16 de septiembre − Fiesta de la Independencia
(“El Grito”)
México
Mexican Independence Day is the best opportunity throughout year for the Mexican nation to embrace, to live, to remember, to yell and to celebrate the symbols, customs and characteristics that distinguish and identify its lively culture.
The many celebrations, the joining of beloved people and the sense of pride are common to the whole nation, which celebrates the Fiesta de la Independencia in many hundreds of different ways. On September 16, everybody in Mexico lives by his or her Mexicanidad (“Mexicanity”).
History
Like many revolutions or movements, the Mexican War of Independence started in hopes of liberation, in this case the Independence from the Spanish Crown and the creation of a new country.
During the early years of the 19th century, the criollos (people born in Mexican territories of Spanish parents) wanted more opportunities in the government (mainly occupied by original Spanish people) and the modification of laws and regulations regarding the property rights on the land (mainly owned by Spanish and by native land tenants). Catholic priest Father Miguel Hidalgo, a criollo born in the region of the current state of Guanajuato, led the movement towards those objectives.
A man of strong and impulsive character, Father Hidalgo started the movement with just a few hundred people, most of them indigenous, with the promise to fight in order to restore the rights on their land. On the early morning of Sunday, September 16th, 1810 in the small town of Dolores (current state of Guanajuato), Father Hidalgo took an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe as the symbol of his cause. (The symbol today represents the union of the Mexican nation.) Father Hidalgo yelled to his crowd “Viva la Religión, Viva la Madre Santísima de Guadalupe, mueran los gachupines!” (Long live religion, long live the Holy Mother of Guadalupe, Death to the Gachupines (an offensive term referring to the Spanish natives)!” This moment would reach immortality in Mexican history and would be remembered as the Grito de Delores (the yell of Delores), or as El Grito.
Father Hidalgo’s movement was disorganized and never reached the capital of the colony. In July of 1811, Father Hidalgo was captured and killed. However, he had started a war that would be followed by different names in history including Jose María Morelos, Guadalupe Victoria, Vicente Guerrero and Agustin de Iturbide; each one with different plans that shared an idea of funding a country that could be independent from any other authority, kingdom, crown or country, with its own laws, political regime and international recognition.
Eleven years after the Grito de Dolores, and due to the efforts of the leaders and the weakening of the Spanish Kingdom in Europe, Agustin de Iturbide entered to the capital on September 1821 to claim that the Mexican Empire (Imperio Mexicano) had been born.
The Celebration of El Grito
Mexico, a country of mixed citizens regarding their origins, customs, education and traditions, finds many common factors every year on September 16th.
The Fiestas de la Independencia in Mexico is an explosion of happiness, the repetition of impulses that Mexicans save just for special occasions. Singing, yelling, laughing and making noise with any possible object, along with sharing and making loved ones feel special are all important parts of the day. It is as though the Mexicans are in a hurry to celebrate everything they feel proud of and everything that makes them different all in one night. This night that exists is the eve of Día de la Independencia (Independence Day).
The scene reproduced at the Fiestas de la Independencia is similar to the plaza or the zócalo (the central square) of a Mexican small town of the past, with little stands where the traditional Mexican food can be offered. Tamales, tacos, flautas, sopes, salsas, churros, frijoles, chiles en nogada, pozole, quesadillas (with handmade tortillas) are the dishes that will always be found. Tequila straight or in a Cantarito (a container made of clay) prepared with fresh fruits; water of different flavors (jamaica, horchata, rice, lemon) hot chocolate and the traditional Atole, a hot beverage made of fruit, milk and flour can be found throughout the day.
Small stands also host different Mexican games: Lotería (lottery), shooting at rubber ducks with a rifle, throwing darts at balloons and throwing rings at empty bottles are the most frequently played games. The prizes for the winners include Mexican toys, usually made of wood, like a balero, a yoyo or a trompo.
The piñatas are present at all times as well. A piñata is a handcrafted figure made of paper and can be the image or reproduction of almost anything (from objects like stars or even the sun to movie or cartoon characters) that has a clay container inside. The tradition of the piñata is for Christmas time, but they are used in the Fiesta de la Independencia to decorate with typical Mexican colors and themes.
All types of handcrafted arrangements related to Mexican symbols are included on walls, tables and every other surface. Mexican sombreros, flags, cantaritos, table clothes, sarapes, figures made of paper are made in red, white and green.
These Fiestas are tremendous. Therefore, no Mexican spends this day alone. The reproduction of the Grito de Dolores, given by the President of the country from the capital’s zocalo, is closely followed by the Governors of the States and the leaders of families, groups and companies in the thousands of places where the day is celebrated (plazas, private clubs, restaurants, etc.). The Grito de Delores sets the tune for the beginning of the explosion, commencing on the night of September 15. El Grito, the beginning of the real fiesta, where the Mexicans find themselves and live their “Mexicanidad”, consists of several “Vivas”, which are followed by a loud and powerful “Viva!” as an answer from the crowd.
The “Vivas” can be yelled for any cause and can be proclaimed as many times as the leader wants, but usually the “Vivas” to remember are the ones that honor Don Miguel Hidalgo, the heroes that created the country, the national union, the independence, and of course, Mexico.
The leader yells: “Viva México!” and receives the powerful answer: “Viva!”
Throughout the celebrations, mariachi plays the most representative songs. If there is no mariachi, the music by the most famous Mexican composer, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, are played. Sometimes the parties include artists performing typical Mexican dances. The fireworks begin, the noise of the matracas (a Mexican toy made of wood which produces noise −crack! crack!- when it’s turned around) fill the towns. The Mexican flag is honored, toasts with tequila are made, friends and families enjoy the circumstances that make them similar, that make them part of the same cause.
A real Mexican Fiesta de la Independencia is a sample of the collage of traditions and elements that compose the Mexican culture: the value of family and friendship; the happiness that reaches new heights; the noise without which a Fiesta de la Independencia wouldn’t exist; the sharing; the enormous variety of food and games; the colors, so alive, so representative; and the many symbols that make Mexico such a unique place.
