EXCLUSIVELY DESIGNED MEXICAN PAPEL PICADO – PLASTIC BANNER – Dia de Los Muertos Inspired Party Banner found all over Mexico to decorate Cantinas, Fiestas and Major Festivals!
SUPER DURABLE AND REUSABLE – Thicker Strand String and Durable Plastic is Easy to Use Again and Again Hangs 16 feet Long.
COLORFUL FIESTA – Handmade Punched Plastic Flags or Papel Picado Banderas in Every Color of the Rainbow!
PERFECT PARTY SUPPLY FOR FESTIVE SEASONS – Intricate and Beautiful for Dia de Muertos, Halloween, Cinco de Mayo, Mardi Gras Parties and Other Celebrations
PACKAGING NOTE – Artist had to staple the top for packaging so be aware that they will need simple unattachment.
Good Times all year long – not just Halloween!
Hangs 16 feet Long – Each flag is 13.5″ tall and 17″ wide and 10 are included.
So you’ve seen the movie “Coco” from Pixar, right? Aren’t the scenes of Miguel’s village and then the Xanadu afterlife city the most visually stunning destinations you have ever seen? Me too!
You may or may not have noticed that a majority of the color you see in every scene is due to the placement of those colorful banners that wave all over both magical places.
Miguel and Hector in Xanadu and then Miguel with the clan in Santa Cecilia, Mexico | Photo: Pixar
Welp, actually México is just like that. Color pouring from the sky everywhere.
Coco-themed banners adorning our favorite restaurant in Puebla! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
My hunt for these magical, colorful Papel Picado flags has taken me from enormous Mexican mercados to tiny little villages and what I’ve found is not only excellent products to export to the US and Europe, but also a tradition steeped in history and artistry, one precise hammer stroke at a time.
Here is the play by play of my quest for the birthplace of Papel Picado and the man with original birthrights to make it, otherwise known as the ‘Robin Hood’ of his town…
One year ago, I was in search of a pueblo called San Salvador Huixcolotla, which is known as the “Cradle of Punched Paper” and is the birthplace of Papel Picado flags. These colorful banners have been a part of every Mexican celebration for decades and are a symbol of México’s handmade craftsmanship at its finest.
Any birthday party, wedding or holiday gathering in México doesn’t get started until the Papel Picado is carefully strung from the rafters and roofs to welcome the party goers and to warn the neighbors that shit is about to get cray cray.
Traditional flags hanging from the ceiling of a cantina | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
My Story:
I found myself driving on a razor thin 2-lane road somewhere in the State of Puebla in Central México when I see in the distance a man standing in the middle of the broken pavement frantically waving a red bandana above his head. To my left was the majestic ice capped Orizaba Volcano, to my right were 3 dogs running beside my car and in front of me I had no idea, so I slowed.
The man strategically positioned in the middle of the road was actually directing traffic over a shitty one-lane bridge that I was about to cross. Evidently, when the state government of Puebla made this road they didn’t think it was important enough to spend the money on a two lane bridge. Why would they?
This bandana-waving fella’s job was to stop cars on one side of the bridge to allow cars coming from the other side to pass. I tipped him a few pesos for helping me avoid a head-on collision and was over the bridge and on my way to the worldwide mecca of Papel Picado. Yay!!
I had found the heartbeat of Papel Picado, now I was off to find Robin Hood.
Typical flag placement in a restaurant celebrating Constitution Day in México | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
That sounded dramatic, right?! OK, truth be told, I already knew who he was. We had met several times at conventions in Guadalajara and now WhatsApp pretty frequently regarding my orders and re-orders, but I had no idea at this moment in time that my mind was about to get blown.
Stories sound better when there is more mysticism and general awe-factor, don’t you think? Anyhoo, we’ll just call our Robin Hood friend, “Max”.
Max insisted on meeting me at the outskirts of his village at a point immediately after the scary-ass mini-bridge so that I could follow him in his unnecessarily large truck to his “taller” (workshop). The whole point of following him versus just giving me directions or dropping a location pin (nope, Google Maps and Waze haven’t figured this area out yet) is because there are no street signs. At all. In the entire village.
We were too busy looking up to see street signs anyway! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Once I entered San Salvador Huixcolotla, it was clear that this was indeed the epicenter of these magical banners. Everywhere I turned, I was shaded by fluttering clouds of color.
Every street was magically draped with these intricate banners depicting all aspects of Mexican life ranging from Dia de Los Muertos to the Virgin of Guadalupe. Basically, like the Xanadu afterlife city in “Coco”.
Max’s brother showing off a papel picado placemat that someone had special ordered. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
I followed Max in my Nissan Murano, which thank God has kick ass shocks, all the way to Max’s taller. His workshop is in the middle of town in a compound which includes his home (which he shares with his wife and son) and other buildings, bodegas and houses in which his brothers, cousins, nephews, nieces/employees also live and work. Chickens, dogs, kids and a cat run around this compound constantly.
I don’t know how any work gets done, but delicious chicken mole and beautiful Papel Picado are made here. If you ever get the chance to taste Max’s wife’s homemade mole – you should really go for it. I digress.
So anyway, Max is showing me around and introducing me to his family/employees and he casually mentions that his great-grandfather is the originator of Mexican Papel Picado. Max speaks no English and my Spanish is barely passable, but I got the jist…His great grandfather was Aztec and Spanish, but he learned this craft from a Chinese friend. Chinese invented super fine paper. They are especially known for creating “Chinese Paper” or as we call it in North America, tissue paper.
Max’s cousin and Me with a chisel…always a BAD idea. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Welp, Papel Picado is basically perforated tissue paper. The designs are commonly cut into colored tissue paper using a stencil or template and small mallets or chisels. Depending on the fold of the paper and the skill level of the chiseler, as many as fifty banners can be created at a time. Check out this video to see what I mean…
Evidently local hacienda owners would import this paper from China and sell it at their hacienda stores – this Chinese friend bought some and showed Max’s great granddad how the Chinese make cutouts and use the designed paper as flags to decorate homes or towns for parties and festivals.
Well great-grandad thought, “Mexicans love parties and festivals…this could work!”
As many traditions continue through generations of families, Max’s grandfather and father learned the trade and eventually Max was trained and inherited the family company. He employs all of his extended family and most of the town.
The bigger an order he receives, the more neighbors he contracts to get the job done. He says that in the 4th quarter of every year, the entire town is working for him in some capacity, hence the Robin Hood legacy. He is San Salvador Huixcolota’s biggest employer.
Max’s other brother demonstrating how he chooses which chisel to use for which shape he is cutting. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Every day, he and his brother drive the completed work of the day before into the city of Puebla to ship off the goods. One hour in each direction and 2 tips for the bandana bridge guy. Every day.
Max tells me that tissue paper banners are the best sellers of his banner catalog, but plastic is growing in popularity as outdoor fiestas are quite popular too.
Shiny Mylar Day of the Dead Vertical Flags | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
A few years ago he also started using mylar for a foil-like effect for customers who wanted banners with shine. Obviously plastic and mylar are more durable than the delicate tissue paper counterparts, but Max’s fam prefers to work with the traditional paper. Old dogs, new tricks.
So after 3 hours of demonstrating, picture taking and mole eating it was time to get out of San Sal. I placed a huge order, paid Max in cash for the goods I was taking back to Puebla with me and hit the road. Following Max in his unnecessarily large truck of course, because when there are no street signs AND its dark, navigation gets tricky. Luckily, the bandana guy was still on the tiny bridge and he waved me back to town. That was worth the $3 USD tip!
Are you looking for more inspiration from México? Check out the TexMex Fun Stuff Blog for more sights, sounds and badass-ness uncovered while exploring México searching for handmade fun stuff for you!
***WARNING*** This is a breakdown of events that some people take very seriously, like the 8 pound 6 oz baby Jesus story. If you are a highly strung Christian, read at your own risk. Seriously, this is potentially offensive as it starts off light and fun and then gets real non-Christian-y pretty quickly. Gracias.
The Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon is yet another fabulous example of Mexico’s religious, yet very festive culture. At some point in the 1990’s, enough like-minded Mexicans decided to rename the vacation period from December 12 (Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe) to January 6 (Day of the Three Wise Men or “Tres Reyes Magos”) as just one big long ass holiday with a mission. Both the beginning and the end of the marathon are deeply entrenched in Catholic / Christian annual milestones, but the attitude and antics that go on in between the two religious holidays are very much not so.
This fine group of fiesta goers are enjoying ‘Posadas Navideñas’. These 9 nightly parties occur right smack dab in the middle of Guadalupe – Reyes and are not easy to continue attending, unless you are Mexican who was born and raised for exactly this type of fiesta stamina. These amigos are enjoying their papel picado and piñata beating!
This period includes all 9 nights of Posadas Navideñas leading up to Christmas Eve, then Christmas, then New Years and finally 3 Kings Day which, linked together, create a “marathon” of festivities. During this period, the challenge is not only to attend every event, but to drink at least one type of alcoholic beverage every day. 🍹 This Marathon isn’t technically ‘legit’ Mexican Folklore; it is merely a pop-culture activity that is easier for some than others 🫠 💃 #fiestastamina
But Ron Burgundy explains it better…
“Today Mexico celebrates the longest holiday in the world….Guadalupe – Reyes. That’s 3 weeks of steadfast drinking and unyielding tomfoolery. Buckle up, amigos. See ya in 3 weeks.”
As someone who loves a never ending party, I committed to this tradition years ago! However, today is January 3, 2024 and I am 51 years years old and I don’t think I am going to make it another 3 days to to the finish line which is El Dia de Reyes! John Travolta, as shown below, displays exactly how I felt on Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe versus I how I look and feel at this moment in time…
The Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon can put a person through many changes 😝💃 🍺 🥂 📅 👵🏻
Luckily I still look better than John in the Santa jumpsuit, but you get the drift. If you would like a full breakdown of the significance and traditions of El Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe, please refer to our previous blog post here… VIRGIN
This post is mostly to cover Three Kings Day so that we can tie the three week period together with a big ass bow…and then I can finally rest 😜!
OK, ‘Los Tres Magos’, or ‘The 3 Wise Men’ or ‘Los Reyes’ are obviously part of the whole Christmas birth story of Jesus. What my Presbyterian minister mom never tied together for me as a young sermon-listening child is that according to the bible, these 3 dudes were not magically already at the manger like they are seen in our nativity scenes. In fact, biblical events apparently happened in this order:
Jesus was born (although not technically on December 25, in fact it is more likely he was born in March or April, but Christians wanted to supersede pre-existing Pagan traditions and anyway, I digress).
Three men (who were either actual kings or just liked riding around on their camels together) see a big bright star that night while in Nazareth, Israel.
These yahoos perceive that the star was talking to them 😳 about how the REAL King of Kings 👑 was born in a town far away (Bethlehem, in current West Bank) and to go there on said camels to bring him gifts.
It actually takes them approximately 7 days to get to Mary, Joseph and Jesus according to Nicole DePue (Jerusalem University College, Master’s degree in biblical history and geography). Now if you are like me, I always saw these guys in the manger scene and assumed they fast tracked it that night, but I guess MJJ just hung around and waited 7-ish days for them to arrive 🤷♀️ 🤪 I hope frankincense and myrrh were worth the wait ⏰ !
The day the 3 Amigos arrive is called 3 Kings Day here in Mexico, but is more known in most Christian denominations as ‘Epiphany’.
2024-ish years go by and in Mexico, this day becomes the BIG SCOREBOARD DAY for Christmas presents for the kids. This is a gift-giving day more sacred than Santa’s arrival Christmas morning. Homes do not take down holiday decorations until after this day and stores do not have post – Christmas clearance sales until January 7. The End.
You may have done some math in your head and realized that if it took the Three Kings approximately 7 days between star-gazing and gift delivery service that our Master’s Degree friend Nicole researched, then why are we celebrating Epiphany/3 Kings Day on the 12th day after Christmas?
12 Days of Christmas and Advent are totally different, but there are so many damn Christmas related holidays that it’s too confusing to understand the difference.
I am not prepared for the research on that, BUT this 12 day period of time is the famous 12 Days of Christmas! Once again, Minister Mom gave me the impression that the 12 Days of Christmas were part of the lead up BEFORE Christmas that I came to assume were the reason for Posadas Navideñas! #toomanyholidaystoolittletime #blessedbethyliver
So to be clear,
Posadas represent the 9 days and nights that Mary and Joseph travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem (she was slow in her 3rd trimester after all)
Epiphany is the same as 3 Kings Day and it is 12 days after Christmas
In reality, it only took the Kings 1 week to get to Jesus, but Christians chose the ’12 Days of Christmas’ instead – Not to be confused with Advent 🤷♀️
Dia de Reyes/Epiphany is the beginning of the pre-fast period before ‘Lent’ which winds us into yet another holiday…CARNAVAL / Mardi Gras!
