#1017-N-009 Mexico December 1970 Mother A Mexican mother is greatly revered and is responsible for the upbringing and care of the children. She cooks, cleans, and is the heart of the family, keeping all the family members together.

#1017-A-003 Mexico December 1970 Friends In spite of our language barrier, these children were happy to pose for their photo. I found the children to be open, friendly and curious.

#1017-M-044 Mexico December 1970 Young Love Mexicans have the liberty to choose their life partners with certain restrictions.

#1017-M-043 Mexico December 1970 Mother and Daughter A mother’s role was seen as the heart of the family. She cooked, cleaned, and cared for the children full time. Similar responsibilities were also expected of daughters as it was their job to learn how to be a woman from their mother.

#1017-M-040 Mexico December 1970 Jewelry Clerk Though some Mexican people have become vastly successful through private initiative, the quickest path to wealth in this century has been politics.

#1017-M-038 Mexico December 1970 The National Autonomous University The National Autonomous University of Mexico (Spanish: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) was founded in 1551, making it the oldest in North America. It is the largest university in Latin America and was ranked the best in Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

#1017-M-037 Mexico December 1970 The Bus Most buses in Mexico are run by large companies, rather than by individuals or by the government. Local buses are similar to city buses in the USA.

#1017-M-025 Mexico December 1970 Young Love In the 1970s, as much as 25% of Mexican girls were married before the age of 18. In rural areas, it was not uncommon for girls to be married at 11 years old.

#1017-M-022 Mexico December 1970 Plaza Sunrise Street vendors were introduced after the Spanish took control of the Aztec Empire centuries ago. Since the 1500s, vendors have set up stalls on the public streets and plazas and have been been targeted by local governments who want to displace or control them. Today, most street vendors are required to be licensed and taxed.

#1017-M-018 Mexico December 1970 Chiclets Girl and Baby In Mexico City, about forty percent of the population live in poverty. Mexico’s economic inequalities have led families to make their children work on streets or in worst cases abandon their children. These children are victims of the economy and society structures.

#1017-M-017 Mexico December 1970 Chiclets Girl and Baby In Mexico City, about forty percent of the population live in poverty. Mexico’s economic inequalities have led families to make their children work on streets or in worst cases abandon their children. These children are victims of the economy and society structures.

#1017-K-004 Mexico December 1970 School Children Over 90% of children in Mexico attend primary school but only 62% attend secondary school. Only 45% finish secondary school. After secondary school, only a quarter pass on to higher education. A commonly cited reason for this is the lack of infrastructure throughout the rural schools.

#1017-K-006 Mexico December 1970 Man on Donkey The Spanish imported donkeys, which can carry up to four times their body weight and far more than any human.

#1017-K-007 Mexico December 1970 Man on Donkey The Spanish imported donkeys, which can carry up to four times their body weight and far more than any human.

#1017-K-009 Mexico December 1970 Man on Donkey The donkey is not native to Mexico. Its importance was established very early in the colonial period as there were no domesticated pack animals in Mesoamerica; a certain class of people did that job.

#1017-K-012 Mexico December 1970 Truck with Tree Limbs

#1017-K-023 Mexico December 1970 Three Wheel Truck The macroeconomic policies of the 1970s left Mexico’s economy highly vulnerable to external conditions. These turned sharply against Mexico in the early 1980s, and caused the worst recession since the 1930s, with the period known in Mexico as La Década Perdida, “the lost decade”, i.e., of economic growth.

#1017-K-024 Mexico December 1970 Village Scene All the countries in the world have changed dramatically since the 1970s. In the case of Mexico, the last fifty years helped modernize the country while holding on to its roots, history, and culture.

#1017-K-026 Mexico December 1970 Portrait of Smiling Boy It is very likely this young boy descended from Aztecs, Mayas, and/or other native Americans.

#1017-K-027a Mexico December 1970 Farm Village Agriculture in Mexico has been an important sector of the country’s economy historically and politically even though it now accounts for a very small percentage of Mexico’s GDP. Mexico is one of the cradles of agriculture with the Mesoamericans developing domesticated plants such as maize, beans, tomatoes, squash, cotton, vanilla, avocados, cacao, various kinds of spices.

