The Catrín is the male version of the Catrina, it is about happy and carefree skeletons that, every Day of the Dead, come out of their graves with their best clothes to celebrate life and welcome those who have just been born in the other world. .
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Catrín, the story of the elegant and dancing skeleton
Catrin is a word that was born in Mexico, approximately during the time of Porfiriato. It refers to men who had a certain ancestry and socioeconomic levelwhich was remarkable in the expensive garments they wore, imitating to the high rank of Europe.
In a short time, the typical mexican humor (also nascent) became noticeable, when European fashion and those who could afford to wear it, became part of the harsh social criticism of the great thinkers and artists of the time; who dedicated funny and ingenious verses to them that we know today as literary skulls.
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Before Catrín, the little skulls
The literary skulls original, took place and boom during the governments of Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada, Benito Juarez and Porfirio Diaz. These rhymes were inspired by obituaries and epitaphs of those wealthy who repudiated their own roots. They were dedicated especially for perpetuating demeaning attitudes against the true national identity and its people, as well as by to impose customs, traditions and fashions about those originating in Mexico.
These little skulls appeared in the newspapers known as Resistencia, adorned by those who can be considered, the first catrines and catrinas. These were small illustrations with skeleton shapes, but they represented a scene of the day to dayas they sought to reflect the discontent and the conditions in which most of society lived.
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the first catrina
The Catrinquite similar to how we know it today, made its first appearance during the Porfiriatoa moment in which social criticism focused especially on those with indigenous roots and mestizo origins, who rejected their own race, heritage and culture.
The engraver, illustrator and caricaturist, Jose Guadalupe Posada Aguilartook the figure of the skulls that accompanied the literary skulls and made the engraving called “The Chickpea Skull”the first image of the Catrinadedicating it to those Mexicans who were ashamed of their origins, often being “pure appearances”, because in reality they could not afford a lifestyle like that of high society.
In a few words and using those of the master José Guadalupe Posada, the Calavera Garbancera, as well as those he represented, they were bare bones, but yes, with their ostrich feather hat.
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Time after, La Catrina got a new name and dance partner, El Catrín.
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The birth of Catrín and Catrina, by the hand of Diego Rivera
The term Catrín was born in Mexico during the times of the Mexican Revolution, to refer to those knights of old that they had the social and economic level to carry the most ostentatious clothes of the time.
But it wasn’t until [1945that thanks to the great muralist, Diego Rivera, who the word Catrín took on a new image and a new meaningwith which he would be associated forever, worldwide.
East day of the dead icon was born from the imagination of the Mexican artist, Diego Rivera. It was thanks to his wonderful mural entitled “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central”, that Mexico saw the birth of La Catrina as we know her today.
The image on the mural was the first time a fully characterized Catrina was seen, with a long dress and even a feather headdress, which symbolizes Quetzalcoatl. From then on, the people of Mexico and her art gave Catrina a pachanga partner, the Catrín.
Since then, Catrín and Catrina have been portrayed in all kinds of situationsrepresenting all kinds of characters, but always with a very Mexican meaning, because regardless of who we are or where we come from, in the end we all go to the same place, so better enjoy.
Dancing, laughing, singing, drinking and eating, the catrines and catrinas spend their time, enjoying life once more each time the Day of the Dead approaches. The wind announces the drizzle that accompanies the souls of the Mictlanwho appear among the living to bring blessings and good news to their relatives.
Some, the oldest, those who are now simple skulls because they have managed to completely shed all ties to their earthly life, have fun putting on the outfits they used to wear in life. The elegant calacas go out laughing, with their bombastic outfits, wearing death el catrín and enchanted with life la catrina.