You thought I was going to say Easter or some shit 🤪
Rosca de Reyes cake on left and Kings Cake – both baby Jesus filled and eaten at the same time and for the same reason. Both photos courtesy of Shutterstock
Celebrating the Day itself: Every January 6th, Mexicans celebrate Epiphany/Dia de Reyes with a Kings cake – similar to our Mardi Gras Kings cake with a tiny plastic baby inside, however this cake is called La Rosca de Reyes. Same idea, different toppings, same baby Jesus…and whoever cuts a piece of this Rosca de Reyes and gets the baby in their slice, are the ones who have to provide the tamales for everyone on yet another holiday called…Candlemas Day, February 2, a day that celebrates the Virgin Mary….and tamales 🫔
Do you see how the festivities go on and on down here?! Full circle party back to the Virgin, yo. That may or may not be another blog post, but suffice to say, as much attention as these 3 Wise Crackers get, the Virgin Mother gets even more. Now if only the 3 wise men had been women…
It’s funny cuz it’s true. Courtesy of FaceBook page Forgotten Ireland with a mere 530K likes • 641K followers 😮 🇮🇪
All things Virgin and 3 Kings are appreciated throughout this season and up to February 2nd! So stock up today on our Virgen de Guadalupe (- Reyes 😉) papel picado 2packs! They are green, white and red and can be used throughout the marathon and then brought back out for Mexican Independence Day in September! #omganotherholiday
2Pack of Tri-Colored Handmade Paper Papel Picado La Virgen de Guadalupe Available here!
IN CONCLUSION: my liver is killing me, my under eye skin is more crepey than ever and I still have 3 more nights to go. I hope everyone gets the chance to celebrate this season like a Mexican once in their lives and my advice is to do it before you are 51! Gracias and thanks and Happy New Year!
So, I have honored pets, friends and family members whom have passed before, but 2023 Dia de los Muertos was very different for me. Hate to start on a bummer note, but my dad died from a Covid-related/Parkinson’s Disease related combo on October 27, 2022. Obviously, celebrating his life on November 1st and 2nd, 2022 was a bit too soon and we were still in North Carolina sorting out the ugly business of death anyway.
David Laurent Kern aka Dad
As luck would have it, I learned that if you don’t wait for at least a full year after a loved one has died and you summon their souls back to commune with you on Dia de los Muertos, you will fuck up their whole afterlife…crisis averted!!
Also of note, always put a photo of your soul to remember on the altar BUT NEVER IF there are other people in the photo who are still alive!
Those last two lines have not been officially documented, so much as verbally verified by my Mexican friends whom have been building altars all of their lives. According to other randos on Reddit, “The superstition is that putting a picture of a living person on an ancestor alter will ‘push’ the living person closer to death.” EEK.
Not bad for the first official Day of the Dead Altar!
Sorry, I just used those last paragraphs to distract myself from the loss of Dad and why his death changed the significance of Día de los Muertos and especially the altars de ofrendas for me.
My kick ass therapist, who is Mexican and wise as shit had many things to say in our post-Dia de los Muertos session 2 days ago…First and most importantly, Dia de los Muertos is the commemoration of a collective consciousness. It is the Aztec tradition of ‘ancestor veneration’.
“WTF is veneration?” you ask! I asked too. Veneration is respect or awe inspired by the dignity, wisdom, dedication, or talent of a person (as per Merriam-Webster).
Ancestor veneration is sort of like ancestor worship and is based on love and respect for the deceased as well as to ensure the ancestors’ continued well-being in the afterlife. We already covered all of the history behind why the Pre-Hispanic Mexicans celebrate Dia de los Muertos in the blog post mentioned earlier, but I want to drill down on the significance of altar building and the benefits of communing with those we have lost.
Me and Dad at his 50th birthday and at my wedding. 7 years and several pounds apart!
Let’s start with the meaning of ‘altar’ as per my favorite and yours, Merriam-Webster…”a usually raised structure or place on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in worship.”
“Altar” is from the Latin word ‘altārium’ which means high…In fact, the altar should not only be a raised structure, but should also have several levels with the most recently deceased placed at the highest point of the structure.
This placement represents the level of their journey to Mictlán, the land of the dead. In my dad’s case, since he was the most recent to pass, his photo should have been at the very top. This is because he has not been journeying as long through the 8 levels of the afterlife as my dog, Deuce and my Grandparents have, let’s say. In fact, I put his picture on the same level as my dogs, but higher than the photos of my grandparents and friend, Julie….Rookie mistake.
Julie Boerner, my first friend. My mom’s parents. Dad’s parents are not pictured because I couldn’t find a photo without alive people in it!
Here are some things I added to the altar as offerings to draw my people close for the 2 days which is the celebration we call Dia de los Muertos…
1. A sealed bag of 1976 quarters from the Philadelphia U.S.Mint – Dad’s coin collection is massive and he really enjoyed collecting with the secondary hope of it being truly valuable someday. Putting this bag up there surprisingly summoned so many memories of his generosity. I had forgotten how many times he bailed me out of monetary situations especially in college, immediately after I graduated and when I went out into that big, scary, unprofitable working world. I cried tears of gratitude as I mentally rolodexed the long list of examples where he was much more generous than he needed to be.
The coin bag and a silver necklace with Dad’s thumbprint as a charm – gift from the funeral home.
2. Dogs – I had a lot of dogs in my life thanks to my dad’s absolute love of them. Two of my and my husband’s were as much our sons as any human child, so I put pictures of them up there with Dad – on his level! Although, not technically correct, my therapist assures me that I accidentally scored on this one!
Sooooo, Xolos, which are the Mexican hairless dogs (like Dante in the movie ‘Coco’) are considered the leaders of the afterworld pack, and their little souls lead the human souls to the altars de ofrendas and then back again to Mictlán…Happy Accident – Deuce and Santo were my dad’s guides to meet me here in Mexico City!
