While the quintessential Mexican holiday is Sept. 16, which commemorates its independence from Spain, a key Mexican independence celebration within the U.S. is May 5.
Even though it’s more an Anglo-American celebration, Mexicans and Mexican-Americans from the Bay Area manifest their joy with greater force than Mexican Independence Day, in what ends up being a day of Mexican pride.
May 5 commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the French, during the battle of Puebla, Mexico, on May 5, 1862.
In his book, “A Short History of Mexico,” J. Patrick McHenry pointed out that: “It was the first time French troops were defeated in almost 50 years. Mexico overcame a powerful European country, even though they were a country without money and devastated by the war.”
To Victor Gomez, a bird trainer from Mexico City now living in Moraga, May 5 is a time to remember his hometown, in particular “the staging [of the battle of Puebla] through the streets of Peñón de los Baños featuring over 800 men including adults, youth and children, outfitted in French military garb of the mid-1800s, and others dressed as Zacapoaxtla Indians.”
“These men clinched the victory of the Mexican army over the French army, using slingshots and machetes, all under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza,” Gomez said.
General Ignacio Zaragoza was born in Bahía del Espíritu Santo, Texas, when this state was still a part of the United Mexican States. In 1861, he was appointed head of the “Ministry of War and Navy, but left his position to fight against the French,” according to the book “Viaje por la Historia de México” by Luis González y González.
“They fought in Acultzingo and, as head of the Eastern Army, organized the defense of the city of Puebla, where they defeated the invading army in the famous battle of May 5,” González y González explained.
In the National Palace in Mexico City they still have the telegram that Zaragoza sent the president of the republic, Benito Juárez García, informing him that: “The weapons of the Supreme Government are covered in Glory.”
Oswaldo Villapudua, employee of the Mission factory in Pleasant Hill, commented that on this day they sell a lot of tortillas, “but a lot more chips, because North Americans like Mexican food and many of them come together with their Hispanic friends to celebrate.”
On May 4, there will be a “Cinco de Mayo Festival” in Dolores Park, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival will include a great variety of musical presentations: “Coro Solera” from the Mission Neighborhood Centers; Mission District Young Musicians Ensemble; Berta Olivia and her Mariachis; salsa music from “Conjunto Picante” and Edgardo & Candela; Folkloric Ballet of San Francisco. For more information, visit: www.sfcincodemayo.com.
The Mexican museum will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a chopped paper workshop given by Carmen Lomas Garza, local artist, writer and teacher. Families and children above the age of 6 are invited. The event will be at 3:30 p.m. The museum is located in Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Boulevard, Building D, in San Francisco. For more information, call: (415) 202-9700.
—Translation Angela Lambert