I really can't believe I did this! I missed one of my favorite holidays - - Cinco De Mayo! It was celebrated on Wednesday May 5, 2010. After all, DOH, Cinco De Mayo is Spanish for the 5th of May! If I ever take time off from work, this is the day or night! I love to get together with friends and listen to a good local
Mariachi Band, over homemade chips and salsa! Dang! I can't believe no one called me, or drummed up a party this year. I feel sure the City where I live will hold celebrations this weekend, and I can catch a band with some friends. Since Mother's Day is Sunday, I better get with it, and find something for tonight or tomorrow.


From Wikipedia:

Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army's 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the French-Mexican War. In the United States, it has taken on significance and commercial value as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations.

From History.com:

History of Cinco de Mayo

In 1861, the liberal Mexican Benito Juárez became president of a country in financial ruin, and he was forced to default on his debts to European governments. In response, France, Britain, and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew, but France, ruled by Napoleon III, decided to use the opportunity to carve a dependent empire out of Mexican territory. Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large French force and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat.

Certain that French victory would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a rag-tag force of 2,000 loyal men and sent them to Puebla. Led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza, the vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez drew his army, well-provisioned and supported by heavy artillery, before the city of Puebla and began their assault from the north. The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers to the fewer than 100 Mexicans killed.

Although not a major strategic victory in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza's success at Puebla represented a great moral victory for the Mexican government and tightened Mexican resistance. Six years later, France withdrew. The same year, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed as emperor of Mexico by Napoleon in 1864, was captured and executed by Juárez's forces. Puebla de Los Angeles, the site of Zaragoza's historic victory, was renamed Puebla de Zaragoza in honor of the general.

Cinco de Mayo Today

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely triumph occurred. In the United States, however, it has taken on significance—and major commercial value—as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations. Revelers mark the holiday 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 Portland, Denver and Chicago.

From Wikipedia: (image from Corbis.com)

Mariachi is a very famous genre of music that is very festive and fun to listen to. Originally from the State of Jalisco, Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind, and percussion instruments. In addition, sociohistorical factors have influenced the repertoire in terms of the performance of diverse regional song forms as well as the evolution of the performance attire. Mariachi originated in Guadalajara. Mariachi is important to the study of Mexican music because, as an ensemble created during the colonial period, it found its essence during the postcolonial era, blossomed during the nationalist era, and made a global impact during contemporary times. Throughout this development, particularly since the nationalist era, mariachi music has become emblematic of Mexican music by appropriating various Mexican regional song forms, experimenting in popular radio programs, appearing in the first Mexican films, and performing during presidential campaigns (Loza 1993, Turino 2003, Sheehy 2005, de la Mora 2006, Jáuregui 2007).




(image from Corbis.com)

I hear a Margarita calling me!

But, actually, I like mine on the rocks. ;-)


Happy Belated Cinco De Mayo,

Jen