Cinco de Mayo or Where’s the Fiesta?
I know that I will probably hear from some irate people on this take on Cinco de Mayo but just to make sure that I was dispensing the correct information I did a lot of research and basically every article I read said the same thing. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence day…that occurs on September 16th. For more information: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is the day that a rag tag bunch of underweaponized Mexican soldiers defeated a well-equipped and large French army of invaders. This victory was short-lived but it did happen. Although Mexican citizens feel very proud of the meaning of Cinco de Mayo, it is not a national holiday in Mexico, but it is an official holiday in the State of Puebla where the mentioned battle took place.
Cinco de Mayo is actually celebrated more in the States than it is in Mexico… Celebrations of this Mexican historical event are largely a result of promotions in the US by liquor, beer, and bars/taverns/clubs/restaurants since the 1980s. Tourist destinations…yes, Cabo being one of them, not to be left out has kind of jumped on the bandwagon and it is possible to find a fiesta or two commemorating Cinco de Mayo. Years ago when I first came to Cabo this was not the case. No fiestas anywhere!
I found a great article on line that stated:
There are holidays that are more about the party than the history. Call them drinking holidays. We take a real holiday and strip its significance to a two-for-one drink special. It’s a chance to establish friendships and party down. St. Patrick’s Day is one. Oktoberfest is another and let’s not forget Halloween. Fourth of July is on the brink. There is history to these days but I bet if you ask a fun lover what that history is you would not get a coherent answer.
Short History of Cinco de Mayo
The French, under Emperor Napoleon III, landed in Mexico in early December 1862, bent on overthrowing the government of President Benito Juarez. They even brought along a Hapsburg prince, Maximilian, and his wife, Carolota, to rule the new Mexican empire.
Napoleon’s army, which hadn’t been defeated in 50 years, marched on Mexico City. On the morning of May 5, 4,000 Mexican troops under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza – many wielding only machetes – defeated the 8,000 well-armed invaders at Puebla, 100 miles east of Mexico City.
The bloody Battle of Puebla is seen as a cultural link between Mexico and the United States, which was affected because the supply of French weapons to the Confederate Army during the U.S. Civil War was cut off. The war ended at Gettysburg 14 months later.
O.K. Enough history…Go out and party! Ole!
