FYI... What is Cinco de Mayo?

[Xipe Totec]

[Renew Deal]

1. What is St. Patricks Day but in Mexico Alex

[Xipe Totec]

2. This is St Patrick's Day in México

[Xipe Totec]

4. When Pedro Maria de Anaya was ordered to surrender his munitions after the defeat at Churubusco

By General Twiggs, he said, Sir, if we had munitions, you would not be here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Mar%C3%ADa_de_Anaya

[leveymg]

8. I'd call the St. Patrick's Battalion part of the First International Brigade.

But, many Irish Republicans and German socialists also fought in the Union Army in the War Against Slavery, and that was also a good fight. So, it goes both ways.

So it was in 1847 and in 1936, and in Soweto and Londonderry in the '70s and '80s in Nicaragua and El Salvador. Which side are you on, friends, which side are you on?

We can choose which heritage we want to bring forward and fight for, again. There's always a choice.

[Starry Messenger]

33. San Patricios!

I love that.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Alex, I will take the battle of Puebla for a $1000.

Thanks for the thread, Xipe.

[Xipe Totec]

5. We have a winer!

[Uncle Joe]

6. Not yet, but in about an hour from now

I will be a winer.

[Xipe Totec]

15. You're way ahead of me...

I'm still four hours away as of this moment. So, geographically, you're much further east than I am....

[baldguy]

7. It's tomorrow.

May the 4th be with you.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. I knew the correct answer

But I'd better, grew up in Mexico.



It was a somewhat big deal down there, ah may, first May Day, then the Battle of Puebla, and finally mother's day...

[hootinholler]

24. Mitt?? Is that you?? n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

59. Now that is funny, NOT, but funny

[lastlib]

10. I always thought it had to do with....

...the loss of the mayonnaise cargo aboard the Titanic--Sinko de Mayo...

[Xipe Totec]

14. Honorable mention for the most creative reply

[sakabatou]

44. DUzy!

[JoePhilly]

11. I thought that it was they day on which the famous Mexican ship the "Mayo" sank.

I thought it was kind of like the wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald ... but in Mexico.

Is that not it??

[pipoman]

12. Much of Mexico doesn't celebrate it...

Consumación de la Independencia, OTOH..

Edit..Some of the Mexican immigrants who I work with say it is a US holiday..some say it is a gringo holiday..

[Xipe Totec]

13. ORLY? Please, tell this Mexican who grew up in Mexico how little cinco de Mayo is celebratred....

[pipoman]

16. Seems my friends are right..

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May&quot is a celebration held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo

[Xipe Totec]

21. who am I to dispute Wiki with my simple personal experience

In north east Mexico, far, far away from Puebla....

And the history books I read in elementary, middle school, and high school in México...

[pipoman]

30. The dispute is with 6 1st gen immigrants

from 3 different states who say they never celebrated it in their villages..

[Xipe Totec]

36. I'm sure I can find 6 Alabama natives who've never heard of the emancipation proclamation

What's your point?

[pipoman]

37. What's your point?

Do I need to post more cites that prove my point that the 'holiday' is celebrated more widely in the US than in Mexico? That not every region of Mexico celebrates it? That is what my post, which you seem to have disagreed with, stated..

[Xipe Totec]

40. My point is that I lived there

And I know far more about the event ,the history, and how it is remembered and recognized in Mexico than you will ever know.

It is sad that you think that you can dismiss the significance of the event by simply pointing to Wiki or mentioning that you can find six people who've never heard of Cinco de Mayo.

Do you realize that Mexico City alone holds 21.2 million people? Do you realize that Beijing, China, has only 20.2 million people? Did you even know that Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world?

And based on, what? six people, and a Wiki page you are willing to claim that this celebration is insignificant? To Mexicans? Seriously?

[pipoman]

42. Who said anyone has never heard of Cinco de Mayo?

Who said "this celebration is insignificant"?

Who said anything about the size of Mexico City?

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico

Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely triumph occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration.

http://www.history.com/topics/cinco-de-mayo

It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico,..

http://www.mexonline.com/cinco-de-mayo.htm

Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated in México to the same extent that it is by Chicanos in the U. S.

http://www.mexica.net/literat/Cinco.php

Thanks, I'll go with the opinions of people who too have lived in Mexico most of their lives and the literal volumes of literature which say exactly the same thing I did..

