RECENTLY, the Embassy of Mexico in the Philippines was pleased to receive Prof. Cuauhtémoc Villamar, a Mexican diplomat and historian who has devoted most of his working life to Asia—specifically in promoting cultural and academic cooperation.
Professor Villamar has a particular enthusiasm about the Acapulco-Manila Galleon trade route, the main historic link that connected Mexico and the Philippines for 250 years.
Interested in promoting the above-mentioned bond and Villamar’s main findings in his doctoral dissertation regarding a Portuguese trade and commerce network that played a major role in the formation of the economic system known as the Manila Galleon (1565-1600), the Mexican Embassy organized the “Why Manila?” conference in May.
History within the walls
WHY Manila? was held at the Instituto Cervantes de Manila-Casa Azul, a beautiful space in the historical heart of the Philippines: Intramuros. It is worth noting that the walls of Intramuros had experienced the shared history between Mexico and the Philippines throughout the centuries, and therefore provided the best setting to talk about the Legazpi expedition of 1565.
In Why Manila?, Villamar deliberated about the events that led Miguel Lopez de Legazpi—a former mayor of Mexico City—to establish the capital of the Philippines in Manila, and not in Cebu, the arrival place of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition 40 years before.
Villamar affirmed that the decision was a product of a well-thought and carefully carried out analyses that pondered on geopolitical considerations with “multiple and complex results: the introduction of Mexican and Peruvian silver in Asia, the beginning of Asian commerce that was mainly Chinese and, above all, the immense wealth of human knowledge that was turned over from that Philippine contact.”
Cinco de Mayo celebration
THE month of May had more surprises with regard to the cultural awareness of Mexico in the Philippine scenery.
Without question, the most relevant were the two events organized to celebrate Cinco de Mayo; one with members of the Mexican community and the other, with business leaders and Philippine government officials.
Allow me to share that there is a common misunderstanding of what Mexicans celebrate on Cinco de Mayo, particularly because of the massive events that take place on this day across the United States and around the world portraying the festivity as if it was our Independence Day. Well, it is not.
What, then, do we celebrate? It is the heroism that took place on May 5, 1862, when the Mexican army, led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza, defended the Republic and defeated the French army invaders of Emperor Napoleon III in the Battle of Puebla, an event that has always been celebrated and lauded for.
By the way, General Zaragoza was a Mexican born in Texas, when it was still part of Mexico. This fact could help explain the commemoration of the Battle of Puebla, which has been lively celebrated since the beginning in what is now American territory.
Mexicans may not be celebrating their independence every Cinco de Mayo, but what we do celebrate is Mexican patriotism. We commemorate the heroes who died to give us identity and freedom, as well as the Mexican determination that makes our society and country a proud one.
Indeed, we gather on Cinco de Mayo to celebrate Mexico.