I'm looking for mexican/spanish culture superstitions, and perhaps a theory on why they are so superstitious

Question

I'm having a hard time finding good information for a presentation I'm preparing. I find tons of refrences referring to the idea that the mexican culture is so superstitous, but nothing telling me a theory or an idea on why, or why americans perceive them to be.

Answer 1

Those two answers are wrong and you need help. The Mexicans and in general Latin American countries are because the Indians legends and they were very supertituos and the Spaniards were the same way, so it became a mix of two cultures that blend together and enrich the culture of our countries. There was a legend that have a high cost thanks to a supertition, Moctezuma and not "Montezuma" (as Americans write) and the Aztecs believe in a woman with long hair and white gown that appears at night in the valley and the streets of the great Tenochtitlan, and she was screaming and calling "AY MIS HIJOS" that means "AY MY CHILDREN". She appeared almost every night with her laments and crying. The Aztecs were terrified and the Emperor consulted his priest and they said that it was a omen, that the woman was crying for the kingdom and that they were doom when men from other lands were already sealing towards them and that they were going to be conquered and will mark the end of them and it was. True or superstition? Both. True because they predict something that happened and second supertition, because thanks to be supertitios they believed before they come to their kingdom that they were already doomed. In Mexican culture that it is so vast and ample, it is common the supertition, that's why we celebrate November 2 the Day of the Deads or Dia de los Muertos. The Spaniards and Catholicism brought that to Mexico, but again was mixed with the Indians beliefs, and we have the most beautiful celebration that day in Mexico among the Indian population, they believe that the loved ones that already passed away they are coming back that day, so they go to the cemeteries and covered the grave with a bright orange flower called cempazuchil and candles and left in the tomb the food that they loved to eat when they were alive, they pray and sing to them. At home they arrange huge and beautiful altars to them with Catholics images and pictures of the dead loved ones, covered with white flowers or different colors and skulls made of sugar with ornaments and in the forehead they write the name of the person. But that night, they said to you, all the clothes that are hanged outside to dry in the sun, should be brought inside because tonight they are coming to visit us, if they see the clothes and the sheets outside they are going to be scared and they would return to their tombs, so people that day never left clothes outside. Americans perceive our people as ignorant and one of them here compare the Mexicans traditions and cultures to Haiti and blaming to ignorance. Europeans comes to our countries so eager and hungry for our culture and to learn it. Amazed of our great cultural heritage and appreciate our Indian people for their traditions and respect that. Mexico is the most rich country in the entire American continent in culture. You find it in its people, culture, so many that you can't think that Aztecs were the only ones, they were the Mayas, the Olmecas, the Yaquis of Sonora, the Otomies in Oaxaca, el Tajin in Veracruz, its food is so rich well varied also. I hope that I help you in some way and I wish you good luck.

Answer 2

There is an inverse correlation between superstition/religion and education.
Europeans view Americans as highly superstitious/religious.

Answer 3

You should look up the mexican celebration of dia de los muertos, or, the day of the dead. It takes place the day after our halloween. You can find lots of info on google.

Answer 4

one story that i know is called la yorona(sp) it is about this lady who pushed her kids into a rushing arroyo(like a ravine) and regrets wat she has done. she is said to have blood red eyes from crying so much and you can supposedly her weeping on those rainy nights. it was a very scary story to hear considering that i live near an arroyo.

Answer 5

maybe i am wrong, but i thought superstiton was linked to people with little or no Education ( Haiti) (mexico)