In 2011, UNESCO inscribed mariachi on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Its description states: “El aprendizaje de oído es el principal medio de transmisión de la música mariachi tradicional” (Learning by ear is the main means of transmitting traditional mariachi music). It adds that “las competencias técnicas se transmiten de padres a hijos” (technical skills are passed from parents to children).
The Seniority Premium
Article 162 of Mexico’s Federal Labor Law gives workers, in the cases it lists, a prima de antigüedad, a seniority premium. “La prima de antigüedad consistirá en el importe de doce días de salario, por cada año de servicios” (The seniority premium shall consist of the amount of twelve days of wages for each year of service).
Five World Cups
The goalkeeper Antonio “La Tota” Carbajal played for Mexico in five World Cups in a row: Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966. The sports newspaper Récord calls him the first footballer in history to play in five World Cups.
The Devil Knows More
Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo. “The devil knows more from being old than from being the devil.” The Nueva Escuela Mexicana, the school program of the Ministry of Public Education, includes it in a collection of sayings for students. The magazine Chilango explains that it is about how “la experiencia se encuentra sobre la astucia” (experience stands above cleverness) as a source of wisdom.
Great Masters of Folk Art
In 1999, Fomento Cultural Banamex set out “dar a conocer en 1999 el trabajo de grandes artistas de los 32 estados de la república” (to make known the work of great artists of the 32 states of the republic), according to Chilango. It did so with a book called Grandes Maestros del Arte Popular Mexicano (Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art).
Nacha’s Kitchen
In Laura Esquivel’s novel Como agua para chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate), published in 1989, Tita learns to cook from Nacha, the family’s cook. “Ella le enseña las bondades y los secretos de la cocina” (She teaches her the virtues and the secrets of cooking).