Let`s start with the

flag!

In the centre of the flag there is an

image of an eagle, on top of a nopal
(type of cactus), eating a serpent.

This image is the most representational

of Mxico, as it symbolises the
foundation of Tenochtitlan, the first city
ever established in our country. It was
populated by the indigenous Aztec
people.

 d

l

se
northern
states
because
we want
to learn
more
about
them !!

This state is one of the most popular tourist

destinations in the world, which is why Baja
California Sur has been designed exclusively
to offer tourists adventure, comfort and
relaxation, and everlasting fun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_
California_Sur

Here there are beautiful blue

waters (Sea of Cortez and the
Pacific Ocean), and the land has
cool cities and towns, deserts and
mountains. All of this together
creates a beautiful place of natural
beauty to satisfy any travelers`
needs.

 l ote
Just north of Baja California Sur is Baja
California Norte In the "Baja" there is
great fishing, surfing, boating, diving,
and beaches. Many world class hotels
and resorts are in the south end.
In the map below, you can see Baja
California Norte in Green. Just below
it is Baja California Sur.

The famous araches of Baja California Sur

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_California

While you are here

You should go snorkeling
You should go whale-watching
You should go explore the caves and
rare rock formations
You should go shopping at the funky
markets

The Sierra Nevada Foothills are perhaps one of the most beautiful attractions
in the state of Sonora, which is also called Gold Country. This city still has a
historic charm; many of its buildings were constructed in the 1800s. If you go
to Sonora, this should be your first stop!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonora

Chihuahua
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chihuahua,_Chihuahua

Chihuahua is the biggest state in Mxico , in

chihuahua there are canyons and the Chihuahua
Desert is one extends to both sides of the U.S.-Mexico
border (in the central-northern Mexico). The many
canyons together form a network that is bigger than
the famous GREAT CANYON.

Dug

We think the food in Durango is WEIRD!!

If you are feeling adventurous, we would
suggest that you try:
Caldillo Duranguense - a light broth
prepared with beef filet, onion, garlic,
tomato and chili (watch outit is SPICY!)
Cabeza de Res a la Olla - stewed cow
head

(This is what we say before we eat)

http://www.mexicanmercados.com/food/states/durango.htm

aloa

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Infante

Sinaloa is the state home of a

very important Mexican figure:
Pedro Infante. He passed away
long ago, but we will introduce
you to him anyways!

Pedro Infante
was:
*A singer
*An actor
*A movie producer

He is famous in
Mxico; everybody
knows who he is. He
was born in Mazatlan,
Sinaloa, Mxico. This place is a popular beach
vacation destination on the west coast of Mexico! He
died in 1957 at the age of 40.

Hello we are Monserrat A. and

Monserrat M.
We are going to talk about
Central Mexico
Because its our Mexican
Republic.

Zacatecas state of Mexico is located in the north-central

region and it is surrounded by Durango in the north-west,
Coahuila in the north, and San Luis Potos in the east.

Cities
Zacateca has five
important cities:
Fresnillo
Zacatecas
Sombrerete
Jerez
Tlaltenango

Activities:
You can go to
Cathedral
Cerro de la Bufa
Mina El Eden
Teleferico

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacatecas

Guanajuato is a state that has a history

about the independence. Guanajuato has a
nickname that is Hill of Frogs. which
comes from the local indigenous language.
Government and politics:
The Constitution of the State of
Guanajuato provides that the government
of Guanajuato, like the government of
every other state in Mexico, consists of
three powers: the executive, the legislative
and the judiciary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanajuato

One of the major

cities in Guanajuato is
the city called
Guanajuato. It is
beautiful
andThe
there
many colours.
city
are
itself lies over a
foundation of tunnels,
and in fact you can only
get into the city via
these tunnels.

You can visit

the
Alondiga de
Granaditas
Mummy
museum

is the capital city of the Mexican state of Nuevo

Len It has the third largest metropolitan area in
Mexico, after Mexico City and Guadalajara.

Food
Cabrito (kid goat) is Monterrey's most popular
traditional dish. Other local dishes and customs
are the "semita" (bread without leavening) and
the capirotada dessert (a mix of cooked bread,
cheese, raisins, peanuts, and crystallized
sugarcane juice).

Monterrey is the city of Nuevo Leon.

