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Ne No Nu

New Mexicana

noun | encyclopedia/culture
Pronounced: \noo mek-si-kah-naw\ | IPA: /nu ˈmɛk sɪˈkæn ə/

Definition of New Mexicana

things and style thought to be typical of the U.S. state of New Mexico or its culture. Example: New Mexicana decor and New Mexicana music.

Examples of New Mexicana



Primary examples of New Mexicana.

  • Metropolitan areas; Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Farmington, and Santa Fe. Micropolitan areas; Clovis, Española, Grants, Las Vegas, Los Alamos, and Portales. Pueblos; Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Nambe, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris, Pojoaque, Sandia, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Taos, Tesuque, Zia, and Zuni. Reservations; Jicarilla Apache, Mescalero Apache, and Navajo Nation.
  • People associated with New Mexico; Popé, Diego de Vargas, Geronimo, Billy the Kid, D. H. Lawrence, Georgia O’Keeffe, Al Unser, Al Hurricane, George R.R. Martin, and Johnny Tapia.
  • Music with New Mexican roots, especially New Mexico musicNew Mexicana music, and other music produced in New Mexico.
  • New Mexican cuisine, especially New Mexico chile, Sopapillias, Frybread, Piñon, and Bizcochitos. Restaurants, especially the following; Santa Fe’s Joseph’s, Santa Fe Bite, Plaza Cafe; Albuquerque’s El Modelo, El Pinto, Garcia’s, Monroe’s, Route 66 Diner, and Sadie’s. Fast food restaurants and restaurant chains, like Blake’s Lotaburger, Bob’s Burgers, Little Anita’s, Mac’s Steak In The Rough, and Twister’s.
  • The Route 66 style and decorum. Diners, car-shows, pin-up girls, and cruising.
  • Fiestas; New Mexico State Fair, Pueblo Feast DaysInternational Balloon Fiesta, Santa Fe Fiestas, Catholic Fiestas, Roswell UFO Festival, and Festival of the Cranes.
  • Sports; Baseball (Minor League Baseball: Dukes and Isotopes), Football (NCAA: Lobos and Aggies), Basketball (NCAA: Lobos and Aggies), Soccer (Sol FC and Lobos), and a defunct Hockey team (Scorpions).
  • Natural landmarks; Blue Hole, Rio Grande, Mimbres River, Sandia MountainsSangre de Cristo Mountains, and White Sands.
  • Buildings and structures; ABQ BioPark, Acoma Pueblo (Sky City), Albuquerque Plaza, Albuquerque Old Town, Santa Fe Plaza, Taos Pueblo, Pueblo casinos (Isleta Casino, Sandia Casino, Santa Ana Star Casino), and Vietnam Vets Memorial. Architectural styles; Pueblo Revival architecture, Territorial Revival architecture, and Earthships.

Origin of New Mexicana

Portmanteau of New Mexico and Americana.


First Known Use: 20th century.