By Francisco Peyret
As Mother’s Day approaches, it is worth reflecting on the mother’s role in Mexican culture, especially at a time when there are worldwide challenges to social cohesion and family unity. In his book, El Laberinto de la Soledad (The Labyrinth of Solitude), Octavio Paz explores the complexity of this relationship in Mexican culture. He argues that the mother is seen as a dual figure: protective and oppressive, loving and dominant.
The mother as the protector of the family and home nurtures and cares for the children, and maintains the family unit. She is a figure of love and tenderness, and the source of life and creation. In many Mexican families, the mother is the one to maintain traditions and transmit values and beliefs to her children. However, Paz points out that the mother figure can also be oppressive and dominant. In some cases, the mother can be overprotective and controlling, which can lead to feelings of oppression and lack of freedom. She can also be seen as a domineering figure who has the final say in family decisions. This duality of the mother figure is a reflection of the complexity of Mexican culture in general.
According to this book, the mother in Mexico has a different importance and meaning than in other cultures. As an example, in Spain the mother can be more independent and have a more balanced role with respect to the father in decision-making and child rearing. For Mexicans, the mother is a divine and sacred figure—protective and selfless. She is seen as the main source of life and the one in charge of protecting and feeding her children from the moment of conception. Paz points out that the mother in Mexico has a stronger and more unconditional presence than in other cultures, where the father is usually the one with the authority and responsible for care of the children.
In addition, Paz points out that the Mexican mother is also associated with the Virgin Mary and with the Earth. This reinforces her divine and sacred character. In this sense, the mother is seen as a force that nurtures and gives life, but also is a protective and strong figure capable of fighting any threat to her children.
Other Mexican authors have written about the mother figure in Mexican culture. Carlos Monsiváis, in his book, Los rituales del caos (The Rituals of Chaos), talks about the mother as the main figure of authority in the Mexican family. He explains how she can be oppressive and limiting for the individual development of her children. Elena Garro, in her story «The fault belongs to the Tlaxcalans,» depicts a mother who, despite loving her children, abandons and betrays them in a time of war. This representation demystifies the idea that the mother is always a protective and unconditional being. Rosario Castellanos, in her poem, «Valium 10,» criticizes the idealized image of the mother that Mexican society promotes, and the pressure that women face in fulfilling this role. Guadalupe Loaeza, in her book, Las niñas bien (The Well-Off Girls), portrays a mother concerned mainly with her family’s social status and prestige to the detriment of the happiness and emotional well-being of her children.
In the United States, the mother figure is often seen in a similar way to the mother in other Western cultures. She is considered a figure of love and care, but not necessarily a sacred or divine figure. She is important and respected, but is not given the same symbolic charge as in Mexican culture. Furthermore, motherhood is seen as a personal choice and not necessarily a social or religious duty. Each family has its own dynamics and parenting style, and the father has an important role in raising children.
To finish I leave you some famous sayings about the Mexican mother: «The mother is the center of everything, she is the seed of love, sacrifice and tenderness.» Emiliano Zapata
«The Mexican mother is an exceptional human being, endowed with great physical and moral strength.» Octavio Paz
«The mother is the living force that makes the family a home, and the home a safe haven.» Rosario Castellanos
«The Mexican mother is the sun and the moon, she is the wind that moves the trees and the river that flows without ceasing.» Elena Poniatowska
«The Mexican mother is the very essence of motherhood, a unique combination of strength and tenderness.» Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz
