The rich cultural heritage of Mexico is explored in four colorful and informative videotapes by Northern Arizona University. The three-part Mexican Holiday Video Series offers an in-depth look at how the Mexican people celebrate three of their most cherished holidays with passion and pageantry. The fourth video, A Weekend in Mexico City, whisks lower elementary students on a whirlwind tour of this major capital city to discover what youngsters their age may do and enjoy on a typical weekend.
This multi-volume series was created to offer students a rare and authentic glimpse into the unique culture of Mexico and how its people observe three beloved holidays: El Día de los Muertos en Pátzcuaro y Janitzio, or All Souls’ Day in Patzcuaro and Janitzio (this holiday is commonly referred to as Day of the Dead); Luz y colorido: La Navidad en la Ciudad de México, or Light and Color: Christmas in Mexico City; and La Pascua en Iztapalapa, or Easter in Iztapalapa. The videos were shot on location by an award-winning international crew in the places where these important events are observed in the most time-honored and traditional way. They average 25 minutes in length but vary by specific program.
A Resource Booklet comes with each Holiday video. It includes a detailed history of the holiday, a thematic vocabulary list, extension activities for use both before and after viewing the video, other resources related to the topic of the video, and the applicable National Standards for Foreign Language Learning. These booklets prepare educators for questions students may have about what they are seeing in the video and also allows them to plan additional activities to make the learning experience even more meaningful. Because these videos were written for a general audience, which can range from upper elementary to adult learners, the Resource Booklet activities are designed to be flexible and adapted for appropriate use.
The Mexican Holiday Video Series offers a window through which students can witness authentic cultural events. The narration, in English, provides both a description of the celebrations as well as an historical context. Taking students beyond the usual trappings of surface culture into the more profound realms of deep culture will enrich their experiences with the Spanish language and the Mexican people. After all, many language experts contend that languages are inseparable from the cultures of the people who speak them. Giving students more insight into the Mexican culture will give them a definite edge.
Children in Grades 1-4 will have fun discovering what they could do on a typical weekend in A Weekend in Mexico City. This charming little travelogue takes children on a fast-paced fifteen minute tour of Mexico's capital to discover what adventures await children their age: from the city markets with dancers, parades, and musicians, to the floating gardens, boat rides, and mercados which ring the shores. The video stands alone without support materials and is narrated in English with subtitles to identify the many sights and scenes visited during the tour.
These four videos were written by Kathy de Cano, one of our two Elementary Spanish Teachers, who also supervised the editing of the Holiday series. She has lived and taught in Mexico for many years. Scott Morris, our other Elementary Spanish Teacher, oversaw editing of the Weekend video. They are members of the same creative team who developed the award-winning Elementary Spanish for Grades 1-6 programs, also from Northern Arizona University.
All four of these videos were shot on location by film professionals with impressive credentials. The production oversight was provided by Ricardo Moura, a native of Argentina, graduate of the London International Film School, and a photojournalist, film producer, editor, and writer in Mexico. Among his international projects which may be familiar to U.S. audiences is work on such series as "Destinos," "NOVA," plus various BBC, WGBH, WHYY, and National Geographic programs. Some of these programs he worked on have been honored with film industry awards, i.e. at the Cindy Competition and an Emmy nomination. Mario Luna served as main cameraman. His background includes teaching at the University Center of Cinematographic Studies at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, as well as running his own production company with regional and international productions to his credit. Among his honors is a Silver Ariel, the Mexican equivalent of an Oscar award. Manuel Salazar performed main camera assistant duties. A graduate of the previously-mentioned University Center of Cinematographic Studies and seasoned professional, he also teaches there as well.
Please visit our Cultural Video FAQs section for more information. Contact information is also at the bottom of each web page.
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