Cinco De Mayo
Ξ May 4th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ A Day at a Time, Wine History |
In the current opportunistic political climate where border fence construction and a hostile immigration debate can pass for civil expression, it is easy to lose sight of the durable commonalities enjoyed between Mexico and the United States. Cinco de Mayo is for that reason a particularly unique holiday in that it celebrates a moment in our shared histories. But I did not clearly understand the holiday’s significance until I contacted a number of Latino wineries and winemakers, all in Cali, for comment on the meaning of the date.
I was surprised to learn from them that Cinco de Mayo is much more an American than Mexican festival. Often mistaken in El Norte for Mexico’s Independence Day (Sept. 16th), Cinco de Mayo, in fact, celebrates Mexico’s first defeat of an imperial French army contingent bent on conquest. The battle took place on May 5th, 1862 in Puebla where, to this day, the date finds its most popular festival.
But I leave it to the folks below to explain!
I am pleased to post the following series of wonderful replies I received:
The extraordinary Amelia Moran Ceja of Ceja Vineyards sent this:
“The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were forced to leave Mexico.”
“So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans celebrate this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.
“The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.
“Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the New Mexican Empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carlota. Napoleon’s French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War.
“The French Army left the port of Veracruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy — as European countries traditionally did.
“Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico’s president and dictator), the Mexicans waited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish.
“General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of
head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes.
“When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz’ superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the
Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War.
“Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.
“It might be a historical stretch to credit the survival of the United States to those brave 4,000 Mexicans who faced an army twice as large in 1862. But who knows?
“In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America.
“Mexicans, you see, never forget who their friends are, and neither do Americans. That’s why Cinco de Mayo is such a party — A party that celebrates freedom and liberty. There are two ideals which Mexicans and Americans have fought shoulder to shoulder to protect, ever since the 5th of May, 1862. ¡VIVA El CINCO DE MAYO!”
Alex Sotelo of Alex Sotelo Cellars wrote, “The Cinco de Mayo meaning for Californians has been very important for the proximity to Mexico and interaction to Mexicans on both sides of the border. Cinco de Mayo is in fact a bigger celebration to Californians than the people in Mexico.
“For Mexicans in Napa Valley or even the rest of the wine country where labor for wine production is done primarily by us, we are proud of the contributions to the Wine Industry; and yet more and more of us Mexicans Wine Producers in California are making wine to an excellent level.
“So it is a good reason to say Salud with a good glass of wine to celebrate the contribution by Mexicans to the wine industry, or even better with a glass of wine made by a Mexican.”
I was very pleased to also receive a comment from the justly celebrated Bulmaro Montes lately of Maritas Vineyard. He said (through Deborah Zaragoza), “It is the battle with the French people. It means a lot, it opens (life up) to be more free. Strength to be an independent country and effort to succeed in our world. Cinco de Mayo (allows the Mexican-American) to show love for our country.”
Perhaps the most charming quote was not a quote at all. 
I wrote to Elias Fernandez of Shafer Vineyards. A response came from Andy Demsky in Media/Communications for Shafer. Andy wrote, “Elias asked me to write back – he’s up to his neck in bottling right now and isn’t in a spot where he can really respond to this. (He did mention that he and his crew are working on Cinco de Mayo!)”
What I find delightful in Elias Fernandez’ non-comment is what it says not only about him but about all the Mexican-Americans who toil in the vineyards and wineries: they work very hard. And the glass of wine we all enjoy is simply not possible without such a dedication to their craft.
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