Culture of Mexico facts for kids
Mexico is a country with a rich and vibrant culture. It has been shaped by its original Indigenous people and the culture of Spain. You can think of Mexican culture as a mix of ancient American ways and European traditions. Other parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa have also added small influences.
People first lived in Mexico over 10,000 years ago. The cultures that grew there became some of the world's first great civilizations. For 300 years, Spain ruled Mexico. During this time, Mexico became a meeting point for people and cultures from Europe and Latin America. After Mexico became independent, its government worked to create a shared national identity. Many things we know as Mexican today, like Mariachi music and cowboys, were created by people of mixed Indigenous and Spanish heritage, called Mestizos.
What makes up a Mexican person's culture depends on their family, gender, religion, where they live, and their social class. Life in Mexican cities is now quite similar to life in the United States and Europe. However, people in smaller towns and rural areas often keep older traditions alive more strongly.
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Religion in Mexico
When the Spanish arrived and took control, they brought Roman Catholicism to Mexico. This religion quickly became the main one in the country. Mexico is a secular state, meaning the government and religion are separate. The country's laws limit the church's power, and the government does not give money to the church. The church also does not teach in public schools.
In 2010, most people in Mexico (about 95.6%) were Christian. Most of these were Roman Catholics, making up 89% of the total population. About 47% of Catholics go to church every week. Mexico has the second-largest number of Catholics in the world, after Brazil. Christmas is a national holiday, and all schools in Mexico close for vacation during Easter and Christmas every year.
Other religious groups in Mexico include evangelicals, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Adventists. A small number of people are Jewish or follow other religions. About 3.5% of people said they had no religion.
Mexican Arts
Mexico is famous for its folk art traditions. These often come from a mix of Indigenous and Spanish crafts. Before the Spanish arrived, art was very important for thousands of years. Early Mexican art often used sharp, straight patterns and 3D pottery.
Some well-known handicrafts include clay pottery from Oaxaca and Tonala. You can see colorful embroidered cotton clothes, shawls, and bright baskets and rugs everywhere. Mexico is also known for its ancient buildings, especially large public, ceremonial, and city structures.
After the Spanish conquest, the first art was made to help spread Christianity and build churches. Spanish leaders often hired Indigenous stonemasons and sculptors to build churches, monuments, and religious art like altars. The popular style at this time was called Baroque. From Mexico's independence until the early 1900s, Mexican fine arts were still mostly influenced by European styles.
After the Mexican Revolution, a new group of Mexican artists started a strong national art movement. They put political, historical, and folk themes into their work. Painters like Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Siqueiros were leaders of Mexican muralism. Their huge murals, often on public buildings, showed important social ideas. Rufino Tamayo and Frida Kahlo created more personal art with abstract parts. Mexican art photography grew largely thanks to the work of Manuel Álvarez Bravo.
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El Valle de México, s. XIX (The Valley of Mexico).
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Mural by Diego Rivera at the National Palace showing Mexico's history from the Conquest to the early 20th century.
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Literature and Language
Mexican literature has roots in the writings of ancient Mesoamerican groups and European literature. The most famous poet from before the Spanish conquest was Netzahualcoyotl. Modern Mexican literature is shaped by the ideas of the Spanish colonial period. Important writers and poets from that time include Juan Ruiz de Alarcón and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.
Other well-known writers include Octavio Paz, who won a Nobel Prize, and Carlos Fuentes.
Languages of Mexico
Mexico has the most Spanish-speaking people in the world. Even though most Mexicans speak Spanish, there is no single official language for the whole country. The government recognizes 62 different Indigenous Amerindian languages as national languages.
Some Spanish words in Mexico come from the country's Indigenous languages. About 6% of the population still speaks these languages. Some Indigenous Mexican words have even become common in other languages, like English. For example, the words tomato, chocolate, coyote, and avocado all come from the Nahuatl language.
Architecture in Mexico
Mexico has 34 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, more than any other country in the Americas. Most of these sites are important examples of Mexico's architectural history. Ancient Mesoamerican architecture in Mexico is known for its public, ceremonial, and large city buildings. Some of these are among the biggest monuments in the world. This architecture is divided into three periods: Pre-Classic, Classic, and Post-Classic. The famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said that the Puuc-style buildings of the Maya were the best in the Western Hemisphere.
The New Spanish Baroque style was very popular in early colonial Mexico. From the late 1600s to 1750, one of Mexico's most popular building styles was Mexican Churrigueresque. This style mixed Indigenous and Moorish decorative ideas.
The Academy of San Carlos, started in 1788, was the first major art school in the Americas. This academy promoted Neoclassicism, which focused on Greek and Roman art and buildings. Important Neoclassical works include the Hospicio Cabañas and the Palacio de Minería, both designed by Spanish Mexican architect Manuel Tolsá.
