The Pinata

Photo thanks to bodytothesouth, Flickr.com
I hope everyone reading this blog has at one time in their life experienced the joy of striking a pinata open, and enjoying all the goodness it delivers in the form of delicious candies. This blog is dedicated to the wonderful Mexican tradition of the pinata.

As I started doing some research about the origins of the pinata, I couldn't come up with a straight answer. Some say it came from China, others say Italy and some say it came from the Aztecs. What I did find that was agreed upon was that the word "pinata" comes from the Italian word "pignatta," a pine-cone-shaped clay pot.

I also learned another interesting fact. The Mexican people often used the pinata as a religious teaching tool. The ways it was used seem to vary a bit, but here were the most interesting ones I found:

1. The seven pointed pinata has seven points representing the seven deadly sins (envy, sloth, gluttony, greed, lust, wrath and pride).


2. Some explain the beautiful colors of the pinata to represent the false beauty of Satan, and the candies inside are the tempations of the world. The stick is then used as to destroy the "evil" represented in the pinata.


3. In the above scenario, the blindfolded person represents "blind faith." Photo thanks to MaLuMaPe, Flickr.com
   
4. Others say the stick represents love, and only love (Jesus) can destroy sin.


5. In the above scenario, the candies represent the forgiveness of sins, and new life.

Pinatas are generally used at celebrations like Christmas or birthday parties, not merely for religious illustrations. They can be any design or size you want them to be.

If that's the case, why not make your own pinata? It can be a fun family project, and a great activity at any party. Click here for a "how to" Web Site with instructions on how to build your own 6-point pinata. Just add your own extra point if you want to use it for the religious symbolism.

If another design is what you want, try Google.com for "pinata patterns" and browse through the results. I'm sure you'll find something perfect for your special occasion. Here is a photo I found of an Elvis pinata: Photo thanks to chotda, Flickr.com

The possibilities are never-ending!

Interior Design

Courtesy of Mr. Greenjeans, Flickr.com

Decorating the interior of your home is a process that can be expensive, time consuming and difficult. My husband and I discovered coming up with a color scheme and a "theme" makes the process much easier. I would describe our home as "Mediterranean beachy." This blog, however, is going to provide some tips on how to create a beautiful Mexican themed home, in a simple and frustration-free way.


Step 1: Pick a Color Scheme

Mexican design is known for some bright colors, so don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. According to an HGTV article, architect Manolo Mestre says the new trend in Mexican design is to combine a gray base with accents of red and yellow.

How can you do this?

Painting your walls is a great way to add color to your home, BUT, it is also time consuming and expensive. Here are some simpler ways to add color:

• Pillows - Use red and yellow pillows on a gray couch to get some color in the room.
  
• Lamps - Find a table lamp with a red, yellow or green base. To save money, paint an existing lamp one of these colors.
  
• Table linens - IKEA carries some great and inexpensive table linens in bright colors that can instantly add color to your dining room. Try a red table runner and red chair pads. If you want to add in some gray, paint your existing table and chairs.
  
• One splurge item - Add a huge dash of color by finding one special item that you love, and don't mind spending a little bit of money on. Maybe a beautiful red comfy chair, or a gorgeous orange area rug. One large colorful item can make a huge difference in a room void of color.

Courtesy of J. Ruth, Flickr.com

Step 2: Add Some Tile

One common theme in Mexican design is artistic tile arrangement. An obviously appropriate place to do this would be in your kitchen. Rather than adding tile to the entire wall, which would be expensive and time consuming, displaying a few brightly colored decorative tiles as a backdrop above the oven adds the same feel. If money and time aren't issues, a creative idea is to add decorative tiles in a place that isn't so expected. Here is an image of a creative tile display near a staircase:

Courtesy of Svanes, Flickr.com

Step 3: Silver Frames

Silver frames are a popular Mexican design element. A great way get this look is to do use one large silver framed mirror in the vanity area of the bathroom. If one large mirror is too costly, a little cluster of smaller framed mirrors in the hallway is a nice look. Here is one take on it:

Courtesy of Drew-o-rama, Flickr.com

Step 4: Folk Art

The last major step to a Mexican home makeover is to add some traditional Mexican folk art. Wall art is always acceptable, but Mexican folk art is generally not meant for the walls. Here are some wonderful examples of some art you can add to your coffee table, end tables or any ledge or shelf you have available:

Courtesy of Lorimarsha, Flickr.com and Courtesy of Stribdawn, Flickr.com

These simple steps should get you on your way to a makeover worthy of the "spicy" style of Tucson, AZ.

The Children

*This blog is a supplement to my story "Teacher Helps Immigrant Students Succeed" in the education section of Borderbeat.net.

After interviewing Diane Lopez, a teacher of mostly illegal immigrant children at Apollo Middle School, I had a different outlook on the way I view illegal immigrants, and the way the press is dealing with the entire immigrant situation. Hearing stories of individual children and what they go through everyday really got the wheels turning in my head.

When I turn on talk radio, or watch a cable news station all I hear is banter back and forth between liberals and conservatives and how they intend to solve this illegal immigrant problem. Most of the issues they discuss are about health care and the economy.

I understand both sides of the argument, and the frustrations people are feeling regarding this issue. My frustration is that we keep dealing with illegal immigration as if every person that comes over the border illegally has the exact same background, the exact same intentions and the exact same problems.

Just like we are discovering in Iraq right now, it is extremely difficult to deal with a large group of people and bring about change, because not all people are going to respond the same way. Some Iraqi's are welcoming to change, and some are not. We see the two different responses covered in the media; the conservative media covering the former angle, and the liberal media covering the ladder.

