¡Viva México!
Passing with little notice in the US this week was Mexican Independence Day. It was on Tuesday, September 16. The date marks the "Cry of Dolores" (Grito de Dolores) when Miguel Hidalgo began a revolt in the small town of Dolores, Mexico against the Spanish colonial government in 1810.
It's a peeve of mine that Mexican Independence Day is misunderstood by so many people in the US, who think they're celebrating the end of colonial oppression with our neighbor to the south when they don garish straw hats and noisily hoist margaritas for Cinco de Mayo.
The 5th of May, or as I've called it on numerous occasions, Drink-Margaritas-For-No-Good-Reason-That-Anyone-Can-Name Day, actually commemorates the Battle of Puebla on 5 May 1862. On that day the Mexican army won a battle with French invaders in the small town of Puebla. Although it boosted Mexicans' morale it was a militarily insignificant victory. Among other reasons, the French came back with a lot more troops and stomped the Mexicans and installed Maximilian as emperor. D'oh!
While Cinco de Mayo has become such a huge thing in the US, spurred on in part by beer and liquor and snack companies looking for anything to encourage us to buy more beer, liquor, and snacks; it is basically a non-event in Mexico. It's not one of the country's official holidays, and outside the region around the actual village of Puebla, Mexicans don't have parades or festivals or parties to celebrate the day.
Which brings me back to September 16, the holiday Mexicans do celebrate. Mexican Independence Day.
My dear neighbors, long live the heroes who gave you land and liberty.
(¡Vivan los héroes que les dieron patria y libertad!)
It's a peeve of mine that Mexican Independence Day is misunderstood by so many people in the US, who think they're celebrating the end of colonial oppression with our neighbor to the south when they don garish straw hats and noisily hoist margaritas for Cinco de Mayo.
The 5th of May, or as I've called it on numerous occasions, Drink-Margaritas-For-No-Good-Reason-That-Anyone-Can-Name Day, actually commemorates the Battle of Puebla on 5 May 1862. On that day the Mexican army won a battle with French invaders in the small town of Puebla. Although it boosted Mexicans' morale it was a militarily insignificant victory. Among other reasons, the French came back with a lot more troops and stomped the Mexicans and installed Maximilian as emperor. D'oh!
While Cinco de Mayo has become such a huge thing in the US, spurred on in part by beer and liquor and snack companies looking for anything to encourage us to buy more beer, liquor, and snacks; it is basically a non-event in Mexico. It's not one of the country's official holidays, and outside the region around the actual village of Puebla, Mexicans don't have parades or festivals or parties to celebrate the day.
Which brings me back to September 16, the holiday Mexicans do celebrate. Mexican Independence Day.
My dear neighbors, long live the heroes who gave you land and liberty.
(¡Vivan los héroes que les dieron patria y libertad!)