Attendees included activists, members of the community and the general public. 

The parade started at 10:00 a.m. from the Angel of Independence. Participants, many dressed in elaborate costumes, continued along Paseo de la Reforma before finally reaching the Zócalo in the Historic Center. 

Unlike previous editions, no concert was held at the end of this year’s pride parade. However, a closing event was held at the Plaza de la Constitución to award special recognitions.

The Mexican actress and model Mariana Seoane was crowned “Queen of the LGBT+ community,” while the actress Lucía Méndez was named “Eternal LGBT Queen.” The singer Kimberly “The Most Precious,” was crowned “Gay Queen 2024.”

The motto of this year’s parade was, “In the face of an oppressive state and an indifferent society: We demand to live with dignity.” 

The Mexico City pride parade has taken place every year since 1979. It aims to advocate for public policies, legislative initiatives and fair judicial processes to ensure justice, freedom and dignified treatment for all members of the community. 

According to Mexico’s National Commission of Human Rights, six out of ten people in the LGBTQ+ community in Mexico have suffered some form of discrimination, while more than half have reported encountering expressions of hate, physical attacks and harassment. Moreover, after Brazil, Mexico is the Latin American country with the second highest rate of murders against trans people. 

With reports from El Universal, Infobae and Marca

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Young families insisted that children speak English in school and at home, even when parents could barely speak the language themselves. These immigrants, especially those who arrived between 1870 and 1930, no longer openly identified as Italian, Chinese, Polish or otherwise…they were American, through and through. They had to be.

The difference with Mexicans is, well, they didn’t exactly immigrate to the U.S. At least not in the mid-19th century.

The Mexican-American War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. In exchange for US$15 million, Mexico gave up about 55% of its land, which included present-day states such as California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, the majority of Arizona and Colorado, as well as parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. 

Meaning everyone who lived in these territories was effectively living in Mexico one day and the United States the next, without any say in the matter. 

They would soon come to find out that they had very few rights, either. 

Hostile neighbors and nearly non-existent government protection resulted in the loss of land ownership and financial stability. Many Mexicans were forced to work in low paying labor jobs to make ends meet. In just a short time, these new “Mexican Americans” found they had no representation in government, their history was largely ignored in school curriculums, and they had no feasible professional pathways. On paper, they were U.S. citizens. In reality, they were subhuman.

Key dates leading up to the Chicano Movement

Mexican Americans faced one obstacle after another. Like Blacks, they were not allowed to mingle with Whites. School, buses, water fountains and restaurants were segregated. The Civil Rights Movement started in 1945, influencing Mexican Americans to push for some critical changes.

In 1947, the Mendez v. Westminster case put a stop to segregation amongst White and Mexican schools in California. 

In the early 1950s, the Community Service Organization (CSO) was created to assist in Mexican American voter registration and participation. It also helped raise money to alleviate the US$1.75 “poll tax” imposed on the most impoverished citizens of the United States, most of whom were Black, Latino, and Asian. Considering US$1.75 could buy a 100-lb sack of potatoes or beans, financial support was crucial.

As a result, in 1960, newly-elected president JFK Jr. officially recognized the powerful and ever-growing Latino voting bloc, effectively the result of the CSO’s concerted efforts.

The Hernandez v. Texas case of 1954 ruled that all nationalities, including Mexican Americans, would be guaranteed equal protection under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution as decided by the Supreme Court.

The Chicano Movement officially begins

In 1965, the door to the Chicano Movement cracked wide open. A group of Filipino grape farmers in California’s central valley that made up the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) were fed up with the industry’s reliance on highly toxic chemicals and insultingly low wages. AWOC leaders approached Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez, Mexican American heads of the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), for support. 

The two organizations merged to become the United Farm Workers, putting into motion a 5-year campaign against California grapes that relied heavily on a famous ad campaign: “There’s Blood on Those Grapes”. Millions of U.S. and Canadian citizens boycotted the product until the strikers won their suit. They were granted union contracts, higher pay and better working conditions. 

