The plant depicted on the coat of arms of Mexico. State symbols of Mexico
The flag of Mexico is a rectangular panel with an aspect ratio of 4:7, consisting of three equal vertical stripes - green, white and red. In the center of the white stripe is the image of the coat of arms of Mexico. The green color of the flag represents hope as well as the abundance of good soil in Mexico. White symbolizes purity, red - the blood shed for the independence of the country. According to Aztec legend, the god Huitzilopochtli predicted to the Aztecs, who were looking for land to live, that they should find an eagle sitting on a rocky spot on top of a nopal cactus, devouring a snake. And when they found this eagle, they settled there, and erected the first temple there in honor of their patron god Huitzilopochtli. And it is this eagle that is depicted in the middle of the flag. The flag was adopted on September 16, 1968.
One of the national symbols of Mexico, in addition to the coat of arms, is the flag. It appeared after the victory in the Revolutionary War. Until this time, standards were used that represented not only different cultures, but also individual troops, regions, etc.
These colored emblems were crafted with great care and care, and were decorated with gold and the feathers of beautiful birds, such as the quetzal (the sacred bird of the Aztecs).
After the conquest, the Spaniards brought their banners and standards to the New World, most of which depicted religious images.
Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, having begun the struggle for independence on September 16, 1810, chose a canvas depicting the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe as the banner of the rebels. A little later, in 1815, the Supreme Congress, held in Michiokan, issued a decree according to which three banners were adopted: military, parliamentary and commercial.
The rebel war banner had white and blue squares, arranged like a chessboard, and was bordered with red. In the center of the banner was an eagle sitting on a prickly pear. This was the sign most often used by Don José Maria Morelos and Pavon in the battles for the country's independence.
Other rebel leaders used their own banners. Thus, between 1812 and 1817, the troops of Nicolas Bravo and Guadalupe Victoria used a banner of three colors: green, white and red. Later, on February 24, 1821, the first national flag was created with the following characteristics: three diagonal stripes, one of which is red with a white star; the other is green with a red star; the third is white with a green star.
On the central stripe there was a gilded imperial crown and the words: "Religion, Independence and Unity." White symbolized religion, green symbolized independence and red symbolized the unity of all Mexicans. This banner was called the "banner of three guarantees."
Until November 2, 1821, the colors of the flag were used in different orders, until the Provisional Government fixed their final arrangement: three vertical stripes of green, white and red, on the central stripe - an eagle perched on a prickly pear, whose head is decorated with a crown.
After the establishment of a republican regime in Mexico, on April 14, 1823, the Constitutional Congress decreed that the official flag should have three vertical stripes: green, white and red, an image of an eagle without a crown, as well as laurel and oak branches at the bottom.
These elements have been preserved since then, although the eagle was depicted in different positions: in profile, in front. One such change occurred on April 10, 1865, when Emperor Maximilian moved the eagle to a front view and the symbol of the imperial crown was reintroduced into use.
Later, in 1880, President Porfirio Diaz decided that the eagle should have open wings in the French style and the crown disappeared again.
When Don Venustiano Carranza took over the reins of government of the country after the defeat of the usurper Victoriano Huerta, he decided to use the Indian elements that made up the national coat of arms and, on this occasion, issued a decree on September 20, 1916, according to which the eagle was to be depicted in profile (view left), located on a prickly pear, which grows from a stone surrounded by water, and decorated with oak and laurel branches below.
Currently, the national flag of Mexico is rectangular in shape and divided vertically into three equal parts of green, white and red with the national coat of arms in the middle.
Most of the symbols of the Mexican coat of arms are associated with an ancient legend. In search of the most suitable land for habitation, the Aztec tribes, led by four high priests, wandered through the territory that is part of modern Mexico. And then, one day, they went out to the shores of a large lake and saw in front of them an island where an eagle sat on a prickly pear (a plant of the cactus family) and pecked at a caught snake. This was a sign from Huitzilopochtli, one of the supreme gods of the Aztecs, which meant that from that moment on, wanderings should stop and one should finally settle in this place. So in 1325 the city of Tenochtitlan was founded, which later became the center of the Aztec empire.
Eagle: symbolized the sun, to which the Aztecs attached great importance and believed that it gave light and life. It was considered a magical bird whose flight is close to the sun.
