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For Cinco de Mayo, here's an idea, go to a party. That's what I did.

I live in New Mexico, where most of my friends have Hispanic family connections. They don't connect to their Mexican history as closely as they do their Spanish history, since their ancestors weren't part of Mexico very long, but were part of Spain or Spanish holdings for hundreds of years.

There is an old Spanish family here, by the name of C' de Baca, which goes back to Cabeza de Baca, the famous Spanish explorer and conqueror. Cabeza de Baca wasn't his real name, but it was what he used for a name, after being awarded the honorary title, "Head of the Cow." It was an honor, then, but the family goes by the name C' de Baca, now. Anyway, they threw a Cinco de Mayo party and invited me.

There were no cheap, ugly Mexican maracas or sombreros, but there was a mariachi band; or there was a band that played mariachi music, and other music when we tired of too much Mexican music. The party was around the swimming pool, with what I call lanterns, but they were round, white, and plain. When it got dark and the lights were turned on, there were red and green bulbs inside, throwing an interesting light over the pool and adding a bit of Mexican Fiesta flavor to the party.

There must have been twenty types of dip and one type of tortilla chip. There were three different queso (cheese) dips, four guacamole dips, and uncounted salsas and vegetable dips. The food included tamales, enchiladas, pasole (hominy), red and green chile sauces, and dessert bread pudding, with cinnamon and nutmeg spices.

We drank gallons of Tecate beer with lime and as the evening drew to a close, the band played Malleguena, The Lonely Bull, and the Mexican National Anthem. It was a great party, and the funny thing was, for the night, we all celebrated the proud heritage of Mexico, but none of us were from Mexico, and most didn't even speak Spanish.

Learn more about this author, Will Kester.
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