It was a step forward.

The student walkouts of East L.A. 

On Tuesday, March 5 1968, thousands of Mexican American students in the East L.A. school district hosted a walkout, demanding educational reform. They were tired of a complete lack of representation in the educational sector. No Mexican history was taught in school, students were banned from speaking Spanish and Mexican Americans were obviously portrayed in a negative light amongst historians, social scientists, and the media. What’s more, there were no college prep classes and teachers were mostly uninterested or flat-out racist. 

Such a measly environment led to a high rate of dropouts and obligatory military service amongst Mexican American youth in the Vietnam War. 

The Chicano Moratorium

Resulting in more protests. In 1970, over 20,000 Mexican Americans followed activist Rosalio Munoz in a peaceful protest against the war. Police officers arrived to “break it up”, which resulted in 200 arrests. Prominent LA Times journalist Ruben Salazar was killed in the scuffle, one of three to lose their lives in the tragic confrontation. This soon came to be known as the Chicano Moratorium, galvanizing even more Mexican Americans in the fight for social justice.

What were the results of the student protests during the Chicano Movement?

Within a few years, Mexican American students saw nationwide college enrollment increase from 2% to 25%. Study programs in Chicano history and culture were offered on campuses across the country, and more Mexican Americans were hired in upper management in the Los Angeles Unified School District. 

The movement did not come without its share of failures. Some argue that the focus on ideology as opposed to cultural pride led to its eventual demise. Others say that both the movement and the term itself, Chicano, appealed more to the youth than to older generations, who identified with being Mexican. 

By the mid-1970s, the movement faded. Perhaps due to the reasons mentioned above, or to the diminishment of the Civil Rights movement, or a combination of the two. Regardless of the reason, its results were long lasting. If the Chicano Movement sought to restore pride in Mexican American culture, language, and heritage, it managed to do just that. In the 2020 U.S. Census, the Mexican population reached 35.9 million, far outnumbering any other group of Hispanic descent.

Where did the word ‘Chicano’ come from?

Uncovering the true origin of the word “Chicano” is a struggle. It seems there is no cohesive explanation for the word. There are a handful of theories as to the label’s development, including: 

• It comes from the Nahuatl word “Mexica” (pronounced mesheeka) the original name for Aztecs.
• It’s simply a variation of the word “Mexicano”.
• It was once a classist and racist slur against low income Mexican Americans that surged as a symbol of nationalistic pride.

What do Mexicans think of the word Chicano/a?

Because it is a term that refers specifically to Mexican Americans, I became curious about what Mexicans thought about the word. To gain a little perspective, I decided to poll my Mexican friends and followers to find out what opinion, if any, they had about the word Chicano/a. 

Here is some of the feedback I received:

• I live in the U.S. but I don’t call myself a Chicana because I was born in Mexico so I am Mexican.
• It’s like burrito – a tex-mex word that we don’t use here too much.
• As if there isn’t a strong identity, but if they had to choose, they would probably see themselves more North American.
• I never loved the term because I think it conveys a touch of discrimination and segregation, but for sure there are many people who identify with it.
• It seems like now it’s an obsolete concept. I’m sure in its time it served to unify a certain Mexican community in the USA.

Are you Chicano? What do YOU think of the word? Let us know below.

Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.

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President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the new museum on Friday, highlighting the project’s aim to provide greater context and understanding of the rich Maya cultural heritage.

Edzná, located 55 kilometers southeast of the city of Campeche, was inhabited as early as 400 B.C., evolving into a major city by 200 A.D. The diverse architectural styles located in the area around the main plaza indicate that it was a powerful regional capital from 400 to 1000 A.D.

The most remarkable structure at Edzná is the 40-meter-high temple in the main plaza, but the site also features groupings such as the Grand Acropolis and structures including a ball court and a 31-meter-high structure known as Cinco Pisos.

Due to its low-lying location, inhabitants of Edzná built a complex hydraulic system to direct surface water into a lake. The system featured a dam and irrigation canals.

