Recently, Hammond held its fifth annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration at the Hammond Civic Center. This event once again, featured great food and live music in a family friendly environment. This event keeps growing from year to year and all who attend feel welcome and included.

Some attendees however, may not have known the history of the holiday, but that didn't interfere with the celebration!

Being a bit of a history buff myself, I wanted to learn the reason for the celebration.

Cinco de Mayo, I came to learn is not Mexican Independence Day (which is celebrated in September) but instead commemorates the Battle of Puebla, which occurred on May 5, 1862. In June of 1861, the French had sent a new emperor to rule over Mexico, Maximilian of Hapsburg, a relative of Emperor Napoleon. The United States was preoccupied with its own Civil War and the people of Mexico had two choices, accept this new Emperor and foreign domination, or fight.

And fight is what the people of Mexico chose to do. Vastly outnumbered two to one, out-gunned and with little military experience, the Mexican forces, led by General Zaragoza were victorious over the French foreign invaders. While this battle did not win the war, it was deeply symbolic.

In American history neither the Boston Tea Party, nor the signing of the Declaration of Independence, actually expelled the British, but these symbolic gestures showed the world a young Nation's determination to be independent. It created pride in one's country -- it commanded respect.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates this independence, self determination and cultural pride and all of Hammond has so much to be proud of. Cultural pride remains today among many ethnic backgrounds, but all consider themselves part of Hammond, part of "da region", part of America. When it comes right down to it, no matter what the holiday, or in what language it's spoken, respect, pride and independence are always a cause for celebration.

Viva Hammond!