Mexican loteria is a traditional card game similar to “Bingo.” However, it is also a form
of folk art, as each of the colorful cards has an image of popular Mexican figures, such as “El
Catrin” (The Gentleman), “El Borracho” (The Drunk), “La Calavera” (The Skeleton), “La Chalupa”
(The Flower Boat), etc. There are many different variations of these colorful cards, including
loteria cards with images from the Day of the Dead, fruits, and other unusual figures.
The game is played in a similar way to bingo, except that Mexicans use beans as place
markers, and the name of each card is called out during the game. In Mexican homes
everywhere, you can here the game being played: “La Muerte! La Catrina! La Sandia! La
Campana!”
