A Mexican-inspired American tradition

Cinco de Mayo is an annual celebration held on May 5. The date recognizes the Mexican army’s victory over the French empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza. This date is usually mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day, which is September 16. These holidays each have different meanings.

Cinco de Mayo is typically celebrated with traditional foods and music. It is a holiday that is generally more popular in the United States than in Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is one of more than 365 festivals celebrated by the Mexican descent (Parentology.com). The holiday’s celebrations started in California in 1863 from that date onward. Los Angeles has one of the largest celebrations.

Authentic clothing and food are popular during the holiday and Cinco de Mayo also brings music and parades. Several people dance around the streets in colorful “Puebla dresses,” and listen to mariachi music. The official dish for Cinco de Mayo is mole poblano, which features a rich-tasting dark red-brown sauce that contains chocolate, chili pepper, and spices.

People decorating for Cinco de Mayo often put up balloons, streamers, and flowers and, in addition to Mariachi music, other Mexican folk music is also played while people participate in traditional Mexican dancing. While the pandemic may limit the exposure to the dancing and parties, it is always worthwhile to partake of the delicious traditional foods of the culture.