La Sirena NYC

Mexican Art, Crafts and Clothing

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In honor of El Grito, step inside this living altar to all things Mexico in the heart of NYC

Our Lady of Guadalupe reigns here.

By AMARIS CASTILLO

It’s difficult not to feel overwhelmed when you step inside La Sirena. Located in New York City’s East Village neighborhood, the tiny store reminds me of a kaleidoscope, with its endless stream of colors.

Keep reading

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A Little Taste of Mexico: Ven a conocer!

Come get to know us!

La Sirena, meaning “the mermaid,” brings a little piece of Mexico to New York City. Located in the East Village, this small, one-of-a-kind shop is a microcosm of the grandeur that is Mexican culture and custom. Embodying the traditions found in Mexico’s 31 states y el Distrito Federal (Mexico City), La Sirena houses hand-crafted pieces created by local and native Mexican artists, often times families passing down their craft through generations. La Sirena, started by a passion for art and love of Mexican culture, is the place to go for Mexican folk art, your everyday artesanias y chucherias. This weekly blog update will feature art pieces, Mexican customs, common motifs and icons, and artists all of which can be purchased, experienced, and most importantly enjoyed at La Sirena!

Read more about our shop, our history, and our mission:

http://cititour.com/NYC_Places/La-Sirena/3176

http://www.remezcla.com/2007/latin/la-sirena-brings-mexican-folk-art-to-l-e-s

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/28/nyregion/new-yorkers-co-mexican-arts-crafts-and-clothing.html

http://toliveandeatinnyc.blogspot.com/2009/05/la-sirena-mexican-folk-art.html 

For a little taste of the Mexican tradition of Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead), look for our next blog post, coming soon!

And stop by our store: open daily from noon-7pm!

***All images were taken at La Sirena and are objects currently on sale***

By Lizz Melendez for La Sirena NYC

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Tlaloc has left but in the meantime were enjoying the sunshine @lasirenanyc 🌞🌞🌞

[lasirenanyc]

Nuestra Morenita

Next week marks a special week in the Mexican community. On December 12th thousands of people with gather in Mexico City and around the world to celebrate la Virgen de Guadalupe--a spiritual guide and spiritual mother to many.

The legend goes as follows: 

MID-December in 1531 the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego, a native man, requesting a church to be built in her honor on top of the Hill of Tepeyac. Seeking to honor the the mother goddess, Juan Diego spoke to the Spanish Archbishop of Mexico City of his encounter. In response, the Archbishop instructed him to prove the identity of the Virgin. The Holy Mother appeared once again to her loyal follower instructing him to return to the top of Tepeyac Hill to collect flowers (an unexpected bloom in the middle of winter). He did as instructed and on the hill he found Castilian roses. Picking the roses and arranging them in his tilma (a native-peasant cloak), he returned to the Archbishop and on opening his cloak the roses fell and imprinted on his cloak was the image of the Virgen de Guadalupe.

That, however, is not the entire story. We cannot discuss the Virgen de Guadalupe without speaking of Tonantzin, a pre-Columbian earth goddess tenderly regarded as “Our Sacred Mother” in the Nahuatl language. Considered a reincarnate of Tonantzin, it is commonly said that the Virgin of Guadalupe and the pre-Columbian deity are one and the same. It is often forgotten that there was a shrine dedicated to Tonantzin on top of the Hill of Tepeyac. Both figures are mother deities that provide a source of comfort and love. Many look to her for moral support and encouragement and every year at midnight on December 12, they serenade her to reciprocate the spiritual fulfillment she provides to the community.

Visit La Sirena and ask Dina about her experiences with La Morenita—a sweetheart to many, but dear and special to Dina’s heart.

And also join Dina, who will serve as Madrina de Decoraciones, to celebrate at:

Also check out La Sirena’s Facebook page for cultural events this holiday season: https://www.facebook.com/LaSirenaMexicanFolkArt

So, don’t miss out, stop on by: open daily from noon-7pm!

