Cinco de mayo

It’s almost May 5th.

Although many people in Norway believe that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day largely due to the image spread by the United States or think it’s just a day to drink margaritas, post weird Instagram photos, or eat tacos, it actually means much more than that.

So here are some very common misconceptions about Cinco de Mayo.

No. Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican equivalent of May 17th in Norway or the 4th of July in the United States.

Mexico’s actual Independence Day is celebrated every year on September 16th, not May 5th.

So, what is being celebrated?

It commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

At the time, this victory was very significant because the Mexicans outnumbered and with fewer resources defeated the French, who had one of the largest and most powerful armies in the world.

Meanwhile, the United States was in the middle of the Civil War, and Mexicans living there generally supported the Union.

Because of this, the Battle of Puebla also gained meaning for Mexican communities outside of Mexico, as a symbol of resistance and pride.

In the years following May 5th, 1862, the date was remembered and celebrated by Mexican laborers in the western United States as a symbol of pride and heroic resistance against oppression not as a symbol of endless margaritas or tacos.

No, it’s not a party.

In Mexico, it is a commemorative day, and for many people it passes like a normal day.

The main commemorative celebrations take place in Puebla, the city where the historic victory occurred.

And that’s about it.

It wasn’t until the Chicano Movement of the 1960s, which promoted Mexican-American empowerment, that Cinco de Mayo gained momentum as a celebration of cultural pride in the United States.

By the 1980s, alcohol companies began to see Cinco de Mayo as an opportunity to market Mexican beer and alcohol brands.

That’s how many non-Mexican people adopted the commercial tradition of wearing stereotypical sombreros and drinking excessive amounts of tequila.

Is it okay to wear a sombrero and dress up?

If you’re not Mexican, it’s better to avoid wearing a sombrero, fake mustache, or poncho as a costume.

Basically, if you can buy it at a party supply store, think twice.

And yes, even other Latino communities can fall into this.

Not all cultures are interchangeable. Being Latino doesn’t automatically mean understanding the Mexican experience. It would be like assuming all African cultures are the same, or that the Middle East is a single culture.

The problem is that many Cinco de Mayo costumes represent cartoonish stereotypes of Mexican culture.

Also, it’s not a dress-up holiday.

Just like when someone wears a Native headdress as a festival accessory or turns another culture into a “themed look,” respect and historical context are lost.

Imagine wearing a bunad bought at Partyland…

With so many options, just don’t pick that one.

By celebrating Cinco de Mayo without any context, a historical commemoration turns into a mockery.

And that’s especially offensive at a time when many migrant communities still face prejudice and discrimination.

But if you're going to eat a taco or have a margarita, do it by supporting a Mexican-owned business.