The snake: like the eagle, was considered a magical animal by the Indians and has been worshiped since ancient times throughout Mesoamerica. In Aztec mythology it had a double meaning: creation and destruction, it could kill, but it could also cure.
"El nopal" (a type of prickly pear, cactus family) is a sacred plant for the Indians. The Aztecs associated the red flowers of this plant with the human heart, which was intended for the sun (the eagle was considered the symbol of the sun). The human heart contains blood, which according to Aztec beliefs is the only thing that keeps the sun alive and keeps it moving, giving life.
Island - The symbolic image on the coat of arms of Mexico refers to the island on Lake Texcoco, also called "lake of the moon", where the Aztecs saw an eagle devouring a snake.
Oak branch - in European culture represents power, physical and spiritual strength and was placed on the coat of arms under the influence of European culture.
The laurel branch - in ancient culture symbolized victory, achieved triumph. Just like an oak branch is a sign of European culture.
Mexican national anthem
Mexicans at the Roar of War
Prepare the steel, the horse and the road, and
Let the earth tremble all the way to the center,
In the echoing roar of guns.
1. Ciña O Motherland! Your whiskey is olive
Peace divine archangel,
Whose eternal path is destiny in the sky
inscribed with the Finger of God.
But if the enemy dares a stranger
To defile your lands with my invasion,
He will understand, oh dear, he is like heaven
He gives you a soldier in every son.
2. In bloody battles you find them
Feeling your love with all my heart,
Face the shrapnel calmly,
To seek glorious death or immortality.
After all, the memory of the deeds of brave ancestors
Your children's minds are on fire,
Their victories make up your appearance,
Immortal in your adornment.
3. A sword of lightning destroys an oak tree, even if it is made of stone.
And the power perishes in the depths of the stream,
The impotence of disagreement has been defeated,
It will fall to dust under the feet of an angel.
There will be no more blood of brave children,
Henceforth it will be fought in internecine fights between brothers;
Let him alone meet steel in the hands of the mighty
Who will insult the holy name of the Motherland?
4. Immortal formidable warrior Zempoala
What protects us with a terrible sword,
Holding him with an invincible hand,
And your sacred, your tricolor banner.
Fortunately, he is your forever Mexican
In both peace and war he is the leader.
After all, his weapon gained shine
Soaring, circling in the fields of courage and honor.
5. War, war, no peace for those who dare
The honor of the Motherland, the honor of an angel to stain
War, war, fatherland banners
In their waves, soak in our blood.
War, war. In the mountains, in the valleys,
The trunks roar through kilometers, years,
And the echo resonates with the cry
Their formidable voices are the Union! Freedom!
6. Of old, Motherland, whose children are unarmed,
Your yoke is merciless, their necks are bent,
Your fields are soaked in their blood,
And the blood bears the stamp of the enemy's feet.
And your temples, and palaces, and towers
They were demolished everywhere with a terrible roar,
So that only the ruins of power repeat:
That you were heroes in your homeland.
7. When going to battle with enemy troops,
Military trumpets are calling us,
And Iturbide the sacred banner is with us
O Mexicans, brave ones arise.
And saddle your faithful horses
Let the banners defeated by the carpet fall;
Let the laurel of triumph decorate with shadow
The beautiful face of a brave leader.
8. Return proudly to your father’s hearths,
Warriors with songs of victory,
And overshadowed by the palm of glory
Skillfully won in battle.
Let your bloody laurels
They will enter into wreaths, garlands of roses and myrtle,
Those who love us with their daughters and wives,
They know how to reward the feat of the brave.
9. And who, with the blow of fiery shrapnel,
He will die on the altar for his homeland,
Will receive both a reward and a grave
Where sparkling, eternal glory light,
And, equally, teaching sacred love
His bloody sword will bind them together
With an immortal laurel crown.
The sword of light and love is a grave cross.
10. Fatherland, Motherland! Your children swear
Give you my last breath
If the battle horn strikes with a sound,
Calling brave men to fight.
Olive garlands for you!
Glory to them!
Laurel of victory for you!
A grave of honor for them!
