American eating habits are very diverse. These diverse foods in America are influenced by immigrants. One of most enjoyed cuisines from other countries is Mexican food. There are not only a lot of original and fusion style Mexican cuisines, but people can enjoy Mexican fast food. Especially the consumption rate of tacos and burritos is growing in the food service industry. Most Americans love to eat tacos and burritos. We cannot look over the influence that the Mexican culture has had on foods consumed in America.
When I go to the mall, downtown, or neighboring cities, I see a lot of Mexicans or those from Central America. The Hispanic population in America is growing faster than any other ethnic group for the past decade. One day I saw seven Mexican kids with their parents were getting off a van in Manassas city. Many Hispanic families live together in accommodations that are not large enough for large family. Some people cannot understand why the Hispanic population gives birth to so many children, even though parents are not able to support their families. Overcrowding and immigration issues have become heated topics in today’s political races, both locally and nationally.
Mexican families have stronger ties than other nationalities. Most of the Mexicans that are unwed stay with their parents compared to the youth of other countries that move out on their own when they are financial stable. Mexicans also are very close to and share their celebrations or other events with their relatives. Therefore, the unity of members of family and their friends makes the Mexican community the largest cultural group in America. As the word spreads that America is a great place to live, more Mexicans are leaving their native country to better their lives.
Those Mexicans that have lived in America for many generations are due to historical reasons as well as migrating to America in the early 1900’s to nowadays. The United States acquired California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas from Mexico. Mexican and American cultures were mixed by early American and Mexican settlers. Mexicans maintained the mixed culture of American because of a necessity for allegiances and geographic condition (Buenker and Ratner 219). After the Mexican Revolution in 1910, the United States opened its borders for immigrant Mexican as unskilled workers; such as agricultural, railroad track, steel, auto, and packinghouse labor (Buenker and Ratner 220-221). Mexicans’ still immigrating and walking across the border makes the population explode when they give birth to children in America.
Mexican culture and foods are deeply rooted in America, due mainly to the geographical proximity and shear numbers of Mexican immigrants.
We can trace the rich heritage and the characteristic lifestyle of Mexicans from Texas to California. I visited Texas several times. I fondly recall my trips there and all of Mexican heritage that I was able to enjoy including: the Alamo, Mission Road, and the Mexican architecture and arts.
Most Mexicans are Catholic but they do not recognize the Virgin Mary. Their Catholicism worships the Virgin of Guadalupe, a dark skinned Virgin Mary. According to Mexican Americans. com, the "shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe" began with the appearance of Virgin Mary’s spirit to Juan Diego who was an Indian neophyte in 1531.
Mexicans enjoy their parties, called “fiestas” with family and friends, dancing the salsa, singing, and playing their own style of music.
One of distinguish characteristics of Mexican culture is the time devoted to sitting down and enjoying their meals. Mexicans have five meals a day. "The three-meal pattern prevails, although whether or not the major meal of the day occurs in mid-afternoon is unclear" (Warrix). The most important meal is dinner, which can last for about four hours.
The Mexican culture is very distinguished and unique but it has been able to fuse itself into American society.
References:
Buenker, John A. and Lorman A. Ratner., ed. Multiculturalism in the United States. New York: Greenwood Press, 1992.
Warrix, Marisa. Cultural Diversity: Eating in America Mexican American. <http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-Fact/5000/5255.html>
<http://www.mexicanamericans.com/>
When I go to the mall, downtown, or neighboring cities, I see a lot of Mexicans or those from Central America. The Hispanic population in America is growing faster than any other ethnic group for the past decade. One day I saw seven Mexican kids with their parents were getting off a van in Manassas city. Many Hispanic families live together in accommodations that are not large enough for large family. Some people cannot understand why the Hispanic population gives birth to so many children, even though parents are not able to support their families. Overcrowding and immigration issues have become heated topics in today’s political races, both locally and nationally.
Mexican families have stronger ties than other nationalities. Most of the Mexicans that are unwed stay with their parents compared to the youth of other countries that move out on their own when they are financial stable. Mexicans also are very close to and share their celebrations or other events with their relatives. Therefore, the unity of members of family and their friends makes the Mexican community the largest cultural group in America. As the word spreads that America is a great place to live, more Mexicans are leaving their native country to better their lives.
