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matttheboy · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 854 Location: Valparaiso, Chile

Cinco de mayo a Mexican/US thing isn't it? And it's Election Day in England...hmmmm...now which bunch of whiney, lying sleazebags to vote for....or, to put it another way...which bunch of whiney, lying sleazebags to vote against...voting *for* one of them is giving them too much credit...

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Weona · Joined: 11 Apr 2004 Posts: 166 Location: Chile

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Why would Cinco de mayo be celebrated in other Latin American countries, anyway? It is the commemoration of a very specific battle against the French intervention in Mexico. In Puebla, where the battle took place, it receives more attention.

snielz · Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 165 Location: Buenos Aires

good point...

also, why is it celebrated in the US? Did the tradition just start in the US when the Mexican immigration became so widespread, or was it more due to the rampant commercialization or anything and everything in the US???

amy1982 · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 192 Location: Buenos Aires

because, for some reason, we feel we need an excuse to have a party on a weeknight...

Weona · Joined: 11 Apr 2004 Posts: 166 Location: Chile

I think Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in certain parts of the U.S. because of its cultural significance more that its historical relevance. Like snielz said... a lot of it has to do with Mexican immigration.

Also, there are some that believe that if the French had defeated Mexico, they would have aided the Confederates in the American Civil War in order to free Southern ports of the union blockade. But I don't know about that.

ElNota · Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Posts: 123 Location: Buenos Aires

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in California because we have around 30% of the population of Mexican origins. We also used to be part of Mexico. The same is true for Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. My guess is that the rest of the country is just following our lead, as they usually do. Smile

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

There are now sizable communities of Mexican immigrants in states that were not part of Mexico before the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo--New York, North Carolina, Illinois, Washington and Oregon are examples. As Mexican presence becomes more pervasive, so do Mexican customs and holiday celebrations. And yes, cinco de mayo is an excuse to party.

In New Mexico, cinco de mayo is not celebrated in the traditional communities in the north which do not consider themselves to be "assimilated", and where many older people speak a deteriorated version of the Spanish of Cervantes. It is, however, celebrated in Albuquerque--which has a large Mexican immigrant popoulation in the barrio of South Valley.

Tamara · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 108

thelmadatter · Posted: Sat May 07, 2005 11:00 pm Post subject: cinco/St Pats

Cinco de Mayo is/is becoming the new/next St Paddy's Day. Soon everyone in the US will be Mexican on 5 May!

Unfortunately, many Americans think that 5 May is Mexican Independence Day (confusion with "4th of July" I suppose).

But I sure as heck dont need an excuse to drink Coronas Laughing

(I prefer Pacifico when I can get it, however)

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

5 de mayo is Children's Day in Korea and is celebrated by EFL teachers not going to work!

GrantRay · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 391 Location: Huaihua

Moonraven wrote (quoting her source):

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

You are not only rude as hell, but you are ALSO identifying me with "my source". I quoted from an interview with the REAL writer of what you quoted because another poster asked me if I had read CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HITMAN! Not only that, but as I indicated at the beginning of the quote, I was quoting from what I had posted on ANOTHER thread.

Are you simply too lazy to contextualize, or do you just want to insult someone and pick a flight?

Nowhere, and this must be at least the tenth time I have written this statement, have I EVER said that corrupt Latin American leaders did not play a major part in the destruction of their countries. That, however, does NOT remove the responsibility of the "economic hitmen" from the First World. Not one whit.

It would behoove you--and everyone else on this board who has any interest in the area of the world where they are making a living--to see the latest film by Argentinian director, Fernando Solanas: "Memoria del saqueo". It was shown on Saturday and Sunday here in Ecuador in a documentary film festival, and the director was present to answer questions in both Quito and Guayaquil. The film--which Solanas plans as the first in a series--addresses 10 aspects which contributed to the economic destruction of Argentina. The aspect with which he begins and which towers over all other elements in the analysis was DEBT--crippling, dehumanizing, debt--largely transferred from the private sector to the public sector with the ACTIVE COMPLICITY of the presidents who followed the military dictatorship: Alfons�n, Menem and De la Rua--with the centerpiece of the resource bleeding being Menem.

It would be highly appropriate if, before you shoot off your keyboard and flame me or anyone else on this forum, you a) read enough posts to see what the context is that you are breaking into and b) provided information to back up your statements.

GrantRay · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 391 Location: Huaihua

Moonraven wrote: