“No, it’s not Cinco de Mayo – it’s September 16.”
I have found myself making this clarification more than once, especially outside Mexico. Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In the United States, Mexican and other Latino communities in California began marking the date during the Civil War because they saw that victory as part of a broader defense of freedom and democratic government. Over time, it became a Mexican American tradition and an expression of cultural identity. You can read more about its American origins here.
The difference is more than an interesting historical detail. It also shows how traditions travel, adapt and acquire different meanings depending on the culture experiencing them.
Mexico’s Independence Day, however, is September 16th, marking the beginning of the independence movement in 1810.
The real, “Hecho en Mexico” Celebration
The celebration begins on the evening of September 15. Families and friends gather. Streets, homes and workplaces fill with green, white and red. The cities and towns dress up their streets with colored lights. The big cities show off an equivalent of lights competing with year-end celebrations. The “Chiles en Nogada” and other culinary specialties are well promoted and made in some homes. Then comes el Grito: a voice calls from a balcony and the crowd responds, “¡Viva!” Only in Mexico, and at the foreign service consulates of embassies if you’re a Mexican out of the country.
What has always struck me is that the Grito is not something people simply watch. They answer.
One voice may initiate the ritual, but thousands of voices give it meaning. For a few moments, people from different regions, generations and backgrounds become part of the same experience. At times like this, I remember why, for me, there is no better place to live than Mexico. You cannot get the feeling of real collectivism more than in these fully packed public spaces on Independence day.
What the celebration reveals about the Mexican culture
- Collectivism and relationships are clearly present. The evening is rarely experienced alone. Its meaning lives in the gathering—in family, friends, food, music and the feeling of participating together.
- Emotional expressiveness also plays an important role. Pride is visible and audible. People sing, cheer, embrace and respond with enthusiasm. In more emotionally restrained cultures, national pride may be expressed more quietly or through a formal ceremony. Neither expression is more sincere; they simply communicate belonging differently. But in Mexico, it’s loud and clear, one cannot miss it.
- There is also an interesting relationship with hierarchy. The Grito is traditionally initiated by an authority figure from a formal setting, yet the leader cannot complete it alone. The ritual only comes alive when the people respond.
This last moment offers a useful organizational lesson. A leader may hold the authority to call people together, define a direction or articulate a purpose. Commitment begins when others recognize themselves in that message and choose to answer.
Tradition provides continuity as well. Repeating a familiar ritual connects the present with previous generations. Within organizations, shared traditions can serve a similar purpose. They preserve stories, recognize contributions and remind people what the group values, particularly during periods of uncertainty or change.
Finally, there is the cultural permission to enjoy the moment. Celebration does not necessarily sit outside serious work. Sharing food, laughter and conversation can strengthen the relationships through which trust, cooperation and information later flow.
Turning celebration into connection
For a foreign leader working in Mexico, the first step is curiosity. Learn what is being celebrated and why. Ask colleagues what the date means to them and how their families or regions observe it. Participate without reducing the occasion to costume and cliché.
Respect should also be practical. Avoid unnecessary late meetings on September 15 or early meetings on September 16. Recognizing that this is important family and social time communicates cultural awareness more clearly than a generic holiday email.
Local leaders have another challenge: familiarity can lead us to assume that everyone relates to the celebration in the same way. Yet regional, generational and family traditions differ. Instead of planning another obligatory office party, invite the team to help shape the experience.
A company could make September a month of connection: ask people to share traditions from different regions, recognize examples of solidarity and ingenuity, include Mexican team members in planning, support a local community or discuss how the organization contributes to the country.
The purpose is not to manufacture national pride. It is to create room for identity to be expressed naturally and respectfully and to connect that identity with the organization’s everyday behavior.
Flags and decorations can open the conversation. What leaders and organizations do around them determines whether people feel included.
Perhaps that is what the Grito can remind us: belonging begins when someone calls, but it becomes real when others feel moved to answer.
Oh, and yes, we sometimes celebrate Cinco de Mayo as well. Why? Because in Mexico, almost any day is also a good opportunity to celebrate, enjoy some good food and spend time with friends.
