¡Feliz cinco de mayo! A message from an American of Irish, Scottish, and Mexican descent:
In Mexico it’s just a regional holiday commemorating the victory of the 1862 Battle of Puebla, which a lot of you probably already know, and a lot of you probably didn’t. Either way, in America it’s basically unofficial Mexican appreciation day, and I’m all for spreading awareness of and appreciation for different cultures, even if the day was pretty arbitrarily chosen. So today I’ll be posting some great Mexican music for you all to listen to while you enjoy all the delicious food and drinks and colorful festivities today. And if you *really* want to show your appreciation for Mexican people and culture, how about learning something about the Mexican people in your very own communities, all across the country, both their history and the issues that matter to them today. You might just find they’re issues you care about, too. And remember to appreciate Mexican people and culture *all year long*, not just today!
So to kick things off: You all know and love the song “La Bamba” (and Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie Valens in the movie version – or is that just me?), so now crank up the volume and enjoy “La Bamba Rebelde” by L.A. band Las Cafeteras!
(It’s actually almost midnight here now in Expat-Land and I need to be getting off to sleep, so I’ll be posting more always great and sometimes even thought-provoking Mexican American songs and lyrics, over the course of the weekend — but you don’t mind an excuse to stretch out the cinco de mayo bingeing a few more days, right?)