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Do you like to eat a chocolate bar or drink cocoa? You can thank Mexico.
Ever tried to hit a piñata at a birthday party or eaten a burrito or a taco? Are you a fan of cowboys and rodeos? Again, you can thank Mexico. It’s easy to get there – just head south.
▲ Mexicans and tourists love the happy sound of mariachi bands. The bands walk around the city, playing guitars, violins, and trumpets. They perform folk songs from different parts of Mexico. They often take requests. Band members may wear wide-brimmed hats, called sombreros. They may also wear silver-studded pants. They play at festivals, weddings, dances, and other celebrations.
▲ Some of Mexico’s best-loved artists are people who paint on walls. These paintings are called murals. They often show the history of the country. They also honor its science and its many different cultures. Diego Rivera is one of Mexico’s most famous mural painters. His murals show how Mexican peasants, Indians, and others fought for land and equal rights. This Rivera mural shows different people from the past in Mexico City.
▲ The Aztecs gave the Spanish this delicious chocolate drink. Like all chocolate, it is made from cocoa beans. The Spanish took it back to Europe. People haven’t stopped drinking cocoa and eating chocolate ever since.
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▲ These men and women are doing a Mexican folk dance in the city of Durango. Each part of Mexico has its own dances and costumes. Mexico also has a national dance group. It is called the Ballet Folklórico de México. It performs Mexican folk dances all over the world.
◀ There are thousands of beautiful churches in Mexico. These churches show the large part that Spain played in Mexico’s history. They also show how important the Catholic religion is in daily life. This church is in Zacatecas.
About 25 percent of the people who live in Mexico are Indians. They speak over 50 different languages. These include Nahuatl, Mayan, and Zapotec. This Zapotec mother has her child in a colorful rebozo. ▶
