Cinco de Mayo: Mexican Appreciation Day

Crystal Quintero, Pfc. Sandoval, Ashley Wells, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly

Jesús Helguera (1910-1971) | Hispanic art, Jesus helguera, Aztec art (pinterest.com)

The History Behind Cinco de Mayo (WGN News, May 5, 2022) Cinco de Mayo has come to be known as one of the biggest Mexican holidays of the year. But why? Today we're diving into the history behind the day. Director of Performing Arts at the National Museum of Mexican Art Jorge Valdivia explains.

Empty glass of fire water and broken precepts

Mexican Independence Day is fun, but it falls on September 16th and is called Grito de Dolores ("The Scream or Shout") or Cry of Dolores.

This is the Fifth of May, commemorating a battle won over the imperial French, as Mexican rallied and overthrew their oppressors...for a little while. The European exploiters weren't done with the future United States of Mexico (Los Estados Unidos de Mexico), which is our neighbor's actual name.

Do something real in the kitchen, la cocina. Go indigenous

It's a Vegan Cinco de Mayo with food from cenavegan.com. Salsa, chips, tacos, and tamales.

But the beer companies and their marketing campaigns have turned el Cinco de Mayo into Hispanic Pride and Appreciation Day for the past few decades.

It's a way to sell product, particularly Corona ("Crown") and Dos Equis ("Two X's") and a variety of distilled agave juice very harmful to the human body. We're being marketed to.

Look, my Gringo friends, I'm a stereotype!

It really ought to be called National Guacamole Day because the number of avocados consumed rivals the Super Bowl. It's Mexican Buddha Bowl Day, where a Buddha's Feast of Latin garnishes is the order of the day. It's pride in eating, drinking, and dressing.

Appropriating the culture with some stereotypical accents -- sombrero, pistola, bandolero, poncho, mustachio, sarape, huaraches, and the like are not recommended. It's insensitive.

Let's play dress up for each Mexican state!

And nix the mariachis. Blast reggaeton instead. If only there were Mexican artists to play for the office and school parties. Oh, wait, there are. Think back to Rosarito Beach and set the playlist accordingly.

Or decolonize your diet, cross your legs like a Aztec mystic, stare at a San Pedro cactus, meditate, then read or contemplate some Carlos Castaneda. Was what he's writing about real? Is there more to this reality than what we see? And learn Nahuatl (\na wah\) rather than the imperial language of the invaders if you would really be Mexican.

• The legend of the volcano and Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl