An “Inmoral” Expression: Syrup In Guanajuato, México. A Hermeneutic Study Of The 19th Century Press And Other Primary Sources

Abstract

The 19th century Guanajuato society, like that of other latitudes of the country, showed a transformation related, on the one hand, to the imposition of European culture by the political and intellectual elites, and on the other, the permanence of cultural expressions that, in fact, they were typical of the poor sectors, which were usually shown through happy music and colorful dances. Having this dichotomy as a study framework, the objective of this work is the analysis of the nineteenth-century press —with necessary documentary support—, and from this to examine the social position of syrup as a cultural expression in the Guanajuato festive tradition. I intend the analysis based on the examination of the case in the cities of León and Guanajuato, which derives primarily from the accessibility of the sources of information for the case of the 19th century in the indicated space.