In Monterrey you can visit
Santa Lucia Riverwalk, The Cerro de la Silla
The caves of Garcia or Kidzania

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuevo_Leo
n

Tourism
Tourism is increasing its
importance in the economy.
Quertaro has become the
first non-beach destination.

The capital of this

state is the city of
Santiago de
Quertaro, but
everyone just says
Quertaro.

You can visit the Aqueducts

Museo de Arte de Queretaro
Plaza de la Independencia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queretaro

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalisco

Jalisco is located in
central-western
Mexico. It is
bordered by 7
states. Can you
believe that??
The largest city in
Jalisco is called
Guadalajara.

Jalisco is famous for:

Tequila
Jalisco is the center of the
Mexican tequila industry, and
the town of Tequila, Jalisco,
which gave its name to the
famous liquor, is located
there.
Mariachi
Mariachis are seen as a
symbol of the Mexican
Revolution and as Mexican
pride.
Huichol people
Huichol is the people that
lives in towns that are
difficult to live in and they
make beautiful crafts

Hi, friends we are Karina Contreras & Pamela Meza

And we want to introduce you to SOUTHERN MEXICO

The only part of Guerrero where there

are no mountains is a narrow strip on
the coast with beautiful beaches.
Along this coastline are a lot of
resorts. Tourism is the biggest part of
Guerrero. The 3 major areas of tourism
here are known as the Triangulo del
Sol, or the triangle of the sun.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrero

Eco-tourism in Puebla is a big hit. Come see

the Biosphere Reserve in the Tehuacn Valley.
This is one of the world's largest biospheres
and an area rich in plant resources.
Another alternative is the Izta-Popo National
Park. There you will find an area of over
25,000 hectares of hillsides and volcanoes,
and the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl
mountains. Nearby there are pine and oak
forests for hiking, trekking and hiking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puebla,_Puebla

The state of Hidalgo offers many

interesting cites to visit, like its capital
city with places such as the Garden of
Art, The Alameda, or The Bartolome
Medina Park. Outside Pachuca is El
Chico National Park that offers a
gorgeous forest and outdoor activities
and Mineral del Monte features
beautiful landscapes and camping
possibilities. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidalgo_State

Here, in Veracruz
you can find: jungles, vast green
valleys, beautiful beaches of the
Gulf, lush vegetation, roaming
cattle, sleepy villages,mid-sized
cities, and even snow- capped
mountains.
A traditonal dance of Veracruz is
the The Son Jarocho

Xalapa is the capital of the state, and it is also the

city where we live!! You can see it on the map.
There is a lot of culture in Xalapa! It is a fun city
and we think that if you can`t come to Mxico
without seeing it! It`s nick-name is City of
Flowers. It is beautiful!

In Pre-Columbian times
Chiapas was the home of the
Maya civilization. It is now home to the famous
Zapatistas, a rebel army of indigenous peoples
who are fighting against the government to
reclaim their rights.
It is also home to Palenque
(famous Olmecan ruins)
and San Cristobal de las
Casas (a beautiful colonial
city) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiapas

The ruins of Uxmal are

outstanding. Uxmal is
pronounced "Oosh-mahl".
The name is Pre-Columbian
and means "Built Three
Times".
Tulm and
is another
highly
visited site
in this state.
Look, and
guess why!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucatan

It is a Mayan
ruin site built
on the
beach.

http://www.meridayucatanhotels.com/restaurants.html

Ancient
cultures!

Hi! were Lizbeth and Ceci

and we are going to talk to
you about the ancient Aztec
culture that is so interesting
because it is very important
in Mexicos history.

The
destructi
on of the

 The first sun was called Nahui-Ocelotl, "Jaguar."

According to the Aztecs, humankind was first
destroyed by jaguars, which they considered to
be the nahualli ("animal disguise") of the creator:
a God named Tezcatlipoca.
At the end of the second sun, Nahui-Ehcatl,
"Wind," a magical hurricane transformed all
people into monkeys. That disaster was caused
by Quetzalcatl (the Feathered Serpent God) in
the form of wind.
A rain of fire had put an end to the third sun,
Nahuiquiahuitl, "Rain." Tlaloc, God of thunder and
lightning, ruled that period.
The fourth sun, Nahui-Atl, "Water," ended in a
gigantic flood that lasted for 52 years. Only one
man and one woman survived, sheltered in a
huge cypress, but they were changed into dogs
by Tezcatlipoca, a God whose orders they had
disobeyed.
http://www.amherst.k12.wi.us/USERWEBS/faculty/faculty/gorddebr/myths/Vsuns.html

What we
think:

Well, right now, according to the Aztecs, we

are living in the period of the fifth sun. We
don`t know what will happen next, or how we
will transition into the period of the sixth sun,
but we think it will be peaceful.
We think that our country is very interesting
because there is a lot of history about towns,
peolple, customs, traditions. Historically, we
consider it one of the most important
countries in the world.

