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Posts Tagged ‘Mexican Independence Day’

¡Viva México!

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Last night El Grito de Dolores, also known as El Grito de la Independencia (the Shout of Independence), rang from government buildings throughout the country — recreating Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s call to arms in 1810 announcing the start of the ten-year long war for independence from Spain. In my neighborhood, green, white and red decorations can be seen around every corner and flying from rooftops.

Today, crowds will line sidewalks from the Palacio de Gobierno to Parque El Llano to cheer on their favorite contingents as a patriotic parade takes to the streets of Oaxaca. Mexican pride on display. ¡Viva México!

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Guns, drums, and horses on parade

Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 21, 2022| 4 Comments »

After a two year absence, thanks to the pandemic, Mexico’s Independence Day parade returned to the streets of Oaxaca’s capital. There were lots of drums that had me hearing snare drums in my sleep that night. But, note all the young women drummers! (Click on each image to enlarge.)

Being that this was a civic and military parade, there were the requisite scary guys and gals with guns and military hardware.

But there were also contingents of firefighters, federal disaster relief, and the Red Cross.

There were horses with stunningly dressed male and female riders.

And, there were the young riders… from toddlers to preteens. Did I mention there were lots of horses?

And, to end the parade, there was a patriotic float with beautiful young women, dressed in the green, white, and red of the Mexican flag, singing the national anthem, “Himno Nacional Mexicano.”

¡Viva México!

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Independence Day is coming

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2022| 3 Comments »

Adding some welcome color to these grey rainy season days, on the first of September my neighbors raised their ginormous flag marking the beginning of the Mes de la Patria — a month-long celebration of Mexico’s War of Independence from Spain.

The war lasted eleven years — from September 16, 1810, with Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s call to arms (Grito de Dolores), to September 27, 1821, when the Army of Three Guarantees triumphantly marched into Mexico City.

Merchandise in green, white, and red (colors of the Mexican flag) fill store shelves, vendors ply the streets selling flags and tchotchkes, and patriotic displays decorate public and private buildings.

As for me, I’m jonesing for the season’s traditional dish of chiles en nogada. It’s been four years since I savored its complex combination of flavors and textures at Restaurante Catedral (photo above).

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It’s beginning to look a lot like…

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 9, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Decorations in green, white, and red began going up the first of September.

Papel picado flying above calle Ignacio Aldama in Barrio de Jalatlaco.

No, it’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Window of a school in Barrio de Jalatlaco.

The entire month of September is designated the Mes de la Patria — a month celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain — a war which began on September 16 1810 and finally ended 200 years ago on September 27, 1821.

Mexican flag flying in the yard of one of my neighbors in Barrio de Jalatlaco.

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Not your usual Independence Day

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 15, 2020| 4 Comments »

While flags are flying, bunting is up, and carts are selling the usual green, white, and red patriotic paraphernalia, it’s not your usual Mexican Independence celebrations.

It is the night before Independence Day, but there are no crowds gathered in the zócalo to hear the governor re-create the Grito de Dolores from the balcony of the Government Palace. Tomorrow there will be no patriotic parade through the streets of the city of Oaxaca. Mexican Independence celebrations during the time of Covid-19.

However, there is a song from Lila Downs…

(ps) The flags above are flying at half staff because the photos were taken on September 13, 2020, the day Mexico commemorates the legend of the 1847 Niños Héroes — boy cadets martyred during the Mexican-American war.

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Twas the night before Independence Day

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 16, 2019| 2 Comments »

Overnight, as the calendar page turned from August to September, green, white, and red appeared around the city. The colors of the Mexican flag festooned buildings — both public and private and flags began flying from rooftops.

Papel picado hanging above Plazuela Labastida.

Vendor carts, selling all things patriotic, noisy, and green, white, and red, began appearing on busy street corners and green, white, and red lights were strung above major streets and in the zócalo. September is El Mes de Patria — an entire month of celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain.

Kiosk in the zócalo.

September 16 is Día de la Independencia (Independence Day) marking Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s call to arms (Grito de Dolores) announcing the start of a ten-year long war for independence. However, all over Mexico, re-enactments “El Grito” (the Cry of Dolores) are staged at 11:00 PM on September 15 —  by mayors from municipal city halls, governors from state building balconies, and by the President of Mexico from the the National Palace. September 16 is marked with military parades.