From 1864 to 1867, during the Second Mexican Empire, Maximilian I was the emperor of Mexico. His legacy in architecture includes redesigning the Castillo de Chapultepec and creating the Paseo de la Reforma. This period, largely paid for by France, was short. However, it started a time when French styles influenced Mexican architecture and culture. This style became even more popular when Porfirio Diaz was president, as he loved French culture. Famous buildings from this time include the Palacio de Correos (Post Office Palace) and a large railway network.
After the Mexican Revolution in 1917, people started to value Indigenous and traditional styles more. This showed a desire to connect with the past and bring back what had been lost during the push for modernization.
Modern styles like functionalism and expressionism have also left their mark on many buildings. Mexican design elements have been mixed with European and American techniques. A great example is the work of Pritzker Prize winner Luis Barragán. His own home, the Luis Barragán House and Studio, is a World Heritage Site.
Enrique Norten, who started TEN Arquitectos, has won many awards for his work in modern architecture. His buildings show a modern style that helps Mexico present itself as an industrialized country with a global presence.
Other important modern architects include Mario Schjetnan and Michel Rojkind.
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Mexican Cinema
The story of Mexican cinema began in the early 1900s. At that time, people interested in the new film technology recorded historical events, especially the Mexican Revolution. The "Golden Age of Mexican cinema" was from 1935 to 1959. During this time, Mexican movies were very good and very successful. Famous actors like Cantinflas and Dolores del Río became stars.
Today, there are many talented Mexican filmmakers. These include Alejandro González Iñárritu (who directed Amores perros and Babel), Alfonso Cuarón (who directed Children of Men and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), and Guillermo del Toro (who directed Pan's Labyrinth).
National Holidays and Celebrations
Mexicans celebrate their Independence from Spain on September 16th. Other holidays are celebrated with big parties called "Fiestas." Many Mexican cities, towns, and villages have a yearly festival to honor their local patron saints. During these events, people pray and light candles in churches decorated with flowers. They also have large parades, fireworks, dance contests, and beauty pageants. Everyone parties and buys food and drinks in the markets and public squares. In smaller towns, soccer and boxing are also part of the celebrations.
Other important celebrations include Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe ("Our Lady of Guadalupe Day"), Las Posadas (celebrated from December 16th to 24th), Noche Buena ("Holy Night," December 24th), Navidad ("Christmas," December 25th), and Año Nuevo ("New Year's Day," December 31st to January 1st).
"Guadalupe Day" is seen by many Mexicans as the most important religious holiday. It honors the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, and is celebrated on December 12th. In recent years, all the celebrations from mid-December to early January have been linked together in what is called the Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon.
Epiphany on the evening of January 5th marks the Twelfth Night of Christmas. This is when the figurines of the three wise men are added to nativity scenes. Traditionally in Mexico, the three wise men bring gifts to children, leaving them in or near their shoes. Mexican families also celebrate by eating Rosca de reyes (King's Cake).
The Day of the Dead mixes ancient beliefs with Christian ideas. This holiday, on November 2nd, focuses on families and friends gathering to pray for and remember loved ones who have passed away. People believe that the living must care for the dead so that the dead will protect the living. Traditions include building private altars for the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and drinks of those who have died. Families also visit graves with these gifts. These gifts turn the graveyard into a warm and welcoming place to celebrate the dead.
In modern Mexico, especially in big cities and in the North, local traditions are now mixed with the Santa Claus tradition from North America. Other holidays like Halloween are also becoming more popular due to American movies and TV. This has created a gift-giving season that lasts from Christmas Day until January 6th.
A piñata is a fun part of Mexican celebrations. It is made from papier-mache and shaped like popular people, animals, or characters. It's painted with bright colors and filled with candy or small toys. Then, it's hung up. Children are blindfolded and take turns hitting the piñata until it breaks open, and the treats fall out. The children then gather the candy and toys.
Mexican Cuisine
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Mexican cuisine is famous for mixing Indigenous and European cultures. In 2010, UNESCO added Mexican cuisine to its list of important cultural heritage. Traditionally, key Mexican ingredients included maize (corn), beans, different kinds of meat, potatoes, tomatoes, seafood, chili peppers, squash, nuts, avocados, and many native herbs.
Popular dishes are tacos, enchiladas, mole sauce, tamales, and pozole. Popular drinks include water flavored with various fruit juices, and cinnamon-flavored hot chocolate. This chocolate is often frothed using a traditional wooden tool called a molinillo. Alcoholic drinks from Mexico include mezcal, pulque, and tequila. Mexican beer is also popular and exported. Mexico also has award-winning wineries that produce and export wine.
