And for what this is worth Elephun, and I am sorry for any offence taken and certainly wasn't intended, to me the caricature aspect was simply that it is exactly that, a cartoon of something that doesn't even exist. Like watching Tom & Jerry and then thinking my cat should be like Tom. Do I believe that everyone in Mexico goes around wearing sombreros and the men have extravagant moustaches? No I certainly do not. Surely the offence/insult comes from those who actually think that is Mexico? Or Tex-Mex? I don't differentiate because I don't believe in them (the stereotyping not the actual place). It's like having an argument as to whether Father Christmas comes from Greenland or Iceland. He doesn't come from either because he doesn't exist. I like all things vintage and retro. I tell people my house is very 1940s/1950s. My grandmother (sadly now deceased in February) would beg to differ. She lived in London in the war. My house has a few little nods here and there to an era I have never lived through and never will. I've mixed them up and shaken them around, and by doing so it has given me an interest in that time. But I haven't had to live through food rationing, wondering whether my house will still be standing in the morning etc etc. Do I respect the people any the less because I have slightly (well ever so as it goes) glamourised that period? No. Same with the Mexican theme. I can assure you that none of us at the party think that is Mexico or is in any way intended to be detrimental to that place. We'll probably never even get to go there. Some of us will wish though. The invitations to the party were bought from a High St shop quite legally (not by me, not my party) that have a couple of cacti on the front with the words "Arriba arriba". All the tat to go with the party is High St rubbish that is intended to be a bit of fun. We'll chat and giggle, and eat guacamole and other stereotypical food that would probably be unrecognisable to Mexican people - I had an Italian girl stay with me once and she could not reconcile herself to the pizzas and spag bol that were on offer here. She ended up quite liking them but not as the cuisine of her country.
However, all is not lost!! Although I recognise Frida's photo I will confess that I have never known her background/history. From this thread I have taken some time to read up and now know much that I previously did not. And I am glad that I did. I have downloaded an article on her, photocopied it and will circulate it to my friends tomorrow at the party who I am sure will be equally interested. As has been said previously, Mexico as a separate culture is something that has only really only just come to the attention of Britain and most (certainly all here in Devon) restaurants again veer towards the cactus/sombrero/men with big moustaches stereotype. In the same way that most Greek restaurants have the waiters at the end of the evening smashing plates and Thai restaurants have ladies in robes bowing to you when showing you to your table (and most of them actually are Exeter University students who will do anything to pay off their student loans!). So please be assured that I go to tomorrow's party with slightly more open eyes than before, but on the other hand I must be allowed to retain my own sense of humour and perspective. In truth the theme of the party is probably "fancy dress, we're going to eat food that they serve in local Mexican restaurants and shove some bottles of beers that we fancy are Mexican into the fridge but actually be more interested in the Prosecco because that's really our taste and we're going to get rather drunk and giggle and play La Bamba and Where is my Sombrero and then we are going to giggle a bit more and then we're going to go home and rue our frivolity for an hour or so the following day". But that's a bit long to put on the invitations so we compromise and call it "Mexican themed". We call it "Irish themed' on March 17th when we go to pubs and drink copious amounts of Guinness, wearing the colour green most of us wouldn't be seen dead in for the rest of the year, and say "to be sure to be sure"! Most of us have closer contacts with Ireland than Mexico and know full well that Ireland is soooo not like that, but as they say in journalism, why spoil a good story with the truth?!