Deuce and Santo’s altar vantage points respectively
After this revelation I decided that next year I will add Whiskey, Dad’s last pup which he loved very much. #sorrywhiskeygirl
3. Salt – In Spanish we say “sal” and evidently ‘sal’ is the base word for ‘salary’ #funfact 🧂
Since salt was so valuable back in the Roman and Aztec times, it was traded as currency. It really does make life more tasty! Also, salt is considered a purifying substance and the color white represents purity ‘to ensure that the body remains untainted along the journey back to Mictlán.’ 🤷♀️
Needless to say, I fucked up and added olives to Dad’s martini thinking they would pass as salt since they are so salty…This was NOT an acceptable substitution as it turns out and I got schooled by my therapist.
Next year, I will still give my dad his olives, but I will cover the salt element with ACTUAL salt!
Of course, I had the other altar essentials such as the Mexican marigold, Pan de Muertos, Papel Picado and candles. I blew off the incense and got schooled again that I really should have leaned into that element more. #noevilspiritsplease
All in all, for my first altar I didn’t do too bad. One thing I absolutely nailed was the communing part – spending time remembering Dad, Granddaddy and Becca, my dear sweet Julie, MomMom and PopPop and of course my babies, Deuce and Santo Crudo.
The remembering is the key. I spent two full nights just sitting there with my martini toasting these awesome people and animals that I was lucky to have in my life for a short period of time. Too short, of course, but such is life…and death.
So there I was in front of my amazing altar, albeit a semi-incorrect one, just remembering and drinking. Bad combo usually, but not on November 1st and 2nd. It wasn’t a bad combo at all. Hanging out with Dad, who of course had his own martini, and me just silently running through all the classic stories. Tears were shed and loud guffaws were burst, just like old times.
Pro Tip from Behind the Scenes: Keep A LOT of Kleenex handy!
I literally heard myself say, “Remember that time when…” and then realizing that no one physically in my realm was going to answer. But I still felt heard. It felt like I had the same camaraderie as we had at Dad’s funeral after party, when cousins, friends, aunts and uncles would recall stories and we would all laugh. Sure, now I was technically alone, but I did not feel alone at all. My people were with me on the floor in my living room in Mexico City.
The thing that made me sad was knowing that November 3rd, the altar would come down and life would go on until this time next year. It was such a letdown that morning. Sweeping away the marigold petals and putting away the candles and framed photos to where they normally go made me tear up again.
We had such fun hanging out for a couple of days! BOO! And not the ghost kind of BOO which is cute and fun and scary. It was the dread BOO. Damn the dread. But, gotta go to work and grocery shop and do laundry and all that regular shit. So, until next year, my loves, I have to say goodbye.
How I would like to think Mictlán looks and feels. Courtesy of Disney/Pixar’s Coco!
It is time to watch Disney’s Coco again and hope to God that Disney’s top execs will release Coco 2 already, those rat bastards! It is already produced and in the can, they just haven’t released it – BOO! Oh well, until then, we have the song from the beloved original movie, ‘Recuerdame’…
“Remember me, though I have to say goodbye
Remember me, don’t let it make you cry.
For even if I’m far away I hold you in my heart
I sing a secret song to you each night that we are apart.
Remember me, though I have to travel far
Remember me, each time you hear a sad guitar…
Know that I’m with you the only way that I can be
Until you’re in my arms again, Remember me.”
Sugar Skull – an essential element of the altar
Other Dia de los Muertos thoughts from my kick ass therapist:
Sugar skulls – I really didn’t know the significance of them, other than they are easier to purchase than an actual human skull (which in ancient times, the Aztecs would dig up their relatives’ bones, dust them off and place the bones and skulls on the altar too).
After the altars have been dismantled, Mexicans eat sugar skulls like candy or in their coffee! Heads up – they will melt in humidity so if you live in a warm and humid climate, don’t try this at home! Maybe purchase a ceramic skull to represent the “bones” so that your altar doesn’t become a sticky mess!
2. “De mas alla” means ‘from the beyond’. She assures me that Dad was laughing at my jokes from beyond and that Santo Crudo and Deuce led him back to Mictlán safely. #wortheverypennyoftherapy
And so, “Mi Papi, mi Padre, Dad: hasta la proxima de mas alla!”
Dad throughout the years! May Mictlán serve both martinis AND margaritas!
Y’all probably know that I am a big fan of Mexican Pueblos Magicos and of Papel Picado. The one town that puts these together well is Sayulita, Nayarit just north of Puerto Vallarta on México’s Pacific coast. In fact, Sayulita is most known for its rainbow rows of papel picado. So much so, that locals call the main avenue “Selfie Street” because so many touritsts ‘selfie’ themselves under the never ending rows of the colorful flags that line the main drag.
I still haven’t gotten to the bottom of why Sayulita digs papel picado as much as I do, but recently the town has taken on a new project that caught my eye…In addition to lining the streets with waves of papel picado they have added a massive amount of Ojos de Dios to color their sky! “WTF are Ojos de Dios?” you ask! Welllllllll…
Gracias and Thanks to Sayulita Luxury Transportation for this combo shot of papel picado and Ojos de Dios! This is “Selfie Street”
Once upon a time in a land far, far, OK fine, right up the street from us…Huichol Indians lived in peace and harmony. The Huichol (pronounced: hwee-chol) are a tribe of Native Mexicans that descended from the Aztecs in the western/central part of México. A small (20,000), but still strong tribe, the Huichol primarily hang out in the Sierra Madre mountains within the neighboring states of Jalisco (home to Puerto Vallarta) and Nayarit (home to Sayulita). Rumor has it they fled to the mountains to escape the Spanish Conquest carnage and some still live very isolated lives in the mountains of Zacatecas and Durango. #social distancing
Anyhoo, when the Spaniards came to conquer México’s land, indigenous folks and generally cause a big shit show, they couldn’t properly pronounce this tribe’s given name. Shocker. The tribe name was actually ‘Wixaritari’ which means ‘healer’ in their original language, sooooo they shortened it to Huichol. Not really Spanish, but a little easier to say.
Same street in Sayulita, just from a different view. #papelpicado #ojodedios | Photo: Sayulita Life
This tribe is known for 3 things: peyote, bead weaving and Ojos de Dios. Peyote sorta goes without saying….it’s basically trippy shit from a hallucinogenic cactus. The intricate bead work is a blog post for another time because it’s sexy as hell.
