General Mexico Links

Mexican Tales

Mike Payton, a teacher who has lived and taught in Mexico, has set up a travelling schools project on Mexico (based in Nottingham), in many ways starting on a similar journey to Mexicolore’s: through storytelling, craftwork, music and games Mike aims ‘to foster a lasting interest in this unique country and culture’.

Casa Alianza

Casa Alianza is a long established charity dedicated to supporting street children not only in Mexico but in neighbouring Guatemala and Honduras. Their work deserves the maximum of support - helping to publicise the plight of street children, bringing pressure to bear on European governments to lobby their Central American counterparts, raising funds to back their work at street level, even volunteering in one of their programmes ...

Streetchildren

For details of a UK-based development education project producing teaching resources focusing on issues relating to children (Casa Alianza UK is one of some 35 agencies in the ‘Consortium for Street Children’).

Global Exchange Mexico Program (USA)

For ‘getting involved’ in campaigning on issues affecting Mexico, particularly in the fields of human rights, environmental struggles, peace and politics; provides hundreds of links for the serious researcher/activist in these areas

Cool Chile Company

For a huge range (dozens of different varieties, strengths, flavours) of authentic Mexican dried chiles (whole and powdered), sauces and more, and offering a world wide delivery service, go to the London based and long established Cool Chile Co.

Latin America Bureau

For general up-to-date reading on Mexico today (and its history), check the Mexico section in the publications of the Latin America Bureau

Zonezero

For an international photography site showcasing largely contemporary digital photography, including a strong Mexican element - highly recommended for inspiration and as an award-winning, beautifully assembled site in its own right (now in its 10th anniversary year).

Mario Iván Martínez

A superb bilingual Mexican actor, Mario Iván starred in the classic film ‘Like Water For Chocolate’, and has toured the UK with performance pieces from his ‘Mestizo’ production, based on pre-Hispanic Mexican legends. His audio CDs for children, with music by the long-established group Tribu, are superb.

Latin American Network

For serious research/networking on Mexico and Latin America generally, The Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) at the University of Texas at Austin’s mission is to facilitate access to Internet-based information to, from, or on Latin America. ‘Our target audience includes people living in Latin America, as well as those around the world who have an interest in this region. While many of our resources are designed to facilitate research and academic endeavors, our site has also become an important gateway to Latin America for primary and secondary school teachers and students, private and public sector professionals, and just about anyone looking for information about this important region’.

Piñatas from Mexicolore

For authentic Mexican piñatas in the UK. London based, we’ve been making traditional papier mache piñatas for over 30 years!

Peace Brigades

For a very special opportunity to volunteer in Mexico, requiring serious commitment and with a strong human rights focus, try Peace Brigades International.

‘Let’s Eat! Children and their Food Around the World’ (Oxfam)

Using case studies from 5 countries - including 6-year-old Luis from Mexico -”Let’s Eat!” explores world cultures through the eyes of children and the food they eat, asking such questions as Where does their food come from? Do they buy it or grow it themselves? Do they eat at the table, outside or in front of the television? What foods do they like and dislike? What do they eat for special festivals and celebrations? Beautifully photographed and presented.

Planeta.com

A pioneering portal site on Mexico (founded 1995) and one of the founders of The Mexico Network - linking three of Mexico's most important English-language content providers. Offering 'a practical guide for anyone with a serious interest in ecotourism and conscientious travel', Planeta.com provides free access to more than 10,000 pages of articles and resource guides for everyone from students to policy-makers.

‘Food Historian’

‘Discover the traditions, rituals, and culture of Mexican food’ - excellent and visually striking resource page with many short articles. Produced by Google Arts & Culture.

Mexico Connect

For a useful general overview of Mexican history, consisting of a simple timeline (linked to world events, from the Pre-Classic Period up to today) backed by a good range of hyperlinked articles about each period, this is a great place to start.

Sierra Gorda, Ark of Life

A strikingly beautiful introduction to the biodiversity of the Sierra Gorda Nature Reserve, in the Eastern Sierra Madre of Mexico. Presented by Roberto Pedraza Ruiz, and hosted on the Maptia platform. RPR is both professional photographer and conservation activist - a powerful combination.

Indigeneity in the Contemporary World

‘Indigeneity in the Contemporary World: Politics, Performance, Belonging’ is a five year research initiative funded by the European Research Council and based at Royal Holloway, University of London. One of its several ongoing research projects is ‘Mobilising Ritual and Celebrating the Seeds of Mayan Culture in the Yucatan and Belize’.

Nahuatl Folktales

Collected here online are 13 native Nahuatl folktales, collected originally by Pablo González Casanova; all feature native Mexican creatures...

Hearst Museum of Anthropology online collection

See some of the ‘hidden treasures’ from the Mexican Collections of this museum in California, including pottery, lacquer, textiles, masks, ceremonial arts, folk art, miniatures and more...

UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Mexico

Mexico has the largest number of UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites of any country in the Americas and the sixth most in the world. As of July 2013 there were 27 cultural sites and 5 natural sites on the list, a total of 32.

latinamericanstudies.org

Set up in 1997 by Assistant Latino Studies Professor Antonio de la Cova of Indiana University, this is now the leading resource for researching Latin American Studies on the net. Phenomenally comprehensive and well set out.

‘Dreams and Memories of a Common Man’

The excellent ‘Words Without Borders’ online magazine for international literature contains an entire issue dedicated to ‘The Indigenous Literature of the Americas’, including this moving account of a disillusioned migrant to the capital

Pirate Maps

‘One of the most valuable treasures they [English pirates] seized was not gold or silver, but an atlas of Spanish sailing charts’. National Geographic feature, including a map of Guatemala (showing a volcano visible from its Pacific coast).

Biblioteca Lafragua de la Universidad Autóma de Puebla

This important library in Puebla has made available for online study two 16th century indigenous codices, the Codex Sierra-Texupan and the Codex Yanhuitlán. Site in Spanish.

Iberian and Latin American Music Society

Established in 1997, ILAMS is the first and only organisation dedicated to the study, performance and promotion of Iberian and Latin American classical music in the UK.

Zoque poet Mikeas Sanchez

Activist poet Mikeas Sanchez took part in an excellent BBC R4 programme ‘The Last Songs of Gaia’ (July 2020), on sacred trees. She is the first Zoque to have published a book of poetry in her native language, still spoken by some 70,000 today. Try her work here...

Upside Down World

‘An online magazine covering activism and politics in Latin America, founded in 2003, made up of work from writers, activists, artists and regular citizens from around the globe [like us!] interested in flipping the world upside down...or right side up.’ Their Mexican coverage is impressive (follow link below...)

Universes in Universe

Part of a site dedicated to ‘Visual arts from Africa, Asia, the Americas in the international art context’, and published in English, German and Spanish, the Mexico section contains excellent photo/info tours of key archaeological sites, exhibitions and collections, including Teotihuacan and the Templo Mayor.

Map of Mexico 1550

Media Lab Helsinki’s virtual reconstruction of the Map of Mexico 1550 by Alonso de Santa Cruz. The brainchild of Professor Lily Díaz, the digitisation of this early colonial map of the environs of Mexico City began in 2002. The main website is in English and the interactive map allows access to brief introductory articles - in English and Spanish - on key places marked, with extra photos, weblinks and video clips to enhance the experience.

JASS (Just Associates) Mesoamerica

An impressive and vital organisation that builds, mobilizes and leverages the collective power of women to promote justice, safety and accountability in a context of impunity and violence.

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve

Mexico has long recognized the vital importance of the forest, some 100 kms northwest of Mexico City. It was declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 2008. This site has some stunning photos of the butterflies.
For an on-the-ground project supporting the conservation of Monarchs in Mexico follow the second link.

‘Lotería’ folk images

Mexico City restaurant El Cardenal, established in 1969, has an unusual page on its website with several pages of Lotería-style card entries relating to Mexican traditional cuisine - very informative, visually appealing and pretty comprehensive. In Spanish.

Mexican Traditions and Culture

A pleasing, sympathetic, plain-speaking introduction to Mexican festivities and major cultural celebrations in the year, from The Handbook for Educators who Work with Children of Mexican Origin (USA)

Pai’s Far Away Land

A short, simple, informative, highly evocative and uplifting video of traditional life far away from modern society, in the high Sierra Madre. Made by Michael Foster.

Native Scientist

The Native Scientist team works with international scientists and teachers to promote science and language learning among school pupils in the UK. By focussing on pupils who speak a different language at home and in school, the team raises awareness about multilingualism and STEM-related careers. We promote their work in schools in England, linking them to schools with Spanish speaking pupils.

Tribal Nations Maps

Aaron Carapella, has designed ‘the most comprehensive maps of pre-contact and at-contact Native North America to date. These maps use Tribal Nation’s original indigenous names for themselves, and show where Tribes were just before contact with outsiders. The intent of these maps is to instill pride in Native peoples and to be used as teaching tools from a Native perspective.’ The Mexico map is superb.

Day of the Dead resources

Of all places hidden amongst lurid costumes for hire on a US commercial site (HalloweenCostumes.com) is an excellent collection of links to resources on the Day of the Dead. A great place to start learning about this ages-old festival.

World superfoods list

An intriguing, authoritative - and valuable for our health! - website compiled by Dr. Kevin Curran, a professor of biology in California. He provides an alphabetical listing of the world’s superfoods (‘nutrient rich foods that deliver multiple benefits to our health and well-being’. Many are originally from Mexico!

Violence and Avocado Capitalism in Michoacán, Mexico

Committed academic blog by Alexander Curry, part of the Noria Research programme, charting the impact of high international demand for avocados on the local population