A Celebration of Mexican Heritage

If you are lucky enough to attend a reunion thrown by my father's side of the family, the phrase you are sure to hear shouted repeatedly is not the popular, "Be quiet, we're saying the prayer!" but a less prominent phrase of most Utah-held reuions, "Viva Mexico!" You see, even though my pasty white skin, thin brown hair, and Danish surname won't give you any clues, I am part Mexican. My father (who actually looks more the part with his thick black hair and dark skin) was born in Mexico and lived there until his early teens before he emigrated with his brothers and sister to Utah.

With that said, my immediate family doesn't have a close connection with our Mexican heritage. The only Spanish I know was learned in one semester of high school Spanish (oh, and Dora the Explorer). My mom cooked Mexican food for us once in a while and I do admit having a soft spot in my heart for Taco Bell. I vaguely remember taking cajeta to a school "culture day" and I think I have tasted flan but I don't think I liked it. I do like churros though--they're Mexican. But I have only had them at Disneyland--not so Mexican. There is not much more to my experience with Mexican culture than most "white-bread" Americans. But at my extended family reunions, I am reminded of a truly rich culture that is part of my heritage. It makes me sad that I do not know more about it. It makes me sad that I don't feel a part of it. My family has received the deserved yet lovingly given label of "gringo". Since the last family reunion which occurred this past Thanksgiving, I have been trying to do little things to remedy the situation.

-I picked out a traditional dress in the colors of Mexico's flag for Princess to wear to her preschools Cinco de Mayo celebration. As a child, I remember envying my cousins at the family reunions when they wore such dresses and performed folklorico dancing. I also found a little one for Pumpkin at the thrift store.

-I have visited the Famous Olvera Street a number of times. Last time there was an art exhibit of painted tortillas - not sure if this is a regular part of Mexican culture, but it sure looked fun! We also picked up a sombrero so we can practice the Mexican Hat Dance which happens to be the "national dance of Mexico".

-I learned how to make traditional Mexican tamales from a woman in my ward.

-I read a little more about Cinco de Mayo and felt stupid when I realized that it is not Mexico's Independence Day (which is what I always thought). I then felt better when the article stated the day is used in North America to "celebrate the culture and experiences of Americans of Mexican descent". Hey, that's me! Let's celebrate!

So here is how we are going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year:
-The girls are excited to wear their traditional Mexican Dresses all day.
-I planned on attending a Cinco de Mayo community celebration, but I just found out our local one has been canceled.
-So, we'll probably just turn on a Spanish Radio Station and perform our "Mexican Hat dance" at home.
-We are going to eat Mexican Food for dinner and because I don't trust my skills to make it authentic, we'll probably go out.
-Finally, I want to sit down with my daughters and tell them about their great-grandmother, Maria. I don't really know that much about her because she passed away when my father was young, but we will talk about what it was like for her to live in Mexico back then. We'll look at pictures and admire her thick, long, dark hair and I'll tell my girls that we all have her same dark brown eyes.

I know many of these things seem pretty shallow. They really just skim the surface of what it means to really celebrate your heritage, but I figure becoming familiar with the heritage is the first step. And the more I learn about and experience the Mexican culture the more I am ready to join with my extended family and shout "Viva Mexico!".