[Xipe Totec]

49. My, my...

Last edited Sat May 5, 2012, 11:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Que Dios cuide de ti, hermano.

Ya que te sientes experto en la materia y cultura Mexicana, creo que no es necesario hablarte en Inglés. Así pues, buena suerte.

Una cosa es encontrar páginas en el Internet hablando de la historia, y otra cosa es vivirla. Y yo, solo puedo hablarte de mi propia experiencia, muy lejos de Puebla pero todavía dentro del territorio nacional.

Para mi, para mis maestros, y para mis compañeros este fue un evento muy significativo, y más aún importante en la historia de nuestro país. Tanto así que era materia indispensable para pasar cursos de historia de México, y poder ingresar a universidad.

Que bueno que hayas encontrado artículos en el Internet que disputen la validez de este evento en la historia Mexicana. Quizá puedan usar tus artículos todos esos reprobados que no pudieron ingresar a la universidad por falta de conocimientos. De ser así, quizá te lo agradezcan algún día.

Ya sabes lo que te deseo….









May God look after you, brother.

Since you're skilled in the art and Mexican culture, I do not need to speak English to you. So, good luck.

One thing is to find pages on the Internet talking about the story, and another to live it. And I, I can only speak from my own experience, far from Puebla but still within the national territory.

For me, for my teachers and my classmates this was a significant event, and even more significant in the history of our country. So much so that the material was essential to pass courses in the history of Mexico, and to enter college.

Glad you've found articles on the Internet that dispute the validity of this event in Mexican history. Perhaps they can use your articles, all those reprobates who could not get into college due to lack of knowledge. If so, they might thank you someday.

You already know what I wish for you ....

[pipoman]

86. Reprobates huh?

What a filthy thing to say about your deprived countrymen. Poverty does not equal "reprobates".

Are you really denying my post that "much of Mexico doesn't celebrate Cinco de Mayo"? Are you really denying nearly every description of Cinco de Mayo found from Wiki to University web sites?

And nobody said it wasn't/isn't a significant historical event in Mexico or to Mexicans. You have taken a very simple, truthful post and attributed all kinds of falsehoods to it shamelessly. Either this was intentional, or your massive educational superiority is truly worthless as you don't have reading comprehension skills.

How about you post something, anything, from some source which describes Cinco de Mayo as a holiday celebrated throughout the country of Mexico, by the overwhelming majority of Mexicans? Or are your 'truths' posted in the OP A-OK, but other truths better left unsaid and further denied? I would think someone like you who claims to be a scholarly historian wouldn't want to participate in revisionism..

Have a good day.

[Xipe Totec]

92. I really, really feel sad for you...

This must be your only link to humanity....

http://xkcd.com/386/

[pipoman]

93. And I for you

living in a fantasy world..enjoy your fictitious truth, eh?

[EFerrari]

50. Thank you for trying to put a damper on our celebration.

Maybe one of your friends with all those literal volumes of literature can find one that explains grace to you.

Have a nice weekend.

[pipoman]

54. It is also misunderstood by most Americans

that Cinco de Mayo is the most celebrated holiday in Mexico, which couldn't be farther from the truth than "St. Patricks day in Mexico" in the OP. There was no disrespect in my post. I'll probably have a few beers and some Mexican food too...love the holiday, love the people..in fact some of the very, very few people I trust implicitly..with anything I own, are 1st generation immigrants. They celebrate Cinco de Mayo and say these things as their truths...they grew up in Mexico. They immigrated legally. We all speak spanglish in the work place. We have more fun than I ever thought possible while launching the business into the most successful period in it's history. We are family.

[snooper2]

23. you are friends with wikipedia?

Does he roll a good doobie?

[EFerrari]

46. LOL

[pipoman]

48. If you disagree, refute with equal evidence my post #42..

[EFerrari]

51. No. nt

[FreeState]

63. Yep, at least that's what all my Mexican friends have told me

(most are from Tijuana and Mexico City). People there know about it, but it's not really celebrated by most, and most deffinately not like in the US.

http://www.history.com/topics/cinco-de-mayo

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico
Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely triumph occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration. Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla and other festive events. For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks and stores remain open.

Cinco de Mayo in the United States
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations. Chicano activists raised awareness of the holiday in the 1960s, in part because they identified with the victory of indigenous Mexicans over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla. Today, revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. Some of the largest festivals are held in Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.

Confusion with Mexican Independence Day
Many people outside Mexico mistakenly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla. That event is commemorated on September 16, the anniversary of the revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s famous “Grito de Dolores” (“Cry of Dolores”), a call to arms that amounted to a declaration of war against the Spanish colonial government in 1810.

http://www.mexonline.com/cinco-de-mayo.htm

For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated most vigorously in the state of Puebla. There is some limited recognition of the holiday throughout the country with different levels of enthusiasm, but it's nothing like that found in Puebla.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular along the U.S.-Mexico border and in parts of the U.S. that have a high population of people with a Mexican heritage. In these areas the holiday is a celebration of Mexican culture, of food, music, beverage and customs unique to Mexico.

Commercial interests in the United States and Mexico have also had a hand in promoting the holiday, with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverages and festivities, with music playing a more visible role as well. Several cities throughout the U.S. hold parades and concerts during the week following up to May 5th, so that Cinco de Mayo has become a bigger holiday north of the border than it is to the south, and being adopted into the holiday calendar of more and more people every year.

[pipoman]

70. Be careful...Holy cow...

talk about opening Pandora's Box...I was surprised that people here who claim to be from Mexico disputed these facts..thought it was universally known in Mexico that not everyone there celebrated Cinco de Mayo..Here in the US however most people think it is the most celebrated holiday in Mexico..

[cynatnite]

17. When I was a kid, I'd wonder why anyone would celebrate May 5th. n/t

[Throckmorton]

18. You missed one, it is also Throckmorton's Birthday

Which this year is the Big 50.

[Xipe Totec]

22. Off course....

How misguided of me...

[Mnemosyne]

85. Happy Belated Birthday, Throckmorton!

[Throckmorton]

89. Thanks

It was Peaceful.

[Mnemosyne]

90. Those are often the best kind.

I'm always glad when its over.

[bemildred]

19. A sink full of mayonnaise? nt

[Xipe Totec]

26. That seems to be the consensus nt

[Vattel]

20. If you celebrate cinco de mayo, then I celebrate cinco de mayo

[Initech]

56. In LA this is our Mardi Gras.

[Vattel]

74. A mi me encanta Los Angeles.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

[Egalitariat]

25. I guess everybody has a victory over the French Army

I wonder what the Girl Scouts call theirs?

[EFerrari]

60. Yeah, the collaborators will never ever forgive Mexico or Haiti for kickng ass.

Well, losing is not easy.

[a la izquierda]

27. I don't care what period of Latin American history I'm teaching my students...

every semester, ALL of my students learn about 5o. de mayo.
This year, it was totally irrelevant to all of my classes, but dammit, my students learned what it was.

[Xipe Totec]

29. I always have a loaf of French bread and a glass of French wine on May fifth

To remember who we ate alive on that day...

[blueamy66]

35. Sweet!

Big day here in Arizona....I celebrate my friendships with Latino chicas......good fun!

also known as Cinco de Drinko

[a la izquierda]

38. Touche

When I was in Queretaro about 2 years ago, I got to stand on the platform where Maximiliano was executed. It was pretty rad.


It is a topic very important to me, as it created helped to create the myth, the legend, the maniac Porfirio Diaz. He figures prominently in my work.

[EFerrari]

52. I would like to read that.

[a la izquierda]

68. It will be going to contract at the end of the summer,

so I'll have a better idea of publication then.
The book is about indigenous reactions to Diaz's policies. He was a weird, ambiguous guy when it came to Mexican native populations. In some cases, he was highly destructive. In others, not nearly so violent.

[nadinbrzezinski]

79. and still is ambiguous to the present

and all efforts by the PAN to restore him to greatness are a great MEH.

[oneshooter]

61. Do you also teach them about the "Aztec Eagles"?

http://www.airartnw.com/strike_of_the_aztec_eagles.htm

Oneshooter

[a la izquierda]

69. When I teach History of Mexico, I mention it.

Trying to cram 250 years of history of Latin America in 15 weeks makes for the elimination of some things (like WWII).

Thanks for the link, though, that's a neat picture.

[kenny blankenship]

28. One less than Sixo de Mayo?

[Xipe Totec]

32. I wonder if you will still think this clever tomorrow morning....

In anticipation of your hangover and second thoughts, I say what the hell, it was Friday... Who the hell remembers what we did on a Friday night?

[guardian]

31. It's an excuse to party and get drunk. n/t

[Xipe Totec]

34. You're obviously American...

if you think you need an excuse to party and get drunk....