While delivering an update on INAH activities, INAH Director Diego Prieto said that the Edzná Site Museum will not only serve as a space for the exhibition of recovered artifacts, but also as a living testimony of the cultural and archaeological wealth of the Maya civilization.

Prieto said the museum and the recent restoration work at Edzná are the product of the federal Archaeological Zone Improvement Program (Promeza) that was developed to take advantage of excavations done for the Maya Train project.

Promeza provided funding for the exploration of the territory and the verification of photogrammetric and LiDAR images, as well as for the prospecting, excavation and registration of archaeological materials.

After analysis and classification, some of the recent finds will be displayed at the new Edzná museum and other museums that are part of the network of recently created sites in ancient Maya cities in southeastern Mexico, including new facilities at Palenque, Moral-Reforma, Kabah, Dzibilchaltún, Tulum and Calakmul. 

With reports from La Jornada and El Sol de México

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Through our conversation, we explored how these fragmented memories and personal experiences intertwine to form a rich and complex tapestry that reflects the reality of two distinct cities and eras.

“Growing up in Mexico, I knew the end of love was everywhere.”

From her childhood in Mexico City, Clement felt the omnipresence of the end of love. In “The Promised Party,” this feeling is expressed through the losses and heartbreaks that are a fundamental part of the narrative and the author’s life.

The work also reflects a kind of personal odyssey. In the last chapter, Clement explores her return to Mexico after spending much of her adult life in the United States. She describes Mexico as having “a particular anarchy, where we know that all is lost.” This fatalistic perspective is something deeply rooted in Mexican identity and resonates with legendary Mexican poet Sor Juana’s sonnets against hope.

“Those were other times. Art was above anything else at that time.”

Clement also delves into common family dynamics of the era and the central figure of Chona, her nanny, who played a more significant maternal role than her own mother: “Chona was really, in profound terms, my mom, much more than my mom,” she explained. At a time when parents were often absent and art was above all things, her relationship with Chona became an emotional pillar. This parental absence, was a characteristic of Clement’s generation, contrasting with the current generation’s greater concern and attention to their children. “If one looks at the history of Mexican intellectuals and artists, notably many, they have stories with their children that are tragic and very sad.” 

The author also discusses how the unusual permissiveness of the past provided her with unusual experiences, such as her visit to the public baths with Chona: “How did they allow it? I was like some kind of strange creature there, inside the steam bath where the poorest people in Mexico went because they didn’t have bathrooms.”  

These memories are part of a larger mosaic that reflects the extreme poverty and illiteracy of the time. Clement uses these fragments to create a collective memory that encompasses her personal life and the capital’s history. “Yes, it’s my story, my memory; it’s how I became a writer, the path I took; but it’s also a book about times: that time in Mexico, that time in New York.”

The city as a character

In Jennifer Clement’s literature, the city is not only a setting but a character in itself. Thus, Clement constructs the narrative of The Promised Party in fragments, reflective of the way in which human memory works.

The book is divided into two parts: Mexico City and New York City, covering the first 27 years of Clement’s life. This non-linear structure allows for a deeper exploration of the chance experiences and influences that shaped her life and writing career. “The book also has a lot to do with luck, chance, and fate. It starts with Burroughs and ends with Burroughs, with this very strong scene where he tells that all is lost.”

Clement’s life has been eventful. From her chance meeting with Basquiat’s girlfriend while they were working as waitresses in New York at a Mexican restaurant, to the stories told by notable figures such as Ana Maria Xirau and Elena Poniatowska, each fragment contributes to a narrative rich in context and meaning.

“I had such an exceptional childhood and youth. I met and was influenced by so many people. And there is chance, when my parents arrived in Mexico, of all the thousands of streets they could have chosen to live on, they chose the same street where Frida and Diego lived. I would bathe in Frida’s now famous bathtub, but at that time, she wasn’t famous; there was no recognition on my part that I was in Frida Kahlo’s bathtub; it was my friend’s house and my second home. The same with Basquiat. Nobody was famous; the only famous person in New York was Andy Warhol,” she muses.

