Happy Cinco de Mayo!
More than a reason to eat Mexican food and enjoy a Mariachi band, Cinco de Mayo is observed in the United States
and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. There is a common misconception that the 5th of May is Mexico's Independence Day, but that is actually September 16. Cinco de Mayo commemorates a victory of Mexican forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Only regionally celebrated in Mexico, it is gaining popularity as the day to celebrate Mexican culture in the United States. Don't let the fact that is not a national holiday stop you, celebrate!!!
Check out a
quick video at Teacher Tube.
So, how do we celebrate? We celebrate
Diego Rivera, muralist of Mexico. Our most popular
Traveling Exhibit, Diego Rivera was masterful at depicting the history of Mexico through murals so intricate, it's mind boggling. We are so fortunate that our local museum (
The Detroit Institute of Arts) is home to a magnificent Rivera mural celebrating U.S. industry.
You can enjoy a mural right in your school or library. Beyond a museum, it's the best way for students to understand the magnificent
murals of Diego Rivera!
La Calavera de la Catrina was a 1913 zinc etching by Mexican printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada. As you may know, it was the etchings of Posada that inspired Diego Rivera. In the Rivera Exhibit that features A Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Park, you can see Catrina front and center.
