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The Mexican Holiday "El Grito"
September 16th,
“El Grito”, the Shout or Cry for independence, is one of the most
celebrated mational holidays in Mexico.
Yes, that means the biggest fiestas or parties in just about every part of Mexico on this day. While this is not when the Mexicans actually realized their independence from the Spaniards it is celebrated more than the famous 5 de Mayo (5th of May, when the Mexicans won the battle of Puebla but that’s another story) celebration that many northerners are so familiar with.
In
the dawn hours actually on the 15th of September, Hidalgo and other
conspirators such as Ignacio Allende rang the bell of the little church in
Dolores and the ten year revolution began. In the following days the
masses were able to take the cities of San Miguel, Celya and Guanajuato
and almost entered Mexico City but Hidalgo ordered a retreat. The small
band of loyal followers he had started with had grown rapidly into a mob
of more than 10,000 over a period of days. It is said that Hidalgo feared
what the angry mob would do to the capital city of his country.
Unfortunately
for him, he was not able to really see the fruit of the seed he planted,
as he was executed in July of 1811 after having been tried by the
Inquisition. Hidalgo will always be known as the Father of Mexico’s
Independence because his original “Grito” is what caused the revolution,
to help Mexicans finally gain their independence from Spain.
President Pofirio Diaz on September 16th 1910 reenacted the ringing of the actual bell that Hidalgo had used one hundred years before to begin the social revolution that lead to Mexico’s Independence. The actual date of the “El Grito” is said to be the 15th of September but that was already Saint Pofirio Day which was President Pofirio’s birthday.
It is from that time, that the 16th of September has
become one of the greatest fiestas every year where everyone gathers in
the town square (zócalo) and is celebrated with
the President of Mexico ringing of the same bell Hidalgo rang, which is
presently at the government Palace in Mexico City, at 11:00 pm during the
generally all night party and all shout
Viva Mexico!
Jaime
