Cinco de Mayo begins on May 5, and often lasts for an entire week. Families of Mexican heritage gather with friends to participate in the parades, festivals, music, dancing, and of course, the food, and drinks that represent the Mexican culture and customs that are unique to Mexico.
This is a great time to really enjoy the food and festivities, but also a time to become more knowledgeable and better understand the history and culture of our fellow Mexican American as well as that of our neighbor, Mexico.
Historically, Cinco de Mayo was the day the Mexican militia won the battle against the French army at Puebla in 1862. The militia killed approximately 1,000 French troops, and the fighting continued for another five years during which time, France named Maximilian as the country’s new leader, it took another five years to drive the French out of the country. Today, the site hosts a museum dedicated to the battle, and the actual site of the battle is now a park, both honor Mexico’s resistance to foreign domination.
Although Mexico fought a hard battle in 1821 to win its independence from Spain, some still confuse Cinco de Mayo with Mexico’s independence. Mexico struggled with internal governmental takeovers, the two-year Mexican/American war, and its own civil war in 1858, prior to the 1862 battle at Puebla.
Cinco de Mayo remains as a major celebration in Puebla, and the residents celebrate it vigorously each year. Some other regions of Mexico recognize Cinco de Mayo, but just not at the same level of enthusiasm. In fact, today, due to the high concentrations of Mexican Americans living in the United States, this holiday actually garners a higher level of celebration here than most areas of Mexico, especially in the southern states that border Mexico.
Happy Cinco de Mayo!