CINCO DE MAYO - Research Paper Example

On the 5th of May families watched and applauded in joyfulness as floats, bands and dancers adorned with traditional Mexican attire made their way through the streets of several San Diego neighborhoods, as the Mexican-American community celebrated Cinco de Mayo, the day in 1862 when the Mexican army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla. The parade of smiling people shining in colorful traditional clothing in the streets of San Diego was proudly marching onward. The music that followed their footsteps was traditional Mexican folklore music.

Like any other country or region of the world, the traditional music of Mexico is infinitely nuanced and rich. In fact, this vibrant and rhythmical music, including the musicians, the instruments and the costumes, is just as much an intricate part of Mexican culture as tequila, cock-fights, bullfights and the widely known sombrero, a distinctive straw hat that has a broad rim, a tall crown and is unusually heavy for a hat. What I was especially interested in seeing were the Mariachis, and from the moment I laid my eyes on them, it was clear that they were doing a great job of keeping the spirits of everyone present up.

The orchestra consisted of two violins, two trumpets, a Spanish guitar and two other types of guitars, traditionally called the vilhuela and guitarron. From what I heard from a person standing beside me, this is the traditional composition of the orchestra. The music was very lively, and it really seemed that everyone was having a good time. People were dancing in the streets, enjoying the music and good cheer was felt in the air. It was an atmosphere of togetherness I have not seen in quite a while.

My friends and I also could not help ourselves but be immersed into this dancing world around us, although none of us usually dances when we go out. We could not believe how powerful this music was and how good it was making us feel. The second thing that caught my attention were the vibrant colors of their clothes. They were opting for hues of red, white and green, the color of the Mexican flag, and even people who were just stand by observers worked a few pieces of the traditional Mexican attire into their clothes, such as sombreros, twirly skirts, cowboy boots or huaraches (leather sandals), colorful wraps and serapes, embroidered shirts and ponchos.

Some participants of the parade were dressed to represent some of Mexico’s favorite historical figures, such as the painter Frida Kahlo, a leading figure of the Mexican revolution Emiliano Zapata, writer, poet and diplomat Octavio Paz, once a president of Mexico Benito Juarez, a civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, one of their most prominent Mexican revolution generals Pancho Villa and many others. It was quite a sight seeing all these famous historical figures come to life on this day. Naturally, no parade would be complete without street food, and the traditional Mexican cuisine follows the motto that the richness of food can enrich the spirit and body of a person.

Traditional meals of Mexican food culture include a wide use of chocolate, peanuts, tomatoes, beans and vanilla. It is generally believed that their food is extremely spicy, but this is true only to a certain extent. What the street food venders offered were food on the go, such as corn with cotija, chorizo sandwiches and variety of taco plates, followed by beverages like margaritas and beer. It was the perfect food to go with such an event of open-mindedness and celebration of human freedom and brotherhood.

We could not wait to get our hands on some delicious tacos and burritos. The streets were crowded, and naturally, one had to wait quite a while before getting through to some food and tasting it, but it was definitely worth it. In addition to music and food, special shows were put for the youngest attendants of the parade, teaching children about the historic battle that took place on this day, and how they managed to be victorious, about Mexican folklore, displaying stories from the old days and similar.

Children were also offered to take part in different activities, like arts and crafts, and they enjoyed themselves by making their own sombrero, making a fiesta puppet and many other activities. The celebration really had it all. It was well thought through and extremely well organized. There was something for everyone, and they managed to create a true atmosphere of merriment and festivity. Even people who were not familiar with the idea, enjoyed themselves immensely and took part in the celebratory event.