“And I talk about it in the book: the amount of Basquiat’s work, Suzanne and I threw away. We would be multimillionaires now, but it wasn’t important to us. It was the crap the ex left behind.” 

“This book, deeply, is an act of love for Mexico.” 

One of the most powerful themes in The Promised Party is Clement’s unconditional love for Mexico. “It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, a Mexican outside of Mexico will only think about Mexico.” This love manifests itself in her constant desire to return to her country despite having lived in places like New York. Clement describes this feeling as a Mexican inevitability, a need to be in Mexico despite the difficulties. This love is also reflected in Mexico’s cultural richness, something the author proudly highlights, mentioning the painters, architects, musicians, sculptors and writers who have put Mexico in a prominent place in the global art scene.

Despite the challenges that might be involved in publishing Mexican-themed books in English and abroad, Clement has managed to capture the interest of publishers worldwide. The Promised Party has already been sold to be published in several countries, including Mexico, the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Sweden. This global interest underscores the relevance and universal appeal of the stories and experiences she tells in her work.

The Promised Party is more than just an autobiography; it is a celebration of memory, an exploration of identity and a testament to Jennifer Clement’s undying love for Mexico. Through her narrative fragments, Clement manages to weave a story that resonates with the nostalgia and complexity of a life lived between two worlds. This book preserves not only her personal memories, but also the stories and historical context that could be lost in the passage of time.

The book is now available in England and the United States. The Promised Party will debut in Mexico in July. In addition, the rights have already been sold to an English filmmaker to make the movie. And Spielberg bought The Widow Basquiat. “There will be two projects about these books and this era coming soon.” 

Camila Sánchez Bolaño is a journalist, feminist, bookseller, lecturer, and cultural promoter and is Editor in Chief of Newsweek en Español magazine.

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Early life and academic background

Bernardino was born in 1499 in Sahagún, a small town in the León region of Northern Spain. Like many in the country at the time, he was raised in a devoutly Catholic environment. His strong inclination towards religious life from an early age led him to join the Franciscan order and study at the prestigious University of Salamanca, where he was exposed to the humanist ideas of the Renaissance. 

In 1521, Spanish conquistadores led by Hernán Cortés conquered the Mexica capital of Tenochtitlan. Eight years later, Sahagún was sent as a missionary to New Spain because of his outstanding academic achievements and strong religious devotion. 

The Franciscans prioritized evangelizing Indigenous peoples in their native languages. Bernardino de Sahagún quickly learned Nahuatl, the language of the Triple Alliance — better known as the Aztec Empire — to help preachers in New Spain. He translated the Psalms, the Gospels and catechism into Nahuatl. 

Deep cultural understanding

In 1536, Bernardino de Sahagún helped establish the Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, the first European school of higher education in the Americas. This institution served as headquarters for his extensive research. Sahagún’s curiosity led him to explore the Nahua worldview, and his linguistic skills enabled a deep understanding. 

Sahagún used a methodology that could be considered a precursor to modern anthropological field techniques. His motives were primarily religious: he believed that to convert the natives to Christianity and eradicate their devotion to “false” gods, it was necessary to understand those gods. “The doctor cannot correctly apply medicines to the patient [without] first knowing from what mood, or from what cause, the disease proceeds,” he wrote.

Sahagún dedicated himself to the study of Nahua beliefs, culture and history. He constantly questioned elders, wise men and priests about the details that interested him. He asked his disciples to record this information in Nahuatl, which he then translated into Spanish. 

Although he was first and foremost a missionary, Sahagún’s approach to gathering information from Indigenous sources and collaborating with local informants laid the groundwork for future ethnographic studies and he has been called the “first anthropologist.” 

