Cultural Appropriation and Cinco de Mayo

Ohh Cinco de Mayo, how us United Statesians* love you. We wear sombreros and mustaches and drink tequila all day to celebrate our southern neighbor, Mexico's Independence. But what most people don't realize is that dressing up in those costumes and celebrating how they do is actually cultural appropriation. If you think that this is not important and "cultural appropriation is bullshit" (literally one of the suggestions when you google cultural appropriation) then please see my previous post about color-blind racism and the four frames used to justify discrimination. It should prove to be enlightening.

May 5th is not Mexico's independence day. It's actually celebrated on September 15th and 16th to commemorate an uprising against Spanish rule in 1810. But many people think it celebrates a Mexican victory over the French on May 5th, 1862. It was a very important and profound victory so it was celebrated over the years in the Chicano community and eventually became a national holiday. But in the 1980's the alcohol companies started to capitalize on Chicano movements that used May 5th and it's rich history to rally. Ohh capitalism, profiting off of a culture like that is not okay.

Cultural appropriation is taking elements of another culture, often sacred and symbolic, and presenting it in a shallow manner. It turns someone's culture into a trend or commodity, and it is an act of privilege. The alcohol companies profit off of someone's culture, and it in no way gives back to the Mexican culture. If a Mexican identifying person were to walk down the street in the U.S. wearing a sombrero and traditional poncho, they would most likely be ridiculed or stigmatized in some way. The stigma doesn't stay when it's someone of the dominant culture, they can take it on and off when it's useful. There's the privilege. It simply displays the unequal power balance between cultures.

 As this poster suggests, using a culture as a costume is just not okay. This is also a problem around Halloween. Using someone's cultural symbols to satisfy a personal need for self-expression is also a privilege. And it comes with many historical and social implications. So just don't do it.

Cultural exchange is a mutual understanding that embodies equality and respect for another culture that is not your own. It is a respectful engagement by a humble and invited guest. Spend time immersed in the culture, truly try to understand the history of the people and who they are today, educate yourself, it's not the responsibility of someone in the culture to be your bridge and teach you everything. If you are really interested in cultural exchange, you will do the work.

So in a month when Cinco de Mayo comes around, instead of going out and buying a sombrero, think twice. Think about what that day really is and maybe go do some research for yourself, or spend some time getting to know someone that is Mexican instead of appropriating Mexican culture and exercising your privilege in vein.


*I use the term United Statesians because to use the term American is a privilege that only those in the U.S. can seem to claim, although North America is more that the U.S. So why aren't Canadians or Mexicans also Americans or why aren't we all just North Americans? Food for thought.