"The Hispanic culture is rich in tradition. That'southward what makes u.s. unique – New United mexican states is a perfect case of that."

The University of New Mexico Vice President for Student Diplomacy Eliseo "Cheo" Torres said it best, pointing to the array of traditions most conspicuously illustrated during National Hispanic Heritage Calendar month.

"Y'all can create new traditions or change existing traditions. As long as there is a proficient intention; as we modify, so do our traditions." - Eliseo "Cheo" Torres, UNM Pupil Affairs vice president

Definitions

Curanderismo

koo- r ahn-de- rees -moh

noun

  1. the fine art and practise of traditional medicine.

Celebrar , meaning "to celebrate," happens each yr from September xv to Oct xv as Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Calendar month to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Espana, United mexican states, the Caribbean and Key America. Torres said a lot of traditions celebrated today began around 1519 when the Spanish arrived in what is now called the U.S. and Native and European cultures began to blend.

"Some people say that culture is the best of everything, then that encompasses traditions beingness function of the all-time of everything," Torres said. "A lot of those rich, Hispanic traditions accept carried over into New Mexico. That's what attracted me to this wonderful land; in that location are a lot of traditions even so historic hither."

Torres'southward initiation every bit a Lobo began when he moved to New Mexico 24 years ago. The vice president for Student Diplomacy also shares, writes, and teaches about one of the strongest traditions known to the Hispanic culture – curanderismo .

"It's the i tradition I cherish, and I've studied all my life," he said. "I grew up with it and my teacher, known as Chenchito, was from Mexico; I was his student for 30 years."

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Curanderismo is the art and practice of traditional medicine and it comes from the discussion curar meaning "to heal." A curandero or curandera "is a traditional native healer found in Latin America, Southern Europe and the U.S. The curandero's life is defended to the administration of remedies for mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual illnesses." According to Torres, throughout the 1800s when the curandero practiced holistic medicine, they would have been considered a family's counselor, midwife and chemist.

"Times take inverse, and we don't rely on the curandero as much, in this country anyway, simply you accept other countries in Mexico and Latin America where people treasure the knowledge of the traditional healer and sometimes they're the only doctor in their villages," Torres said.

Other Familiar Traditions

  • Día de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead: The New United mexican states Department of Tourism describes the tradition every bit "a Mexican vacation dating back hundreds of years, Día de los Muertos originated with the Mexica. Before Spanish colonization, the celebration took place during the summer. Later it was moved to fall to coincide with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints' Eve, All Saints' Twenty-four hour period, and All Souls' Twenty-four hour period. The multi-twenty-four hour period holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and recollect friends and family unit members who have died and helping support their spiritual journey."
  • Mariachi: A genre of Mexican music widely enjoyed in New United mexican states, particularly at weddings and other celebrations; the traditional mariachi group consists of equally many every bit eight violins, two trumpets and at least one guitar, including a high-pitched vihuela and an acoustic bass guitar called a guitarron."
  • Pilgrimage to Chimayo: During Holy Week in New Mexico, tens of thousands of people make their way to El Santuario de Chimayo, a small village in Northern New Mexico. The New United mexican states Explorer describes the tradition equally "generations of American Indians, Hispanics and other people of faith traveling to the site of El Santuario to ask for healing for themselves and others, and to offer prayers of petition and of thanksgiving for favors received."
  • Tamales: A traditional holiday Mesoamerican dish, made of corn-cased masa, steamed in a corn husk. Tamales can exist filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, and chile. "Tamales were too considered sacred equally it is the food of the gods. Aztec, Maya, Olmeca, and Tolteca all considered themselves to be people of corn and so tamales played a large part in their rituals and festivals."
  • The lighting of luminarias or farolitos: According to the New United mexican states Section of Tourism, "Earlier the 1872 invention of flat-bottomed paper bags, earlier the gear up availability of votive candles and before electricity and strings of 'icicle lights,' New Mexicans marked the paths to their doors and the local church building with small, bonfires on Christmas Eve—symbolically lighting the fashion for the Holy Family."

"Today, I recall the younger generations are starting to repossess their culture and traditions that have been forgotten," Torres said. "I call back the diversity has always been hither, but I call back the sense of pride is becoming a lot stronger of who people are and how their particular civilisation and traditions contribute to the world."

Storytelling
Peradventure one of the most important traditions is illustrated in the exchange between Torres and myself; nosotros shared stories of life, family, and traditions including first experiences celebrating Día de Los Muertos to the odour of tamales drifting through Hispanic homes during the holidays.

As Torres said, storytelling is ofttimes a forgotten tradition.

"Storytelling was one of the nearly important traditions when I was growing up," he said. "We'd sit on the porch and heed to our elders tell stories of the past. Nosotros've seemed to have lost that because we're as well glued to the Goggle box and to our phones. We don't accept fourth dimension to converse with others."

But Torres said he remains hopeful that the future of traditions looks bright.

"I always tell people create your traditions," Torres said. "You tin can create new traditions or modify existing traditions. Even in traditional medicine people are beginning to practice rituals a petty differently and that'southward okay. Equally long as there is good intention; as we change, so do our traditions."

Sources: Wikipedia.org; Exploring New Mexico; and New Mexico Department of Tourism