#1017-K-031 Mexico December 1970 School Girl In a Mexican household, the men taught boys their roles and responsibilities. Girls learned from the female elders.

#1017-M-013 Mexico December 1970 Shoe Shine Vendor and his Dogs During the 1990s and 2000s street vendors paid union leaders “dues” in exchange for the right to occupy a piece of sidewalk without city permission, an illegal act. The unions in turn, bribed and lobbied city officials to allow the vendors to stay.

#1017-M-015 Mexico December 1970 Vegetable Vendor at Bus Stop The removal of street vendors from the streets in the 1990s led to the construction of markets (plazas comerciales) to re-accommodate them and subject them to taxes and health regulations.

#1017-J-031 Mexico December 1970 Boys playing foosball. The game of foosball was brought to North America from Europe in the 1950s by Lawrence Patterson, reaching its peak of popularity in the 1970s. In Mexico, this game could be found everywhere throughout the country.

#1017-J-028 Mexico December 1970 Night Vendor This particular night vendor also served as a place for men to socialize.

#1017-J-027 Mexico December 1970 Street Vendors The 1970s and 1980s saw a huge growth in the number of vendors in spite of government efforts to control and eliminate street vendors.

#1017-J-025 Mexico December 1970 Early Morning Plaza Scene

#1017-J-009 Mexico December 1970 Boys at Play Foosball The game of foosball was brought to North America from Europe in the 1950s by Lawrence Patterson, reaching its peak of popularity in the 1970s. In Mexico, this game could be found everywhere throughout the country.

#1017-J-007 Mexico December 1970 Boys at Play Foosball The game of foosball was brought to North America from Europe in the 1950s by Lawrence Patterson, reaching its peak of popularity in the 1970s. In Mexico, this game could be found everywhere throughout the country.

#1017-J-002 Mexico December 1970 Mr. Cool At the game arcades at night, no girls were present. In the Mexican culture, boys are given a lot more freedom than girls.

#1017-H-037a Mexico December 1970 Mexican Grandmother This Mexican grandmother interaction with her grandchildren play an important intergenerational bond for the family. The traditional family is a well bonded social and emotional organization.

#1017-H-035 Mexico December 1970 Mother and Baby A Mexican mother is greatly revered and is responsible for the upbringing and care of the children. She cooks, cleans, and is the heart of the family, keeping all the family members together.

#1017-H-030 Mexico December 1970 Catholic Church Wedding The Catholic Church in Mexico originated during the period of the Spanish conquest (1519–21) and has continued as an institution in Mexico into the twenty-first century. Catholicism is one of many major legacies from the Spanish colonial era.

#1017-H-026 Mexico December 1970 Wedding Guests Wedding guests socializing after a church wedding ceremony.

#1017-F-030 Mexico December 1970 Bride’s Maids The bridesmaids in a traditional Mexican wedding wear matching colors. Their dresses are to match the tie or the cummerbund worn by the groomsmen.

#1017-F-033 Mexico December 1970 Bride at Church Wedding During the wedding ceremony, the pastor will bless the couple, and the groom presents 13 coins to his bride as a gift. This Mexican tradition signifies the groom’s commitment to supporting the bride and serves as a representation of Jesus and his 12 apostles to show that their relationship to God is crucial to the success of their marriage.

#1017-F-034 Mexico December 1970 Mariachi performing at a Church Wedding Mexico is closely associated with the Mariachi style of folk music, which originated in the southern part of the state of Jalisco during the 19th century.

#1017-G-006 Mexico December 1970 Photographer as Guest On the day before Christmas, I was invited to dinner by a family I met on the street. This picture was taken by a famly member.

#1017-H-007 Mexico December 1970 Christmas Festival

#1017-H-009 Mexico December 1970 Husband and Wife There are relatively few Mexicans who are not descended from Aztecs, Mayas, and other native Americans.

#1017-H-010 Mexico December 1970 Mexican Family There are relatively few Mexicans who are not descended from Aztecs, Mayas, and other native Americans.

#1017-H-012 Mexico December 1970 Christmas Festival Christmas Season and festivals in Mexico lasts about two months, from December 12 to February 2.

#1017-H-019 Mexico December 1970 Plaza Mexican plazas were originally created as part of a religious compound composed by a vital three-part ensemble of the atrium, the church, and the open courtyard or plaza.

