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M is for Mermaids in Mexico

April 15, 2016 Claire Annette Noland 5 Comments

M

Here we are on M day of the a to z blog challenge in which I’m spending the month blogging about Living in a Mermaid World. I’ve been wondering what to choose for M since just about everything about mermaids starts with the letter M. So many choices… I’ve decided to head to Mexico, a country that I’ve visited many times.

M mermaid negro

Mermaids, or Sirena in Spanish, are seen quite often in Mexican folk art. Scholars believe that the mermaid myths originally came with Europeans but the indigenous people made them their own as they believed the mermaid to be the goddess Chalchiutlicue, wife of Tlaloc, the god of rain and moisture.

 

M mexican-coconut-mask-mermaids-assorted-designs-1

There are a number of mermaid tales in different areas of Mexico. In the southern state of Oaxaca, a story is told about a girl who, long ago, loved to swim in a river. Her mother she didn’t want her daughter to waste time in the water so she forbade her from going to the river. The girl disobeyed and when she tried to get out of the water, she couldn’t. Her lower body had become covered in fish scales and her hair had grown long to cover her body.

M Sirenita

(“Sirenita” painted by German Rubio)

 Many people in Oaxaca believe that mermaids exist and that the best day to see them is June 24th, the feast day of Saint Juan, when she comes out to sing and comb her hair on the banks of the river. Women in Oaxaca choose this day to cut their hair.

M mermaid tin

Many artists from this area take inspiration from the mermaids for their art. Interestingly, nativity scenes or creches from Oaxaca often include mermaids along with the Holy Family, angels, wise men, and animals.M mexico mer nativity

 

Why do you think mermaids became part of the Mexican nativity scenes?

 

 

Filed Under: Blogging A to Z, Mermaids Tagged With: Mermaid in nativity scene, Mexican Mermaids, Oaxaca Mermaids

Previous Post: « L is for the Little Mermaid
Next Post: N is for Nigeria and Noah! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stephen Tremp says

    April 15, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    I wonder why mermaids are never portrayed the other way with human legs and a fishy upper body and head.

    I’m exploring different types of dreams and their meanings.
    M is for Movies
    Stephen Tremp’s Breakthrough Blogs

    Reply
    • Trine Grillo says

      April 16, 2016 at 3:47 pm

      Because they must be able to linger in the world beneath the sea.

      Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 18, 2016 at 4:45 am

      That would be so funny! I guess they would have trouble breathing on land if their top half was a fish.

      Reply
  2. evelyne holingue says

    April 15, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    Sirena is sirène in French. Love the Mexican artwork that you diplay here today.
    Good luck with the second half of the challenge, Claire.

    Reply
  3. Cynthia says

    April 18, 2016 at 8:38 pm

    I like the pictures of the art here. The bright colors channel warmth and cheer.

    Reply

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Hello. I’m Claire Annette - reader, writer, teacher, and field trip planner extraordinaire. Here at A Field Trip Life you will find ideas for adventures large and small and the kids’ books that inspire them. Sign your permission slip. Let's go!

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claireannettenolandbooks

Author | teacher | Field Trip Planner
books that take you places
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Today’s the day! I’m the featured author on to Today’s the day! I’m the featured author on today’s Summer of Stories! Take a look and let me know what you think. The link is in my bio.

And then check out all the other great stories!

#summerofstories #floursackdresses #floursack #makedo #picturebookreadaloud 

@angelac.hawkins @gnomeroadpublishing @eringreneaux
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Members, you can vote for books in all of the regions.
Cast your vote at this link: 

https://www.scbwi.org/crystal-kite/CK8

I will be sharing Nancy Bess July 11th online for the Summer of Stories https://summerofstories.substack.com/

and I'll be doing story time and craft at the Three River Public Library on July 11th at 10:30

@gnomeroadpublishing @pbspree @eringreneaux @tularecountylib 
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We are enjoying a lovely summer’s day with CARL’S SLEEPY AFTERNOON thanks to our friends @laughingelephantbooks who sent us a copy signed by Alexandra Day and Carl!
Happy 40th Anniversary, Carl! You are such a good dog 🐾❤️
Carl has an opportunity to have a quiet and sleepy afternoon but does he rest? Not our Carl!
We’re on our 3rd generation loving this noble good dog and look forward to reading about his adventures for many more years!

