We’re All Mexicans Now

The outcome, to the French, was a foregone conclusion – some of the Mexican troops were armed with French muskets dating back to the battle of Waterloo; others had nothing more than machetes. But they also had Danny Trejo levels of badassery, and so, on the Fifth of May, 1862, Zaragoza’s raggedy troops chased the French out of Puebla, all the way back to Veracruz. Cinco de Mayo became a national holiday in Mexico four days later, celebrating one of the few Mexican military victories in its history. It was only a reprieve, of course; the French sent 30,000 more troops and controlled Mexico for several years, until they were tossed out for good by an alliance of Mexican and US troops in 1867. But still, Mexico got a national holiday out of it.

It’s still on the calendar in Mexico, but outside of the state of Puebla it’s a fairly minor thing, with parades and speeches and sometimes reenactments. In the US, however, it’s become a sort of all purpose celebration of Mexican heritage and national pride, when even those of us without even a hint of heritage can drink beer and margaritas, eat too much Tex-Mex, watch the dancers, clap along with the mariachis, and in general celebrate a holiday we don’t know much about, but who cares? It’s not Mexican Independence Day, it’s more Mexican Saint Patrick’s day. But at least the beer’s not green.

And there are dancers.

Lots and lots of dancers. They’re over here.