Although visitors to 21 st -century Mexico may discover major differences between city and rural life, la familia (lah fah-MEE-lee-a, “the family”) remains at the core of Mexican society.
All Mexicans believe in the importance of la familia.The father (or oldest living male) reigns as head of the household. Many young girls still expect to spend their entire lives at home caring for husbands, children, and older relatives. Grandparents are revered for their age and wisdom. In both urban and rural areas, three generations often live in one house. Most families share a midday meal, take walks around the neighborhood or local marketplace in the evening, and spend the majority of their time together. Sundays are reserved for church and visiting family.
Family groups in large urban areas such as Mexico City or Monterrey lead lives very similar to those of their North American and European counterparts. Values are fairly open and liberal. Women have many more opportunities in large cities, including advanced education and professional careers. Jobs are easier to find and health care is more readily available.
In contrast, rural life has changed little during the past 100 years. Most people are very poor. Children, parents, and grandparents live crowded together in one- or two-room adobe houses. These small, windowless shelters have no indoor plumbing or electricity. Beds are often straw mats called petates (peh-TAH-tes), spread over the dirt floor.
Rural families may be poor, but they maintain a great sense of pride in themselves and their lifestyles. No one ever says they are poor; instead, they say they are humilde (hu-MIL-deh), or “humble.” Well-tended flower gardens brighten the front of even the smallest houses. Farmers prefer to follow the same working methods established by native ancestors living long before the Spanish conquerors.
Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
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Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Animal Central
From golden frogs to big cats to colorful birds, the national animals of Central America represent the geography and cultures of the region. For a quick sampling of creatures plain and beautiful, common and rare, read on.
31 Countries Biosphere
The Trifinio Fraternidad Biosphere Reserve is located at a spot where El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras converge. A biosphere is the layer of planet Earth where life exists.
THE LEGEND OF THE QUETZAL BIRD
A Mayan Tale retold by Pat Betteley illustrated by Amanda Shepherd
Semana Santa GUATEMALA'S HOLY WEEK
What if Easter preparations meant dyeing sand, collecting pine needles, and staying up all night to work on an art project that you knew would be ruined the very next day? Well, welcome to Guatemala’s Semana Santa, or Holy Week.
ME OH-MAYA!
The Maya are groups of people who live in parts of Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Their ancestors created a great society. At its peak, from 600-900 C.E., the Maya civilization was more advanced than its neighbors in the Americas.
Playing Games Honduras-style
Would you play the same games in Honduras that you do in the United States? You might. Children in Honduras enjoy many of the same games North Americans do. They go fishing and shoot baskets. They play sandlot baseball—called bate (BAH tay). They fly kites and ride bikes. Their parents may go horseback riding or play golf or tennis.
LIVING A LONG LIFE IN THE Blue Zone
Most people would like to live as long a life as possible. No one really knows why some people live longer than others, but did you know that where you live can play a big part in how many years you’ll be alive? If you live in a Blue Zone, chances are that you will live much longer than people in other parts of the world.
ATTENTION WORLD: Belize Saves Their Coral Reef
Sea turtles float in clear waters, colorful corals hug the ocean floor, and aquatic animals glide among the mangrove roots. Welcome to the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, the second-largest coral reef in the world (Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is number one). Several years ago, this reef was in crisis, heading toward destruction. But the people of Belize fought back to save their reef’s health.
The Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a 51-mile long canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
This is Central America!
It’s time to visit Central America. But first, it helps to know exactly where Central America is. Despite its name, it is the southernmost part of North America, which can seem a little confusing. It makes up most of the isthmus dividing the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that connects two larger landmasses and has water on both sides.