Remember the culture
By Jamie Christianson
To many, all ethnicities aside, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo represents nothing more and nothing less than a weekend-long (or week-long, if you’re really ambitious) excursion to passionately pursue the highest-quality tequilas, cervezas and tacos in town. And while there’s nothing wrong with hightailing it to the nearest Don Pablo’s to feign your birthday in order to shamelessly adorn your cranium with their undersized sombrero as you sip on margaritas the size of a fishbowl, keep in mind that the significance behind the festivities stretches much deeper than a marathon’s worth of jovial drinking.
Not an Independence Day Contrary to popular belief, the commemoration of Cinco de Mayo doesn’t signify Mexico’s release from the reins of Spain. Rather, Sept. 16 marks the official date of El Grito de Independencia or, in other words, Mexico’s Independence Day. Cinco de Mayo stems from the historical date of May 5, in the spring of 1862, when the President of Mexico, Benito Juarez, dispatched troops to square off the French army after catching word that their forces were marching on Mexico City’s territory.
General Ignacio Zaragoza, in conjunction with his inadequate, limited yet intrepid army, met head-on with the throngs of French forces led by the ruler of France, Napoleon III, and ultimately overthrew and conquered Napoleon and his men. This triumphant feat empowered the Mexicans enough to claim full-blown defeat over the French in the year of 1867. Napoleon III designed many attacks to benefit from the destruction and bankruptcy that existed in Mexico, yet his several efforts were overruled, in due course. Mexico was in the midst of economic and religious turmoil as result of the War of Reform (which lasted from 1858-1860). When the civil war came to a complete, Mexico owed a surplus of $80,000,000 to foreigners. When France attacked Mexico, they attributed “debt collection” as their incentive. However, Napoleon III’s motivational purposes derived from seizing control of Mexico and the impending wealth the country would collect.
The Mexican Rituals
In Mexico, the clock strikes 11 o’clock when the first band plays their marching music. Those who march, donning French and Mexican general costumes, lead the way with soldiers who replicate the looks of the original freedom fighters accessorized with rifles and machetes from the “old days.”
Those who participate in the parade are garnished with skirts and flowery hats, paying homage to the women who joined travel with the army while cooking and caring for their men. The ones dressed up as French soldiers are equipped with knapsacks, with bottles of wine protruding from the bag. When mid-afternoon hits, the paraders emulate the renowned battle, galvanizing a flurry of smoke and shouting from the boisterous rifles and cannons. The Mexican general always wins the battle, naturally. Rituals also include dances, games, mariachi tunes, a surfeit of traditional foods and speeches conducted by government officials. The festivities cap off with a spectacle of fireworks.
In the Neighborhood
Now that you know the history, retain the facts and brag about a piece of it to your friends as you celebrate. The following is a brief list of the Twin Cities’ most popular Cinco de Mayo eateries:
Panchos Villas Mexican Grill
2539 Nicollet Ave.
Minneapolis, Minn. 55404
La Cucaracha Mexican Restaurant
36 Dale St. S
St. Paul, Minn. 55102
Manny’s Tortas
2700 E Lake St.
Minneapolis, Minn. 55406
Salsa a la Salsa
1420 Nicollet Ave. S
Minneapolis, Minn. 55403
Via la Fiesta!