The most important spices in Mexican cooking are chili powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro, cinnamon, and cocoa. Chipotle, which is a smoked-dried jalapeño pepper, is also common. Many Mexican dishes also use onions and garlic, which are basic foods in Mexico.
After corn, rice is the most common grain in Mexican food. Rice came to Mexico from Spain in the 1520s. This created one of the first great examples of Fusion cuisine in the world.
In southeastern Mexico, especially in the Yucatán Peninsula, spicy vegetable and meat dishes are common. The food in this region has some Caribbean influence because of its location. Seafood is often prepared in states along the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is famous for its fish dishes, especially à la veracruzana.
Chocolate first came from Mexico and was highly valued by the Aztecs. It is still an important ingredient in Mexican cooking.
Vanilla also came from Mexico. The Totonacs on Mexico's east coast were the first to grow it. Vanilla is used in Mexico to flavor drinks like horchata and desserts like churros.
Mexican tea culture is known for its traditional herbal teas, such as chamomile, linden, orange blossom, and lemongrass.
Music and Dance
The roots of Mexican music come from its Indigenous sounds and heritage. The first people of the land used drums, flutes, rattles, conches as trumpets, and their voices to make music and dances. These were common during celebrations. Some of this ancient music is still played today. However, much of Mexico's traditional music was created during and after the Spanish colonial period, using many instruments from the "old world." Many traditional instruments, like the Mexican vihuela used in Mariachi music, were changed from their old world versions and are now seen as very Mexican.
Mexican society enjoys many types of music, showing how diverse Mexican culture is. Traditional music includes Mariachi, Banda, Norteño, Ranchera, and Corridos. Traditional Mexican music is also popular outside Mexico, especially in Chile.
Mexicans also listen to modern music like pop and Mexican rock. Mexico has the biggest media industry in Latin America, producing Mexican artists who are famous across the Americas and parts of Europe.
Folk songs called corridos have been popular in Mexico since the early 1900s. They might tell stories of the Mexican Revolution, pride, romance, poverty, politics, or crime. Important contributions to Mexico's music from Afro-Mexicans include the Son Jarocho and the marimba.
Mariachis perform on streets, at festivals, and in restaurants. A common Mariachi group can have singers, violins, a guitarrón (large bass guitar), a guitarra de golpe, vihuela, guitars, and trumpets. The most famous Mariachi group is Vargas de Tecalitlán, which started in 1897.
Other traditional regional music styles in Mexico include Huapango (from northeastern regions, using violin and two guitars) and Norteña (from the North, using a drum and accordion).
Folk dances are a key part of Mexican culture. A very important dance is the "Jarabe Tapatío", known as the "Mexican hat dance." Traditional dancers perform hopping steps and heel and toe-tapping movements.
Some well-known "classical" composers include Manuel M. Ponce and Carlos Chávez. Popular composers include Agustín Lara and Consuelo Velázquez, who wrote "Bésame mucho".
Traditional Mexican music has influenced modern Mexican pop and rock. Famous Mexican pop singers include Luis Miguel and Alejandro Fernández. Latin rock musicians like Carlos Santana and Café Tacuba have used Mexican folk tunes in their music. Traditional Mexican music is still performed by artists like Lila Downs.
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Northern Dance in Nuevo León.
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Jarabe Tapatío in the traditional China Poblana dress.
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Danza de los Voladores, a ritual dance performed by the Totonacs.
Sport in Mexico
The traditional national sport of Mexico is Charreria. This involves a series of equestrian (horse riding) events. The national horse of Mexico, used in Charreria, is the Azteca. Bullfighting, a tradition brought from Spain, is also popular. Mexico has the world's largest bullfighting arena, the Plaza México in Mexico City, which can hold 48,000 people.
Football (soccer) is the most popular team sport in Mexico. Most states have their own football teams. Some of the country's important teams include Chivas de Guadalajara, Club América, and Cruz Azul. Famous players include Hugo Sánchez and Javier Hernández.
Mexico hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1968. It also hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1970 and 1986. Mexico will be the first country to host the FIFA World Cup three times when it co-hosts in 2026.
Images for kids
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Plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Square) The "Zocalo"
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The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963.
- Alebrije, folk art sculptures
- China Poblana
- Conquian, card game
- El Chavo del Ocho, sitcom
- Flag of Mexico
- Festivals in Mexico
- Folktales of Mexico
- Ghosts in Mexican culture
- List of museums in Mexico
- Lotería, game
- Mexican ceramics
- Mexican handcrafts and folk art
- Mexican tea culture
- National symbols of Mexico
- Papel picado
- Quinceañera, celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday
- Rebozo
- Rodeo
- Serape, shawl
- Textiles of Mexico
- Traditional Mexican handcrafted toys
- Vaquero