Those Mexicans that have lived in America for many generations are due to historical reasons as well as migrating to America in the early 1900’s to nowadays. The United States acquired California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas from Mexico. Mexican and American cultures were mixed by early American and Mexican settlers. Mexicans maintained the mixed culture of American because of a necessity for allegiances and geographic condition (Buenker and Ratner 219). After the Mexican Revolution in 1910, the United States opened its borders for immigrant Mexican as unskilled workers; such as agricultural, railroad track, steel, auto, and packinghouse labor (Buenker and Ratner 220-221). Mexicans’ still immigrating and walking across the border makes the population explode when they give birth to children in America.
Mexican culture and foods are deeply rooted in America, due mainly to the geographical proximity and shear numbers of Mexican immigrants.
We can trace the rich heritage and the characteristic lifestyle of Mexicans from Texas to California. I visited Texas several times. I fondly recall my trips there and all of Mexican heritage that I was able to enjoy including: the Alamo, Mission Road, and the Mexican architecture and arts.
Most Mexicans are Catholic but they do not recognize the Virgin Mary. Their Catholicism worships the Virgin of Guadalupe, a dark skinned Virgin Mary. According to Mexican Americans. com, the "shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe" began with the appearance of Virgin Mary’s spirit to Juan Diego who was an Indian neophyte in 1531.
Mexicans enjoy their parties, called “fiestas” with family and friends, dancing the salsa, singing, and playing their own style of music.
One of distinguish characteristics of Mexican culture is the time devoted to sitting down and enjoying their meals. Mexicans have five meals a day. "The three-meal pattern prevails, although whether or not the major meal of the day occurs in mid-afternoon is unclear" (Warrix). The most important meal is dinner, which can last for about four hours.
The Mexican culture is very distinguished and unique but it has been able to fuse itself into American society.
References:
Buenker, John A. and Lorman A. Ratner., ed. Multiculturalism in the United States. New York: Greenwood Press, 1992.
Warrix, Marisa. Cultural Diversity: Eating in America Mexican American. <http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-Fact/5000/5255.html>
<http://www.mexicanamericans.com/>
4 comments:
You know, I would challenge your comment that many wonder about Mexican families having too many children. I think that issue happens with most families of all cultures in the United States. Especially with the way we're heading economically, the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer; my grandparents (Italian-Hungarian and Irish-French) came from families of 10 and 9 kids, repectively. It's so much more cultural and religious (think, the Catholic church does not support birth control) than it is economic.
Housing is certainly an issue, but I wonder if the housing of those of Mexican descent in our area is more of a fear issue ("they're taking over!" versus a reality). Can you provide any statistics that show that Mexican families overcrowding housing?
These are just some of the things that stood out to me...when you're exploring these cultures, make sure to keep going on some of this cultural issues. You mention some points here and then just move on, maybe too quickly.
Finally, where did you get that fantastic image?
>"Most Mexicans are Catholic but they do not recognize the Virgin Mary. Their Catholicism worships the Virgin of Guadalupe, a dark skinned Virgin Mary."
Great article, but you've got a few errors here. Mexican Catholics do recognize the Virgin Mary. Mexican Catholics do NOT worship the Virgin of Guadalupe. Worship is reserved to God alone. You seem to have confused some of the actons associated with hyper-dulia (honor) with latria (worship).
God bless...
Lots of information and good ones too! I am the 1st generation of my family to be born here in the states. Both of my parents migrated from Mexico and settled in the South East suburbs of Chicago. Until this day I wonder why out of the whole country they decide to live there.
It’s true to see people from Mexico and Central American countries have a significant influence in today’s society. We see people in the States eating Spanish foods and also learning to speak the Spanish language.
There is one thing that many people get misconstrued and on many cases not on purpose. For example some non Hispanic people here in the local metro area feel as if everyone one is Mexican just because they speak Spanish. That is not the case, everyone that speaks Spanish in not only Mexican and a majority of Latin population in the Northern Virginia area are mixed with Salvadorian, Honduran and other Central American backgrounds. It’s like saying all Koreans, Japanese are all Chinese. Every culture has its own identity and background.
A very enlightening post! I myself am Mexican-American and found your view on the culture interesting.
I recently took a trip to San Antonio, Texas, where the population is made up of minorities. I sat in at one of my friends classes, Texas Politics, and the professor explained that Anglo's will make up only 33% of the population there in twenty years.
The amount of hispanics in this area has grown rapidly since I lived here before about 12 years ago. But many of the people here think it is mainly Mexicans when infact most of them are from other countries in Central America, a big misunderstanding for Americans.
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