Feliz Cinco de Mayo

I enjoy attending local parades. You can really get a sense of what’s important to a community by taking note of the reason for the parade, what’s included in the parade, and which businesses and entities are represented.

The first parade of the year in Scottsing (I believe), was this past Saturday: an early celebration of Cinco de Mayo, an appropriate kickoff to the parade season in a community that’s about one quarter Hispanic.

I heard a criticism that the parade should have been held on Broadway, the main Scottsbluff thoroughfare, instead of East Overland, which is associated with Hispanic neighborhoods. This person felt that Scottsbluff was too segregated, and that holding the parade on Broadway would demonstrate that Latinos are truly part of the heart of the community.

Interesting point.

But I believe that East Overland is really the best place for a parade that celebrates Mexican-American culture. I think it shows pride in the neighborhood. It helps bring customers to the restaurants on East Overland (El Molcajete, Carmen’s Burritos, Rosita’s, Las Siete Americas). It’s close to the Guadalupe Center, where further celebrations were scheduled. The Latinos who live in the surrounding area don’t have to travel as far. Some folks can even watch the parade from their own yards. And the abundance of business parking lots along the parade route allowed spectators to drive to the route and watch the parade from their cars if they chose, a handy option for a windy, chilly spring morning.

Enough of the analysis . . . on to some photos.

The parade started out, as they all do, with the American flag. I didn’t understand if the flag was “half-mast” for a reason, or if it was just too windy for the flag bearer to manage the heavy cloth.

But there were also Mexican flags aplenty.

In the KOC color guard

On cars

And in the hands of exuberant, flag-waving children (these little girls were sooo excited!)

Here’s a car that represents very well the identity of a lot of people around here:

Part Mexican-American

Part Husker fan

There were the colorful costumes of some young members of Los Guadelupanos.

And some good music on a flatbed trailer, from cold and windblown musicians.

The wind may have caused some consternation for those with long, white biker beards. (Not a good day for outdoor consumption of food for this guy.)

But Elvis’ pompadour was unaffected.

And then, my favorite part of the parade . . . los caballeros guapos.

I loved that many of the caballeros had little kids along for the ride, too.

It reminded me of one of the fondest experiences of my life: encountering a Veinticinco de Mayo parade, with lots of gauchos, in Andean Argentina.

Actually, there’s a similar “wild west” feeling in both the Panhandle and Jujuy Province. Makes sense that I love Wyobraska, as I fell in love with Tilcara at first sight.

Children, parades, horses, pride in one’s heritage . . . feliz Cinco de Mayo a todos!

Copyright 2010 by Katie Bradshaw