May is almost here, and aside from spring flowers after all the April showers, the month also brings Cinco de Mayo.
Some of you might be eagerly looking forward to the holiday, and others might be awaiting festivities without really knowing why you are partaking in them.
In case you’re unaware of the significance of the day and why it occurs annually, here’s a quick refresher on the basics of Cinco de Mayo so you and your friends have information about how to observe the holiday in a respectful way.
What is Cinco de Mayo?
Cinco de Mayo, which translates to the fifth of May and is celebrated on May 5, is a holiday recognizing when the Mexican army claimed victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War on May 5, 1862, according toHistory.
After defeating the Spaniards in 1821 and losing the Mexican American War in 1848, Mexico came into conflict with France.
French Emperor Napoleon III sent his troops to Mexico to force President Benito Juárez and the government out of Veracuz so he could claim Mexican territory for himself.
Assuming success was imminent, 6,000 French troops under Gen. Charles Latrille de Lorencez set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico.
Juárez was able to round up 2,000 loyal men for the cause and sent them to Puebla. Despite being outnumbered, the Mexican soldiers led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza were able to hold off the French from daybreak until evening and eventually came out victorious.
This victory boosted the Mexican army’s morale and national pride, resulting in Juárez later declaring May 5 a national holiday once he resumed his presidency.
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Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day
Cinco de Mayo is not to be confused with Mexico’s Independence Day (Día de la Independencia), which is celebrated on Sept. 16 and is the anniversary of the revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s famous “Grito de Dolores” (“Cry of Dolores,” referring to the city of Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico).
The “Grito de Dolores” was a call to arms that led to a declaration of war against the Spanish colonial government in 1810, reports History.
How people celebrate Cinco de Mayo
In the stateof Puebla, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with speeches, parades and reenactments of the 1862 battle. Most of the rest of the country does not recognize the holiday.
Although margaritas have since become synonymous with Cinco de Mayo, the first celebrations on the anniversary didn’t include margaritas, which weren’t invented until the 1940s, according to theSmithsonian Institution.
In the mid-20th century United States, Cinco de Mayo celebrations were established among Mexican immigrants as a way of encouraging pride in their heritage. Enthusiasm for the holiday among other demographics did not increase until Cinco de Mayo began to focus on the promotion of Mexican alcoholic beverages, according toBritannica.
Critics have observed that U.S. festivities related to Cinco de Mayo tend to promote excessive drinking and perpetuate negative stereotypes of Mexicans.
Despite this, some major celebrations in the U.S. include parades, mariachi music, parties, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods like mole poblano and tacos, particularly in areas with large Mexican American populations.
Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles are cities hosting a few of the largest festivals in the country, reports Britannica.
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Why is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in the U.S.?
Aside from Mexican American populations wanting to share information about their heritage and celebrate their culture, Cinco de Mayo was widely discussed by Chicano activists in the 1960s.
Chicano activists typically identified with the victory of Indigenous Mexicans over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla, according to History.
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo can be a fun celebration for people of all backgrounds, but it is important to recognize that commemorating Mexican culture and heritage — the true meaning of the holiday — is very different than culturally appropriating it.
How to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in a respectful manner
According to Britannica, cultural appropriation is the “adoption of certain language, behavior, clothing or tradition belonging to a minority culture or social group by a dominant culture or group in a way that is exploitative, disrespectful or stereotypical.”
Other examples of cultural appropriation, according to Britannica, include:
- A member of a majority group adopting an element of minority culture without consequences, whereas members of the minority group may face backlash for the same cultural element or action.
- A member of a majority group separating a minority group’s cultural element from its original meaning.
- A level of ignorance or apathy from appropriators using a cultural element for their own benefit without understanding or caring about the cultural significance of what they are appropriating. This can be a monetary, social or another form of benefit, and can be offensive and hurtful to communities that have faced systemic oppression.
Actions like wearing a feathered headdress to a festival, a cultural action for Native American and Indigenous peoples, or wearing a culture’s traditional garb as a Halloween costume, are ways a group’s culture can be appropriated.
In contrast, cultural appreciation describes a care and interest in respecting a culture, not ignorant or harmful actions. Examples includewearing traditional clothing to an Indian wedding or dressing up to participate in an authentic event celebrate the heritage of a group.
Cultural appropriation in relation to a holiday like Cinco de Mayo includes wearing a sombrero or other Mexican cultural garb in a way that mocks or is a caricature of those with Mexican heritage, mimicking stereotypes of Mexican people or contributing to prejudice against those of Mexican descent in any way.
If you would like to honor Cinco de Mayo differently this year on Sunday, May 5, consider learning more about traditional Mexican cuisine and trying some out for yourself, supporting local Mexican-owned businesses or attending local cultural events.
Reminder: If you do partake in drinking activities on May 5, do not drive under the influence or get in a vehicle driven by someone under the influence. Rideshare services such as Lyft and Uber are widely available and often offer discounts or emergency rides on holidays, like Cinco de Mayo and New Year’s Eve, where there is a large increase in drinking.
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