Chevere celebrates Puerto Rican heritage with exhibit piece
As Dos Mundos has reported, this year’s “Parade of Hearts” exhibit includes some tributes to Mexican culture.The display of decorated heart sculptures in various public places in the Greater Kansas City area also includes a celebration of at least one other part of Latin America: Puerto Rico.Local photographer and artist Antonio Rivera Chevere, also known […]
Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. legacy
Commentary by Tere Siqueira Many Americans, unfortunately, see Martin Luther King Jr. Day (observed Jan. 20 this year) as only a day off. King’s inspirational leadership and speeches helped transform local protests into a historically important movement – the Civil Rights Movement – which deserves to be meaningfully recognized. Alas, his dream of equal rights […]
Jan. 1 is not the only New Year’s Day
By Tere Siqueira For much of the world, Jan. 1 will mark the beginning of a new year. However, not all people follow the Gregorian calendar, which designates January as the first month of each year. Other new-year celebrations across the world include the following: *Lunar New Year (a.k.a., Chinese New Year): The most important […]
Nativity traditions go back hundreds of years
By Tere Siqueira Whether performed by children, set up as figurines in front of a Christmas tree or installed as a piece of art in a church, the nativity scene is a significant Christmas tradition. It also is a longstanding one. The origin of the nativity scene goes back to the 1200s, multiple sources have […]
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a powerful matriarchal symbol
Commentary by Tere Siqueira The Lady of Guadalupe is an influential figure in Latin American Christianity, particularly Mexican Christianity. During Spain’s colonization of Mexico, she drew a significant portion of the indigenous population to the Christian faith. And today, she is a powerful matriarchal symbol. As a woman, the Lady of Guadalupe represents all women […]
Valentine’s Day symbols: Their origins and meanings
By Yanis De Palma For some people, Valentine’s Day is an expensive, hollow holiday that has been manufactured for companies to make money. But for many, the Feb. 14 holiday is an important date on the calendar for celebrating love. Traditionally, those who observe Valentine’s Day express their love through symbols. Those symbols and their […]
Street Talk: What is the meaning of Three Kings Day?
By Yanis De Palma What Three Kings Day means depends on who you ask about it. Recently, Dos Mundos asked some people what the Jan. 6 celebration means to them. Here are their answers: “It’s a special day for our culture. I remember that, as a kid, even when my family didn’t have a […]
Day of the Dead is not the Mexican Halloween
By Tere Siqueira Because they have similar roots and are celebrated at the end of harvest season, some people might see Halloween and the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos in Spanish) as two versions of the same holiday. But they could not be more different. “The meaning in Halloween’s ghost can’t compare […]
Chicano Movement fought for Mexican-Americans in many ways
Analysis by Tere Siqueira During the 1960s, a new generation of Mexican-Americans started a movement. Called the Chicano Movement, it was a political and cultural movement that worked to improve Mexican-Americans’ social, financial and political conditions. In observation of National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15), it seems appropriate to examine the specifics of what […]
The fascinating story behind Christmas
By Yanis De Palma Christmas is often thought of as a Christian holiday – a celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth. But as history shows, other faith traditions and some secular traditions have contributed to the Dec. 25 holiday, in terms of when and how it’s observed. And as history shows, the way Christians have observed […]