Ceremonial Clothing Essay

Ceremonial Clothing is worn for indigenous dances, cultural festivals, and other special occasions, like the China Poblana, which means Chinese Pueblan in English. This outfit is known for its white shirt, shawl and wide, colorful dress. The origin of this costume goes back to the 19th century in a town in Mexico. The town is called Puebla and it is known to the world as the city where Mexico defeated the French on May 5, 1862 to eventually win its second independence and an Asian slave named Mirra (Lacy, “Traditions of Mexico” Par.1). It is believed she was living in India but pirates captured her when she was nine and sold her to a Pueblan merchant. Miguel de Sosa, who was a merchant, baptized Mirra the “Chinese girl” and gave her the Christian name Catarina de San Juan. After Sosa and his wife died, Catarina later attained her freedom and spent the remainder of her life in a convent passing away at the age of 82 in 1688. People can visit her tomb in the Templo de la Compañía in Puebla (donquijote, “Traditional Mexican clothing-Mexican clothes”). Unwilling to give up her traditional clothing, she continued to wear a sari, which inspired the China Poblana dress that is known today. It has evolved throughout time adding national symbols of Mexico, like the eagle clutching a snake, and a prickly pair of cacti. Woman who wear this dress tend to braid their hair on two sides, tied with red, white, and green ribbons.

Another

known outfit is the Charro. In Mexico, Charro is the term used to refer to a traditional horseman from Mexico. The Charro used to consist of blankets made of cotton and leaves of Palm as a hat but has evolved since then. Now it is composed of a short jacket and a pair of tight pants. It is believed to have originated from the city of Salamanca in Spain, since its habitants are called “Charros”. It is a traditional outfit worn by a Mexican cowboy mostly inspired by the art of Charreria, agriculture, and ranching done by men. A Charro costume can be considered a uniform of tradition because they can vary in different mixtures, but the typical suit used is black with a short jacket, cowboy boots, pants, and sombrero. There is a variety of Charro suits. A Charro costume can be used as a gala outfit as a replacement for a tuxedo at formal events in Mexico. Another important element of the Charro outfit is the sombrero (Hat). This hat is very wide at the edges, providing the person wearing it plenty of shade and protecting them from the heat of the sun. The word sombrero comes from the Spanish word sombra, which means shade. Mexican cowboys or vaqueros adapted the hats that the Spanish brought with them to create the sombrero that are known today. The Mexican sombrero also has a chinstrap, which is to hold the hat in place as Charros ride their horses. Most people associate the Charro suit with Mariachi musicians.
Since Mariachi music has no relationship with Mexico’s indigenous music, it is hard to know exactly how Mariachi music started, but it is believed to have originated from the state of Jalisco, widely known for their tequila.

The instruments used to make Mariachi music, like the guitar or violin, were introduced to Mexico by the Spaniards. Nowadays, Mariachi Music is known all around the world and there are many band groups that will go to different cities and play at events, parties, and festivals (Roldan, "Vestimenta De Los Charros O

Mariachis.").
Another pair of shoes that is quite popular is the huarache. A huarache is a Mexican sandal mostly used by Mexican Indians. Huaraches are popular throughout most of North and South America. It is hand-made with strong leather designs, and a recycled tire sole remind us of a Mexican tradition that has lasted for centuries. These days, huaraches can be found in all shapes, sizes, colors, and styles. They are a perfect pair to use in warm weather.
Traditional clothing can vary by the region the person is living at, but often includes shirts made from natural fibers such as cotton and agave. The Guayabera is a shirt usually worn by Yucatecan men and is also known as the “Wedding shirt“. The typical Guayabera shirt is white in color, made with linen and cotton but today, it is available in many different colors. It has two vertical rows of closely sewn pleats that run the length of the front and back of the shirt.