Mexican Patriotism: El México Profundo
The Fourth of July is upon us. As an American considering life in Mexico, you might wonder what to expect from Mexico and Mexicans in terms of patriotism.
One Mexican tradition that continues to provoke my jealousy is El Grito, a tribute to the battle cry that launched the Mexican Revolution in 1810 (We could really use one of those). Every year, the President, currently André Manual López Obrador, gives the cry from a balcony in the Zocalo, the political and cultural heart of Mexico in Mexico City.
The plaza holds over 100,000 people who come to hear the repeated cry of “Viva Mexico!” on the eve of the anniversary. More watch from televisions and laptops all over Mexico, Like in the US, flag-waving Mexicans celebrate from the streets and from their cars.
Mexican patriotism is woven into quieter settings too. What appear to be vacant houses in Mexican pueblos are often held on to by grandchildren and great grandchildren as a place to go for the week-end. Folks go to el campo the same way people in Virginia or North Carolina might go to “the riv-ah” to celebrate special days or three-day week-ends.
I have had the honor of being invited to such a birthday party at such a house, the man of honor a tall, dashing caballero always dressed in the finest of cowboy boots and black cowboy hat. Like cowboys in my native Oklahoma, where weeks of over 100 degree weather are not uncommon, he wore perfectly starched white long-sleeved shirts on the blistering day.
Ice cold Tecate ponies magically appeared in front of me as did pina coladas, sometimes at the same time. Platefuls of food; tender, tender pork, fresh tortillas, little salads of jicama and cucumber seemed to deliver themselves. While not a national holiday, Mexican flags waved, and national colors dotted the tables, a thing I have seen at many parties, regardless of their official occasion.
Handsome old men who had known each other since they were children sat lined along the yard wall, clearly enjoying each other's company immensely, garbage containers for the throwaway beer bottles thoughtfully placed right in front of them in easy reach. Mothers rolled tortillas in hot sauce for babies and cooed over them in strollers.
The band played music in the Sinaloan tradition, which meant a large assembly, maybe 10 musicians, including two trumpet players, the youngest maybe 12.
My favorite, El Nino Perdido is a call and answer song. As is the common practice for the song, the young trumpeter left the stage, walked across the street and played his answer from a truck parked outside the compound.
At outdoor parties in Mexico, people often in a circle, everyone taking turns in the middle of the circle and demonstrating their particular interpretation to the song being played to clapping encouragement. (For my turn, I chose my highly-regarded matador dance.)
One of the hostesses, an older woman whose smile I will never forget, had found out about my book, The Mexico Solution. Suddenly, she asked me and the friend who invited me, to say a few words to the gathered crowd.
Lupita, the first friend in Mexico, has a uniquely enchanting voice. People who call her home still ask that she put her father on the phone. She used to be a talk show host on a local station. She spoke and introduced me flawlessly. Then she handed me the musicians’ mike.
I had absolutely no time to think it through. In such a situation you can only speak from the heart. I told them that many anecdotes in my book had to do with reactions. How Americans react to situations against how Mexicans do, including how differently we display our love for our countries. I told them how much I'd learned from them, and how lucky I was to have learned it.
The response was gracious. The hostess reminded the guests to remember how lucky they were as Mexicans. She said, "How often we forget what we have. We need to remember how fortunate we are to live where and how we live."
We danced in that circle all afternoon. I almost wept with fatigue when I crashed into bed after showering off all the dirt that had been kicked up dancing. Texting a Mexican friend, Cayo, I told him about my experience in el campo. Even in his WhatApp message I could sense his soft pride as he referred to it as "El México Profundo", the real, the deep, Mexico.
Related:
What you should know about Mexican regional music - Ventanas Mexico
About the author:
Kerry Baker is the author of several books. The second book is “If Only I Had a Place,” giving you the benefits, pitfalls and opportunities of renting long-term in Mexico. The Mexico Solution: How to save your money, sanity and quality of life through part-time life in Mexico, is the cumulation of all I know, love and want to teach you about part-time expat life.
Her most recent book, “The Lazy Expat: Healthy Recipes That Translate in Mexico” is a cookbook for travelers, snowbirds and expats. (spoiler: to maintain a healthy diet in Mexico, you must cook.)