Knowledge in action

Sahagún applied the Franciscan philosophy of knowledge in action. He didn’t just speculate about Indigenous people; he met with them, conducted interviews and sought to understand their worldview. While others debated whether Indigenous peoples were human and had souls, Sahagún focused on learning about their lives, beliefs and ways of understanding the world. Although he disapproved of practices he interpreted as human sacrifice and idolatry, he dedicated five decades to studying and documenting Nahua culture.

The creation and impact of the Florentine Codex

Sahagún’s magnum opus, The Florentine Codex, is widely regarded as one of the most reliable sources of information on Mexican culture and the impact of the Spanish conquest. A treasure trove of ethnographic, archaeological and historical knowledge, it consists of 12 volumes and 2,500 illustrations, documenting the life and beliefs of the Mexicas and other Nahua peoples. 

Actually titled The General History of the Things of New Spain, this work was created by Sahagún in collaboration with Nahua elders, scholars and artists over the course of decades. The codex is written in parallel columns of Nahuatl and Spanish, preserving both knowledge and language. Upon its completion in 1577, the manuscript was sent to Europe, where it became part of the Medici family’s library in Florence, hence its name.

Clashes with the Church

Sahagún faced opposition from those who believed that his efforts to document Indigenous cultures were inappropriate, as they could help preserve Indigenous religion. His adversaries tried to stop him in every way possible, resulting in intellectual persecution and frequent transfers from one church to another. 

Bernardino de Sahagún’s work often clashed with the Church’s primary goal of eradicating native beliefs. His respectful approach contrasted sharply with the more aggressive methods of conversion favored by missionaries, who sought to quickly replace native beliefs with Christian doctrine.

Some members of the Church believed that Sahagún’s work could inadvertently encourage Indigenous people to cling to their traditional practices. His detailed documentation of Nahua rituals and deities was seen by some as preserving the very idolatry the Church aimed to eradicate.

Rediscovery and modern recognition

The Church’s distrust of Sahagún’s work culminated in the confiscation of his manuscripts. Although he had supportive allies, Sahagún never regained control of his original documents. Fortunately, these manuscripts have since been published and translated, revealing the depth of Sahagún’s contributions.

Views of Sahagún’s work, controversial in its own time, continue to change today. While a previous generation of researchers saw him as a proto-anthropologist driven by the search for knowledge, contemporary academics center on the fact that he was a missionary who saw Indigenous religious practices as something to be eradicated. Modern scholars also emphasize the idea that Sahagún’s sources were native elites with their own agendas, giving him information that was likely colored by the circumstances of the Conquest.

Despite these debates, the work of Sahagún and his collaborators is a crucial resource for studying Mexican history. Their detailed records of Nahua culture have provided invaluable insights into the lives and beliefs of the Indigenous people of Mexico before and during Spanish colonialism. Where many of his contemporaries wanted to erase Indigenous culture entirely, through his dedication, Sahagún ensured their stories would be told.

Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: sandragancz@gmail.com

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Anna Lee Dozier stumbled upon the ceramic vase on a clearance shelf by the checkout at  a thrift store about 10 minutes from her Washington, D.C., home. “In my work, I travel a lot to Mexico, and this item caught my eye because it looked different than the things on the shelf, but it also was recognizably from Mexico,” Dozier recounted on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) radio show “As It Happens.”

“Since it’s a country that I work [in] and it’s really important to me, I thought it would be just a nice little thing to take home and put on the shelf and to remind me of Mexico,” she added on the National Public Radio (NPR) show “All Things Considered.”

Believing it was a 20- or 30-year-old tourist souvenir, she displayed the piece in her home library.

Dozier works for the human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide and is often in Mexico. On a visit earlier this year to Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology, Dozier began to suspect the vase’s true age and significance.

“As I was walking through, it just occurred to me that some of the things that I was looking at looked very similar to what I had at home,” she said.

Following advice from museum staff, she contacted the Mexican embassy upon her return to the United States.

After an authentication process, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico confirmed that the vase was indeed an ancient artifact from the Maya Classic period.

Experts dated it between 200 and 800 A.D. — a period that historians widely regard as the height of the Maya civilization, which declined after drought, infighting and eventually European conquest, among other factors.

