Mexican Culture Festival - Essay Example

Mexican Culture Festival, London Introduction Due to NAFTA and a current trend of popularity on the part of Londoners' enjoyment of Mexican food, furniture and hand crafted items it is a good time to introduce more of Mexico to England. British schools do not typically teach much about Mexico and much of the British population has images of stereotypes from films and television of dust covered men wearing sombreros shooting everything in their path or a tequila-induced siesta in the shade of a cactus. Whilst Mexico is not typically a historically popular destination for British holidaymakers, it is gaining attention on the world stage through its increasing skills in technology and production in addition to being the fourth largest coffee producer in the world. Mexico is as rich and varied in its culture and dialect as our own country; the Mexican people have retained their ancient dances, songs, sense of humour and tribal connections in spite of having been conquered by the Spanish. Contrary to the stereotypes, Mexican people are intelligent, industrious and proud, with a strong sense of patriotism. Their flag is sacred, as well as their collective worship of Our Lady Of Guadalupe, the Mother Of Mexico. Warm and friendly, Mexican culture embraces much of other societies even if it does not necessarily assimilate it. What this festival aims to do is bring the core of Mexican values and pride to London by inviting Londoners to experience the real Mexico that thrives in spite of poverty and overpopulation. Even the poorest of the poor know the folkloric dances and worship Lady Guadalupe. We aim to bring that sense of heart to London through a rich and varied exhibition/festival that will include dance, crafts, equestrian arts, food and drink and an opportunity to converse with the performers and vendors. An International Event This event will be international; the introduction of Mexico to London will reflect the possibility of cordial relations between people of England and Mexico. It is our hope that this could be a bi-annual event if it proves popular enough. The event will run for five days beginning on a Wednesday evening, with two performances on Saturday and Sunday (early afternoon and evening). International events have a variety of motives behind them but this one carries with it a brightness and fresh liveliness that will bring about the changing of minds about Mexico should old stereotypes persist regarding this now progressive country and its culture. Whilst our country and Mexico have solid business relations in terms of outsourcing and investments, this event brings a personal touch to both nations on the part of the Mexican people traveling to Britain, on a scale that is unprecedented. International events often portray a nation through its arts, spirituality or sport. This event will go well beyond those parameters, bringing the colours, textures, flavours and voices of a nation that has been largely ignored by England other than a general knowledge of its existence and interests of investors and industry. As Mexico transitions from a third-world country to an industrialized nation, it holds much promise in its ability to remind others of core values and ethics lost in our modern societies. Mexico would not do this intentionally, but its influence on its visitors has an impact, leaving visitors with a feeling of having discovered something missing in their own communities. To attempt to mimic Mexico and its heritage would be absurd, but the good feelings instilled in others by Mexican people in an event such as this serve to lift the spirits and educate the mind and palate, stimulating the senses. The Event The festival will be composed of a variety of offerings and will be choreographed to enhance the feelings of friendliness and pride of the Mexican people. First on the stage will be a Mexican Charro (equestrian). The Charros have a long tradition in Mexico as exceptional horsemen and are highly respected. The tradition of the Charro is handed down over generations and the modern Charro is a symbol of Mexico's hard-won independence and national pride. Historically, the Charro was a mounted soldier, hence the stereotyped tattered sombrero-topped Mexican man wearing ammunition in leather holders crossed over his chest. Since the Mexicans sorely lost in the Mexican-American war, these proud men have been depicted as silly, bumbling fools on horseback by the antiquated American filmmakers. This stereotyping has strained relations between the Mexicans and Americans who have not been exposed to the real Mexican culture. The Charro costume is beautiful, embellished with embroidery and silver. The costumes are made by hand and denote an elegance worthy of the wearer as a horseman and a gentleman. The Charros best represent the feeling of Mexico from the male standpoint: the best of the best, proud and willing to take on all comers to protect their people. Today's Charros wear elegant and beautiful costumes. Their wood and leather saddles are polished and well-kept. Their preferred horses are of the Andalusian breed (the Spanish Horse). Horse and rider are in harmony after years of training. In Mexico, the Charros also display their skills in moving and roping cattle, much like the American cowboys. This display is a part of the charreada (rodeo). Incidentally, when a Charro is dressed in his regalia, to knock his sombrero off of his head is a grave insult. Following the display of the Charro, a troupe of folkloric dancers will execute a regional dance. There are many different dances in this category, some of them completely indigenous and some integrating the Spanish dancing. The timing and rhythm of the dances are complex and energetic, each dance telling a tale of romance. The Mexican audience participates by calling out or clapping to the rhythm. Our performers will use assistants to cue the audience for participation. A bilingual announcer will introduce the audience to the dance and describe the tale the dance will tell and also the region from which the dance originates. After three displays of dance from different regions of Mexico, an equestrian team of escaramuzas will enter. This is a team composed of women, and they have gained hard-won respect in Mexico, little by little. Since Mexico is still a male-dominated society, the escaramuzas languished for a hundred years in