Mexican Independence

[surfcaster]

What is happening in the area for 15-16 September El Grito and Mexican Independence? Are hotel, condo, and house bookings way up? Will there be any issues getting a cheap room for Thursday night? I would assume Sonoran tourists might want to enjoy the beach for the holiday. Thanks. Viva Mexico!

 

[Roberto]

I think it's mostly celebrated in people's home towns by the locals. It's worth attending the Grito here for the local color. I like it anyway.

 

[stingray]

If you are planning on visiting Rocky Point in September consider how lucky we are in 2012 since the 15th falls on a Saturday, this means you can come down for the weekend and have an authentic experience with the Mexican culture and an unforgettable night, here is what you can experience if you decide to come south of the border:
The Main Boulevard Benito Juarez and also Fremont will be closed for hours before the “Grito”. It usually happens at 11:00 PM but please confirm since sometimes they will go at the same time of the president in Mexico City and that would mean at 10:00PM, so a safe time to arrive if you don’t want to miss it is around 9:00PM. At that time, you can catch all the vendors and walk around for a while, throughout the streets and in “La Plaza de Camaron”, there will be food vendors, people selling Mexican flags, noise makers, shining bracelets, necklaces, swords, canned foam and all sorts of food, from street tacos to ice cream. You will find several street classics like the “churros” and the “esquites” (white corn kernels with lime and chilli powder served in a little Styrofoam cup). You find people of all ages from little babies to grandmas and grandpas enjoying the stroll between vendors, the Mexican food and just the joy of being together. It is a true family party, there will be people buying something for the younger ones who will play with their new toys all over the place unconcerned with the crowd. Right In the middle of Juarez you will see some odd looking reed formations sort of like a makeshift tower, usually two tall ones close to the municipal building, this are handmade firework towers that, after the grito, will be lit and one after the next will spin the colorful designs and then the very last one will fly up into the air for the amazement of the crowds. There will also be fireworks that light the faces of the independence heroes, sometimes even the words “Viva Mexico” are written in fiery colorful sparks. These are real artisans that spend a lot of time designing these nights firework show, and it all goes up in smoke in a few minutes.

 

[surfcaster]

Thanks Stingray. I will be in Santo Tomas and plan to visit the small village nearby to check it out on that scale. I may go to Quince de Septiembre a little down the road, as they are named for the event.

 

[Landshark]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mexico's Independence Day - September 16 [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Mexican Independence Day

In the early nineteenth century, Mexico, with a little influence from the US and France, began talking about a revolt against Spain. Father Miguel Hidalgo from Dolores, Mexico, was a leader of one of the rallying groups. Hidalgo and his officers were planning a revolt for late fall of 1810. The Spanish people found out about the revolt which led the Spanish Government to order the arrest of Hidalgo and his officers. When Hidalgo found out, he called a meeting at his church. He rang the church bell on the night of September 15, 1810 to call his congregation to mass. Here Father Hidalgo rallied the people to fight. He gave the speech which is now known as 'Grito de Delores', saying "Viva Mexico" and "Viva la independencia!" These famous words have been remembered and are said each year at the Independence Day celebrations.

Everyone fought together, including the Criollos (wealthy Mexicans of Spanish descent), Mesizos (children born from the marriage of a Spaniard and an Indian), and Indians. Armed with clubs, knives, stone slings, and ancient guns, they fought as they marched to Mexico City. A battle took place in Guanajuato between the Spanish soldiers and Hidalgo's followers. The army sacked the town, killing the Spaniards. They continued to fight on their way to the capital. When they finally reached Mexico City, the army hesitated before going in to fight and some of them even disserted the army. Before the year was over Father Hidalgo was captured and executed. Some people continued to fight for the cause and Father Hidalgo's Grito de Delores (Cry of Delores) became the battle cry of the Mexican War of Independence. The people fought for eleven years before they finally won their freedom.

Today Mexican Independence Day is a major celebration in Mexico and is bigger than Cinco de Mayo. It is celebrated with a fiesta (party). The celebrating begins on September 15 (the eve of Independence Day) where crowds of people gather in the zocalos (town meeting place) of cities, towns, and villages. In Mexico City a huge square is decorated with flags, flowers and lights of red, white, and green. People sell confetti, whistles, horns, paper-machete helmets, and toys in the colors of red, white and green. There is also plenty of feasting! When the clock strikes eleven o'clock the crowd gets silent. On the last strike of eleven the president of Mexico steps out on the palace balcony, and rings the historic liberty bell that Father Hidalgo rang to call the people. Then the president gives the Grito de Delores. He shouts "Viva Mexico" "Viva la independencia" and the crowd echoes back. People do this at the same time all across Mexico. While the crowd says this they fill the air with confetti, streamers and hoopla. Castillos explode in showers of red, white, and green.

