Ways to honor Cinco de Mayo and the Mexican heritage other than sombreros or fake mustaches do exist.
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Mexico has such a rich cultural heritage that brings lots of value to our world and is worth celebrating. If you want to enjoy Cinco de Mayo authentically this year, then here is what to do, and what not to do.
- Don’t wear tasteless costumes, but do attend dancing and music festivities.
Anyone who’s ever been at a Mexican fiesta or attended a truly authentic festival can tell you how much color both literally and figuratively you’ll find in Mexican folklore.
There will be many chances during the Cinco de Mayo weekend to attend cultural festivities, which is where you’ll want to be for an authentic dose of Mexican culture.
Maybe don’t wear themed T-shirts and costumes on May 5th. They bring no value to the celebration.
- Do support Mexican businesses, but don’t forget to check they’re also Mexican-owned.
Food is always a complimentary addition to any cultural holiday and Mexican food is by far one of the most appreciated worldwide.
In fact, UNESCO recognized traditional Mexican food as part of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010, so what has been acknowledged here is the need to preserve Mexican food identity as a cultural treasure.
No one would need telling that Mexican food is good, but if you think you’ve eaten well at Mexican restaurant chains, wait ’till you try the real thing.
Go to a family owned Mexican restaurant this Cinco de Mayo, maybe within a Mexican community, because that’s where you’ll find the treasures of the Mexican cuisine. And you’ll also be supporting Mexican-owned businesses.
- Be frugal with your expenses, but don’t go cheap on grocery buys.
To celebrate Cinco de Mayo like a Mexicano, you need to shop like a Mexicano. Now if you were in Mexico, even a trip to the supermarket would be different. All you’d have to do is sample local foods.
But here in America, unless you’re going out to eat, you have to make your own Mexican dishes.
Authentic Mexican markets are hard to come by in the States, so most people have to settle for Mexican grocery stores.
You can support these authentic businesses with buying Mexican ingredients from them to make your own food at home. Many of these stores sell store-made Mexican food as well, thus they’re worth shopping.
- Do enjoy the commercialization of Cinco de Mayo, but don’t be ignorant.
Cinco de Mayo isn’t really celebrated in Mexico, except in the region of Puebla where the holiday originates.
It is celebrated in the States the same way St. Patrick’s is, with a lot of commercial aspects to it, which is fine. We can treat it like a quasi-cultural holiday, but let’s avoid harmful stereotypes and silly behavior.
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Better to take this as an opportunity for knowledge and getting to know more of our neighbors.