***All images were taken at La Sirena and are objects currently on sale*** 

Text and Photos by Lizz Melendez

For more info on La Virgen see: 

http://www.latintimes.com/who-virgen-de-guadalupe-brief-history-saint-so-important-mexican-culture-136817

http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/gods/virgin-of-guadalupe-and-tonantzin

[lasirenanyc]

La Sirena: More Than a Name

This month marks the 16th year anniversary of La Sirena! In honor of this grand celebration, this week’s blog post is dedicated to our store’s name: La Sirena.

The word “sirena” is often translated in two ways: siren or mermaid. Although some would argue that the first is a perfectly acceptable form of translation, mermaid is actually a more accurate translation. Why? A siren most often refers to the mythical creature formed as a hybrid of a half-bird and half-human, female creature. They’re responsible for entrancing men at sea with their beautiful voices/songs (often driving their ship into rocks).  A mermaid, on the other hand, refers to a creature that is half-human and half-fish, often female (but could be male), she uses her beauty to allure men (similarly) to their death, though not always. Mermaids, unlike sirens, are not always perceived as negative mythological creatures. In Mexican folklore, mermaids possess a dual nature.

To illustrate what I mean, I will draw on one example of the use of the mermaid in Mexican folklore: Chalchiutlicue. Often represented as a mermaid, Chalchiutlicue is described not as half-human and half-fish, but as half-human and half-sea serpent. She is the goddess of water, rivers, seas, and storms (later also being attributed the goddess of baptism). The paradox in her character arises in that she embodies both life and death. She is the patroness of childbirth, but she is also credited with bringing a flood that “purified humanity,” killing many.

There are undeniable parallels in this particular instance of the mermaid in Mexican folklore and Christian thought—the association of female to the serpent and a flood that rid the world of evil. The mermaid is a fusion of indigenous and Spanish-European cultures. Christopher Columbus is said to have spotted mermaids (an already existing phenomenon in the European world) on his arrival to the New World (explained as a misconstruction of the manatee). This myth of the mermaid, from that point forward was enlarged and appropriated by New World cultures, popularizing these new “fusion” legends and myths with new imagery and symbols being used in folk art.

The mermaid nevertheless remains a popular icon, representing beauty, femininity, and the sea. Mermaids are part of the music, the art, the culture of Mexico. They are goddesses of the sea, not in the sense that they are religious deities or cultural gods but just in a simple, folkloric form—la diosa del mar. For Dina Leor, owner of La Sirena, the mermaid is a memory, of her time in Puerto Vallarta, and a symbol of her love for the ocean. When the name “La Sirena” popped up in her head, she described her reaction as, “THAT’S IT!”  And that really was it; 16 years later you can still find La Sirena, a little piece of Mexico, here in New York City.

So, don’t miss out, stop on by: open daily from noon-7pm!

***All images were taken at La Sirena and are objects currently on sale***

Photos and Text by Lizz Melendez for La Sirena

For more information on the subject check out the following:

http://www.museosdemexico.org/

http://www.esauboeck.com/index/The_Mermaid_in_Mexican_Folk_Creches

La Sirena Encantadora: The Mermaid in Mexican Folk Art & Legend

[lasirenanyc]

Dia De Muertos: Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead should not be confused with Halloween. Arising from a combination of indigenous practices and the Catholic custom of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, it is a celebration infused with festive and merry yet solemn and respectful attitudes towards death as a human experience. It is said to be the two days where the souls of dead relatives return to enjoy the pleasures of the earth. Among its most recognizable characteristics are: el altar de los muertos (the altar for the dead, usually lined with photographs and marigolds), calacas y calaveras (skeletons and skulls, a common image denoting death), and ofrendas (offerings, often times food and drink, to the dead). But to understand and appreciate this celebration, you must look at its origins…

Pre-colonial origins of Dia de Muertos:

The indigenous Mexica (Aztec), Maya, and Nahua, among others, did not attribute a moral connotation to death (as is done in the Catholic tradition), instead, the dead, based on the form of their death and their acts in life, reached different cosmic realms in the after life. For example, infant children would enter a realm, named Chichihuacuauhco (Chi-chi-wa-ku-ah-co) characterized by a “wet-nurse” tree that dripped milk from its branches to nourish the deceased child. The concepts of heaven and hell are later introduced to these societies with the arrival of the Spanish.