Camera scaffolding in front of Oaxaca’s Government Palace.

As an article in yesterday’s El Imparcial proudly proclaimed, Oaxaqueños like Antonio de León, Carlos María Bustamante, José María Murguía y Galardi, and Manuel Sabino Crespo “contributed their sacrifice and courage to the creation of a free, sovereign and guaranteed homeland.” (my translation) By the way, for those who live in or have visited Oaxaca: Do those names ring a bell?

Señorita América on her way to sing the Himno Nacional (Mexican National Anthem) in the zócolo after the governor gives the Grito.

Last night’s Grito was the first given by Mexico’s new President, Andreas Manuel Lopez Obrador (aka, AMLO). The media pointed out that he gave 20 “Vivas” from the balcony of the Palacio Nacional, while his predecessor only gave 11. Among the added “Long live’s” were, “¡Vivan las comunidades indígenas!” and “¡Viva la grandeza cultural de México!”

Long live the independence! Long live Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla! Long live Morelos! Long live Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez! Long live Ignacio Allende! Long live Leona Vicar! Long live anonymous heroes! Long live the heroic people of Mexico! Long live the indigenous communities! Long live freedom! Long live justice! Long live democracy! Long live our sovereignty! Long live the universal fraternity! Long live peace! Long live the cultural greatness of Mexico! Long live Mexico! Long live Mexico! Long live Mexico!

And, there was more Oaxaca pride present in the nation’s capital as the Banda del Centro de Capacitación Musical y Desarrollo (CECAM), a youth band from the Mixe village of Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, Oaxaca, performed following the Grito.

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Viva Mexico

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 13, 2018| 8 Comments »

On September 16, Mexico celebrates Día de la Independencia — marking Father Hidalgo’s call to arms (Grito de Dolores) to begin the ten-year war for independence from Spain.  However, the entire month of September is El Mes de la Patria (the month of the homeland) and streets and vendor stalls are awash with the green, white, and red of the Mexican flag.

Last week, walking down to Mercado Benito Juárez to pick up a few last-minute regalitos (little gifts) to bring up to family and friends in el norte, within two blocks I saw…

There is even a very yummy green, white, and red patriotic dish that appears in restaurants in September — Chiles en nogada.  I’m hoping it will still be on the menu when I return at the end of the month from the el norte trip.

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Independence Day is coming

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 9, 2016| 4 Comments »

Mexico’s El Mes de la Patria (the month of the homeland) is upon us and overnight, as August turned to September, the streets erupted in green, white, and red.

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Mexico celebrates September 16, 1810 as the beginning of its fight for independence from Spain.

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Flags are flying everywhere and are for sale on every other street corner, along with all manner of patriotic tchotkes.

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From buses in the city to moto-taxis in the villages, everything is decked out in the green, white, and red of the Mexican flag.

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As for Oaxaca?  The five-month renovation project at Mercado Benito Juárez has been completed and vendors have moved from their temporary stalls on the surrounding streets back into the market; Sección 22 teachers have returned to their classrooms and 80% of the encampment in the zócalo has been disassembled; the governor will give his final Grito de DoloresGrito de Dolores at 11:00 PM on September 15th; and the annual patriotic parade will fill the streets of the Historic District with participants and observers on the 16th.

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Celebrating independence

Posted in Celebrations, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 17, 2015| 11 Comments »

September 16, 2015 marked the 205th anniversary of the beginning of Mexico’s fight for independence from Spain.  Like all such occasions worldwide, it was celebrated with patriotic parades.  Here in the city of Oaxaca, civic and military contingents marched from the corner of 20 de noviembre and Trujano, passed the Government Palace, east on Guerrero, then north on Pino Suarez, to wind up at Paseo Juárez (aka, Llano Park).

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Oaxaca’s Palacio de Gobierno, with images of Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez and José María Morelos y Pavón, two of the heroes of struggle for independence.

Before you could see a contingent, you could hear it; often drums and drummers heralded the arrival of both school and military groups.