Ojos de Dios are decorations that hang from windows, trees and signs across México. They are commonly referred to as ‘Mexican Mandalas’ and are similar to Tibetan Mandalas because these colorful ‘sticks and yarn combos’ symbolize the Eye of God in both groups.
The Huichol believe that these more or less ‘religious instruments’ protect their young. In fact, it is tradition that when a baby is born, the father begins weaving the first layer of that child’s Eye of God by winding colorful yarn around a simple wooden cross to figuratively tie together all of the earth’s elements (land, air, fire, water) and directions (north, east, south, west) so that the newborn will be protected in all ways by all the Huichol gods. Got it? It’s a sweeter gesture than giving a baby a shitload of diapers at a baby shower…
Ojos de Dios can be made as simply as like when we had arts and crafts time with yarn and popsicle sticks! | Photo: Mandalas Web
Each year the father weaves an additional layer of the Eye/Ojo on the child’s birthday and provides the completed Eye/Ojo to the child upon their 5th birthday. This is a big time Rite of Passage for Huichol children. It basically means they are on their own…well, not that dramatic…but these dudes believe that after the age of 5, the child is no longer under the protection of the father, but of God(s).
This gang really embraces nature/earth/multiple gods and the like. And the number 5 holds a massive significance to them. For example: There are 5 points on their map, 5 colors of corn, 5 colors of peyote, 5 colors are used in each Eye/Ojo and there are 5 rain gods. Let’s face it, the Huichol really like the number 5! #cinco
Ojo de Dios hanging at the beach. | Photo: Mandalas Web
At the age of 5, the child throws his or her Eye of God into the sea as a sacrifice to the gods and as a “Gracias!” for their protection. This also signifies that the child is now old enough to protect him or herself. The age of 5 seems a bit young to “Let the damn kid roll on his own!”, BUT the Huichol usually marry between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, so there’s not a lot of time to be on their own anyway.
BTW, marriages are arranged by the parents when the children are very young. I’m guessing age 5? #damnthatsyoung
The Ojo de Dios symbolizes the ability to see and understand unseen things, focusing their worship on nature and the earth.
Faith Lopez, Visual Arts & Ojo De Dios Mandala Workshops
As with all ceremonial items made by the Huichols, colors are important and each is identified with a particular god or sacred object. The original 5 colors in each Eye of God/Ojo de Dios are blue, black, white, red and purple…
Blue represents the sacred lagoon of Chapala and Rapawiyene, the god of rain and water. Maybe I should have had more respect for Rapawiyene when I danced like a crazy women on Lake Chapala in Jalisco. Ayayay. #notproud
Yep. Not proud. On the Malécon on Lake Chapala| Video: TexMex Fun Stuff
Black represents the Pacific ocean…which makes sense because Jalisco and Nayarit are both on the Pacific. It also represents Tatei Armana, the Mother of the Sea. And finally it represents (rather counterintuitively) life. Seems like a lot to represent, but hey. #dontjackwithblack
White represents the wind and clouds, but on the downside it can also be associated with death (again, super counterintuitive).
Red represents Parietekúa, which is the peyote god. I’ve never smoked peyote and that is probably one of my few good life decisions.
A “Mandala” version of an Ojo de Dios – set on a mountain to bless the people below. | Photo: Recognizing México
Purple is all encompassing and represents the Huichol as a society. Lots of Ojos de Dios have other colors obviously, but these 5 are of particular importance to the Huichol. Everything else is just pretty.
Tradition has evolved enough for this art form to become a money maker.?? Huichols now make Ojo de Dios patterns into earrings, wall hangings and ornaments which are both pretty and thought to bring protection against evil, danger or disease. Hey, might as well make some cash as you spread color and joy. And there is A LOT of color and joy in Sayulita! ? ?
One of the main streets in Sayulita, Nayarit – how cool is this?!?! | Photo: Casa Vecino Sayulita
According to a local Spanish newspaper, educational campuses, senior groups, independent artists, shops, and associations from Sayulita decided to showcase this marvelous art form all over the town in honor of the 9th Annual Dia de los Muertos celebration. All of these groups participated in setting up altars for Dia De Muertos and participated in the design, creation and placement of more than 16,000 “Eyes of God”. All of this was to get Ojo de Dios into the Guinness Book of World Record in late 2019! #failuretolaunch #yesImserious
Sweet ass night shot from the Dia de Los Muertos Festival in Sayulita | Photo: Mexico News On Line
I mean, seriously! There were 16,000 of them and they didn’t score?! #chinga #timeforresearch
So I went to the Guinness Book website to see if this had ever been attempted before and there is no record currently set. Based on the submission rules, it is probable (but not confirmed) that they submitted the paperwork too late to get in for the 2019 edition. Which is to say that if you submit paperwork “in time” the registration is free. I’m guessing they didn’t have enough funds for late submission. But still, all 16,000 were done by the hands of the Sayulitans – pretty impressive! #2020?
More OdD Beauties found in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Nevertheless, the good people of Sayulita gave it the old college try and will hopefully have the opportunity to try again during the upcoming Day of the Dead festivities. May 2020 be the year that Sayulita and Ojo de Dios go down in the record books! Because 2020 owes us something, goddamnit! #freaking2020
By the way, we don’t sell these, but here is the place you can score 1 or 16,000: Etsy
Are you looking for more inspiration from México? Check out the TexMex Fun Stuff Blog for more sights, sounds and badass-ness uncovered while exploring México searching for handmade fun stuff for you!
Eighteen amazing México Instagram feeds you should follow have given me an escape from my ‘shelter-in-place’ lifestyle that feels like it’s never going to end. Even though I’m sheltering in place in Puerto Vallarta (I may be a little spoiled) I have been living vicariously through these accounts which beautifully showcase the country that I’ve fallen in love with and now call my home.
Did you have to cancel your travel plans to México this summer?
Are you dreaming of your last trip to a Mexican beach in the Caribbean?
Are you thinking about selling everything you own and moving to México like I did? (Do it!)
I wanted to share with you my top picks of absolutely amazing México Instagram feeds that feature the beauty, charm and culture of this incredible country.
The Mexico desconocido Insta feed (run by a news and blogging website) is one of my go-to spots when I’m researching a new part of México to visit. If you want to learn about spending the night in a tree house in a Kali-Tree in Puebla or visiting a hobbit town in the mountains of San Luis Potosi, this is your website. They have great articles on their site about normal spots throughout México as well, but who doesn’t want to visit a hobbit town in the mountains of México? Come on…am I right? BTW, “desconocido” means “unknown” en Español!