Aztec legend: the

earth goddes
The bright and dark aspects of the creator
are represented by two gods: Quetzalcoatl
and Tezcatlipocal. The earth herself is the
nourisher of life; but she is also the burial
ground of the dead.
One purpose of this myth is to validate the
aztec custom of sacrificing live human
hearts.

 These two gods brought the earth

goddess Tlalteuctli down to earth
from the sky. All her body was filled
with eyes and mouths biting
ferociously, saying to each other
we must make the earth, so they
changed into two great serpents,
one of whom seized the goddess
from the right hand down to the left
foot, the other from the left hand
down to the right foot. They
tightened their grip around her and
split her in two. Her upper half
became the earth, and her lower
half went to the sky. The gods in the

They changed
They changed
grass
They changed
fountains
They changed
caves
They changed
mountains

her hair into trees

her skin into flowers and
her eyes into wells and
her mouth into rivers and
her nose into valleys and

 The Aztecs said that at night, this

goddess still wails, thirsting for
human hearts. For this reason, the
Aztecs performed sacrifices they
would take human hearts and feed
them to her, as to keep her silent
and keep her (and in turn the earth)
fertile.

http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/Earth_Goddess-Aztec.html

The ragpicker and

the priest

Near the temple of Huitzilopochtli, an Aztek rag-picker

discovered a painted book that told of a magical box hidden
inside the ninety-third step of the pyramid.
The rag-picker agreed to split the treasure with the priest of
the temple, and counted the stairs of the pyramid until they
got to the 93rd one.
There, they found the magical box, hidden away. It was
filled with magical items.
The priest said: These are sacred things. You don`t know
how to use any of them, so they`re no use to you.

 So the priest gave the rag-picker 300

pieces of gold and kept the rest of the
treasure for himself. As the priest
counted the gold coins, the rag-picker hit
him on the back of the head with a
magic wand and killed him. He threw the
priest`s body into the lake and started to
learn how to use the magical artifacts.
It was too hard, though. The rag-picker
didn`t understand any of it, so he
packed the artifacts back into the box,
and threw it in the lake.

 In this moment, the priest was reborn.

He jumped out of the lake and caught
the box in his hands. The priest took out
the magic wand from the box and killed
the rag-picker with it. From then on, the
priest carried the sacred items with him
always, so nobody else could get hurt.

The end

What is the moral of this story? The Aztecs

were not greedy people. They believed in
sharing, and worked for each other, not
against each other. This is a lesson we
should all learn http://www.native-languages.org/aztecstory.htm

HelloOur names are Renata &

Alejandra, and we are working on this
project which consists of knowing the
strange bits of our mexican culture,
especially in Catemaco, because this
place is known as one of 3 cities
populated by witches.
We are going to talk about..
the location of Catemaco
what kind of things the tourists do
Cleansings
The shamans
White and black magic
Annual witch gathering

Where is Catemaco?

This is the state of Veracruz. Jalapa

(Xalapa) is the name of our town, and just
to the South is the famous Catemaco.

http://www.catemaco.info/s/

Catemaco
this community has been
A power center for supernatural
Events .

the communitys celebrated

high council consists of a dozen
or more reglements to perform acts
of black and white magic.

The principal comunities of the region include

San Andrs Tuxtlas, Santiago Tuxtla, and
Catemaco cities of witches

The students of elite magic and the dark arts

practice their trade openly and proudly

Cleansings
The main business of Catemaco are cleansings, performed by the wizards &
shamans who have set up shops. In this process they free peoples auras of
bad vibes and bad fortune and they can also tell the future through the
reading of cards. This is the main attraction for tourists.