#1017-F-027 Mexico December 1970 Street Friends Our filming activity caught the attention of these curious children. In the upper right is my friend Steve Bailey, a freelance cinemaphotographer.

#1017-F-026 Mexico December 1970 Mexican Family Common in a Mexican family is to have three generations living as a tight knitted group.

#1017-F-025 Mexico December 1970 Girl friends

#1017-F-024 Mexico December 1970 Young Girls

#1017-F-0242Mexico December 1970 Running with Joy

#1017-F-019 Mexico December 1970 Mother and Teen Daughter For Mexican mother-daughter relationships, shifts from total love and total hate are relatively straightforward. As both the mother and the daughter become closer, the stronger these shifts become.

#1017-F-017 Mexico December 1970 Street Vendors Street vendors started selling at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Currently, in some areas street vendors are being discouraged and removed.

#1017-F-016 Mexico December 1970 Young Women It was common to see girlfriends walking arm in arm.

#1017-F-015 Mexico December 1970 The Plaza Historically, the Mexican plaza has served as a stage for protest, debate, revolt, entertainment and display.

#1017-F-014 Mexico December 1970 The Plaza Mexican plazas were originally created as part of a religious compound composed by a vital three-part ensemble of the atrium, the church, and the open courtyard or plaza.

#1017-F-013 Mexico December 1970 The Plaza Mexican plazas function as communal living rooms. They supply places of commerce, stages for religious festivals, galleries for artistic creations, rallying points for political demonstrations, and venues for enormous concerts.

#1017-F-012 Mexico December 1970 Street Vendor The local plaza was often populated with children street vendors supplementing their family’s income.

#1017-F-011 Mexico December 1970 Street Vendor The local plaza was often populated with children street vendors supplementing their family’s income.

#1017-F-007 Mexico December 1970 The Catholic Church The history of the Catholic Church in Mexico dates from the period of the Spanish conquest (1519–21) and has continued as an institution in Mexico into the twenty-first century.

#1017-F-004 Mexico December 1970 Church Courtyard The Catholic Church was a privileged institution until the mid-nineteenth century. It was the sole permissible church in the colonial era and into the early Mexican Republic, following independence in 1821.

#1017-E-029 Mexico December 1970 Teenage Boys at Play

#1017-E-026 Mexico December 1970 Street Vegetable Vendor Mexican street vendors (ambulantes) dates back to the pre-Hispanic era.

#1017-E-024 Mexico December 1970 Street Vegetable Vendor Mexican street vendors (ambulantes) dates back to the pre-Hispanic era.

#1017-E-022 Mexico December 1970 Man and Horse Cart Horses were domesticated as far back as 3500 BCE.

#1017-E-019 Mexico December 1970 Street Pals

#1017-E-015 Mexico December 1970 Portrait of Boy One day he will be the patriarch and breadwinner of his family.

#1017-E-013 Mexico December 1970 Young Friends hanging out.

#1017-E-003 Mexico December 1970 Boys at Play

#1017-C-035 Mexico December 1970 Market Scene The patriarchal structure of the Mexican family has roots that go back to the Aztec, Mayas, Olmecs and the Zapotecs culture.

#1017-C-036 Mexico December 1970 Market Scene The vendors’ children were active participants at the mercado.

#1017-C-039 Mexico December 1970 Market Scene Most anything you needed for your household was found at the local mercado.

#1017-C-040 Mexico December 1970 Two Boys The Mexican family is well bonded. It was normal to find the older siblings minding the younger.

#1017-C-041 Mexico December 1970 Market Scene The mercado takes place in the same location on certain days of the week, and is the main source of food for the town.

#1017-C-045 Mexico December 1970 Little Boy with Ice Cream Mexicans families are large and close-knit. One day, this boy will be the family’s patriarch and breadwinner.

#1017-C-046 Mexico December 1970 Whispering Secrets Girls in the family adhered to very strict rules, while the boys had more freedom. Children were expected to pay respect to all the elders of a family.

#1017-C-048 Mexico December 1970 Family Street Vendors Since about 1541, the government prohibited migrant street vendors in the cities. However, in the 1970s and 1980s, Mexico experienced a rapid growth of vendors throughout the country.