“Congratulations, it is real. And we would like it back,” read the email from the embassy.

The vessel was handed over to Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S., at a ceremony last week at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C.

In recent years, the Mexican government has intensified efforts to recover its cultural heritage, resulting in the retrieval of over 13,500 objects from abroad — including 35  artifacts from the Seattle area two weeks ago and 22 items from a Philadelphia family last month.

Along with the vase, the other 19 archaeological pieces coming back to Mexico this time are from various anonymous sources. They span multiple periods and pre-Columbian cultures, such as the Mexica, Teotihuacán and Totonac.

For Dozier, returning the vase was never about monetary gain.

“Giving it back feels so much better than it would if I put it on eBay and got a bunch of money,” she said.

In Mexico, the vase will undergo further examination to determine its specific use and significance before potentially being displayed in a museum.

With reports from NPR, CBC and The Guardian

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Written by Miguel Ruiz in 1997, quickly became a best-seller available in 52 languages. Tijuana born Ruiz grew up in rural Mexico and worked as a neurosurgeon until 1986, when a near-fatal car crash made him question his path. He quit his medical practice and moved to San Diego, California.

His family of Toltec healers helped him heal from the accident and inspired him to share their philosophy. In The Four Agreements, and many of his later books, Ruiz combines old wisdom with new insights to create a code that is easy to understand and use in everyday life.

The Toltecs were an ancient civilization that flourished in central Mexico around the 10th century. Their teachings emphasize personal freedom and living in harmony. The Spanish conquest and misuse led to the need to protect this knowledge and so various lineages of naguals preserved and transmitted this wisdom. Ruiz himself is a nagual from the Eagle Knight lineage. He has brought these powerful teachings to the modern world, brining guidance to those seeking a better life in the modern era.

The Four Agreements teaches us that we shape our lives through a series of agreements we make with others, with God, and with life itself. However, the most crucial agreements are those we make with ourselves. Our agreements can limit our potential and create unnecessary suffering or lead us to joy and fulfillment.

In this book, we learn about the “domestication” of humans. We adopted our family’s rules and values through a punishment and reward system and as a result, learned to judge everything, including ourselves. We reward or punish in return. True freedom is in the human spirit, where you are free to trust yourself instead of external opinions. When you see that your struggles come from your beliefs, you are free to choose differently.

I (of course) recommend you read the whole book, but here’s a summary:

The First Agreement

Be impeccable with your words. Words are your power to communicate, to think, and to create your life. Words are the most powerful tool you have as a human being. Words are your magic wand. Words are a double-edged sword used to create the most beautiful dream or destroy everything around you. Depending on how you use them, words can either free or enslave you. All your magic is based on your words. Use your words appropriately. Use them to share love, starting with yourself.

The Second Agreement

Do not take anything personally. You expose yourself to needless suffering when you think everything is about you. Nothing others do is because of you. They do it because of themselves. We all live in our own mind. Even when a situation seems very personal, as when someone insults you, it’s unrelated to you. What they say, what they do, and their opinions are based on the agreements in their mind. Their point of view comes from all the programming they received during their domestication.

The Third Agreement

Do not make assumptions. The problem comes when we believe that what we assume is true. We make assumptions about what others do or think, take it personally, blame them, react, and create a drama over nothing. This agreement calls us to break away from our imagination and get in touch with reality.

The Fourth Agreement

Always do your best, no more and no less. Your best will vary depending on your daily moods and from one day to another. Regardless of the outcome, always do your best, no more and no less. If you try too hard to do more than you can, your performance will be insufficient. If you do less than you can, you subject yourself to guilt and regrets. The best way to appreciate life is to let go of the past and not worry about the future; keep your attention on today and stay in the present moment. When you allow yourself to be fully present, you don’t miss anything because you are truly alive.