The flag of Mexico is a rectangular panel with an aspect ratio of 4:7, consisting of three equal vertical stripes - green, white and red. In the center of the white stripe is the image of the coat of arms of Mexico. The green color of the flag represents hope as well as the abundance of good soil in Mexico. White symbolizes purity, red - the blood shed for the independence of the country. According to Aztec legend, the god Huitzilopochtli predicted to the Aztecs, who were looking for land to live, that they should find an eagle sitting on a rocky spot on top of a nopal cactus, devouring a snake. And when they found this eagle, they settled there, and erected the first temple there in honor of their patron god Huitzilopochtli. And it is this eagle that is depicted in the middle of the flag. The flag was adopted on September 16, 1968.
One of the national symbols of Mexico, in addition to the coat of arms, is the flag. It appeared after the victory in the Revolutionary War. Until this time, standards were used that represented not only different cultures, but also individual troops, regions, etc.
These colored emblems were crafted with great care and care, and were decorated with gold and the feathers of beautiful birds, such as the quetzal (the sacred bird of the Aztecs).
After the conquest, the Spaniards brought their banners and standards to the New World, most of which depicted religious images.
Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, having begun the struggle for independence on September 16, 1810, chose a canvas depicting the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe as the banner of the rebels. A little later, in 1815, the Supreme Congress, held in Michiokan, issued a decree according to which three banners were adopted: military, parliamentary and commercial.
The rebel war banner had white and blue squares, arranged like a chessboard, and was bordered with red. In the center of the banner was an eagle sitting on a prickly pear. This was the sign most often used by Don José Maria Morelos and Pavon in the battles for the country's independence.
Other rebel leaders used their own banners. Thus, between 1812 and 1817, the troops of Nicolas Bravo and Guadalupe Victoria used a banner of three colors: green, white and red. Later, on February 24, 1821, the first national flag was created with the following characteristics: three diagonal stripes, one of which is red with a white star; the other is green with a red star; the third is white with a green star.
On the central stripe there was a gilded imperial crown and the words: "Religion, Independence and Unity." White symbolized religion, green symbolized independence and red symbolized the unity of all Mexicans. This banner was called the "banner of three guarantees."
Until November 2, 1821, the colors of the flag were used in different orders, until the Provisional Government fixed their final arrangement: three vertical stripes of green, white and red, on the central stripe - an eagle perched on a prickly pear, whose head is decorated with a crown.
After the establishment of a republican regime in Mexico, on April 14, 1823, the Constitutional Congress decreed that the official flag should have three vertical stripes: green, white and red, an image of an eagle without a crown, as well as laurel and oak branches at the bottom.
These elements have been preserved since then, although the eagle was depicted in different positions: in profile, in front. One such change occurred on April 10, 1865, when Emperor Maximilian moved the eagle to a front view and the symbol of the imperial crown was reintroduced into use.
Later, in 1880, President Porfirio Diaz decided that the eagle should have open wings in the French style and the crown disappeared again.
When Don Venustiano Carranza took over the reins of government of the country after the defeat of the usurper Victoriano Huerta, he decided to use the Indian elements that made up the national coat of arms and, on this occasion, issued a decree on September 20, 1916, according to which the eagle was to be depicted in profile (view left), located on a prickly pear, which grows from a stone surrounded by water, and decorated with oak and laurel branches below.
Currently, the national flag of Mexico is rectangular in shape and divided vertically into three equal parts of green, white and red with the national coat of arms in the middle.
Most of the symbols of the Mexican coat of arms are associated with an ancient legend. In search of the most suitable land for habitation, the Aztec tribes, led by four high priests, wandered through the territory that is part of modern Mexico. And then, one day, they went out to the shores of a large lake and saw in front of them an island where an eagle sat on a prickly pear (a plant of the cactus family) and pecked at a caught snake. This was a sign from Huitzilopochtli, one of the supreme gods of the Aztecs, which meant that from that moment on, wanderings should stop and one should finally settle in this place. So in 1325 the city of Tenochtitlan was founded, which later became the center of the Aztec empire.
Eagle: symbolized the sun, to which the Aztecs attached great importance and believed that it gave light and life. It was considered a magical bird whose flight is close to the sun.
The snake: like the eagle, was considered a magical animal by the Indians and has been worshiped since ancient times throughout Mesoamerica. In Aztec mythology it had a double meaning: creation and destruction, it could kill, but it could also cure.
"El nopal" (a type of prickly pear, cactus family) is a sacred plant for the Indians. The Aztecs associated the red flowers of this plant with the human heart, which was intended for the sun (the eagle was considered the symbol of the sun). The human heart contains blood, which according to Aztec beliefs is the only thing that keeps the sun alive and keeps it moving, giving life.
