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St. Louis doesn't have a big Hispanic population like many U.S. cities but what we have is full of enthusiasm. There is a growing, energetic Cinco de Mayo festival in early May on Cherokee Street. Cinco de Mayo is a curious celebration. It's mostly observed in the State of Puebla, celebrating the victory of the Mexican forces against a far larger French army in 1862. It's not a national holiday in Mexico and is far less important than Independence Day on September 15. The U.S., however, has seized on it as an excuse to swill gallons of Corona and Tecate, gobble burritos and listen to brassy mariachis.
I shot 1,037 pictures yesterday. (I promise I won't post them all here.) Most of them were the usual repetitive, poorly composed junk but there were some pearls. Here, a father and son wear the headgear of luchadores, the masked wrestlers of lucha libre, the wildly popular Mexican form of professional wrestling.
There is a growing set of photos from the festival on Flickr here. More to come over the next few days.
St. Louis doesn't have a big Hispanic population like many U.S. cities but what we have is full of enthusiasm. There is a growing, energetic Cinco de Mayo festival in early May on Cherokee Street. Cinco de Mayo is a curious celebration. It's mostly observed in the State of Puebla, celebrating the victory of the Mexican forces against a far larger French army in 1862. It's not a national holiday in Mexico and is far less important than Independence Day on September 15. The U.S., however, has seized on it as an excuse to swill gallons of Corona and Tecate, gobble burritos and listen to brassy mariachis.I shot 1,037 pictures yesterday. (I promise I won't post them all here.) Most of them were the usual repetitive, poorly composed junk but there were some pearls. Here, a father and son wear the headgear of luchadores, the masked wrestlers of lucha libre, the wildly popular Mexican form of professional wrestling.
There is a growing set of photos from the festival on Flickr here. More to come over the next few days.
Interesting post. I look forward to more of your photos. You are right that Cinco de Mayo has been adopted in the USA in larger proportions than its significance in Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is a big deal in Arizona.
ReplyDeleteWell thanks for the heads us last night. Thanks to you Cinco de Mayo won't be forgotten on my blog and as you know I have the perfect portrait for it.
ReplyDeleteThese two are just great. I love the look that little guy is giving you and I'm sure you didn't miss the eyes repeated on the red thing. Is it too early for just one Corona? HA
It looks like the son will need to grow into his mask! Cinco de Mayo is a bigger celebration here in Arizona where we have a very large hispanic population. However, my favorite Cinco de Mayo memory took place in London at a quite good Mexican restaurnt with good friends and one family member.
ReplyDeleteLove these two portraits.
ReplyDeleteThat bottom portrait is priceless!
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