Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is coming up and what better way to acknowledge the holiday than by learning its true meaning and listening to some Mexican music!
First off, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. Independence Day is actually September 16. Cinco de Mayo is the day in which Mexico defeated France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862, after France’s attempt to overthrow the Mexican government.
Although the holiday is not a national holiday in Mexico, nor is it widely celebrated outside of the state of Puebla, it is actually a bigger deal in the United States, as over the years it has turned into a day to celebrate Mexican culture.
It is said that observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States started in Columbia, CA, a small mining town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada directly east of Stockton. When the Battle of Puebla was won, it took a few weeks for news to get to the Mexican miners there, but once it arrived they all broke out in celebration.
According to a paper published by the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture, “Far up in the gold country town of Columbia (now Columbia State Park), Mexican miners were so overjoyed at the news that they spontaneously fired off rifles shots and fireworks, sang patriotic songs and made impromptu speeches.” From that moment on Cinco de Mayo has been a call for Mexicans (but really, anyone) to explode with joy.
So when the day rolls by, you see bars and nightclubs decorated with the Mexican colors of green/white/red. Celebrating by drinking has been such a part of the holiday that we often hear the day referred to as “Drinko de Mayo.” However, as much as beer companies and bars try to detract from the meaning, I can assure you that simultaneously all over the U.S., Latinos are organizing family-friendly events at local parks and community centers to celebrate Mexican culture.
And the way they do it is by cooking up delicious food, playing traditional music and dancing. Below I will mention a few different styles of music and dance typically performed at Cinco de Mayo events across the U.S.
Mariachi
Possibly the most famous type of Mexican music, mariachi is dated back to the 18th century in western Mexico, mainly in Jalisco. The instrumentation of mariachi music is typically a few (up to eight) violins, two trumpets and two types of guitars, a small vihuela and a large guitarron. All
members of the cohort take turns singing and provide backup vocals for each other, a cappella style. Typically, mariachi performers wear decorated charros and sombreros and even seeing them brings a sense of pride to a Mexican’s eyes.
Many different styles of music can be played with mariachi, including: rancheras, corridos, boreles, ballads… the list goes on. Mariachi has such a distinct sound that you can actually YouTube some of your favorite songs in “mariachi style.”
While usually mariachi music deals with love, sadness and betrayal, in the context of Cinco de Mayo, mariachi groups will usually play songs that are more uplifting in nature, songs that have to do with Mexico’s natural beauty or homage to a city or a town.
A few examples include the songs: “Viva México,” “México Lindo y Querido,” “Guadalajara” y “Sol de la Negra”
This literally translates to “folkloric dance” and it emcompasses many different styles from different parts of Mexico. Each region has their own style but here are three that I’ve personally seen performed during Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
This folk dance is regional to Puebla but unlike the other folk dances I will mention, this one has strong roots from indigenous Mexicans. The word “Acatlaxquis” is a Nahuatl word meaning “game of decorated reeds.” The dance was performed during ceremonies that involved the medicine-men from the community treating sick people. The music in this dance comes from various percussion and flute-like instruments, as it was created during pre-Columbian times.
Also known as the “Mexican hat dance,” it is Mexico’s National Dance. It is a courtship performance that involves both a man and a woman circling around the man’s hat that is placed on the ground. The man wears a charro and the woman an elaborate and flowing dress called a “Poblana dress,” which she moves around in colorful and rhythmic gestures. This dance includes a mariachi performing the music.
This dance probably requires the most resources to produce, but when it’s done, the production is like a traditional European ballet. Performed on stage with intricately choreographed dancing, this performance often tells a story in the same way a ballet does.
Final thoughts
While the meaning of Cinco de Mayo is often lost, either to heavy drinking or believing it’s Mexican Independence Day, what’s important is that it is mostly a day to celebrate Mexican-ness in the United States. If the day serves for anything, let it serve as an excuse to teach people about a different culture’s music and dance. So what if people celebrate for different reasons, when all that really matters is that people are having a good time at the expense of Mexico.