Big Day in La Peñita

Look at those curls! Something special was going on!

Yesterday was Mexican Independence Day -- the BIG one. November 20, 1910, was the day designated in Francisco I. Madero's Plan de San Luis, that the proletariat should rise up and overthrow the aristocratic government of Porfirio Diaz. They did, starting a revolution that, according to some, continues today. At any rate, the parade continued, practically the whole day. We caught the beginning, about 9:30 in the morning, and pooped out a couple of hours later when the heat and humanity became a little overwhelming. We hear the high school bands and charros in the afternoon were pretty spectacular. Maybe next year. This year, at least, we enjoyed seeing the very young kids present a parade of Mexican history.....

This is the way I would have enjoyed teaching eighth grade U.S. Social Studies back in Plainview, Texas. Talk about getting kids involved with the subject matter!

What I was really impressed with was the patience and fortitude of these very young kids standing all dressed up in the hot, hot sun.

The teacher wearing red spike heels was also impressive. Ouch!

There were battle re-enactments: stamp on firecrackers and all fall down!

These two guys had a job that every little boy envied...putting firecrackers down a home made cannon. This was not a quiet parade!

There was lots of dancing to the corrida which honors Pancho Villa, La Cucaracha....

enthusiastic musicians...... (look at those cheeks! watch out for those drumsticks!).....

and historical figures....like Maximilian and Carlota, Emiliano Zapata, Francisco Madero, and Victoriano Huerta. (They were all wearing name tags, but I would have known them anywhere! Right.)

Members of the press were represented, a very dignified contingent of the fourth estate. The main focus seemed to be keeping the false bigotes (mustaches) in place.

There were vast numbers of the proletariat....

who would overthrow the aristocratic class, all spit and polish and parasols.

Following all this were groups of kids marching, representing various rights guaranteed by the new constitution. Every school child had a part to play, and every parent had a camera. And I can see now why every Mexican has a rich sense of history.

I'll put up an album of more pictures from the parade under the link "Susan's Albums." It will be called something like Independence Day in La Peñita.