I don't like to group myself with liberals or conservatives because I don't fully agree with either side on any issue. But, what I would like to see the mainstream media do regarding the issue of illegal immigration is to STOP the banter, and start looking at individuals.

There are reasons why thousands of illegal immigrants are "sucking our health care system dry," as I heard a caller say on a local radio program today. Now, I myself am in the middle of a health insurance bind, so I understand completely why some Americans are tired of seeing illegal immigrants use up government health care money from programs such as ACCHHS. But I hate that so many Americans are looking at these people like they're leeches.

Particularly in the case of children. Mainstream media personalities argue back and forth about this issue, treating the entire immigrant populous like chattel. If only they would realize that not everyone in the world is an American, or thinks like an American. If only they would realize that journalists are not bestowed with superior knowledge that allows them to solve the world's problems, and chide anyone who would dare to disagree. Maybe they could think about their children, and the love and care they are offering them by making a living, and then think about these immigrant children who are completely innocent of what their parents are having them do.

Illegal immigration is still illegal, and I'm not arguing that it's OK, but can someone please just get over themselves long enough to shut their bantering mouths up, and see some people instead of numbers? Let me introduce you to the children...

Having fun with language

Below: Dos Hombres - "Two Men"
I spent about 10 years of my life living on a street called "River View." Actually, it was called "Rio Vista," but translates to "River View" in English. I would bet that most Tucsonans who grew up in Tucson have, at one time or another, lived on a street with a Spanish name. These names are all over the city. In our hospitals (El Dorado), in our schools (La Cima Middle School), in our parks (Agua Caliente Park) and in our neighborhoods (I lived in a neighborhood called "Vista Del Rio" or "View of the River.")

Tucson has borrowed many Spanish words that are now part of our everyday vocabulary. Unfortunately, not everyone in town knows Spanish (including me) so some street names remain a mystery. This blog is going to unravel the mystery to major street names and common words found in street names in the Old Pueblo.

Have you heard of these roads?

Tanque Verde: "Green Tank" - a major street that runs through the east side of Tucson
La Canada: "The Glen" or "The Dale" - a major street on the northwest side of Tucson
Rancho Vistoso: "Gorgeous Ranch" - a street on the northwest side of Tucson

Or have you lived on a street including one or more of these terms?

Calle: "Street"
Camino: "Way"
Avenida: "Avenue"
Paseo: "Pass"
Via: "Route" or "Way"
Circulo: "Circle"
Valle: "Valley"
Plaza: "Square" or "Open Place"
Ventana:"Window"
Alta: "High"

And here are some fun street names I found that don't have such obvious translations (for a non-Spanish speaker):

Loma del Bribon: "Hill of the ruffian" - "Ruffian Hill" (north-central Tucson)
Camino Del Codorniz: "Way of the quail" - "Quail Way"(far east Tucson)
Camino Sin Vacas: "Way without [a] cow" (north side of Tucson)

Above: Camino Seco - "Dry Way"

However, when an American city begins borrowing language from another country there are bound to be some problems in spelling, meaning, etc. Check out this article from an AZ Daily Star opinions writer who catches some of the flubs Tucson has made in misusing the Spanish language.

The Quinceanera

I was looking through racks and racks of wedding gowns when a bright pink, sparkly ball gown emerged through the billows of white. My first thought was, "who in the world would want to walk down the aisle in this thing?" Then, I realized nobody would. It was a Quinceanera gown. My search for the perfect wedding dress reminded me of a special part of Tucson culture that has come from Mexico - the Quinceanera celebration.

Being from Scottish-Irish decent, this celebration was a bit of a mystery to me. So I decided to ask some questions and figure out why so many bridal shops in Tucson are selling these gowns. I had a discussion with a friend, Katrina, who has grown up in a very large Mexican family, and has been to quite a few of these celebrations.

Katrina went to a Quinceanera last weekend, and gave me a description of the event. Basically, the whole things is about introducing a girl as a young woman to God and her family on her 15th birthday. At last weekend's celebration Katrina told me there was a church service, which is typical. The girl is presented to God, and prayers are said. Following the church service is the reception. "They all walked in like people do at a wedding," she said. "The girl was escorted by her father, and after she was announced, they started a waltz." She told me another typical Quinceanera tradition is the shoe ceremony. The girl's father takes off her flat shoes and replaces them with high-heels, symbolizing her transition into womanhood.

Katrina didn't have her own Quinceanera, but said she thinks they're fun. "It reminds me of a sweet 16. I think it means more in Mexico though, and maybe people are doing it here more to throw a big party."

My husband and I got a glimpse of a Quinceanera celebration about two-weeks-ago while we were driving past the Z-Mansion in downtown Tucson. We saw a girl in a huge purple gown surrounded by guys in tuxedos, having professional pictures taken in front of a limo. Now, I don't look down on this tradition in any way, but my question is:

If a 15-year-old girl buys an expensive ball gown (they often cost as much as a wedding gown), has a church ceremony followed by a reception at the Z-Mansion, dances the waltz with her father, and has professional photos taken, how will she top that on her wedding day? Is the American celebration of the Quinceanera more ostentatious that it was originally meant to be?

I would love to hear what other people think about this, so post a comment if you have something to say.

Either way, Tucson has become a Quinceanera-friendly city. So ladies, when you are shopping for your wedding gown and a huge purple dress pops out from the throngs of white, don't cringe at the thought of somebody walking towards her groom wearing it.

(This You Tube video shows a girl preparing for her Quinceanera. Does anyone think she looks like a bride?)