Arts and Media Basics:
Folklife Resources

The presence of Mexican Americans in eastern Oregon has enriched the life of the region. Approximately 20% of the population or 20 of every 100 people in the region is now Mexican American. New stores and businesses supply some of the needs of the people. You can see Mexican bakeries, music shops, restaurants and clothing stores in shopping centers and downtown. One can buy Spanish language music, videos, all-occasion cards, Mexican candies and pastries, and much more.

Other businesses also provide services for Mexican American residents. Spanish advertisements to shop at local grocery stores and banks are heard on the radio and seen in the newspaper every day. One can purchase Mexican foods and condiments in quick-stop food markets. The whole community has the opportunity to appreciate the traditional ways of the Mexican American community.

Activities

Activity 1: Ask students to start looking for signs of Mexican culture in their communities or neighborhoods. Do they see any products in stories that are Mexican? Does a radio station play Mexican music? Do they see signs in Spanish or Spanish-language newspapers? Have they visited one of the local Mexican stores? Suggest that students take a friend or parents and visit one. If they are not familiar with what is for sale, they can ask the storekeeper for help.

Activity 2: Put up a map of the community in the room and have students pinpoint where they are seeing signs of Mexican culture. What can they learn from looking in the Yellow Pages of the local phone book?

Activity 3: Field trips out into the community make concrete what students are studying in the classroom. Imagine a day-long tour of Mexican life in the community for the whole class that includes visits to different spots where the breadth of folklife may be samples. Visit a grocery store, a bakery, a home, and a church, if possible. Have lunch in a Mexican restaurant with a cook's tour of the kitchen or explanation of the menu. Prepare students to ask thoughtful questions of their hosts. Use the Folklife and Fieldwork (link to Web site: http://lcweb.loc.gov/folklife/fieldwk.html) guide for a basic outline of how to prepare for an interview, conduct an interview, and process the materials afterward.

Activity 4: Consider doing a community study that might result in a folklife scrapbook of the community. Portions of this may be arrived at in various ways, ranging from library research to interviews with community members to field trip summaries. Include literature and photos students may have gathered or taken. Encourage students to have the scrapbook reflecting their interests as well as the scope of what has been studied. Help them make the book something they are proud of, creating your own sense of community around it. When done, offer the book to the school library or to the local historical society to add to its holdings. As a finale, commemorate your scrapbook "publication" with a fiesta, inviting local dignitaries and members of the Mexican community.

Activity 5: Using a map of Mexico, have students locate some of the Mexican states. Choose one as a research topic. Find out: what the land and climate are like; what types of crops grow there; what the region's traditional music and dance are; and what different culture groups live there. Interview people from your local community who are from that region or another region in Mexico. Help students complete the research activity by inviting guest speakers in, providing library materials, and taking field trips into local Mexican American businesses.

Photo Gallery

Related Web sites - Links to Mexican and Mexican American Folklife
Cultural Arts Resources for Teachers & Students
Dia de los Muertos
Hispanic Folk Arts & the Environment Exhibit
Mariachi Education Resources
Resources for Teaching about the Americas

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