¡Viva México!

Today is an extraordinary day to be in Mexico. On this day 200 years ago, a Roman Catholic priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla addressed the townspeople of Dolores, calling for a revolt against the Spanish government and for the defense of their land, religion and rights. The Battle of Guanajuato ensued a few days later and Mexico’s 10-year War of Independence was under way.



Every year on the night of September 15th, Hildalgo y Costilla’s famed speech is commemorated when the president gives a grito to a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Mexico City’s Zόcalo. This grito is repeated by governors and mayors in cities and towns all over the country, including Cuernavaca.

Last night my friend Molly and I went with high expectations to Cuernavaca’s Zόcalo for the grito and we were not disappointed. Among the thousands of people were families and food vendors and merchants selling everything from giant bubble wands and balloons to patriotic knickknacks of every kind. The entertainment, which included dance and music groups honoring la patria, took place on a giant stage which was temporarily erected in the plaza and began early on in the evening. The security presence was high - bags were checked by police and most people were frisked upon entering the gated plaza - but there was energy and excitement in the air. The the crowd really got going with the performance of the headline artist, the one and only Pedro Fernández (Yeah, I didn’t know who he was either. Check out the fantastic music video below for a small taste of Pedro. My favorite part is the traditional mariachi garb of Pedro and his band juxtaposed with the football cheerleader-esque dancers.)



When Pedro finished, the mayor of Cuernavaca gave the much-anticipated grito and the crowd went wild. Below is the English translation of the grito (courtesy of Wikipedia) issued last night all over the country by Mexico’s president, governors, and mayors:

Mexicans!
Long Live the Heroes that gave us our Fatherland!
Long Live Hidalgo!
Long Live Morelos!
Long Live Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez!
Long Live Allende!
Long Live Aldama and Matamoros!
Long Live National Independence!
Long Live the Independence Bicentennial!
Long Live the Centennial of the Revolution!
Long Live Mexico!
Long Live Mexico!
Long Live Mexico!

It's hard to describe in words what it felt like to participate in the grito alongside the Mexican people. It gave me chills, to say the least. Here is a Youtube video of the grito in Mexico City that gives you an idea of what it's like. It's long, so just watch the beginning:



In addition to the Bicentennial celebration, today also marks the 100-year anniversary of the Mexican Revolution in which Francisco Madero led an uprising against the dictator Porfirio Díaz and for which Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata became legendary heroes. Also worth noting is a marked significance of this year's grito. While the wars for independence and political democracy have been fought and won by the Mexican people, the war against the narcos continues. Hopefully the spirit and determination of the likes of Hidalgo and Morelos will bring this country to triumph once again. ¡Que Viva México!