A notable day will soon arrive in the first week of May, with the holiday of Cinco de Mayo on May 5. Since that day falls on a Monday this year, a lot of celebrations will instead be held on Saturday, May 3.
But Cinco de Mayo seems to be in flux, in terms of how widely celebrated it is in terms of being a festival to celebrate Mexican culture.
To discuss what is happening with Cinco de Mayo trends are three guests: Olga Guevara, who is the executive director of Unity in Action organization of South Sioux City, plus Lupe Gonzalez, who is involved with the celebration in South Sioux City as a business owner, and Karen Mackey, executive director of the Human Rights Department of the city of Sioux City.
The guests discuss Latino demographic trends in the area, and the misconception of Cinco de Mayo being Mexico's Independence Day.
Cinco de Mayo is a patriotic Mexican day of note that commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla, where a small Mexican force, against overwhelming odds, defeated the French army. By comparison, September 16 is Mexican Independence Day, a day commemorating when Father Hidalgo, a priest and leader, called for Mexico's liberation from Spain in September 1810.
The three guests share thoughts on what elements make for a notable Cinco de Mayo, in terms of food, music, dance and more, and whether such celebrations are being homogenized or attaining an authenticity that Mexican people will embrace.
There are seemingly less Cinco de Mayo events in Siouxland now compared to just a few years ago. One example is in Denison, Iowa, where roughly half the population is Latino, and which no longer has a big May city celebration.
The South Sioux City event on Dakota Avenue starts at 3 p.m. May 3, and runs into the evening.
*Click on the audio link above to hear the entire show.
What's The Frequency, Episode 61.
