Celebrations for Mexico’s Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) or, more correctly Night of the Dead (Noche de Muertos), date back to pre-Hispanic times. Indigenous Mexican peoples held many strong beliefs connected with death; for example that the dead needed the same things as the living, hence their bodies should be buried with their […]
Ten new “Magic Towns” have been announced, bringing the total number nationwide to 121. The lates additions are: Melchor Múzquiz, Coahuila Nombre de Dios, Durango Comonfort, Guanajuato Zimapán, Hidalgo Tlaquepaque, Jalisco Compostela, Nayarit Amealco de Bonfil, Querétaro Aquismón, San Luis Potosí Bustamante, Nuevo León Guadalupe, Zacatecas See also: The continued devaluation of the Magic Town […]
Several previous administrations have tried to decentralize Mexico, encouraging businesses to set up in the “periphery” away from the “core” of Mexico City and central Mexico. The incoming administration has announced its intention to move several federal government Secretariats away from Mexico City. The plans are discussed in some detail in this interesting article by […]
Happy birthday, Mexico! On 16 September 2018, Mexico celebrates the 208th anniversary of its independence from Spain. When was Mexico’s War of Independence? The long struggle for independence began on 16 September 1810; independence was finally “granted” by Spain in 1821. Many Mexican place names were changed following Mexican Independence (1821) Want some map-related geographic […]
For anyone who continues to doubt the potentially disastrous impacts of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border on wildlife (let alone people), then perhaps these two articles will help you decide which side of the fence you want to be on: A Wall in the Wild: The Disastrous Impacts of Trump’s Border Wall on […]
The holiday of Cinco de Mayo (5 May) commemorates the Battle of Puebla, fought on May 5, 1862. The battle (against the French) marks Mexico’s only major military success since its independence from Spain in 1821. Today, in a curious example of cultural adaptation, the resulting holiday is actually celebrated more widely in the USA […]
A new museum 40 kilometers northwest of the Yucatán state capital – Mérida – is expected to open later this year to explain the nearby Chicxulub Crater, created by an asteroid impact 65 million years ago, and believed to be responsible for the demise of the dinosaurs. New Museum’s theme is asteroid crater.
Excellent analysis of last year’s major earthquakes in Mexico: Were Mexico’s September Quakes Chance or a Chain Reaction?
Some parts of Mexico have been working on Christmas for most of the year… For example, the manufacturing of beautiful handmade Christmas tree decorations is the main industry today in the former gold and silver mining town of Tlalpujahua in the state of Michoacán. The production of Christmas ornaments in Tlapujahua has a great series […]
Katherine Kornei has just published an interesting account of the recent effects in Mexico City of ground subsidence on the city’s metro system: Sinking of Mexico City linked to metro accident, with more to come Amazing what is possible using satellite technology!