Thumbing through the México Travel Channel is like walking through a museum of must see locations throughout the country. You can cool off in the sparkling clear water of the cenotes in the Yucatan, get blasted on the blue agave nectar in Tequila and feel the sand between your toes on the beaches of Oaxaca.
Pueblo Mágicos, Volcanos and National Parks are all covered in this feed. Put on your imaginary hiking boots because all of these photos feature the outdoors of México.
I couldn’t describe this feed any better than how these guys describe their own page so here you go…
A page dedicated to show how beautiful México is. Landscapes, culture, traditions and more!
Well said mis amigos! And this is exactly why I stalk your page! I never knew that México has vast deserts and dunes in Chihuahua or has massive mountain peaks in Nuevo Leon. México Sorprendente ventures off the beaten path and delivers stunning views of the sites off of the normal road trip routes. BTW, “sorprendente” means “surprising” in Español!
I really wish I would have thought of this Instagram handle, but I guess I’ll have to stick with TexMex Fun Stuff. México Amazing is well, the name says it all. I look at each photo and think to myself, is that place real and how fast can I get there?
The diversity is crazy from one pic to the next. They go from snowy hills to humid swamps to erupting volcanos to crashing waterfalls. This feed truly is amazing.
Rafael Gonzales Jr. is an artist from San Antonio, TX who is combining the classic Mexican La Lotería and the Covid19 pandemic into works of art. La Lotería is México’s equivalent to bingo and is steeped in tradition here. I even wrote a blog post about it title, La Lotería Ain’t Your Grandma’s Mexican Bingo.
Rafa is combining entrepreneurship and artistry by launching Pandemic Lotería, an entire game featuring his newly inspired creations! Taking pre-orders again…
Geraldine is a México-based YouTuber and photographer who has a perfectly curated and diverse Instagram feed. I’m wicked jealous. I like how she focuses on outdoor scenes of México and blends the colors of facades along the streets with the oranges and blues in the sky.
When I’m walking through the streets of México, I’m typically sweating my nuts off with a drink in each hand and stains on my t-shirt, but not Geraldine! She always looks amazing. You go girl! #sisterlove
The Plan B Viajero (Plan B Traveler) feed is managed by Camilo and Gaby, Eco-Travel bloggers from México and Argentina that are based in Oaxaca. They are clearly living their “Plan B” and have built a blog that is dedicated to practicing and promoting responsible and sustainable tourism. I’m totally crunchy granola too, so there’s that. Check out their blog here and one of my favorite amazing Mexico Instagram feeds below.
The Pueblos de México’s Insta account was created by San Luis Potosi-based photographer Didier Palomo who captures the ‘Magic Towns of México’ brilliantly. The ‘Magical Villages Program‘ is an initiative led by México’s Secretary of Tourism to promote a series of towns around the country that offer visitors a “magical” experience – by reason of their natural beauty, cultural richness, traditions, folklore, historical relevance, cuisine, art crafts and great hospitality.
The most unique characteristic of earning the designation of being a Pueblo Mágico is that the village has to be a unique, bustling town (state capital towns/cities are not qualified).
A “Magical Village” is a place with symbolism, legends, history, important events, festivals, traditions, great food, and fun interactive shopping, day-to-day life – in other words, “magic” in its social and cultural manifestations, with great opportunities for tourism.
Guanajuato-based photographer Chema Sanchez has the feel of this Disney movie level magical town nailed. When we lived there I fell in love with the singing minstrels who danced me up and down the winding alleys in this one-of-a-kind city. I miss it everyday, but Chema’s amazing México Instagram feeds takes me back to this college town/state capital that includes the mummy museum, El Pípila on the mountain top and the minstrel music that constantly echos off of the surrounding mountains. This is literally the town that the afterlife kingdom in Pixar’s ‘Coco’ was fashioned after.
Mexico DF is managed by the 3 person team of Manuel Portillo González, Alex Revilla and Chac B who are photographers, bloggers and street artists. The ‘DF’ in the name is a throwback to when México City was referred to as ‘Distrito Federal’. The city went through a rebranding campaign in January, 2016 and completely changed the abbreviated name to CDMX, otherwise known as Ciudad de México. Rebranding a whole freaking city…amazing!
“CDMX” is now seen everywhere in México City from the city street signs to the sides of buses. It really is amazing how quickly they got rid of the “DF” moniker and rebranded in less than a year. This feed feels like you are wandering down the streets of México City.
Edward Nygma is a Oaxaca-based photographer who takes me back to when I spent 5 amazing weeks in the capital city of…you guessed it…Oaxaca, Oaxaca. When Mr. TexMex Fun Stuff and I first drove into Oaxaca, we followed a local’s advice and went straight to the Benito Juárez Market.
We could not get enough of the market’s smoke alley, lined with taco vendors grilling up fresh meat served with fresh tortillas, avocados and bright red salsa. Oh, and several cold cervezas brought to us by a nice teenage kid. The food, colors and native Zapotec culture are clearly the focus and passion of Edward’s feed.
Gustavo Moguel travels from the deserts of Sonora to the haciendas of the Yucatan to the museums of México City to craft his Insta feed into a total México journey. From underwater shots swimming with tropical fish to views from his kick ass drone, Gustavo has an eye for showcasing the beauty of México’s land, sea and air. Check it, yo…
Rodrigo GB loves architecture and reflections. It really comes through in his vivid photos which primarily focus on México City. He is based out of CDMX and tends to shuffle in some of the top ballet dancers from the city. I love the evolution and diversity of his feed and how he is displaying his art. #fabulosa #reflectonthis
Gastronautadf is a food blogger based out of México City. You know you’ve made it as a food blogger on Instagram when Rick Bayless follows you! Foodie greatness.
My mouth waters over this account. This. dude does a great job of combining food and booze, my two favorite things. #nohashtagneeded #yum
The Mexican Coolture® feed and brand has been created by the soul and talent of Mexican artists who make handmade masterpieces. inn the form of beaded hat bands, purse straps and handbags. “Mexico in your hands” = Hecho a mano for sure. These guys are promoting goods curated from artisans in México and they have never looked better.
