Introduction
The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th day of May, Commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at the The Battle of Puebla in 1862. 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, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico’s independance Day, which is actually September 16th.
Today’s Celebration
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.
Commericial 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, 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 south, and being adopted into the holiday calendar of more and more people every year.
History of observance
According to a paper published by the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture about the origin of the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States, the modern American focus on that day first started in California in the 1860s in response to the resistance to French rule in Mexico. The 2007 paper notes that “The holiday, which has been celebrated in California continuously since 1863, is virtually ignored in Mexico.”
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