Cinco de Mayo celebrations misrepresented in American culture
The Cinco de Mayo celebration is often confused with the celebration of the Independence of Mexico, when in reality the day commemorates the Battle of Puebla. Many Americans continue to partake in Cinco de Mayo festivities by purchasing commercialized goods at party stores without knowing the holiday’s roots and meaning in Mexican culture. MADDIE MANTOOTH, Staff Photographer
Complete with cheap margaritas and colorful, wide-brim sombreros, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo is more popular in the United States than in Mexico.
In Mexico, the celebrations are limited to an official rest day in Puebla — where the Battle the day actually commemorates took place — including school ceremonies and a message from the nation’s president in the morning.
“It feels weird (that Cinco de mayo is celebrated in the U.S.); it feels fake,” Diego Franco Gomez, a freshman television writing and production major, told the Panther. “It’s a holiday that I’ve never celebrated in my life, and coming here, there’s like these celebrations for it, and it feels off. It doesn’t feel genuine in my opinion.”
A 2020 study from YouGov reveals that four in 10 Americans believe Cinco de Mayo represents Mexican Independence Day — which is actually Sept. 16. In reality, Cinco de Mayo celebrates the victory of the Mexican Army over the French Army in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1861.
The newly independent Mexico, that had also just gotten out of the Mexican-American War, was in financial ruin. France saw this as an opportunity and invaded. Against all odds, the outnumbered Mexican army won the battle, which is why the date is commemorated.
“The Mexican president decided to fight for the country and defeated the French army, which elevated the level of the competency of the Mexican army (in view of the world),” Gabriela Castaneda, Chapman’s new director of Latinx Achievement, told The Panther. “(The Mexican army) was able to defeat this much larger, better equipped army that the French had, and that’s where that celebration comes from.”
One of the reasons why Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the United States is not just because of the migration of Mexicans to America, but because in the early 1980s, many companies began to commercialize the holiday, especially through alcohol sales.
“I don’t mind (the celebration); people have an excuse to have fun,” Gomez said. “It’s fine, it’s not a big deal. I don’t find it offensive at all. I think it’s kind of funny. I think faux culture itself — the imitation of other cultures — is a form of culture itself. Cinco de Mayo is (celebrated) in good spirits a lot of the time, but it’s not something I will participate in.”
Chapman’s Latinx Club hosted a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta the day after the holiday, which was primarily organized by the club’s vice president, Arleth Ulloa. The event had live mariachis, games of loteria, a fajitas bar and different raffle prizes. Club members dressed up in traditional attire in honor of the celebration.
“We used Cinco de Mayo as a platform to do something for everyone in our club (not just the Mexican members),” said Ulloa, a junior political science and English double major. “The event did have that more Mexican-heavy influence, but we as Latinx Club try not to have too many events where it’s just one country (at the center). (Our main goal) was to celebrate Latinidad.”
The event was not centered around Mexican culture, but it brought a mix of a lot of different Latinx cultures. The music throughout the event included influences from different countries: Cumbias, Merengue, Regeton and many more.
“Next year we might change the (name of the event) a little bit more, because to some extent we do agree (that) Cinco de Mayo has become more americanized, so we just did our best to celebrate and not appropriate the culture” said Ullola. “(We had) traditional food and good music and positive conversations and collaborative games as a way for (attendees) to enjoy (and appreciate) our culture.”
