For Hispanic Heritage Month, an interesting podcast to listen to is The Mysteries of Latin America Podcast. In this show, the host Andrew Colón tells stories of the myths, legends, history and mysteries set anywhere from the Northern Mexican border to the Southern tip of Argentina, and including the Caribbean Islands. The episodes I listened to are about the myths of Mexican Independence, the mysterious White City in Honduras, and an investigation into if the Aztecs originated in Utah. This podcast is filled with fascinating facts and stories!
In the episode about the myths of Mexican independence, Colón talks about the top myths of Mexican Independence. The first one that he talks about is Cinco do Mayo, which was a Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla but did not result in Mexican independence. Colón also talks about the complexities of the war for independence and how not all of Mexico was united in the fight against the Spanish. Class divisions in Mexico during that time resulted in civil war.
The Lost City and the Monkey God Curse of Honduras is about the exploration of The White City in the jungle of Honduras. Colón describes the myths and the legends surrounding this city. In particular, he talks about Douglas Preston’s 2012 expedition to the White City. Preston was in constant danger while in the jungle and encountered jaguars, poisonous snakes, and even quicksand. Several explorers developed infections and sores from sandflies following the trip, which lead to the legend that they were cursed. Preston’s expedition is described in his book The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story.
In the latest episode “Did the Aztecs Come from Utah?, Colón examines the legends behind this myth. Some of the reasons people believe this is true is; cave art work found in Utah that depicts Aztec looking figures, geography in Utah that is similar to that in Aztec oral histories, and linguistic similarities between the Aztecs and indigenous people that live in Utah. Skeptics believe the artwork and descriptions of geography are more symbolic than geoographically specific. They also believe that parts of the Aztec language could have been absorbed through cultural interactions between groups and they are not convinced the Aztec language spread in Utah.
The Mysteries of Latin America Podcast is full of interesting stories and Colón does an excellent job of analyzing myths and legends that are part of Latin American folklore. These interesting stories make it an entertaining way to learn about Latin American culture during Hispanic Heritage Month.
At the Yonkers Public Library, we have been celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. For a list of our events, please visit our online calendar.
Michael Walsh is an Adult Services Librarian at the Will Library. He is currently reading Never Flinch by Stephen King.