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Like St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo has become an occasion for non-Mexican revelers to celebrate, in the US, by consuming large amounts of alcohol in the form of margaritas or other Tequila-based drinks (on St. Patrick’s Day the same individuals consume Guinness to excess) and nachos, tacos, enchiladas, or other “traditional” Mexican dishes.
Now, Cinco de Mayo is a minor Mexican holiday mostly celebrated locally in the city of Puebla and in Mexico City. The event commemorates the 1862 “Battle of Puebla” when 5,000 Mexican campesinos, under General Ignacio Zaragoza, fought the French army of Emperor Napoleon III that was attempting to conquer the city of Puebla. It is NOT a celebration of Mexico’s Independence from Spain.
For Mexican-Americans, May 5th has come to signify the triumph of local farmers, rising up in arms to beat back a European imperialist power.
But, Cinco de Mayo has become over commercialized here in the US by the restaurant, bar and liquor industries, and can create a considerable problem (like St. Patric’s Day) when young drunk and disorderly patrons leave bars or restaurant premisses late at night.
During the last few years, police and responsible restaurant and bar owners have managed to tone down St. Patrick’s celebrations, and have refused to allow drunken celebrants to get behind the wheel. We applaud them for this. Let us hope that they can achieve the same for Cinco de Mayo.
By the way, traditional Mexican-American families, especially ones that come from the Puebla area, celebrate by having private parties at home with relatives, neighbors and paesanos. And the traditional dish is mole poblano, turkey smothered in chocolate sauce with peanuts and raisins.
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