Welcome to Mexico. Land of the taco, home of the mariachi, and the only possible place the following pictures could ever have been taken.
This is a five gallon bucket of green Vaseline.
This is an unsuccessful attempt at advertising.
This is a tiny sombrero that I bought for my cats.
This is cotton candy the size of my whole body.
Ah ha! Welcome to this enlightening and relevant blog post about Mexico's Independence Day, September 16! That's right, you brazen fools, SEPTEMBER 16. Cinco de Mayo is something totally different (the Battle of Puebla, a military victory against France.) Also it's racist for white people to wear sombreros. EVEN on Cinco de Mayo. Remember this. Yes I put on the Tiny Sombrero, I admit it, I am a Huge Racist
Why am I posting about something that happened three weeks ago, instead of posting about it just after it happened as I should have done? Well, you see, folks, I am lazy. And there you have it.
Mexican nationalism is extreme, particularly around Independence Day. Picture the most patriotic U.S. American you know, and then give them three more heads. Each head is singing the national anthem. One head pauses for a moment to recite the Constitution while the other heads continue intoning their heartfelt melody. One of the heads is Abraham Lincoln.
Every single Mexican is still more patriotic than that.
I first noticed Mexico's disproportionate (in comparison with other countries) national pride two years ago, when I met The Most Mexican Mexican during my studies abroad and was astonished at his fanaticism. Since then, I have wondered what stimulates this seemingly extreme nationalism. What I say next is by no means the capital-T Truth, but it was proposed by a Mexican and makes a lot of sense to me. Feel free to disagree.
During orientation we heard a lecture by Mexican scholar, journalist, and celebrated historian Lorenzo Meyer.* (see citations at end of post) Meyer proposed that Mexico's nationalism was a response to living next to and in the metaphorical shadow of a superpower. Because the United States is so culturally and socially powerful (read: overpowering), Mexico NEEDS to cultivate this "proud Mexican" persona in order to stay separate and maintain its own identity. In the lecture, Meyer emphasized just how much the U.S.'s everyday politics affects Mexico. "Estados Unidos es el globo para nosotros," he said. "The United States is the world for us."**
Again, take this with a grain of salt. Mexican pride is not solely because of its "neighborship" with superpower U.S.A. In fact, to say that would be just more U.S. colonialism (taking "credit" for an entire country's worldview). To imagine that we have that much control over another country is self-aggrandizing. Mexico is proud of Mexico because Mexico is AWESOME. Full of rich, colorful culture, hospitality, tradition, and food. Nonetheless, I found what Meyer proposed to be realistic-- our overwhelming presence puts Mexico on the defensive.
On to the aforementioned nationalism.
On September 15 (the eve of the Big Day) I had the good fortune of working at a primary school. And by "working" I mean "actually working for three classes and then spending the rest of the day watching tiny children reenact the overthrow of the ruling class."
Eyeballs of innocent children covered just in case they are in the Witness Protection Program
Please note Patriotic Sideburns painted onto child's head
More of the little dudes
That evening I attended El Grito de Dolores, ("The Cry of the City of Dolores" (where the event originally took place***). Interestingly, I noticed that "dolor" is the Spanish word for "pain," which means another literal translation could be "The Cry of Pain"). According to history (and Wikipedia), early in the morning of September 16th, 1810, Mexican founding father Miguel Hidalgo, a Catholic priest, cried out to the Mexican people to rebel against the Spanish government. Thus began the Revolution.***
Each year the Grito is relived as a symbol of Mexican independence. In the zócalo (main square) of the city, hundreds to thousands of people gather in the evening for a night of carousing, music, food, and then, finally, The Grito.
My Grito experience was unforgettable. My Mexican roommate, Yunuen, accompanied me and we spent a while milling around the zócalo buying food and talking about Mexico's independence. The square was so PACKED with people that we had to utilize Yunuen's superpower of weaseling through crowds to get close to one of the LED screens projecting the musical acts.
Due to having a fascinating cultural discussion, we almost missed the ACTUAL Grito, which happened at approximately 11 pm. Over loudspeakers, a representative of the government chants an approximation of Hidalgo's rousing speech and the dense crowd responds with "¡¡VIVA MÉXICO!!" ("Long live Mexico!!") According to Wikipedia, this is the translation of the Grito that the President of Mexico usually recites in the country's capital:
"Mexicans!
Fortunately, I managed to get one of two "¡¡VIVA's!!" in.
I was (mis)informed that after the Grito takes place, people go nuts throwing Cascarones (egg shells filled with confetti and then sealed up). Cascarones, for some reason, are very exciting to me. I stocked up on some filled with flour and some filled with confetti. 
Cascarón smashing, for your satisfaction
Smashing them on people's heads is also a popular pastime.
The next morning I dragged myself out of bed to attend a parade through the Centro. My main reason for going was that some of my students from the Normal were going to be marching, and I wanted to show them I cared.
Found 'em
During the parade, I repeatedly found myself gawking with excitement. A number of indigenous cultures were represented in the parade:
The marching was ridiculously regimented:
(Yes, the video works even though it doesn't look like it)
The acronym for this branch of the police is "F.E.A.R." (Federal Ejercito something-something). Like, Mexican police, if you're trying to fix your reputation as crooked and abusive, this is REALLY not gonna do it.
Last note before I sign off for the night.
In the U.S., culture and race are INCREDIBLY delicate things. Jokes about skin color are not tolerated, and cultural appropriation is incredibly offensive. You would NEVER see someone play up their (or another's) cultural stereotypes, as this would feed into oppression.
During the independence festival, it is totally appropriate for Mexicans to wear sombreros, green-red-and-white false eyelashes, and even adhesive mustaches to celebrate the independence of their sovereign nation. This is sort of like U.S. Americans celebrating the Fourth of July by putting on fat suits, then carrying a hamburger in one hand and a hot dog in the other while wearing a beer can hat.
So about U.S. patriotism... Do you go to the lengths that Mexicans do?
How do you celebrate the Fourth of July?
Citations
* "Lorenzo Meyer." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 21 Sep 2016. Web. Accessed 7 Oct 2016.
**Lorenzo Meyer. "Panorama Actual de México y Perspectivas con sus Relaciones con los Estados Unidos." Welcome Orientation 2016, Fulbright García Robles/COMEXUS, 24 August 2016, Hotel Krystal Grand Reforma Uno, Mexico City, Mexico. Keynote Address.
*** "Cry of Dolores." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 28 Sep 2016. Web. Accessed 7 Oct 2016.