[kwassa]

39. IT'S MY BIRTHDAY !!!!???!!!???!!!!!

The only reason to celebrate it.

[Xipe Totec]

41. That's One reason to celebrate it

And happy birthday, by the way!

[kwassa]

43. Thanks. It became a big deal in LA before I moved away.

Here on the East Coast it seems to be mostly a promotion for Corona.

I do miss the zillions of mom-and-pop Mexican restaurants in LA. Here we have mainly corporate Mexican establishments.

I do miss the chile verde from Lucy's Drive-In on Pico.

[EFerrari]

47. Happy Cinco and happy birthday, kwassa.

[kwassa]

81. Thank you!!

[Daalalou]

73. IMO, East Coast is better

I moved from East to West and all we have around here are Mexican places. I love Mexican food, but not all the time. On the East Coast we had variety: Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Colombian, Brazilian, Salvadoran....

[kwassa]

82. Cinco de Mayo is about Mexico.

and when I lived in Los Angeles ... which has the largest Salvadoran population in the US, I might point out, and many Salvadoran places.

and great Cuban restaurants, the best I've had, excellent Brazilian food, Jamaican restaurants, many, many Peruvian places..

I don't recall any Dominican or Puerto Rican, but there are none here in the DC area that I know about, either.

Los Angeles also has a better selection of Asian food by far, simply because of immigration patterns, which are a bit different on the two coasts. The first three suburbs east of downtown are dominated by newly-arrived Chinese, for instance. There is Koreatown, Little Tokyo, and the old Chinatown downtown is largely Vietnamese.

There are more African and Indian restaurants here in the DC area. Both cities have good Ethiopian restaurants. LA has very few Greek restaurants, though San Diego has a lot. LA has Armenian restaurants; I don't know any here.

It is simply different blend of immigrants that determines what is available.

[blueamy66]

76. Mighty Taco

nt

[Blue_Tires]

45. I thought it was the Mayans

&feature=related

[EFerrari]

53. The Mayans pretty much never celebrated anything

in Roman numerals or in Spanish.

[Major Hogwash]

66. Human sacrifices to the gawds

Sort of the way we do here on DU.

LoL

[phylny]

55. It's my birthday :) n/t

[EFerrari]

58. Happy Birthday, phylny

[pinboy3niner]

62. Happy Birthday, phylny!

I'll break a piñata in your name! Well, not that the piñata represents you...oh, you know what I mean. LOL!

[phylny]

65. Thank you!

Our big celebration today isn't my birthday, but our middle daughter graduates from college today

[EFerrari]

77. What a great present for you.

[HuckleB]

57. It's the day the Portland Timbers play the Coumbus Crew at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Oregon.

[countryjake]

64. Kick for Cinco de Mayo!

And yes, I do know what it celebrates.

[Jello Biafra]

67. Sorry, couldn't help myself.....

Most people don’t know that back in 1912, Hellmann’s mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, México, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York. This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to México. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.

The people of México, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day. The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko de Mayo.

[TheManInTheMac]

71. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I always thought it meant

"fifth of mayonnaise." Putting mayo in a wide mouth jar always seemed much more logical to me than in a 1/5 gallon bottle. However, since it is the most fattening of the condiments, it probably would cut down on it's usage.

[krispos42]

72. It's the 5th of May.

What?

[Ter]

75. A great day to get hammered

[Xipe Totec]

80. That's what the French said.....

[lunatica]

88. LOL

Otro dia para cantar y bailar con los mariachis!

[whistler162]

78. The day a ship load of salad dressing went down?

[Xipe Totec]

83. Actually, it was Miracle Whip

It was he day that, in a miracle, the Mexican Army whipped the French and handed them back their asses as hats in the battle of Puebla on May the fifth.

The idiots tried to pass through the fortresses of Orizaba and Fortín de las Flores, and got caught between the two fortresses. They could not attack either fortress without being exposed to fire from the other. And they could not bring cannon close enough to fire on either fortress, because the terrain blocked their view when they were within range.

It was the stupidest move by an invading army in the entire history of México.

[BlueIris]

84. I sort of knew it was about the 1862 battle,

but I also Googled to make sure.

Does that count as not being totally ignorant of Mexico's history?

[spanone]

87. .5% of americans have a clue

[Xipe Totec]

91. Not even 1%.... nt