Island - The symbolic image on the coat of arms of Mexico refers to the island on Lake Texcoco, also called "lake of the moon", where the Aztecs saw an eagle devouring a snake.
Oak branch - in European culture represents power, physical and spiritual strength and was placed on the coat of arms under the influence of European culture.
The laurel branch - in ancient culture symbolized victory, achieved triumph. Just like an oak branch is a sign of European culture.
Mexican national anthem
Mexicans at the Roar of War
Prepare the steel, the horse and the road, and
Let the earth tremble all the way to the center,
In the echoing roar of guns.
1. Ciña O Motherland! Your whiskey is olive
Peace divine archangel,
Whose eternal path is destiny in the sky
inscribed with the Finger of God.
But if the enemy dares a stranger
To defile your lands with my invasion,
He will understand, oh dear, he is like heaven
He gives you a soldier in every son.
2. In bloody battles you find them
Feeling your love with all my heart,
Face the shrapnel calmly,
To seek glorious death or immortality.
After all, the memory of the deeds of brave ancestors
Your children's minds are on fire,
Their victories make up your appearance,
Immortal in your adornment.
3. A sword of lightning destroys an oak tree, even if it is made of stone.
And the power perishes in the depths of the stream,
The impotence of disagreement has been defeated,
It will fall to dust under the feet of an angel.
There will be no more blood of brave children,
Henceforth it will be fought in internecine fights between brothers;
Let him alone meet steel in the hands of the mighty
Who will insult the holy name of the Motherland?
4. Immortal formidable warrior Zempoala
What protects us with a terrible sword,
Holding him with an invincible hand,
And your sacred, your tricolor banner.
Fortunately, he is your forever Mexican
In both peace and war he is the leader.
After all, his weapon gained shine
Soaring, circling in the fields of courage and honor.
5. War, war, no peace for those who dare
The honor of the Motherland, the honor of an angel to stain
War, war, fatherland banners
In their waves, soak in our blood.
War, war. In the mountains, in the valleys,
The trunks roar through kilometers, years,
And the echo resonates with the cry
Their formidable voices are the Union! Freedom!
6. Of old, Motherland, whose children are unarmed,
Your yoke is merciless, their necks are bent,
Your fields are soaked in their blood,
And the blood bears the stamp of the enemy's feet.
And your temples, and palaces, and towers
They were demolished everywhere with a terrible roar,
So that only the ruins of power repeat:
That you were heroes in your homeland.
7. When going to battle with enemy troops,
Military trumpets are calling us,
And Iturbide the sacred banner is with us
O Mexicans, brave ones arise.
And saddle your faithful horses
Let the banners defeated by the carpet fall;
Let the laurel of triumph decorate with shadow
The beautiful face of a brave leader.
8. Return proudly to your father’s hearths,
Warriors with songs of victory,
And overshadowed by the palm of glory
Skillfully won in battle.
Let your bloody laurels
They will enter into wreaths, garlands of roses and myrtle,
Those who love us with their daughters and wives,
They know how to reward the feat of the brave.
9. And who, with the blow of fiery shrapnel,
He will die on the altar for his homeland,
Will receive both a reward and a grave
Where sparkling, eternal glory light,
And, equally, teaching sacred love
His bloody sword will bind them together
With an immortal laurel crown.
The sword of light and love is a grave cross.
10. Fatherland, Motherland! Your children swear
Give you my last breath
If the battle horn strikes with a sound,
Calling brave men to fight.
Olive garlands for you!
Glory to them!
Laurel of victory for you!
A grave of honor for them!
State symbols of mexico reflect its cultural and historical development. Coat of arms, flag and anthem of Mexico is a set of principles of the way of life and aspirations of the multinational Mexican people.
