Latin American Civilization - Essay Example

The staple corn can be pounded into tortillas, taco shells or any desired shape. Beans, rice, and squash also serve as dietary staples. Avocado dip and other moles, or sauces, are popular for dipping tortilla chips. Tequila, in all its various grades, is an internationally popular drink and Cinco de Mayo festivals are becoming prominent fixtures in Mexican restaurants the world over. The Virgin of Guadalupe, whose main house of worship is the Basilica of Guadalupe, serves the Mexican people on multiple layers.

Her repeated appearances in 1531 to Juan Diego led to the consecration of the holy mother and her eventual title of Patroness of the Americas conferred upon her by Pope John Paul II. She is a savior particularly to women, but serves all those in need. In 1810, rebels called upon her guardianship in their battle again Spanish colonists. She has long been considered an integral symbol of Mexican religious, national, and political identity. The fiery painter, Frida Khalo (1907-1954), lived a short but brilliant life.

When a teenager, she survived a harrowing bus accident that left her with internal damage and chronic pain. However, Frida’s unique painting fused events from her life with indigenous earth mother imagery. The painting at right, titled The Love Embrace of the Universe,the Earth (Mexico), Me, Diego, Mr. Xolotl, depicts such a concept showing a green clay goddess enveloping Frida, wearing a long traditional red skirt with a white fringe, holding a babe-like Rivera. This magical world rests in the penumbras between light and dark in the transformative cycle of birth and death.

Chile’s national flag expresses deep historical significance. The star in the blue sky acts as a shining beacon to guide her people in honorable progress. The white represents the snow-capped Andes while the red represents the blood of the martyrs in the