obscurity. The first escaramuzas were the women who rode to battle with the men, watching their backs, feeding the soldiers and nursing the wounded. Many Mexican women threw themselves into harm's way in the Mexican-American war and their efforts went unsung. Today, however, they are gaining respect and winning recognition internationally for their equestrian skills as they engage in high-speed, precision riding using sidesaddles. The costumes used by these women are colourful and beautiful. The rules are strict and the position of the hem of the dress is scrutinized in competition, indicating whether or not the woman has a good seat in the saddle and whether or not she is moving correctly with her mount. Many women have been severely injured or have died in the competitions in Mexico. These women are brave and well trained, as are their horses. Still, accidents happen. The display will feature the eight women of a team executing their own performance. Each team has its own style that sets it apart from other teams. Whilst the maneuvers executed are standard for the country, there are small details in presentation that mark each team as unique. Next will be a one-hour intermission, where the audience will be able to peruse the food stalls and sample the everyday cuisine of Mexico. Actual street vendors will offer traditional foods from their stalls, featuring tacos of carne asada (grilled beef), adobada (a delicious, marinated thin steak that is layered on a large skewer in the shape of a top and cooked rather like an upright rotisserie; the adobada cone is topped with either a pineapple or onion to additionally flavour the meat); traditional tamales wrapped and cooked in corn husks, birria tacos (again, a type of meat that gets its name from the way it is cooked), handmade maize and flour tortillas, salsas of varying spiciness; soups and stews; tortas (sandwiches); delicious sweets and palaterias (frozen fruit lollies). Traditional burritos will also be available, wrapped in handmade flour tortillas. Mexican chocolate will also be available. Drink will include the refreshing Jamaica iced tea, made from a strain of hibiscus flower only found in Latin America, sweet rice water, hotchampurrado (a hearty, slightly sweet drink derived from maize). Excellent Mexican coffees will also be featured; the mellow, nutty taste of Mexican coffees grown in the mountains make Mexican coffee amongst the best in the world. We must also include Mexican hot chocolate; cacao beans were originally discovered in Mexico and were the currency of the Mayan and Aztec Indians. The cacao beans were roasted then ground into a fine powder and served in a rather bitter and frothy drink, combined with chili powder and vanilla. Chocolate as we know it today originated in Mexico and was further developed in Europe. For the unadventurous, hamburgers and hot dogs will be available as well. These, of course, would also be cooked in the Mexican style, which is very tasty and not spicy at all. There will also be an opportunity to shop; vendors will be selling traditional crafts of the indigenous regional Indian tribes; blankets, dcor, toys, Mayan games, books, puzzles and art pieces will also be available. The Mexicans artisans excel in tin embossing. Jewelry and cookery items such as bowls and mortal/pestal sets made from volcanic rock will also be featured, as well as the colourful and beautiful hand-painted serving bowls and plates. The traditional wooden bowls and utensils will also be available for purchase; these are items historically proven to appeal to European consumers. The second part of the event will begin with a vocal performance by the highly esteemed Alejandro Fernandez, accompanied by the finest mariachi musicians in Mexico. Mr. Fernandez's wide range of voice and repertoire of traditional Mexican songs have endeared him to his countrymen and have raised him to international status. Following Mr. Fernandez will be a troupe of little girls dancing folkloric. Their sense of rhythm and fluid movements are enthralling, as well as the vivid colours of their costumes and the ease with which they flare their skirts and execute complex steps. Next will come the real version of what we call the famous "Mexican Hat Dance." It is actually called Jarabe Tapatio and originates from Guadalajara. The audience will now be treated to a display of Spanish High School riding, by a Mexican master of horse. He and his horse will demonstrate the Mexican stylized version of Spanish riding on a glorious Andelusian horse. The grand finale of the show will be the Mexican National Anthem, performed by the Ensenada Pro Musica choir of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. All performers will be onstage for the National Anthem. Balloons, streamers and confetti will fall from above during the last part of the anthem. Following the performance will be a second chance for food, drink and shopping as well as an opportunity to meet the performers and converse with them. Interpreters will accompany each group of performers for ease of conversation. The audience will be encouraged to ask questions and exchange information, even swap email addresses with the performers. A participatory audience is what is sought; Mexicans are very enthusiastic about meeting new people and proud of their culture, history and country. They encourage social engagement from their audiences; this will truly be a unique opportunity for Londoners to be able to meet the real, every day people of Mexico doing what they do best. This event is certain to be of demand in the future. Venue For an event of this size and scope, two venues come to mind: The Olympia or Wimbledon Arena. Both venues supply the space and ambiance required to make the most of an event such as this. Both feature the technological needs of effects lighting and acoustics plus the space needed for the vendors. Both are conveniently located with adequate parking and tube station proximity. Whichever venue is chosen for the event will be festooned with Mexican style dcor and colourful banners. Regional artifacts will be showcased in display cases. Both venues also feature a reception area where audience members and performers will be able to interact with ease and comfort without the feeling of stiffness and being in close quarters. Nature, Typology and Category This event would have several categories; in one sense it is an exhibition. In