Valley College Offers Flavor of Mexico’s Past

On a dark, overcast day at Valley College, the bottom corner of a white sign reading “Cinco de Mayo” in red and green letters was battered by the rain.

The drops had a beat to them--plick-plick-plicking on the cardboard--somehow complementing a musician’s plick-plick-plicking of a harp as part of the band playing traditional javana jorocha music.

Tuesday was Cinco de Mayo, marking the Battle of Puebla, in which Mexican forces defeated the French. Students at Valley College celebrated with a daylong appreciation of Mexican culture.

“We don’t get to celebrate our contributions that much,” said Peter Lopez, a Chicano studies instructor whose ancestors left Mexico four generations ago. “This is an important day, not just for Mexicans and Mexican Americans, but for everyone to celebrate a wonderful culture.”

Grupo Hueypan played songs from the Veracruz region of Mexico of the 17th century, Lopez said.

Later, performers demonstrated traditional Aztec dances and instructors gave lectures on Mexican culture.

The aroma of carne asada and rice and beans wafted through Monarch Hall from the courtyard where student chefs prepared the food.

“We are trying to give people a flavor of Mexico,” said Lorenzo Trujillo, Associated Student Union president. “We don’t learn a lot about it in school, but it’s part of all our heritage, not just Mexican American, but anyone who lives in [Southern California]. After all, this all used to be Mexico.”