When we’ve realized that social programming controls our minds, we can declare our war of independence. Choosing this path gives us, at the least, the dignity of rebellion. It also ensures we will not be helpless victims of toxic emotions. “The Four Agreements” teaches us a way to transform our perspective on life, guiding us to create a more heavenly existence. By adopting these principles, we can break free from limiting beliefs and live with greater freedom, joy, and authenticity.

Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: sandragancz@gmail.com

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But the soil layer in which Yotzin was found could place it as older, even possibly the oldest human remains ever to be found in the Valley of Mexico.

Yotzin, found during the construction of Felipe Ángeles International Airport, will undoubtedly provide archaeologists with important information about human evolution in the region. But he also could turn out to be the oldest human remains found in the Valley of Mexico. 

INAH announced Tuesday that while it has yet to carbon date the remains, it’s currently estimating the skeleton, based on its physical features, to be around 10,000 years old, from between the late Pleistocene Era and the early Holocene Era.

INAH physical anthropologist Arturo Talavera González said that Yotzin has an elongated skull and wide jaws, suggesting that he belonged to late Pleistocene hunter-gatherer groups, before the first known settler civilizations in the area. 

Marks found on Yotzin’s bones, along with its “poorly flattened femurs and transverse flattening of the tibia,” indicate intense physical activity, such as long walks and the use of teeth to wear down various materials, Talavera said. These features, which tended to decrease with the arrival of agriculture and a more sedentary lifestyle, are characteristic of primitive hunter-gatherer peoples. 

“If an individual shows signs of wear and tear on their teeth but no cavities, it could indicate a pre-ceramic diet,” he said.  

If INAH’s current estimates are correct, Yotzin would be about the same age as Chimalhuacán Man, which INAH dates at 10,500 years old. The soil in which Yotzin was discovered, however, could indicate that the prehistoric skeleton is significantly older.

The layer of soil in which Yotzin was found appears to correspond to an interglacial warming period that occurred between 13,000 and 20,000 years ago, according to INAH biologist Lauro González Quintero.

INAH’s preliminary report states that scientists need to confirm Yotzin’s exact age and validate his place in the chronology of the Valley of Mexico’s first settlers. Researchers also hope to soon conduct the next phase of research on the site in which Yotzin was found, known as Santa Lucia M3, in the town of San Mateo Xóloc. 

Mexico News Daily

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Knife sharpening, like many other traditional jobs, forms a part of Mexico’s informal economy. These professions are often heralded by specific tunes, making it easy for residents to identify them from inside their homes or high up in apartment buildings. As the world modernizes, these jobs are unfortunately increasingly obsolete and slowly disappearing. Sounds that once filled the air multiple times a day are now heard perhaps only once a week.

Quintessential to this disappearing trade, knife sharpeners go through the city atop a bicycle, which serves not only as their mode of transportation but also as an indispensable part of their toolkit. Different from other bicycles, those used by knife sharpeners are equipped with a metallic structure that elevates the back tire off the ground, keeping the bike stationary. The back wheel, when elevated and pedalled in place, powers a grinding wheel of stone or metal that sharpens knives, scissors, and other tools. This results in a portable and effective setup that enables knife sharpeners to travel across whole cities on the same day.

The accompanying sound to these artisans’ presence emanates from an instrument known in Mexico as a “caramillo.” This flute-like instrument dates back to medieval times, is also known in other Spanish-speaking countries as chifre, chiflo, or flauta de pan. 

Originally made from wood or cane, the caramillo is now often crafted from plastic. The sound that comes out of it is more than just a call to customers; it is a cultural marker and one of the many distinctive sounds of the Mexico City streets. For many, it is also a comforting reminder of the enduring presence of traditional trades amidst the rapid pace of modern life. 

It’s very simple to use a knife sharpener’s services and renew some of your commonplace kitchen and household items. Once you hear a caramillo, all you need to do is walk outside into the street with whatever item needs sharpening. Price is set by each artisan and varies, of course. 

