Mexican Independence Day
Enough is enough, neither the king nor tributes exist for us any longer. I invite you to fight with me for our freedom because the hour of our liberty has struck! Our cause is holy and God will protect it! Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe! Long live Independence!
These are the Father Miguel’s words that marked the begging of the 10 year long struggle of Mexican people for their independence. The day of the Father Miguel’s speech (September 16) is nowadays celebrated across the Mexico as the Mexican Independence Day.
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican war of independence (1810 – 1821) was an armed conflict between the Mexicans and the Spanish colonial forces. This ten year long struggle for independence was everything but easy for the Mexican people, and it claimed over 15 000 Mexican lives and nearly half a million wounded.
A very challenging point of the Mexican war of independence was when Father Miguel was captures, trialed for treason and executed. His body was dismembered and his had displayed as a warning for all that support the struggle for independence.
This however didn’t discourage Mexicans to fight for their freedom; and it is because of their endurance and courage they won their independence and the Mexican Republic was born in 1823 (after the first Mexican Empire was abolished).
How do Mexicans Celebrate Independence Day?
In order to fully understand the significance and the beauty of the celebration of the Mexican Independence Day you should be in Mexico during this major Mexican holiday.
Every Mexican city and town looks like a Christmas tree. Cars, houses, buildings and streets in all Mexican cities, towns and villages are decorated with the Mexican Flags, balloons, ribbons in Mexican traditional colors, flowers and of course the lighted decorations .
Traditional Mexican costumes are everywhere to be seen, especially the sombreros (traditional Mexican hats with large brim). Mariachi music bands are playing traditional Mexican music and there is no person that doesn’t dance, sing or just shout.
The euphoria that takes place in the entire Mexico during the Mexican Independence Day is truly contagious. This is why if you find yourself in the middle of this amazing way of celebrating you would not be able not to dance and enjoy it as if it was your day of independence.
Of course the traditional Mexican foods are an important part of this celebration because, if nothing else, you need energy if you want to dance all daylong.
The taste of traditional Mexican food made in Mexico, especially during the festivities, cannot be described by wards. This is why you need to try it in order to find out how great it is.
These festivities are also a good chance to enjoy Mexican beer and the most famous Mexican drink tequila. Often during the independence celebration very good and expensive tequila bottles are opened and if you are lucky enough you may try some.
A side from delicious Mexican food, traditional Mexican beer, tequila, Mexican music, Mexican dances and great atmosphere there is a unique experience of sense of unity and happiness. All this adds up to an unforgettable event that is called Mexican Independence Day.
There is no better way to celebrate freedom and independence and to commemorate the heroes of the independence war than the way Mexicans do it.
