CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE : Mexican Holiday Celebrated

Cal State Northridge students marked Mexican Independence Day with a celebration of Mexican culture that drew hundreds of San Fernando Valley residents.

The festivities Wednesday evening at San Fernando Recreation Park included Aztec dancers, mariachi music and comedy theater.

Sponsoring the event were students involved in CSUN’s MEChA club. Earlier the same day, the group held a smaller event on campus.

With at least 200 people showing up for the San Fernando event, it was clear why organizers decided to hold the larger celebration off campus.

“We decided that what we wanted to do also is to bring it to the community,” said Jose Luis Vela, CSUN MEChA chairman.

In particular, the event brought a mixture of cultural pride and a message about the importance of education.

Students milled about the crowd passing out CSUN brochures as colorful performers from “Grupo Cuauhtemoc” danced to the beat of an ancient drum amid a haze of burning sage.

Speaking in Spanish, Paztel Mireles, 50, lead dancer of “Grupo Cuauhtemoc,” called the audience’s attention to education in a dramatic fashion. He paused just long enough between dancing barefoot in a loincloth and baring his chest to flames to encourage spectators to educate their children to help them live better in today’s society.

Although the festivities attracted an audience mostly from the surrounding community, there were a few exceptions.

Vera Rocha, chief of California’s Gabrielino Indian tribe, came to Mexican Independence Day, which marks Mexico’s independence from Spain, to educate others about the history of Mexico before the Spaniards came.

After answering a young boy’s question about her hawk feather, Rocha said: “That’s our goal, to keep our culture alive and to educate. I always tell them, you were Indian first before you were Mexican.”

Monica Jacobo, 18, a CSUN freshman, attended the celebration to “learn a little bit more about my culture. There’s not enough information that we’re given in high school--not unless you go out and find it.”

Others came simply to enjoy the entertainment, even if they were not a part of the culture. “I love to listen to it,” said Bob Sawin, 84, of Granada Hills.