IMG_9648IMG_9653Like most patriotic parades, military and police elements dominated the civic.  In Oaxaca, we are talking federal, state, and municipal, including units from the thousands of members of the Gendarmaría Nacional, who have been in town for at least a month.  I do have to say, besides the usual, some of the camouflage face paint had an “only in Mexico” flair.IMG_9691

IMG_9719IMG_9717copySpectators lined the streets along the route, but mostly reserved their applause for the bomberos (firefighters)…

IMG_9710IMG_9711Cruz Roja (Red Cross) workers, especially the canine unit and young volunteers…

IMG_9731IMG_9727and, last but not least, the riders from the Asociación de Charros de Oaxaca, who brought up the rear.  I guess the thinking was to keep the streets free of horse manure until the end!

IMG_9742IMG_9743IMG_9758IMG_9757IMG_9750That’s all, folks!

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Showing the colors

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 15, 2015| 6 Comments »

September is El Mes de la Patria in Mexico (the month of the homeland) and Oaxaca is showing the colors.  Green, white, and red is everywhere — from the almost sublime to the downright ridiculous!

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¡Viva Mexico y salud!

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Independence Day

Posted in Celebrations, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 16, 2014| 3 Comments »

Is it cheating to post photos from the 2013 Mexican Independence Day desfile in Oaxaca?  What can I say?  It was raining today and, if it counts for anything, I never got around to posting these photos last year.

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However, I do have some news from this year:  The state police staged a protest and, besides your’s truly, Governor Cue did not attend — and I don’t think it was the rain that stopped him!

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Covered in green, white and red

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 6, 2014| Leave a Comment »

September is El Mes de la Patria in Mexico (the month of the homeland) and green, white, and red decorations have gone up all over the city.  The governor is scheduled to recreate “El Grito” (the Cry of Dolores) from the balcony of the Government Palace at 11 PM on September 15.  The following day, there will be an hour-plus long patriotic parade through the streets of the city celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain.

Neveria decorated with green, white, and red

Neverías in Jardín Socrates

The teachers’ planton (encampment) on the zócalo expanded again to adjacent streets yesterday, though it is supposed to end by September 9.  Oaxaca is holding her collective breath.

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Boys will be boys…

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on September 16, 2013| 6 Comments »

What do the guys do while waiting for an Independence Day parade to begin?

Men in military uniforms taking photos

And, what do gals do? Pose for them!

Young women in military uniform posing

A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes.  — Robert Frost

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Green, white, and red

Posted in Celebrations, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 15, 2013| 2 Comments »

At 11 PM tonight, with El Grito de Dolores, also known as El Grito de la Independencia (the Shout of Independence), echoing from government buildings throughout the country, Mexico begins celebrating her long and hard-fought independence from Spain.  Despite the gathering of meteorological and political storm clouds, Oaxaca has gotten her green, white, and red on.

Doors are decorated, bunting is hung, and Mexico’s tricolor appears…

This proud yet faded flag with frayed edges seems a fitting symbol this year.

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In the words of Che Guevara, “La lucha continua.”

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El Grito

Posted in Buildings, History, Holidays, People, tagged , , , , , , , on September 16, 2012| 1 Comment »

As I write, it is late on September 15, and all over Mexico El Grito de Dolores, also known as El Grito de la Independencia (the Shout of Independence), is echoing from government buildings throughout the country, from the Palacio Nacional in Mexico City to Oaxaca’s Palacio de Gobierno to ayuntamientos (city halls) in small towns.

Mexicans!
Long live the heroes that gave us the Fatherland!
Long live Hidalgo!
Long live Morelos!
Long live Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez!
Long live Allende!
Long live Aldama and Matamoros!
Long live National Independence!
Long Live Mexico! Long Live Mexico! Long Live Mexico!

Portraits of the above listed heroes of Mexico’s War of Independence from Spain hang from the Government Palace in Oaxaca, as well as from the Municipal Building facing the Plaza de la Danza.

Massive 3-piece banner portrait of Morelos hanging from wall of Oaxaca's Municipal Building

And, this year, José María Morelos y Pavón is honored with a second massive portrait on the outer wall of the Municipal Building.  Last year, it was a reproduction of Orozco’s dramatic painting of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.

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