Feliz Dia de Independencia!

I love how Independence Day is such a huge deal here. Really, it’s felt almost like “Independence Month” because people have been preparing for this celebration since the beginning of September. Practically every house or business put up some kind of patriotic decorations, taxis and buses attached flags to their windows, and street vendors appeared with carts full of Mexico paraphernalia.

On Independence night Saturday, Sheila, Christina and I headed downtown to see the festivities. The plaza in front of the Palacio del Gobernador was filled with people wearing traditional clothing or red, green and white – the colors of the flag. We managed to get somewhat toward the front, where there was a giant screen showing live shots of the crowd dancing to loud Latin music and later a slide show of beautiful images from all over the country. There’s so much to see here – if I had the money I’d spend two months just traveling.

I sneaked a few shots of the crowd, including this family. This little boy was so smiley and I love his hat.

Just before 11 p.m., a group of soldiers marched into the palace to present the flag to the governor of Morelos, Marco Antonio Adame Castillo. This all happened inside, but we could see what was going on through the TV screen. Castillo brought the flag to the second floor balcony and led the crowd through the grito (yell), which is a couple of lines honoring the leaders during the war for independence and ending with “Viva Mexico!” By the end of the grito, the crowd was showered with glitter and confetti from the top of the palace and fireworks began exploding overhead sort of in time to traditional Mexican music. Everyone was cheering and spraying shaving cream in the air or at each other.

We hung around after the fireworks show to soak in the sights: teenagers chasing each other with their shaving cream cans; a makeshift food and souvenir market; a band playing in front of the palace; and masked Chinelos dancers in heavy robes jumping and shrugging their shoulders.

Essentially, the Mexican Independence Day festivities I saw were similar to what you’d see during the United State’s 4th of July – family getting together to eat and celebrate, fireworks, everyone dressed in the colors of the flag, etc. But here the sense of national pride felt so much stronger. The prolonged outward display of patriotism was definitely part of that, but it was more than that. I could see a deeper appreciation for the country, it wasn’t just an excuse for a big party. It was nice to see that there’s so much pride in this country, even when so many people find themselves having to leave it in order to survive. I’m sure they’re celebrating Mexico’s independence in the States or wherever else Mexicans have immigrated!

And by the way, I can still hear fireworks exploding outside my window.