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Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Though many are familiar with the famous date (the fifth of May, for those who haven’t consulted their calendars), the actual history of this Mexican holiday often gets lost in translation.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates the first victory of the Mexican forces over the French, a large step towards the country’s independence. Though Mexico officially declared independence from Spain on September 15, 1810, it took eleven years for the Spaniards to exit the country and after that, Napoleon III attempted another takeover. On May 5, 1862, four thousand Mexican fighters overturned the eight thousand French troops at Puebla, Mexico, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin.
Today, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated throughout the Mexico and the United States. South of the border, the holiday is primarily a regional celebration limited to the state of Puebla, consisting of dancing, feasting, and lots of music. In the United States however, Cinco de Mayo has become a cultural phenomenon. Perhaps this is due to a large Hispanic population spread throughout the country, or perhaps it is just because of our love of parties. Regardless of your ethnic origin, bars and backyards throughout America welcome everyone to celebrate with a cerveza and burrito while enjoying authentic mariachi music. Other countries have embraced the celebration as well, such as Vancouver, Canada, which hosts a Cinco de Mayo sky diving event. The Cayman islands even have a mariachi air guitar contest!
Whatever your ancestry or location, everyone’s a little Mexican on Cinco de Mayo. Grab a sombrero, pour yourself a margarita, and enjoy!
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