Let's start with coat of arms of Mexico. It represents an important socio-political state symbol, which, together with the anthem and Mexico flag used as one of the main official symbols. The coat of arms of Mexico does not have the heraldic shield widely used on the coats of arms of a number of other countries. In the central part of the Mexican coat of arms is, as many think, a Mexican eagle, which symbolizes the victory of the forces of good over the forces of evil, the freedom and independence of Mexico. However, in fact, the coat of arms of Mexico does not depict an eagle, but a crested caracara, a bird of the falcon family that lives in the Mexican prairies. The people of Mexico themselves call this bird corancho. So it is the korancho who holds a green snake in its beak and holds it with its right paw. The snake, according to Aztec beliefs, personifies a certain religious substance, characterized by outright negativity. However, today the religious connotation has been excluded from the heraldic symbol of the coat of arms of Mexico and the snake has been given the usual personification of evil that will be defeated. Experts even determined the genus of this snake. According to them, this is a green rattlesnake, widespread in Mexico. With the claws of its free paw, the corancho rests on a cactus, which is called “Napalea cochiniferous”. Many people mistakenly call this type of cactus prickly pear. This cactus produces a rich scarlet dye that is still used in the textile industry and as a natural food coloring. The cactus on the coat of arms of Mexico grows on an island located on Lake Texcoco. The lake and the island itself are depicted in classic Aztec style. On the left side of the coat of arms there is an oak branch as a symbol of the republican political structure of Mexico, and on the right side there is a laurel branch - the glory and immortality of Mexican warriors. At the bottom, the branches are tied with a ribbon in the colors of the national flag of Mexico.
The appearance of the Mexican coat of arms can be associated with an Aztec legend. According to this legend, the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli told these people that they would live on the land on which they would see a bird of prey on top of a cactus holding a snake in its paw. The Aztecs saw this bird where the Mexican capital is now located.
If speak about Mexico flag, then it is a rectangular panel with an aspect ratio of 4:7, which is not the most common for state flags. The new Mexican national flag was approved by Francisco Helguera in 1968. Mexico flag consists of three vertical stripes of equal width. From left to right: green, white and red. The green stripe is a symbol of independence and hope, the red stripe is a symbol of the unity of the entire Mexican people, and the white stripe is the peace and purity of the thoughts of the Mexicans. On the central (white) stripe is the national coat of arms of Mexico. Mexico can be called one of those Latin American states that combines two state symbols in one. If we talk about the history of the Mexican flag, then its current state was reached by a combination of several flags that were considered national in different historical eras. The first national flag of Mexico can be considered the flag of 1821, which had diagonal red, green and white stripes. Each stripe featured a yellow eight-pointed star.
Mexican national anthem It is considered one of the longest national anthems not only of Latin America, but of the whole world. It has as many as ten eight-line verses and another four-line chorus. Author of music for Mexican national anthem is Jaime Nuna, and the poet is Francisco-Gonzalez Bocanegra. Moreover, the words were written in 1853, the music was created in 1854, and this work was approved as the national anthem of Mexico only in 1943.
Leitmotif Mexican national anthem are the words that Mexicans are a brave Latin American people who fight the enemy and defeat him. The Mexican anthem uses numerous "floral" metaphors relating to glory, victory and valor. These are laurel, rose, myrtle, olive and oak. The anthem celebrates the Mexican tricolor flag as well as the glory of the ancestors. The theme of freedom used in the Mexican anthem demonstrates the reverence with which the author regards the independence of his homeland.
National symbols of Mexico complement each other and form a single picture of a modern Latin American state with deep historical roots.
Also see:
Mexican culture
The culture of Mexico has recently become of increased interest in connection with the prophecies of the Mayan people about the end of the world in 2012. However, even without this, in Mexican culture you can see many interesting details that can surprise people around the world.
Population of Mexico
Mexico is one of those Latin American countries that has absorbed the cultural background of both the North and South of the American continent. In terms of population, Mexico is one of the largest countries in all of Latin America and is second only to Brazil in this indicator.
An important symbol of Mexican politics and culture for many centuries.
The coat of arms depicts an eagle perched on a cactus devouring a snake. For the Aztecs, the images had deep religious connotations, but for Europeans it was only a symbol of the triumph of good over evil. The coat of arms also depicts oak and laurel leaves.
Story
According to ancient Indian legend, the sun god Huitzilopochtli ordered the Aztecs to settle in the place where they would meet an eagle sitting on a tall cactus and holding a snake in its beak. The Indians managed to discover an area that fully corresponded to the description, and they decided to found their city on the western shore of Lake Texcoco, in a picturesque valley. This legend is reflected on the flag and coat of arms of Mexico. The flag was adopted on September 16, 1968
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An excerpt characterizing the Coat of Arms of Mexico
Two months passed after receiving news in Bald Mountains about the Battle of Austerlitz and the death of Prince Andrei, and despite all the letters through the embassy and all the searches, his body was not found, and he was not among the prisoners. The worst thing for his relatives was that there was still hope that he had been raised by the inhabitants on the battlefield, and perhaps was lying recovering or dying somewhere alone, among strangers, and unable to give news of himself. In the newspapers, from which the old prince first learned about the defeat of Austerlitz, it was written, as always, very briefly and vaguely, that the Russians, after brilliant battles, had to retreat and carried out the retreat in perfect order. The old prince understood from this official news that ours were defeated. A week after the newspaper brought news of the Battle of Austerlitz, a letter arrived from Kutuzov, who informed the prince of the fate that befell his son.“Your son, in my eyes,” wrote Kutuzov, with a banner in his hands, in front of the regiment, fell as a hero worthy of his father and his fatherland. To my general regret and that of the entire army, it is still unknown whether he is alive or not. I flatter myself and you with hope that your son is alive, for otherwise he would have been named among the officers found on the battlefield, about whom the list was given to me through the envoys.”
Having received this news late in the evening, when he was alone. in his office, the old prince, as usual, went for his morning walk the next day; but he was silent with the clerk, the gardener and the architect, and, although he looked angry, he did not say anything to anyone.
Freedom Bird
It is not known what is more in the life of this bird - luck or, conversely, misfortune. Indeed, throughout Latin America it is considered a sacred bird, with which many legends and beliefs are associated. This fact simultaneously saved and almost destroyed the bright bird. Both the Mayans and Aztecs considered the quetzal the patron of the air, a symbol of goodness, light, spring and plants, and depicted him next to the gods. To harm this bird was a terrible sin. Having seen the quetzal, they tried to please it - bring food, decorate the tree on which the nest is located. But pulling a few bright feathers from the tail was not considered harmful, and only the “highest ranks” of the tribe could decorate themselves with these feathers. But the Indians considered the quetzal a bird of freedom that wasted away in captivity, and they always released it. There is one beautiful legend associated with the quetzal. The Indian leader Tekut Uman fought with the conquistadors, and his patron, the quetzal, hovered above him. During the decisive battle, Tekut Uman was killed. And the quetzal fell dead on his bloody body. Since then, the Indians believe that the quetzal has a red breast. But when the conquistadors realized what this bird meant to the Indians, they began to hunt it. In addition, over the next few centuries, the territories in which the quetzal lived - tropical and mountain forests - continued to be developed. As a result, the bird almost disappeared, and today it is included in the Red Book of Central America. Finding a quetzal is not easy, despite its size (including its tail, it can reach 80 cm). However, this does not stop curious tourists who travel tens of kilometers along mountain paths to see the sacred bird. The quetzal lives in the territory from southern Mexico to Panama, usually high in the mountains, on the tops of trees. And his quiet chirping, as the Mayans say, still brings to us the speeches of the gods.
Mexican sombrero
The Mexican sombrero is Mexico's most recognizable piece of clothing. A sombrero is a colorful, wide-brimmed hat that combines many colors and shades. A real sombrero hat is made from straw, but in tourist areas you can find options made from velvet, fabric or wool. A sombrero is excellent protection from the scorching sun.