I experienced my first Lucha Libre event a few years ago and literally laughed, cried and screamed the entire time. I even wrote a blog post about it, My Lucha Libre Experience – Laughing, Crying & Screaming which details the sheer exhilaration and hilarity of The Big Show.
I have not found anything else in my travels throughout this country that had me saying to myself over and over, “holy fuck, only in México.” The amazing México Instagram feed that captures the essence of Lucha Libre is definitely the World Wrestling Council. Feast your eyes on ‘the most Spectacular of Sports and the most Sporty of Shows’.
I couldn’t live with myself if I made a list of my favorite amazing México Instagram feeds you should follow and not list my boys from “Breaking Bad”. Yep, mis hombres, Brian Cranston and Aaron Paul teamed up again! But this time it they aren’t cooking meth!
They have invested in one of my favorite delicacies of ALL OF México…and one that I only recently acquired a love for while in Oaxaca…mezcal! Yeah baby!! The Blue Meth Boyz feed mixes their friendship and their passion for mezcal and México. Una mas mezcal por favor! Plus, they are both pretty hot when not tweaked out and wearing tighty whiteys!
I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t include my own Instagram feed in this list of amazing México Instagram feeds you should follow! I have wistfully created a random-ass feed while traveling through México in search of handmade goods for you.
I’m still learning the ropes on what a ‘professional feed’ should look like, but as you know by now, I’m not a very professional broad.
I hope you enjoy the pictures, video and stories that chronicle my road tripping travels through México as I build TexMex Fun Stuff and search for handmade treasures (tesoros en Español!). Viva México! ?????✈️
Are you looking for more inspiration from México? Check out the TexMex Fun Stuff Blog for more sights, sounds and badass-ness uncovered while exploring México searching for handmade fun stuff for you!
I see this Virgin of Guadalupe broad everywhere. She is insanely iconic to Mexican culture…but why? The Virgin Mary as the Mother of God or at least the female expression of God is a Christian concept. But Catholics in Latin America take it to another level. So how did this virgin become such a big part of Mexican religious and national identity?
“Iconic” often describes something or someone that is considered symbolic of something else, like spirituality, virtue, or evil and corruption. The iconic Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom. Michelangelo’s iconic statue of David was supposed to represent anatomical perfection. In Christianity, the Virgin Mary is an iconic image of purity and closeness to God.
Vocabulary.com
So much Virgin of Guadalupe merchandise…so little time! | Photo: El Estudio
Not only has Mother Mary gone mainstream as an image, but her day of celebration (Dec 12) is the most important holiday of the year in México! I mean, really… it kicks off a 3-week long wretched excess party during the holidays which finally ends on Three Kings Day on January 6. This party streak is also known as: The Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon (blog post on that to follow).
Soooooo many Nuestra Señora shrines in México City | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Let’s start with the plethora of names for her: Patron Saint of México (Patroness de México), Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), La Reina de México (The Queen of México), La Virgen de Guadalupe (The Virgin of Guadalupe), Empress of the Americas, México’s #1 Mother and of course…Virgin Mary.
Also, there are many versions of her story and how she became the ultimate Goddess and Madre of México…One chick, one day, one miracle in Central México almost 500 years ago…here we go, yo.
Long history short: According to tradition, the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to an indigenous peasant (way more native/Aztec than Spanish) named Juan Diego in central México on Dec. 9, 1531. Juan Diego was minding his own business when the Virgin came from out of nowhere and asked that a shrine be built in her name on the spot where she appeared. This happened to be on Tepeyac Hill, which is now in a northern suburb of México City (The Beast).
Tepeyac Hill, which now houses Our Lady’s basilica, is a burb of the Beast | Map/Photo: Avalontravelbooks.com
After this apparition, Juan Diego traipsed his way down to the Big Cheese Catholic bishop, also named Juan, to tell him about Our Lady’s request. Juan De Zumárraga was the first bishop and archbishop of México and he just straight up didn’t believe the other Juan. #notcredible
In fact, Juan De Zumárraga (or J De Z as we will call him) demanded a sign before he would approve construction of the shrine/church/basilica situation. So poor dejected Juan Diego just went back home. Three days later (December 12), Juan Diego’s uncle lay dying and so he was sent back to the church to get a priest to read his uncle his last rites.
Well, lo and behold, if Nuestra Señora didn’t show her ass up again! She reappeared to Juan Diego and ordered him to collect roses in his cloak and take them to J De Z since he was heading there anyway. So Juan Diego took the roses to the bishop and when he opened his cloak, the roses fell to the floor and magically the image of the Virgin was imprinted on the inside!
That seemed to be all the proof that J De Z needed, so construction of the basilica in the Virgin’s name began on the spot where she appeared. Not sure of what became of Juan Diego’s uncle though.
Virgin sightings all over México City, Our Lady’s hometown! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
FUN FACT: Juan Diego’s actual cloak with the image is still on display in the Basilica de Guadalupe. For the record, originally only the figure of Mary was on the cloak. Later the gold rays, the baby angel beneath her and the glowing warm orangey-red light surrounding her was added-probably by Bishop J De Z. It has never been restored yet it looks just as it did in 1531 after 488 years!
Unusual? Yes. A miracle? Maybe. A little far fetched? Hard to say. BUUUUUUUT…This is what PROBABLY happened…
A statue of Juan Diego and J De Z on Tepeyac Hill. Notice the basilica above. | Credit…Ryan Christopher Jones for The New York Times
According to author Rosemary Reuther, an American feminist scholar and Catholic theologian, who wrote “Goddesses and the Divine Feminine: A Western Religious History” (book available on Amazon)…this situation in México is likely a copy cat. It is well known that Spanish priests were sent to the ‘New Spain’ to endear/force upon Catholicism (and its biggest heroine…the virgin/Mary/Mother of God) to the indigenous natives of México.
The central part of México had predominantly been ruled by Aztecs when the Spanish successfully invaded. The Aztecs believed in a myriad of gods, not one god from a mother who never actually had sex with anyone. And Juan Diego was likely Aztec. Here is why Reuther thinks this story is more or less a nod to a previous event that, according to tradition, happened in the region of Extremadura, Spain centuries earlier…
The Original Virgin Story
Reuther explains that a small wooden statue of the Virgin was carved by The Episcopal, Luke right after Jesus (Son of the Virgin Mary) died. St. Luke had sculpted this statue of the Virgin and was laid to rest with it in Antioch, Turkey. Someone at some point dug into St. Luke’s grave and took the Virgin sculpture with them to the Pope in Rome. #graverobber. The next Pope inherited her and then eventually gave her to Leander the Great who was hanging out in Seville, Spain circa 7th century.