These indigenous beliefs were celebrated in rituals depicting the cycles of death and rebirth. Often times, the rituals included the use the skulls, commemorative trophies, of the deceased. Sculls, or calaveras, remain a common motif in the contemporary celebration of the Day of the Dead. Yet, returning to indigenous practices, their dead were often buried with objects they would need in life as well as those that could be helpful in death (their new life).

Colonial influences and the contemporary cultural life:

The true foundation of what we, today, recognize as El Dia de Muertos, comes from the syncretism of Spanish and indigenous culture. Each region in Mexico, every indigenous populace, and social group is constantly evolving and adding new characteristics to the celebration, keeping it alive and part of the cultural richness of Mexico. Adopting the Catholic religion, Dia de Muertos is infused with Catholic iconography. Saints adorn altars (a fundamental aspect of the celebration) and bread, water, and crosses are given as ofrendas, offerings, symbolizing the Eucharist and the catechism. This altar is likened to a rebirth. The soul of the deceased is reanimated; it eats, drinks, smells, and hears; it is an enlivened presence sharing and teaching the living about the human experience. Therefore on top of the religious objects place on the altar, food, alcoholic beverages, personal objects, and flowers are placed on the altar to guide the souls to this realm and to celebrate their temporary return. This celebration overall, with its altars and décor, is a way to honor the dead, the spirits of the ancestors. 

Stop by our store: open daily from noon-7pm to find papel picado a traditional Day of the Dead décor symbolizing happiness and festivity AND Calaveras skulls alluding to death and its constant presence. 

For more information check out the following links:

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/media/dia-de-los-muertos/?ar_a=1

http://www.uv.mx/cienciahombre/revistae/vol25num1/articulos/altar/

***All images were taken at La Sirena and are objects currently on sale***

By Lizz Melendez for La Sirena NYC

[lasirenanyc]

A Little Taste of Mexico: Ven a conocer!

Come get to know us!

La Sirena, meaning “the mermaid,” brings a little piece of Mexico to New York City. Located in the East Village, this small, one-of-a-kind shop is a microcosm of the grandeur that is Mexican culture and custom. Embodying the traditions found in Mexico’s 31 states y el Distrito Federal (Mexico City), La Sirena houses hand-crafted pieces created by local and native Mexican artists, often times families passing down their craft through generations. La Sirena, started by a passion for art and love of Mexican culture, is the place to go for Mexican folk art, your everyday artesanias y chucherias. This weekly blog update will feature art pieces, Mexican customs, common motifs and icons, and artists all of which can be purchased, experienced, and most importantly enjoyed at La Sirena!

Read more about our shop, our history, and our mission:

http://cititour.com/NYC_Places/La-Sirena/3176

http://www.remezcla.com/2007/latin/la-sirena-brings-mexican-folk-art-to-l-e-s

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/28/nyregion/new-yorkers-co-mexican-arts-crafts-and-clothing.html

http://toliveandeatinnyc.blogspot.com/2009/05/la-sirena-mexican-folk-art.html 

For a little taste of the Mexican tradition of Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead), look for our next blog post, coming soon!

And stop by our store: open daily from noon-7pm!

***All images were taken at La Sirena and are objects currently on sale***

By Lizz Melendez for La Sirena NYC

[lasirenanyc]

Mexico en NYC SALE ! Descuentos locos !

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/20---30--off-Entire-Store-----.html?soid=1102323009336&aid=-9_iB9awq18#fblike

[lasirenanyc]

Fathers day is THIS Sunday! We have father, son guayaberas! cute love my dad gifts! Amo ami papa! We have assorted colors

[lasirenanyc]

Get your flores de papel! We have a large selection to choose from! #Lasting #gifts and much more.

[lasirenanyc]

Weather warming up, always have a pitcher at hand! Beautiful pitchers and glasses! #Hand #painted and #crafted.

[lasirenanyc]

Get your flores de papel! We have a large selection to choose from! #Lasting #gifts and much more.

[lasirenanyc]

Assorted Mexican shot glasses now available!Also Martini glasses, mugs and glasses!

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Love is love so show it off! With this beautiful piece of art! This and much more only @La Sirena Mexican Folk Art!

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Get your picnic bags today! They're durable long lasting and made of oilcloth! $30 each! #deals

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Shell necklace

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Hot Love necklace!