#gooddogcarl #picturebookdogs #summerreading @mrernierecommends @christinabeeghly @laurennolandhajik @roxannenoland @gn705
Summer is the best time to beat the heat by taking Summer is the best time to beat the heat by taking your young ones to a museum. And I suggest, before you go, you share the delightful picture book, MousterWorks, written and illustrated by @angelac.hawkins
Young mice, Cosette and Pépin, join Grand-mère on a splendid adventure through a mouse hole into a museum. They gaze at brilliant interpretations of well-known painting by famous artists such as Claude Monet, Mary Cassatt, and Edward Banister. Cosette excitedly engages with the art while her brother, Pépin, searches for cheese in the art and eventually realizes that he can be an artist and paint his favorite things.

The final photo is 2.5 year old Alice at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. She was captivated by "Home Sweet Home" (after Seurat, Manet, and Pippin) painted by Wangari Mathenge

Art is for all ages.

To read my full review, visit my blog https://afieldtriplife.com/mousterworks-lets-go-to-a-museum/

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Looking forward to simple unscheduled days! #july Looking forward to simple unscheduled days!
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Look what we found featured at the library! #nancy Look what we found featured at the library! #nancybesshadadress 
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Happy Summer! At the top of our summer "to do" lis Happy Summer! At the top of our summer "to do" list is visiting libraries where I love to see staff recommendations. SUMMER: A Solstice Story written by @kelseyegross and illustrated by @renataliwska is such a lovely picture book.
Owl, Squirrel, Raccoon, Bear, Sparrow, Rabbit, Woodpecker, and Deer gather to celebrate the arrival of summer with its gifts of light and new life. The friends share sprouts, fresh water, flowers, and fruit each accompanied by special wishes for the little ones to shine, glow, shimmer, gleam, and blaze bright with solstice light. They spend the day with festivities as they dance, splash, hop, and savor a forest feast.
I shared this with a group of children the night before the Solstice so that they understood how special this date is. Then, we read it again as the sun set on the longest day of the year after partaking of many of the same activities done by the woodland animals. They really enjoyed the center pages that fold out.
This is a soft, gentle, and breathtakingly beautiful picture book that should be enjoyed all summer long. @pbspree #summersolstice #summerasolsticestory
We have been Good Dog Carl fans for almost 4 decad We have been Good Dog Carl fans for almost 4 decades so we are excited to celebrate 40 years of our favorite picture book series! I love the book mom and Carl’s adventures are the best!
So let’s raise a toast to Carl, the very good dog, and to  @laughingelephantbooks Here’s to many more wonderful years of ❤️ filled stories.
#wewon #gooddogcarl #afieldtriplife #picturebookdogs @laurennolandhajik @christinabeeghly @roxannenoland
Military families are made up of heroes, those who Military families are made up of heroes, those who leave home to serve and those who stay behind. It isn’t easy to find books featuring military families, so I was excited to discover when AS MUCH as the STARS: A Story of Love Across the. Miles – A Child’s Goodbye/ AS MUCH AS THE STARS: A Story of love across The Miles: A Mother’s Farewell. I love flip books because they are clever and provide a fun way to read two stories told from different perspectives. AS MUCH AS THE STARS does an exceptional job of showing the love and emotions surrounding a deployment and then a joyous return. In this authentic, well-written story, one half follows a young girl and her relationship with her military father. The other half features the viewpoint of that girl, now grown, whose son leaves home to serve. warm and colorful illustrations add to the text showing the love that is shared even when they are separated by great distances.
This is a wonderful book for all families and will help everyone understand the sacrifices that our brave service members make. I just wish this book had been available when I was teaching children in military families.
Written by Forrest Zenone, Skyler Zenone, and Tricia Stone-Shumaker
Illustrations by Penny Weber
@poppysadventures1 @pennyweberart @laurennolandhajik #militaryfamilies #asmuchasthestars
#mrernierecommends
FYI… sweet peas are blooming on Old Creek Road a FYI… sweet peas are blooming on Old Creek Road around Whale Rock Reservoir
The story of how they got there reminds me of Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney “You must do something to make the world more beautiful.” 
Read how these delicate blossoms came to grace the highways in San Luis Obispo County: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/johnny-appleseed-sweet-peas-planted-120000196.html

Lupine, poppies, and wild mustard are also blooming.

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I love finding new-to-me bookstores. @verbatim.boo I love finding new-to-me bookstores. @verbatim.books is a treasure!
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