Circa 8th century, the city of Seville was captured by the Arabs/Moors of Islam and so a whole slew of priests took a bunch of Catholic relics, including Luke’s statue, and buried them in the hills of Extremadura, near the river of Guadalupe. They hid it so well that no one could find it for centuries. Oops.
Extremadura, Spain and the specific location of the town of Guadalupe on the Guadalupe River. | Photo: Google Maps
Then one day, a shepherd named Gil (yeah, seriously) was herding his cows on a delightfully crisp mid-14th century morning when he realized that one of his cows was missing.
Gil immediately left the flock to look for it and discovered the dead body of his good buddy next to the banks of the Guadalupe River. Gil was devastated and all, but decided to take advantage of the cow’s skin. When he pulled out his knife to score a little hide, THE VIRGIN APPEARED TO HIM AND SAID,
“Don’t be afraid. I am the Mother of God, Savior of the human lineage. Take your cow and take it to the herd with the others and then go to your land. You’ll tell the clerics what you’ve seen. Tell them from me that I’m sending you there, too. Let them come to this place where you are now. Let them dig where the dead cow was, under these stones: you will find an image of me. When they take her out, tell them not to move it or take it from this place where it is now, but make a box in which they put it. Time will come that in this place become a very remarkable church.”
Our Virgin of Guadalupe deserves altars and altars always include papel picado! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Needless to say, Gil did just that and not a damn one of those clerics believed him. #soundfamiliar? Anyway, he was super bummed and his day was about to get worse…Gil arrived home to find that his firstborn son had died. CHINGA! His entire family and village were at his house mourning this loss when Gil, who couldn’t take much more of this shit, dropped to his knees and begged Our Lady with much devotion:
“Ma’am, you brought my cow back to life. Let’s do this again with my son and we’ll show all these motherfuckers how powerful and miraculous you are.” OK, I took some serious liberties with that one, but the original quote is way too long.
Before the stunned gaze of all those present, Gil’s son rose, as if awakening from a dream, and everyone marveled at the great miracle. Then Gil told them about the whole cow situation and how the Virgin appeared by the river and how she wants a church in her honor to be constructed in that exact place.
And, oh by the way, she also mentioned that they should dig for the sculpture that St. Luke carved and that the clerics of Seville buried so many years before. The whole village ran to the Guadalupe river and started digging.
Sure enough, they found her statue plus the other relics and documentation that were in a marble casing (almost like a mini casket). Off they went to show and tell the bishops in the nearby mid-size town of Cacéres! This time Gil was TOTALLY CREDIBLE.
A Tale of Two Virgins. Their Lady of Extremadura, Spain on the left and Our Lady of Tepeyac, Mexico on the right | Photo: culturacolectiva.com
The mass construction of the basilica in The Virgin’s name, (which ended up including a monastery, a school, chapel, etc.) ended up creating a village of workers around it. They decided to name their new town Guadalupe since the Guadalupe River ran through it and everyone had pretty much agreed that they should call the shrine “The Virgin of Guadalupe”. Not extremely original, but certainly sensible.
Fast Forward
Combo graphic courtesy of Allison twerking the meme generator, imgflip.com and also Biography.com
If you remember from your history books, Hernán Cortés invaded México in the early 1500’s when his troops overthrew the Aztecs in their capital city. Welp, Cortés and his some of his men spent a great deal of time in the Extremadura region of Spain and had become enormous devotees of the Virgin of Guadalupe prior to the invasion of México.
Reuther contends that some of Cortés’s army spent time in the Tepeyac hood while preparing to take the Aztec capital (now Mexico City) in 1521. It is probable that while they were there, the story of the original Virgin of Guadalupe was bastardized into a Mexican version, whereas the apparition showed herself to an indigenous man so as to get the Aztecs on board with the “miracle of Christianity.” #itworked
The Pilgrimage
Another similarity between the two Virgins is the pilgrimage by their devotees to their respective sacred places. People bike and walk hundreds of miles to her basilica in México City and to “satellite” basilicas all over México to pay respects and ask for miracles on December 12 every year. The Virgin of Extremadura welcomes visitors all year long who come from far and wide to show their devotion. #Cortés
Paying homage to the Queen of México…The pilgrimage ends at the Basilica on the exact spot of her first sighting | Photo: ABC News
Popular Culture
WeAreLiveLatin.com is a blog about all things fabulously Mexican and they phrased this phenomenon better than I ever could…
“The icon of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe was used by father Miguel Hidalgo as he launched the fight for independence. The image of the Virgin has since been an important image in México’s struggle for freedom and as a patriotic symbol. Revolutionaries like Zapata always carried a flag with her image as they went into battle, and later, when they marched triumphantly into México City.
She is present in all aspects of Mexican life, and her image has become synonymous with México. In places like truck stops, bus stations and automobile garages, there are small shrines to the Virgin where people can pray. In many churches and shrines, instead of a crucifix there is an image of the Virgin. Her image is deeply etched into the consciousness of the Mexican people; so much so that it has even become a form of kitsch. She can be found on t-shirts, calendars, towels, tattoos, cups, and even bank checks.” So there.
We Are Live Latin
Icon-ness
You know you’re an icon when another icon imitates you for her pregnancy and baby pix!
Bey seems to think she’s “Up there” with the Virgin of Guadalupe! | Photos: Beyonce.com
And now for some blasphemy
OK, you may or may not have noticed that I am not super Jesus-y/religious-y/Believer-y. My thoughts on all of the above are this: this story is as ridiculous as the actual Christmas story. Of course it is. However, this woman is so important to the land and culture that I live in now that I don’t dare question the validity of it all around my Mexican friends. That would be sacrilege to the level of un-friending, and not just on FaceBook.
“BUUUUUUUUUT!,” as my dear Mexicana bestie, Julissa says…every sacred situation deserves a good meme. So here we go in Español…
Did I manage to explain why the Virgin of Guadalupe is a bad ass broad? Good. The End.
Are you looking for more inspiration from México? Check out the TexMex Fun Stuff Blog for more sights, sounds and badass-ness uncovered while exploring México searching for handmade fun stuff for you!
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“Goddesses and the Divine Feminine: A Western Religious History”