Tourists also like to take boat tours through the surrounding lagoons of
Catemaco. Here, the boatman will stop and people can scoop up the nutrientrich mud and spread it on their bodies to enrich their skin. This mud is said to
have healing and rejuvenating effects.
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catemaco

SHAMANS
Most shamans are male, and many of the shamans of Catemaco are born
into their profession. However, it is not their parents who pass on the gift of
sorcery; it is a gift that they are born with, no matter their origins. In fact, in
once case, the daughter of a male shaman was born with the gift of magic,
and her father tried to prevent her fom following the tradition. Why?
Because there are different forms of magic: white and black (good and
evil)

A typical shaman
in Catemaco
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catemaco

White vs. Black magic

A shaman can practice different forms
of magic.
Often, if a shaman or witch practices
both white and black magic, then he or
she will have two huts for the
practicing of their trade; one light hut
and one dark hut.
The dark hut can be full of danger, and
the light hut rather peaceful.

White

vs.

Black

Cleansings

Revenge

Healing rituals

Selling of souls

Fortune-telling

Selfish desires

Spiritual help

Sacrifices

http://mexicolesstraveled.com/catemaco.htm

The Annual Witch Gathering

Every year in Catemaco there is a traditional
gathering for witches. It is basically a witch
convention.
It lasts the whole month of March, and at this
time Catemaco is flooded with people; witches,
shamans, sorcerers, tourists, knock-offs, and
more.
The practicers of the magical arts (black and
white) come from far and wide to share stories,
experiences, potions, spells, and much more.

Our names are Daniel and Abril, and our topic is

about some curiosities and myths about Mexico
and we want to share some of these myths with
you.

We were interested in this topic because it is

interesting to know about all of the curious

The sand and the gold

(Myth about the Macuitepetl mountain in Xalapa)
In the macuiltepetl mountain it is rumoured
that in the depth of its trees there is a secret
cave that can only be seen once in a year.
One day, a long time ago, a very poor
woman was walking with her daughter on
the mountain and it was the mourning of
june 24th. She was very worried because
their family didn`t have money to eat so she
took a rest down at the foot of a tree and in
front of her she saw a cave, full of curiosity.
She decided to enter it with her daughter.
When they were inside, the woman found a
lot of money, so she decided to wait until the
night so nobody could steal the money from
her. She wanted to take it all but she couldnt
because she was with her daughter. She left
the daughter in the cave, making sure that
nobody would steal the money. But when the
woman came back she looked for that cave
in all the mountain, she didnt find it.

One year later, during the same day, June 24th, the woman
came back to the mountain and she saw again the cave so
she entered quickly looking for her daughter, and she was
playing inside of it. The mother took her out, but when the
little child saw the sun she melted into millions of pieces of
sand.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macuilt%C3%A9pec

The zone of silence

It is the name for a dessert patch in northern Mexico. It is located
between the states of Durango, Chihuahua and Coahuila.
In the past, the silent zone was submerged under the ocean and that`s
why some maritime fossils are present. There is also concentrate
meteorite fractions and it is known for being home of rare animal
species like the dessert tortoise and the purple cactus.
On July 11th of 1970, a rocket crashed over this zone and it was carrying
two samll containers of Cobalt 57, a radioactive element.
The area is called the Silent Zone because radio waves cannot be
transmitted due to local magnetic fields. This zone is frequently
compared to the Bermuda Triangle, the Egyptian Pyramids and the
Sacred Cities of Tibet, because all are located between parallels 26 and
28.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zona_del_Silencio
Some people claim that the area attracts meteorites and causes
mental problems, also there are some stories after the rocket crash:
1.-Inside the zone you cannot hear the conversation of other people
2.-It is the location for UFO landings.
3.-This was a spot where earth energy was concentrated, and on
the other side of the world a place like this existed too.
4.-It`s not rare to see light spheres flying over the zone.

The Legend of
Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl
In Aztec mythology, volcanoes were actually humans who
were deeply in love.
This Legend is about two lovers, the brave warrior
Popocatepetl and the beatiful princess Iztaccihuatl. The
father of Iztaccihuatl demanded something from
Popocatepetl: to win the princess, he had to first engage in
battle against the tribes enemy and return victorious.
Treacherously, a rival of Popocatepetl sent a false message
back to the ruler that the warrior had been killed. Upon
hering the false news, the princess fell ill and succame
death from a broken heart. When Popocatepetl returned
triunphant he encountered that his beloved was dead

He carried Iztaccihuatls body to the mountains, where

Popocatepetl died next to his beloved.
The gods turned hte humans in to volcanoes so they could finally
be together.
On ocasion, Popocatepetl spews ash, reminding those watching
that he will never leave the side of his beloved Iztaccihuatl.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popocat%C3%A9petl

BYE!!

BYE!!