Cactus
In childhood, almost everyone had these prickly hedgehogs growing on their windowsill, and many still have them growing now. Millions of crazy cactus collectors around the world grow them at home. Peter I brought cacti to Russia from Europe at the beginning of the 18th century. And a century later, the collection of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden already numbered more than 1000 species. Their homeland, of course, is Mexico; scientists believe that it was from here that they spread throughout the American continent. About 1,000 species of cacti grow here, out of more than two thousand species found on the planet. The harsh conditions of the deserts and semi-deserts of northern Mexico and the southern United States forced the ancestors of these plants to lose their leaves, turning them into thorns, and they began to accumulate precious moisture in a thick, massive stem; for example, giant carnegias can hold up to two tons of water. In the Chihuahuan Desert, for example, only 300 mm of precipitation falls per year, which is half as much as in Moscow, and even then, most of it falls on the ground in the winter in the form of random snow. Cacti and succulents have many uses. The most obvious is decorative; unpretentious cacti will decorate any interior, and their flowers are considered one of the most beautiful. In addition to their decorative function, tall types of cacti are used as hedges. But perhaps the most widely used succulent plant in Mexico is various types of agave; entire fields are sown with it throughout the country. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, blue agave is used as a raw material for the production of tequila, and secondly, “sisal” is made from other types of agave - a fiber from which clothing and traditional Mexican blankets “tapetas” are made. Among other things, several species of cacti grow in Mexico, the fruits and stems of which are eaten. There is nothing exotic about it here; the spade-shaped stems of “nopales” are sold in bags in the markets and cost pennies. They have been eaten fresh, boiled, fried and pickled since humans appeared in Mexico. It is believed that nopal normalizes blood sugar levels and removes many toxins from the body. It is used in medicine to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The sweetish fruit of the same cactus “tuna” is also eaten - a juicy fruit of red, orange or yellowish color. Nopal and tuna are loved not only by Mexicans; they are also grown outside of Mexico, mostly in Italy and Israel, as well as in China. Nopal was even honored to be depicted on the national emblem of Mexico. In Mexico, not only edible cacti grow, but also hallucinogenic ones. In total, the Indians used about a dozen species of cacti for shamanic rituals, but the most famous of them is Lophophora Williamsi - “peyote”, also known as “peyote” in Indian dialects. This inconspicuous, thornless cactus grows in northern Mexico and Arizona and has been used for centuries by Native Americans not only to reach the world of spirits and ancestors, but also for healing. An interesting fact is that, according to Indian beliefs, such medicine can be taken by both the patient and the healer himself.
Tequila and Mezcal
Technically speaking, tequila is an alcoholic drink produced from various types of agave. But the Mexicans say that tequila is Mexico, because no other attribute embodies the essence of Mexican culture as much as this drink. Contrary to popular belief, agave is a succulent plant that, although it lives in the same conditions as cacti, is not one. Mezcal is also produced from agave, and it is in it that gusano is sometimes put, which, contrary to another popular belief, is not a worm, but a butterfly caterpillar that lives in the thickness and leaves of the agave. Before the appearance of the Spanish conquistadors on the American continent, the Indians had a tradition of making and drinking pulque, a drink made from fermented agave juice. In terms of alcohol content, pulque resembles beer, and the Indians used it during ritual ceremonies and holidays dedicated to the god Ometochtli. This sweetish, pulpy drink is still consumed today in some areas of Mexico, where there are special pulquería bars. The Spaniards, who mastered the technology of distillation, but were deprived of the usual vineyards, quickly adapted pulque to produce a stronger drink from it, which was initially called mezcal wine. The word tequila comes from the name of the locality of the same name in the state of Jalisco, where its production is still concentrated. Until the 19th century, all spirits made from agave were called mezcal or mescal wine, and the technology for their preparation differed little depending on the area. Today, genuine tequila is only a drink made 100% from agave exclusively in the state of Jalisco, just as not every brandy can be called cognac, since historically Cognac is a province in France. However, like the French, the Mexicans squandered the brand names and now tequila can be called any liquid that is obtained somewhere in Texas from imported agave distillate, which is diluted with anything. Having learned from bitter experience, the Mexican government patented the name “mezcal” internationally in 1994, so when you buy mexal, you can be sure that it is produced exclusively in the state of Oaxaca. So, from a historical point of view, tequila is a type of mezcal. Although they are similar in many ways, there are still some differences between them:
1. No artificial ingredients are used to produce mezcal; it is produced using only agave as a raw material. For the production of tequila, a standard of at least 60% agave raw materials is established.
2. Mezcal is produced mainly from the species Agava Angustifilia, Agava Potatorum and Agava Esperrima, while tequila is obtained from the blue agave - Agava Tequiliana.
3. Mezcal is produced in the state of Oaxaca, and tequila in the state of Jalisco.
4. Mezcal is more aromatic, tequila is more neutral in taste, with some exceptions.
5. Some varieties of mezcal contain a larva that lives in the plant. They don't exist in tequila.
Another difference between tequila and mezcal is double purification; there is even a law stating that only a product that has gone through two stages of distillation can be called tequila. Some tequilas are refined three times, but this process is thought to make the flavor too neutral. Mezcal, on the contrary, used to be traditionally obtained in one distillation, but recently many varieties of mezcal also undergo two stages of purification.
