CULTURAL COOL
Spend a few hours browsing the stunning arts and crafts market on the cobbled colonial streets of Plaza San Jacinto every Saturday in the neighbourhood of San Angel. Sculpture, embroidery, paintings and jewellery are authentic, well-made and extremely covetable. Martha hates haggling. She tells us, ‘I want to say: “Lady, would you ask for a discount in Louis Vuitton?”’
One of Martha’s favourite museums is the downtown Museo de Arte Popular ( map.cdmx. gob.mx), full of brightly painted skulls, trees of life, artworks of all kinds and stunning artefacts from every era. She has strong beliefs about conservation of culture and respect for artisans. ‘I would never buy my nieces a Barbie,’ she says, ‘I give them traditional toys to play with and they respect this work. They look like little Fridas and it makes me so proud.’
The powerful and important Aztec culture is on show at Templo Mayor ( templomayor.inah. gob.mx/english) at Zócalo, the main square also known as Plaza de la Constitución, in the historic centre of CDMX. A wall of trophy skulls kicks off the most fascinating few hours learning about the myths of the ancient warriors, who believed they were eagles by day and jaguars by night. ‘All this history and culture and beauty is what we are and why I’m not interested in making simple food,’ says Martha. Jaguars mean so much to her she has embedded one’s roar within the music at Ella Canta (see below). ‘They are so strong, so dignified, so Mexican. They don’t cry when they die.’