Monday, September 6, 2010
Spain Too is Joining in Mexican Bicentennial Festivities
By Allan Wall
This year, 2010, Mexico celebrates
the Bicentennial of its independence from Spain, and Independence Day (Sept. 15/16) looks to be a big extravaganza. As well, 2010 is the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution. (See
2010: The Year of Mexico’s Bicentennial and Centennial)
Nor is Mexico the only Spanish-speaking
country celebrating independence from Spain. This year Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina
and Chile are also observing their Bicentennials. In 2009 and in 2011, other
Latin American countries have their Bicentennials. (See Bicentennial Festivals in Latin America are Mexico-Plus)
So, all these countries are celebrating
independence from Spain. And not to be left out, Spain is involved with the festivities as well.
The nations celebrating their
Bicentennials from 2009 to 2011 formed the Grupo Bicentenario (Bicentennial Group), to coordinate joint commemoration of Latin
American independence. The group is composed of the nine nations celebrating
independence from Spain — and Spain itself.
The European mother country of
the Hispanic nations also participated by sending a tall sailing ship to the 5-month Bicentennial regatta this year that sailed
from Brazil to Veracruz, Mexico.
Is it strange and ironic that
Spain would help Mexico and other Latin nations celebrate their independence from the Spanish Empire?
Maybe so, but there are valid
reasons for Spain’s participation, and it illustrates various aspects of Spanish-Latin American relations which are
still strong.
Although Mexico and other Latin
American nations won their independence from Spain, they never separated culturally.
They are, after all, still very much Spanish-speaking countries. Mexico
is by far the world’s largest Spanish-speaking country.
In a similar fashion, the United
States won its independence from Britain. However, the War of Independence was certainly not a rejection of English culture,
upon which our nation is still based. As John Adams pointed out, it was not a
war against the English character.
Remember the celebration of the
U.S. Bicentennial in 1976? Britain got involved in that celebration by loaning
us the Magna Carta. This document, signed in 1215, is a precursor of our own
Constitution. So fittingly, in 1976, the historic charter was on display in Washington,
D.C., in the Capitol rotunda. Many Americans, including myself, were able to
see it there.
Likewise, it’s quite
understandable for Spain to participate in Latin American Bicentennials.
Indeed, the common language is
a great advantage for Spain. Spanish authors sell their books in Latin America,
Spanish pop stars sell their music, and Spanish investors invest money in the region.
After the U.S., Spain is the second-largest outside investor in Latin America.
You might even say that Spain
has almost all the advantages of trading with Latin America without the disadvantage of having to govern the region!
Furthermore, the existence of
a common language in the vast region stretching from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego is a potential advantage for all the Spanish-speaking
countries.
Certainly many Latin Americans
have ambivalent feelings about Spain. The official history of Mexico portrays
the Spanish conquistadors as villains while romanticizing the Aztecs.
It’s not always a
racial thing either. Some white Mexicans of Spanish descent can be the biggest Spaniard-bashers. Of course, they speak in
the Spanish language in order to bash the Spaniards.
Today there is plenty of interest
in contemporary Spain. Look at the following in Latin America for the Spanish
soccer league, Spanish celebrities and the Spanish royal family. Speaking of
the Spanish royal family, a few years ago Spain’s King Juan Carlos was selected in a poll as the most respected leader
in Latin America!
As for Mexican-Spanish
cooperation in the 2010 Mexican Bicentennial, a ceremony held this year in Spain took care of some unfinished business from
a couple of centuries ago.
The ceremony was held on
May 16th, 2010, in the city of Santander on the northern coast of Spain. It was
presided over by Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico, and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the President of Spain.
The ceremony’s purpose
was an interchange of military standards (banners), taken as trophies of war during the era of the independence struggle.
Spain returned to the possession
of Mexico the “twin banners” of the Dragones de la Reina, the military regiment commanded by Mexican insurgent
leader Ignacio Allende.
The banners are two-sided.
One side portrays the Virgin
of Guadalupe. The other side portrays
Saint Michael along with a snake with a serpent in its mouth. This latter image, taken from Aztec tradition, is part
of Mexico’s current coat of arms and flag.
The twin banners were taken in
the Battle of Calderon Bridge, in Jalisco, on January 17th, 1811. After a victory by the royalists, they took the banners
from the insurgents. Eventually the historic banners wound up in Spain, where they were until this year.
The Spanish standards were
taken by Mexico after its victory in the Battle of Pueblo Viejo in 1829. This
ended a Spanish military campaign that year which failed to reconquer Mexico.
So Mexico gets back the
banners it lost in 1811 in exchange for giving Spain back the banners taken by Mexico in 1829.
At the ceremony, Spanish President
Rodriguez Zapatero declared that “I am delighted to be here today to celebrate an event that honors Spain and Mexico's
common history…. The fact that these flags are returning to their homeland
is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and historically significant acts in the commemoration of the Bicentennial of the
Start of Mexican Independence.”
In his remarks, Mexico’s
President Calderon said that “… Spain and Mexico have transcended the past without denying it and turned it into
a new link…. This ceremony is also a testimony of the brotherhood that
links us…. We are linked by a rich, heroic past, as well as a brilliant,
promising future. Qué viva México y qué viva España."
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Allan Wall, an educator, resided in Mexico for many years. His website is located at www.allanwall.net.
