In today’s International Testimonial we will meet Alheli Velez. Alheli is doing her Master’s degree in Intellectual Property Law & Business Law and she is from Mexico. More precisely from Guadalajara. Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco. And Jalisco is known for being the birthplace of mariachi, tequila and charrería (that is like Mexican rodeo).
What is your favourite tradition from Mexico?
I dare to say Dia de Muertos!
It’s not a tradition to be sad, but rather colorful and festive and about remembering with affection. It is believed that in the 2nd day of November our loved ones who have passed come back in spirit to reunite with us for one night. So on the days prior we make an ofrenda (offering) consisting of many different elements with a specific meaning, even the colors have a reason.
It has its roots in pre-Hispanic cultures, and thanks to syncretism with the Catholic church, we have what is known today as the Day of the Dead. The ofrenda consists of a structure with three or seven tiers (depending on the version you can set up at home) and is decorated with colorful papel picado and cempasúchil flowers (the scent is believed to help souls find their way to the offering); we also include the favorite foods and personal items of our loved ones. We usually place a photograph of one or more family members on the highest tier. In some parts of Mexico, people even visit cemeteries to decorate the graves, spending the entire night celebrating with family while enjoying traditional dishes and pan de muerto (a round bread flavored primarily with orange blossom).
It is a celebration filled with love and a touch of nostalgia yet always accompanied by the joy of knowing our loved ones will always be remembered.
This year, I hope to create a small offering for my grandmother and my lifelong pet.
What surprised you the most with Finland or Finnish people?
The quietness! The first thing I noticed at the airport is that it was so silent, like it was empty, and to me it felt very peaceful. Also, the fact that people like to follow the rules even if nobody is watching. At the end of the day, we understand that rules are there for a reason and following them allows everyone to high-quality facilities. Everything just makes sense!
Can you share your favourite recipe from your home country?
It’s impossible to choose one but here are my top three:
Chilaquiles: It’s a traditional breakfast dish consisting of using yesterday’s leftover tortillas, fry them to make tortilla chips (called totopos) and then we coat them in a tomato sauce made with various types of chili peppers. Every family has its own recipe for chilaquiles sauce. I usually like to serve them with scrambled eggs, but it is also very common to eat them with steak, chicken, or any protein of your choice.
Pozole: It’s origins go back from the pre-hispanic civilizations, it is believed that it was a sacred dish for the Nahuas and some people say it some rituals may have included the flesh of sacrificed enemy warriors. Now we prefer pork meat and chicken haha.
It’s basically a rich chicken broth made from nixtamalized (alkaline-processed) cacahuazintle corn kernels, it’s a white variety of corn with very big kernels.
It’s a staple comfort food and it’s usually served on major celebrations like Christmas, Independence Day and birthdays. You can also find it on random weekdays with your local Mom & Pop’s restaurant.
Carne en su jugo: Also a staple from my hometown. It’s sort of a beef and green tomato (called tomatillo) soup with thinly sliced beef, beans and sometimes crispy bacon pieces.
Fun fact: There is a Mexican restaurant called “Karne Garibaldi” that holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest food service in the world. 13.5 seconds from the moment the order was placed to when a full meal was served on the table
If you had to give us one reason why to visit Mexico, what would it be?
The warmth! Not only the weather haha, but the people are very friendly, and you can chat with your neighbours casually. We are very cheerful people! You’ll always be in good company, and we’d love to share our culture with you. We like making people feel right at home! That might feel a bit uncomfortable for Finns at times though, because we really like physical contact. I think the football World Cup helped us clean up our reputation a little bit thanks to the people’s hospitality and cheerfulness.
Tell us one artist from your home country that we have to listen to:
Here’s a little list to show a bit of diversity:
“Querida” by Juan Gabriel: A classic, the real Mexican legend. It’s one of the greatest hits from the 80’s pop. It’s a ballad with an orchestral arrangement and it mixes the theatrical vocal delivery of “Juanga” yearning for his lover.
Fun facts: He has more than 1,500 songs written under his belt ranging all the way from ranchero, mariachi to pop and ballads. In such a misogynistic or “macho” pop culture, his flamboyant style and makeup became a very disruptive presence on mainstream media and he was the first pop artists to sing at Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, which at the time was reserved for classical music and for the cultural elite. Juan Gabriel was for the people by the people, and his story is definitely worth looking at (there are a couple of documentary series about him on Netflix).
“El Rey” by Vicente Fernandez: An anthem of Mexican Ranchero music. Translated as “The King” it talks about a very proud man who through ups and downs he keeps his dignity and stubbornness saying, “I am still the king”. Most Mexicans know this song by heart, and we usually sing it at parties when drinking. (Also from Jalisco by the way).
“Me pregunto” by Belanova: 2000’s Electropop, formed in Guadalajara. This song captures the grief, loneliness, and confusion of a breakup through melancholic lyrics set against a bright, upbeat dance rhythm. Belanova was one of my favorite groups as a child and now they’re having a comeback on mainstream media! It’s funny how all their songs have a very bright rhythm but the lyrics are very touching (I cried a lot during their concert).
“Mejor Despidete” by San Venus: Pop punk/Midwest from my hometown. It’s a raw, emotionally heavy song that captures the painful acceptance of a failing relationship and the necessity of saying goodbye. Their concerts are full of very deep emotions and crowdwork. It’s very cathartic to see them live and they helped me a lot during a very hard time of my life.
They also have a collection of EP’s called Medicamentos para invierno (Winter medications) and it explores themes of mental health, isolation, and pharmaceutical metaphors (Alprazolam, Sertraline,Quetiapine). They recently participated in the Vans Warped Tour in Mexico City and we are very proud of them!
Is there something else you would like to share about Mexico?
Here’s another list of fun facts about Mexico:
1. Caesar salad was invented in Tijuana, Mexico.
2. It’s not only desert, that’s mostly northern Mexico. In fact, we are one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and yes, we do have snow (mostly on the mountains).
3. Jalapeños are native of Xalapa, Veracruz (original pronunciation could be “halapa” or “halapenjo” in finnish phonetics)
4. Western hats (Stetson) were inspired on the mexican vaquero and charro culture, and western rodeos were inspired by mexican charrería.
5. Tequila has such cultural importance and tradition to just be a fun party drink; you can enjoy very good tequila even in Cancún. (I can give a whole class on this topic).
