By: Tori Lubin ’18

In the year 1862, a measly Mexican Army of 2,000 faced off against the French fleet of 6,000 in a fierce battle now known as the Battle of Puebla. The winner? The scanty Mexican army. The beneficiary? America’s youth, who celebrate this victory in much greater galore than the residents of Mexico.

“I think that Cinco de Mayo has become popular in America simply because there are so many Mexican-Americans in the states,” Olivia Payne ’18, whose mother’s side of the family is of Mexican descent, said. “The day is very important in Mexico, so when people came to the States, they brought their traditions with them.”

In the years after the Franco-American War, Latinos in Northeast America and California celebrated the holiday through parades and nationalistic speeches about the importance of the victory. From there, it took off in the States, despite the fact that many Americans confuse its significance.

“It is important for me that students know that Cinco de Mayo is not Independence day in Mexico,” Staples Spanish teacher Ana Deluca stated.

While Deluca does not personally celebrate Cinco de Mayo, she shares the holiday with students in her classes.

“I do have an activity where I direct students to do research about the Cinco de Mayo celebration and its origins. I have some specific questions and afterwards we share our findings with the class,” Deluca added.

Payne celebrates the holiday by cooking a Mexican dinner with her family, though she notes that “we never do anything too big for the holiday.”

Food is an essential part of Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Mexico. Popular dishes in Mexico include Mole Poblano, a meat dish served with a type of chocolate sauce; Chalupas, a kind of fried thick tortilla; and Chiles en Nogada, which consists of a stuffed poblano pepper topped with walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds. The colors of Chiles en Nogada mimic that of the Mexican flag.

Fatima Alanis ’18, former Staples student and current resident of Mexico, however, does not see these kind of food festivities taking place in her community. “Cinco de Mayo is simply just another day here in Mexico,” Alanis said.

Nevertheless, Westport residents gorge on traditional Mexican-American cuisine to celebrate the holiday, as observed by Chris Autore, owner of the Mexican restaurant Border Grill Restaurant in Westport.

Autore noted that during and around Cinco de Mayo, there is a large influx of requests for catering services from Border Grill, especially for platters of American favorites like burritos, quesadillas and salads.

In reference to Westport residents’ reactions to Cinco de Mayo, Autore believes “there’s a lot of people who do celebrate.” He thinks this celebration of Cinco de Mayo in Westport is common “because it’s a fun holiday and a way to celebrate Mexican culture.”