@mayaenbici Ciclistas que siempre nos harán sentir orgullo #afiladordecuchillos #afilador #ciclistas ♬ sonido original – LA TELE DE AYER

The profession has survived so far, but knife sharpeners are facing significant challenges. The easy availability and disposability of goods, as well as the existence of cheap and mass-produced knives considerably reduce the need and demand for sharpening services. More and more, it seems like the convenience of buying new items often outweighs the “inconvenience” of waiting for a traveling sharpener. 

Yet, they persist. Some of these artisans follow the family trade and learn the skills and techniques from family members, keeping the tradition alive from previous generations. One of the most important reasons why they continue, apart from cultural significance, is the environmental benefit of knife sharpening. Renewing and re-sharpening your knives contributes to reducing waste and promoting sustainability. In an era of increasing environmental consciousness, the wait for the sound of a caramillo passing through your street instead of a trip to a hardware store could just well be worth it. 

If you look closely, knife sharpeners are much more than their trade, their bicycle or their caramillo. Upon further examination, they can tell you much about Mexico, its people, and its culture. They are a representation of a culture whose necessity is quickly transformed into resourcefulness and adaptability in a way that is valued highly enough to stave off modernity. 

Whether you have a sharpening need or not, next time you hear a sharpener passing by, take a moment to appreciate the cultural significance of this craft. Think about how they connect neighborhoods, and how, as they continue to navigate the streets and sharpen the streets of Mexico, they preserve a slice of history — reminding mexicans and the rest of the world the value of tradition in an ever-changing world.

Montserrat Castro Gómez is a freelance writer and translator from Querétaro, México.

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The traditional canoe — which stands out for its considerable length of 14.8 meters (48.5 feet) — was found in the vicinity of the island of Janitzio, located in Lake Pátzcuaro, which has been inhabited by the Purépecha people for centuries.

The boat sank with a load of firewood, according to experts with Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), leading to speculation that Purépecha boatmen had just made a run to nearby Erongaricuaro and were returning to the island with their cargo.

The chance discovery was recorded in early May at the drought-stricken Michoacán lake, where more than 730 men and women are working to combat deforestation, a lack of rain, water theft, historical neglect and excessive planting of avocados and other fruits — conditions that have reduced Lake Pátzcuaro’s surface by 42%.

In announcing the findings on Monday, INAH noted that it is working with the local Indigenous Purépecha community to generate conservation and research strategies for the tepari, which was found lodged in hard mud. One idea is to create a museum on Janitzio.

The significant finding sheds light on historical boating practices in the region, INAH noted. The officials didn’t release an exact time period for when the boat sank as further analysis is needed.

Michoacán’s Environment Ministry (Secma) has assigned 10 people to support archaeologists on upcoming expeditions in the area.

INAH researchers and community authorities noted that the area being dredged has yielded “a significant amount of pre-Hispanic vestiges,” in much the same way that work on the Maya Train on the Yucatán Peninsula has led to thousands of archaeological discoveries.

Materials recovered during the Lake Pátzcuaro work include “an important collection” of human bones, mostly femurs, that were handcrafted with grooves and are in an “excellent state of conservation,” according to INAH. 

Many ceramic urns and stone objects have also been found, which INAH officials noted “were thrown into the lake in pre-Hispanic times, surely as offerings.” At least one other canoe has been found, as well.

The remains were uncovered during the restoration and desilting work that is ongoing in Lake Pátzcuaro.

One of the priority efforts has been to make sure Janitzio, a favorite destination among tourists to the Pátzcuaro area, remains an island. In recent weeks, the water level has gone so low there that an isthmus is beginning to form between Janitzio and the mainland community of Jarácuaro.

Alejandro Méndez López, Michoacán’s environment minister, said at a press conference Monday that the situation is “critical.” The southwestern part of the island is separated from the mainland by a 30-meter channel that is “less than 50 centimeters” (20 inches) deep, and getting shallower every day, Méndez said. 

He also noted that Jarácuaro itself was an island about five decades ago.

With reports from La Jornada, Mi Morelia, Milenio and Pátzcuaro Noticias

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