juárez, Benito” (Juárez defended the republic against Maximilian). Likewise, it would have absorbed far too much space to dedicate an entry to each of the revolutionary (and counterrevolutionary) figures. Although Francisco Madero and Venustiano Carranza (not to mention Victoriano Huerta) did not make it, entries on Porfirio Díaz, Emiliano Zapata, and Francisco “Pancho” Villa did. Indeed, my intent is for readers to seek insight into Mexican history less through the prism of heroic individuals than through the movements and outcomes that are linked with such figures. Hence, while the entries “National Flag,” “Constitution of 1917,” “Ejido” and others do bring in the many important political figures who have shaped Mexican history, they do so without unduly organizing our conceptualization of Mexico primarily around such figures. Similarly, rather than create a separate entry for each of the tres grandes (three greats) identified with Mexican muralism or for the numerous estrellas de cine (film stars) associated with the era of golden age Mexican cinema, I instead created a single entry for each of these cultural movements. At the same time, the reader will find separate entries on certain iconic individuals, including the painter Frida Kahlo and the iconic cinematic personalities Pedro Infante, Cantinflas, and Tin Tan (María Félix, regrettably, did not make it as a separate entry). In some cases, I needed to choose one individual over another. Thus, while there is no stand-alone entry on the major 20th-century writers Salvador Novo and Carlos Fuentes, entries on Carlos Monsiváis and Elena Poniatowska incorporate references to these and other literary figures. Likewise, many arguably iconic architectural structures did not make it into the project, though some, such as the National Cathedral and the urban housing complex at Tlatelolco (Nonoalco-Tlatelolco), more commonly known in English as the Plaza of the Three Cultures, did. But readers might look under related entries to find references to iconic structures; for example, for the National Museum of Anthropology look under the entry “Tlaloc,” and for the Paseo de la Reforma look under the entry “Angel of Independence Monument.” Spanish-language names for individuals incorporate two last names, a paternal name (first last name) and a maternal name (second last name). In the cases where individuals are widely recognized by only their first (paternal) last name, I have used the shortened version as a header (e.g., “Lázaro Cárdenas” vs. “Lázaro Cárdenas del Río”). In cases where both last names are more commonly cited, I have kept the longer name intact (e.g., “Carlos Salinas de Gortari”).

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Each entry also includes one or more sidebars. These short excursions away from the central body of an entry present fascinating tidbits and historical anecdotes related to some aspect of the text. Oftentimes they also provide an opportunity to explore some other iconic figure or aspect that did not make it into the project as a whole. For instance, in the entry “Quetzalcoatl,” readers will learn about the concheros, the neo-Aztec dancers who populate Mexico City’s central plazas and have become an iconic element of contemporary urban culture. Similarly, the entry “Zócalo” has a sidebar dedicated to the iconic Aztec calendar stone. Furthermore, most though not all entries are paired with a related primary document. In many cases these selections reflect original translations of documents not previously known to readers. In other cases, the documents themselves are widely recognized as iconic. In each instance, having access to this primary source material will greatly enhance readers’ opportunities to deepen their own understanding of Mexican history, politics, and culture as well as to pursue new avenues of original investigation. Finally, a detailed subject index, a timeline of key events, and a selected general bibliography will prove useful to readers. Wherever possible, I have used the original Spanish term to identify an entry and placed the commonly used English translation of the term in text, with English translations and other variations given in blind entries (e.g., Day of the Dead. See Día de los Muertos).

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