The actual day of September 16 is similar to July Fourth in the US. There are rodeos, parades, bullfights, horseback rider performances and grand feasts. The statues in memory of Father Hidalgo are decorated with red, white, and green flowers. The Mexican Flag is made up of green, white, and red. The green is on the left side of the flag and symbolizes independence. White is the color in the middle of the flag and symbolizes religion. The red is on the right side of the flag and symbolizes union. These colors are used often in decorating for the Mexican Independence Day fiesta. [/FONT]

 

[mis2810]

I was at the Zocalo in Mexico City for the Grito in 2010 - the Bicentennial of Mexico's Independence. It was amazing!

 

[surfcaster]

Wow mis2810 that must have been awesome! That is such ah historic and vibrant place in one the america's most interesting cities. To be there on that day, just wow!

 

[mis2810]

Wow mis2810 that must have been awesome! That is such ah historic and vibrant place in one the america's most interesting cities. To be there on that day, just wow!

It was incredible! I had been wanting to go see the Grito for years and my husband and I needed to be in Mexico City to visit his family that year in September anyway, so we planned our trip specifically around that date. I love the Grito and watch it on TV every year, but being in the Zocalo was like a dream come true, and a once in a lifetime chance for the Bicentennial.

 

[GV Jack]

a once in a lifetime chance for the Bicentennial.

Once in a lifetime..heck I've been through three of them already.

 

[moore_rb]

Mexico's Independence Day - September 16
​

Everyone fought together, including the Criollos (wealthy Mexicans of Spanish descent), Mesizos (children born from the marriage of a Spaniard and an Indian), and Indians. Armed with clubs, knives, stone slings, and ancient guns, they fought as they marched to Mexico City.

Ya know-

I don't want to derail this thread (lest RockyPointJoe hunt me down and chop off one of my toes); but the snippet above alludes to a fascinating (to me) cultural difference between Mexico and the US.

Both lands were over-run (the less inflammatory term for conquered) by Caucasian Europeans, but whereas the Europeans in the US isolated the remaining Native Americans (after exterminating as many as they needed to), Mexico integrated the combined DNA of west and east into their cultural blood.

It just strengthens my suspicion that cultural integration really begins with personal relationships that develop into family integrations.

I have several friends with spouses from the "other side of the border". To all of you "multi-cultural" couples and families out there, who may (or may be lucky enough not to) live your lives enduring the bigotry of your parents or grandparents over your choice to marry one of "THEM" , I can only say this:

Cheers. :cheers:

My opinion is that you (and your kids) are doing more to make this world a better place than any racially or culturally divisive people could ever do.

 

[mis2810]

Ya know-

I don't want to derail this thread (lest RockyPointJoe hunt me down and chop off one of my toes); but the snippet above alludes to a fascinating (to me) cultural difference between Mexico and the US.

Both lands were over-run (the less inflammatory term for conquered) by Caucasian Europeans, but whereas the Europeans in the US isolated the remaining Native Americans (after exterminating as many as they needed to), Mexico integrated the combined DNA of west and east into their cultural blood.

It just strengthens my suspicion that cultural integration really begins with personal relationships that develop into family integrations.

I have several friends with spouses from the "other side of the border". To all of you "multi-cultural" couples and families out there, who may (or may be lucky enough not to) live your lives enduring the bigotry of your parents or grandparents over your choice to marry one of "THEM" , I can only say this:

Cheers. :cheers:

My opinion is that you (and your kids) are doing more to make this world a better place than any racially or culturally divisive people could ever do.

I agree with most of what you wrote, but unfortunately it wasn't all lovey dovey like that. A lot of the mixing, especially in the beginning, was due to Spaniards raping indigenous women. As for the Criollos feeling brotherly love for the "indios" the Criollos still thought they were better than the "indios", but needed the "indio" masses for the fight against the Spaniards born in Spain at the very top of the caste system.

But I especially agree with what you said about the world being a better place because of cultural mixing. If everyone was all mixed together there wouldn't be anyone left to hate, right? Besides, everyone looks better with a "tan".

 

[moore_rb]

unfortunately it wasn't all lovey dovey like that. A lot of the mixing, especially in the beginning, was due to Spaniards raping indigenous women. As for the Criollos feeling brotherly love for the "indios" the Criollos still thought they were better than the "indios", but needed the "indio" masses for the fight against the Spaniards born in Spain at the very top of the caste system.

Oh yeah, undoubtedtly.... cultural conquest is an ugly, repulsive business. The Natives on both sides of the current border endured unspeakable atrocities (just as many individual people are still facing them today on a more micro-cosmic level)

I didn't intend to "sugar coat" the ugly nature of historical accuracy in my observation. If anything- I wanted it to paint a comparison/contrast to the power of familial love over the power of society/culture...

Rapid cultural change via conquest/plunder moves FASTER than personal relational integration, but over the longest of the long term- the power of personal and family relationships (in aggregate) will overpower any sense of "tribal" pride and strength. IMHO

One species.