#1017-D-014 Mexico December 1970 Christmas Mass Around 82% of Mexicans identify themselves as Catholic, although many have incorporated pre-Hispanic Mayan elements as part of their faith.

#1017-D-025 Mexico December 1970 Women at Christmas Mass At a mass held a few days before Christmas.

#1017-D-026 Mexico December 1970 Boy at Christmas Mass

#1017-D-029 Mexico December 1970 Christmas Mass

#1017-C-034 Mexico December 1970 Shopping Break Legend has it that Mexican blankets, known as serape has its origin with the Aztecs. Bright colored cloth stained from fruits and berries were used as gift offering to the gods to ward off evil spirits and be granted blessings and good fortune.

#1017-C-032 Mexico December 1970 Newsstand Newsstands like this were common in many towns.

#1017-C-031 Mexico December 1970 Street Conversation Spanish is the de facto official language in Mexico being spoken by 98.3% of the population. Mexican Spanish is spoken in a variety of dialects, accents and variations in different regions across the country.

#1017-C-030 Mexico December 1970 Two Boys and a Clay Pot Mexican society is sharply divided by income and educational level. Although a middle class has struggled to expand in the cities, the principal division is between the wealthy well-educated elite and the urban and rural poor, who constitute the vast majority of the population.

#1017-C-028 Mexico December 1970 Sidewalk Food Vendors Street food vendors dates back to pre-Hispanic era. In the 1970s and 80s, there was a huge growth in all types of street vendors in spite of government control attempts.

#1017-C-027 Mexico December 1970 In Mexican society, a close knit family is the most important element.

#1017-C-026 Mexico December 1970 Teenage Boys Hanging Out Traditional Mexican culture allows boys more freedom than girls.

#1017-C-025 Mexico December 1970 Grandmother and Boy Common in a Mexican family is to have three generations living in the same household and the grandmother the family matriarch.

#1017-C-024 Mexico December 1970 The Alley During the 1970s, millions of people were migrating to the cities and in turn causing serious housing problems.

#1017-C-020 Mexico December 1970 Bike Pals Bicycles allowed children and teenagers the freedom to visit distant friends and explore their environment. By the 1980s, brands such as Rudge, Schwinn, Sting Ray and Cross were common in Mexico.

#1017-C-017 Mexico December 1970 City Bicyclist About half the population of Mexico lived in the cities in the 1970s. Today, the percentage is now about four-fifth.

#1017-A-013 Mexico December 1970 Street Musician This young street musician played well and had a lovely voice.

#1017-A-009 Mexico December 1970 Young Pals. Mexican brothers and sisters are expected to display affection openly and reciprocally, as well as provide each other material and moral support.

#1017-A-020 Mexico December 1970 Street Photographers Business was good for these two photographers in the town’s plaza.

#1017-A-028 Mexico December 1970 Man and Canoe

#1017-A-036 Mexico December 1970 Cowboy at Sunrise The work of vaqueros was essential in a society where food supplies were often scarce, and the cattle imported from Spain often broke free. The Spanish taught the vaqueros horsemanship and to corral cattle.

#1017-A-037 Mexico December 1970 Cowboy at Sunrise Native Mexicans drew on their own experiences with horsemanship and hunting buffalo and refined their vaquero techniques. They were able to tame wild horses and perfected the technique of throwing the lasso.

#1017-B-001 Mexico December 1970 Fishermen at Sunrise Evidence of human habitation in Mexico dates back to 9,000 B.C. Agricultural villages started to develop around 2,000 B.C.

#1017-B-002 Mexico December 1970 Country Sunrise Sunrise on a quiet rural highway.

#1017-B-008 Mexico December 1970 Public Transportation Inner city transportation consisted of buses and converted trucks as well as taxis.

#1017-B-015 Mexico December 1970 Children with Tricycle Most children stay in their parents’ households until they get married or a job opportunity requires them to move/leave.

#1017-B-017 Mexico December 1970 Teenage Girl One out of five girls in Mexico are married before the age of 18 as a means of acquiring security or an attempt to escape poverty or violence at home.

#1017-A-007 Mexico December 1970 Newsstand It was common to see the elder sibling caring for the younger siblings.