another sense it is an ambassadorship. It is designed to promote friendly relations between the English and the Mexicans, on a people-to-people level rather than a political or industrial level. A festival such as this would be the type greeting dignitaries of other countries when they visit Mexico. In this case, England is the host and so are the Mexicans. For the duration of the festival, the venue will be Mexico and what it has to offer on many levels. Rather than being an exhibition featuring only one or two aspects of art and skill, this one will be all encompassing. It is intended to be people-friendly and an invitation of welcome from both sides involved. Market and Demand This is rather difficult to determine, since an event like this has not been done before, but the growth of Mexican restaurants, Mexican furniture shops and art exhibitions show that an interest is there. Mexican has become rather chic and that opens a door to a positive response to a festival with strategic advertising and promotion in advance. The audience would likely be of all ages but mostly people in their 20's and 30's who are amenable to experiencing new cultural events. This group also has more disposable income and a sense of adventure in terms of embracing different cultures. Mexican art exhibitions have been displayed at the Tate Gallery several times, indicating an interest in the cultural work of Mexican artists. Yet these things are miniscule in terms of a complete introduction. Having many things at once to experience, taste and purchase with the opportunity to meet the people who produce them is rare except in the cases of artists and writers. Experiential events have a longer lasting impact; this could very well increase demand for Mexican products and culinary ingredients to be made available in London. Justification Considering that several British companies have a presence in Mexico (Sempra, Dialight, others) it would be good for Mexico to have something to present in Britain from a humanistic standpoint. To demystify this distant culture and bring it into the public experience would be of benefit on several levels; the economic impact could increase from shop owners to arrange to purchase more Mexican products through the vendors at the festival; political benefit may be tricky since politics is always elusive and unpredictable, yet such a people-friendly display of the heart of Mexico may have a positive influence on any politicians attending the festival in terms of seeing the real people rather than the ambassadors and diplomats and other government people. This could well be a refreshing break from the norm of exposure. Most likely the socio-cultural benefits would be highlighted with the myth-breaking beliefs about Mexico being put to rest when the real culture emerges. Benefits The benefits to the audience and market would be mutual. Not only will the audience experience what has been described and have a better than usual opportunity to interact with the Mexican performers and vendors, London shop owners will have an opportunity to peruse good for import, benefiting both the Mexican and English markets. Granted, this would be miniscule on the grand scale, but this event would set a standard and yield information about the planning of the next event by gathering feedback from audience members and local business owners. There are also educational benefits to school children and university students to learn more about Mexico through this event. The potentials there are in the realm of OSEs to Mexico and student exchanges. By being host to such festivals as has been its history, London can open the gateway to Mexican exposure to more countries in Europe. Due to the lack of proximity, many people do not have the opportunity to experience these warm and energetic people. As trade between England and Mexico becomes more common, with British-owned companies operating in Mexico and Mexican companies operating in the UK (such as Cemex), good personal relations will enhance the ties between both countries. Problems Associated With This Event The first and most obvious hurdle will be the expense. Gathering sponsors and the funds necessary will possibly be the greatest hurdle since we speak of transporting and housing many Mexican people and 10 horses plus renting the venue and advertising. A large staff will be necessary for all aspects of this event. Secondly, arrangements for visas and the necessary equine documents and quarantines will be a challenge. This will take an enormous amount of time and effort. The third challenge will be gathering together the customary items for the food vendors. This will require some ingenuity since the traditional Mexican foods we speak of are cooked with unconventional (to us) grills, such as that used for the adobada meat, not to mention the meat itself. Conclusion Granted, this is an event of enormous effort, money and challenge to produce. Yet, it is felt that it will be well worth the effort when the results are yielded. There is much promise to this event, and with the proper advertising and public relations, it can be an event not only to remember but to repeat. Due to successes in ticket sales for the 15 September Traditional Mexican Independence Party (the event sold out, according to the Mexican Embassy, UK) and other Mexican cultural events, on a smaller scale, have fared well. Usually cultures introduce themselves through trade; this has been the case since time immemorial and continues today. The flourishing trade that already exists in industry can be further extended as events such as this one expand opportunities for the public to be able to decide for themselves what they would like to see more of rather than having it decided for them. Products sell better if they have a memory behind them, so we do look to this event and future events to introduce different products of Mexico to the UK via the Mexican culture itself. As further relations expand into Latin and Central America, it is very likely that these nations will emerge from obscurity at our end of the world and open new vistas of learning and experience for people who have had little exposure prior. Anything that can be done to alleviate or minimize stereotypes is ultimately good for any community and festivals are a good way to do that, especially giving people the opportunity to converse and see that they are not so dissimilar. Read More