In Aztec times the tamemes—bearers—would wait at the edge of the markets on the edge of Tenochtitlan, looking for customers.
There were no beasts of burden to carry loads in pre-Hispanic Mexico and humans were the best and only option. Several transport revolutions later, this occupation still exists in the iconic markets of Mexico City’s historical center such as Tepito and the Merced.
The United States Library of Congress recently added a 400-year-old piece of Mexican history to its online collection, one that helps further illustrate a key moment in the history of Mexico. The Codex Quetzalecatzin, a map made in 1593 by the indigenous Nahua peoples of Mexico around the time of first contact with the Spanish Empire, has been digitized for the library’s collection, and it can be viewed online here.
Here is a wonderful blog post by Always a Gringa with 39 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Mexico! Provecho!
Visit Round Earth Media’s website “Mexico Uncovered” for links to powerful radio documentaries. Awesome!
Betsy McNair of My Mexico Tours is passionate about México and has recently been working hard to share information about the work of Don Sergio Castro in Chiapas. There has been a film made about him and the tireless volunteering he does treating the illnesses of Chiapas’s poor. The trailer for the movie, El Andalón, is below:
Betsy wrote previously about the Sergio and the fundraising project in San Miguel, and she wrote a follow up post recently that includes the amazing fundraising results. I hope you’ll read both posts and be willing to donate to such a worthy cause. Gracias a todos!