First published May 6, 2023 in Stories Beneath the Shell.
by Abigail Olear
This month, many Americans across the nation will celebrate a holiday that they know nothing about.
Cinco de Mayo, which translates to ‘the fifth of May,’ is celebrated annually across the United States.
The holiday is highly commercialized in the United States. Bars douse themselves in papel picado and serve up tacos and tequila to earn a few extra bucks. People attending celebrations dress in stereotypical Mexican attire without thought of appropriation.
“From my perspective as a Latina, it’s a total misconception and it’s been turned into a holiday for drinking, partying [and] sometimes even more racist acts,” said Ana Patricia Rodriguez, an associate professor in the University of Maryland’s School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.
Rodriguez recognizes three major misconceptions with the holiday.
One large misunderstanding is that the holiday celebrates Mexican independence. A 2020 poll by YouGovAmerica found that 41% of Americans believed that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated for independence.
In reality, the holiday recognizes the day in which the Mexican army defeated France in the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War in 1862. The war, also known as the Pastry War, was fought over outstanding Mexican debt and destruction of French property in Mexico. This victory drove the French away and signified defiance to foreign power.
Another misconception is that Cinco de Mayo is widely celebrated in Mexico. Though the city of Puebla has a large celebration with a battle reenactment and a rich, cultural parade to celebrate the place where the victory happened, the rest of the country pays no special attention to the date, Rodriguez said.
A third misconception is that the holiday is strictly a Mexican holiday. Rodriguez and other Latin scholars agree that the holiday is not only a Mexican one, but one for Chicanos — Mexican-Americans. They celebrate their culture after a long history of “racism and exclusion” against this group of people in the United States dating back to 1848.
There is a correct and respectful way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Rodriguez said.
“I’m not Mexican, but I’m really respectful of each and every Latinx culture within the United States and the diversity of the ethnicities,” she said. “I grew up honoring and celebrating Cinco de Mayo, not as a partying event, but with celebrations of culture.”
Context is key. Learning the history of the holiday is the first way to honor the culture. Freshman psychology major Alicia Hawkins said she’ll be taking the culture into account when she celebrates.
“It’s great to celebrate diversity and culture, but you have to really, really know the context,” Rodriguez said. “And you… really want to practice and celebrate in a respectful manner.”
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