The Huasteca.

A new exhibit at the Museo Nacional de Culturas Populares takes visitors on a trip through six Mexican states without so much as a toll or a pit stop at Pemex. The exhibit "De aqui somos--La Huasteca" gives viewers the opportunity to understand the Huasteca region of Mexico, an area that includes parts of the states of Hidalgo, Puebla, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas and Veracruz.

If la Huasteca is famous for anything it is music. Regional music greets visitors at the exhibit's entrance and follows through to the end where six listening stations play huapango, son huasteco, banda de viento and other lesser-known music types from the area. Traditional instruments are on display as well.

The exhibit touches briefly on a variety of topics such as flora and fauna, textiles, fishing and la Huasteca in film--apparently the region is featured in at least seven movies. It quickly traces the region's pre-Hispanic roots, and drives home the fact that this diverse area, home to several indigenous groups, is linked by an extremely Mexican icon--corn.

This brief overview may appear simplistic to the more knowledgeable, though for the rest, the exhibit does an effective job of whetting the appetite for all things Huasteca.

Where the exhibit really shines is in showing aspects of daily Huasteca life. Brightly decorated dolls illustrate scenes of birth, death and many events in between. Bits of folklore and myth make the descriptions particularly memorable. For example, it is tradition to bury the piece of umbilical cord that falls off a newborn under a tree. Then in a comical display of a parental guilt trip, Huastecos tell their teenage children, "if you leave, you must come back because your umbilical cord is buried here and it will be calling you."

The most elaborate piece in the exhibit is a thatched roof and dirt floor house built by Huastecos from Hidalgo. Even the lively Huasteca market is recreated here.

Festivals, an important part of Huasteca life, are also a great feature of the exhibit. Spectacular altars show the significance of religious festivals like Xantolo or the Day of the Dead. The Huasteca love for music and dance is made clear in a homage to Carnaval. And as festivals are often linked to agriculture, there is an interesting display of Tlamanas, a ceremony celebrating the importance of corn and harvesting in Huasteca life.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Breaking away briefly from the colorful and folkloric, the exhibit also points out the contemporary problems and contrasts of this both industrial and traditional region. The area is rich in natural resources, among them natural gas and oil, but suffers from environmental problems. And while those resources bring in foreigners and money, natives are migrating looking for work. Consequently, the Huasteca is home to both modern cities and poverty-stricken towns.

"De aqui somos--La Huasteca" offers a wonderful chance to see a bit of the cultural diversity of Mexico without letting the visitor forget that this is a living, breathing region with modern issues and constant change.

Entrance to the exhibit is free and it runs through January 2005. The display will be complemented by concerts, discussions, dances, and the sale of handiwork, books, music and regional dishes. Go to www.cnca.gob.mx/cnca/popul/mncp.htm or call 9172-8840 ext. 126 for dates and times of these special events. Museo Nacional de Culturas Populares, Avenida Hidalgo 289, colonia Del Carmen, Coyoacan.