Different Latino Holidays and How they are celebrated.

[Wilmer Christopher Rivera]

It would be great if everyone can put down an experience or what they know of how certain holidays are celebrated. Maybe how your parents celebrate them, how different countries celebrate them...Venezuela Mexico etc. What are the ways they are celebrated and what makes them different from other Latin Countries and the U.S.? Maybe the food, the people, and so on. Let's talk about this and exchange ideas and know more of what we thought and know more about our diversity as Latinos!

[James Nored]

This should be an interesting and informative discussion!

[Marvin Diaz]

One thing that is really popular in Peru is that we do marching tournaments! Those were the good times, I use to be part of the team that would compete every year, but most important the big central tournament that we had on July, our Independence Day. Schools from all different part of the country gather up to compete in their current local states. I remember when our school competed it for the first time and got our very first “gallardete” which is the name of the price you receive if you get 1st,2nd, or 3rd place (it's kind of like a flag). We got second place the year of 2000! So it’s very usual to have these tournaments along the year, I remember waking up at six in the morning just to go to practice. People may say what’s to practice in marching or how do they evaluate the schools. Well there is a lot that is taken in count, such as neatness, we really dress up with special uniforms and have large group people marching in different divisions alogn with the "banda", and just about how good you perform the marching. I’m not trying to be anything cocky (lol) but I was really good at it, maybe I can get one of my pics scanned to my computer and upload it and show you guys how we do it and why not a video too! just gotta ask the old friends for it!

Cambio y fuera!

[Wilmer Christopher Rivera]

Yes, I was just going to say to do that, put some pics, or a few, and a video would be really cool too! That sounds very interesting, and I wonder if there's more marching festivals like that in other Latin American countries?? I bet there is.

[Marvin Diaz]

I got some videos!!

Click on HQ at the bottom right corner :)


Watch how high they raise their legs (i would say) once they crossed the white line and how synchronize they are! :D

I used to be in the section of those 3 holding the sticks or however they call it heh

And now they have a girl team too

[Wilmer Christopher Rivera]

Wow, that's cool how they move and everything. So is that regarded as a sport in Peru? Do you think it involved a lot of leadership to get people in those lines?

[Marvin Diaz]

This is not regarded as a sport. It's just Civic act we do in our country in certain time of the year, of course it requires a lot of work to perfectionate the whole group. And it does involved a lot of leadership to get your group well lined up and focused. Each section (I would say) has their leader, like the guy or girl who carriers the flag, they are the leaders of their "escolta" so the leader has to speak loud to them and tell them what steps and greetings do depending of the circumstances. It's a lot of pressure to be a leader, because if you mess up in a competetion lol you feel like the whole school blames you, not really but yeah it takes to be a leader in that category of leadership.

I remember when I came to the States I join the school army because I thought they were gonna do marching stuff like I thought so I was really excited! ( gonna get to do what I like!!!) but all i got was left and right!! xD but it's all good.

[Wilmer Christopher Rivera]

That is interesting. Do you know if this goes on in other countries as well? I think it happens in El Salvador or something similar, I'm not sure. So are you still in the school army? I bet there is a lot of detailed orientation to following up with everything and especially for the leaders. This is an example of leadership in a Latino custom. Cool.

[Marvin Diaz]

I really don't know if other countries do this kind of festivals but I'm sure there are some, maybe Mexico! Well the school army just did not work for me. When I found out that here they don't actually do the "marching competitions" I got out of it lol, pretty funny. I was kind of naive when I first got here hehe. What about you Wil, do you see yourself marching if you were taught :)?

[Wilmer Christopher Rivera]

Sorry about the marching not working out!
Oh I think so! I never really thought about it, but it sounds like fun and I think I would be up for it! Well I don't know of any here in the states, I know there is marching bands for school but besides that I'm not sure. It's great though, that we can see something really significant about Peru. I didn't know that! Maybe you could start one!
Well, I also think it's cool because, this marching in many ways shows many qualities of leadership, unity, discipline, and working together. And also leadership from, well the Leader, I think in that example there is examples of leadership. This is Latino Leadership in a sense. I think for groups to function you will definitely need unity, a leader, followers, and a sense of working together. There also has to be discipline from everyone to work towards the goal.

[James Nored]

Say, that is interesting. Thanks for sharing. I am totally unaware of most of these holidays. Every country has its own, does it not?

[Wilmer Christopher Rivera]

Yea, nice Say! Is there a video of this celebration or of the music? That would be sweet and I think would really give the picture of what this is like!

James Nored said:

Say, that is interesting. Thanks for sharing. I am totally unaware of most of these holidays. Every country has its own, does it not?