In Berlin and the rest of Germany, los mexicanos, sus amigos y familias are busy preparando for ‘El Grito’, which stands for their Independence Day. In times of Corona, celebrating the traditional party es difícil, pero posible.
Considering ‘El Paseo de la Reforma’ in Mexico City is located 9,721 kilometers (6,040 miles) from Berlin’s ‘Kurfürstendamm’, the Mexican community in the Federal Republic of Alemania es quite grande. ¡Hola, gente!¡Ya es tiempo para El Grito!¡Ándale, pues!
Independence Day Party
There are some 16,000 Mexicans in the land of cuckoo clocks and vehicles with stars on their hoods. Nuestros amigos, los mexicanos, are the largest group of Latin Americans in Germany. Many have German family members and countless friends. It is safe to say que hay mucha gente en la comunidad.
No matter where they are, Mexicans do want to celebrate ‘El Grito’, su día de independencia, on September 16th. This year is no exception, even though el pinche coronavirus is changing the way the party will go down. Hay que celebrar El Grito. ¡Basta!
Tacos y el Sonido Auténtico
‘El Grito’ goes back to the ‘Grito de Dolores’ in 1810, or exactly 210 years ago, when the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang his bell and gave the call to arms. At that moment, the war of independence against New Spain commenced. At the Palacio Nacional en la Ciudad de México, they still have that very same bell. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will use it on September 16th. That’s the theory. Let’s get back to the party.
La fiesta más grande in Germany will take place in Berlin on Saturday, September 12th and Sunday, September 13th, 2020, at the Osthafen club. One thing is certain: Delicious food y mucha música mexicana will be delivered. When we party, we party hardy, right?¡Claro que sí, paisanos!
Double Burn
Just follow the smell of those delicious chiles en nogada, those quesadillas, tacos al pastor y toda la comida deliciosa. Yes, the red sauce is so spicy it will burn twice during the digestion process, but it is worth it, créanme. Apart from the food, el agua de tamarindo, el tepache, el tequila and everything, there will be truckloads of cultura at the event organized by the ‘Viva Mexiko’ society, Laura Vaquier and Maya Nuñez.
The program includes a workshop for kids where they can make ojos de dios, work with dolls and listen to Mexican stories. A puppet theater will be presenting ‘La Pajarita de las Zapatillas Brillantes‘. Folklore dances and Aztec performances are part of it too. And all of this is only the beginning.
Cumbia and Mariachi
El grupo Sistema Sonidero is scheduled to present the right Cumbia sound, while los Mariachis El Dorado will do their thing. Los Son Jarocho are responsible for more traditional Mexican music. The Horn Tuba Quintett Berlin, Arturo Pantaleón and Los Cumbiancheros will be there. ¡Qué bueno! ¿Oye, dònde están Los Angeles Azules de Iztapalapa? ¿Van a venir?
Did anyone say “Corona”? We just did. Because of the pandemic, the number of guests at ‘El Grito’ in Berlin is limited. People are supposed to bring their own protective masks and wear them. Y no olviden la regla de distancia. ¡Viva México!
‘El Grito’ in Berlin
September 12th (from 12:00 noon) and 13th (from 1:00 p.m.), 2020
Osthafen, Alt Stralau 1-2 (Friedrichshain). According to members of the Mexican community in Berlin, tickets are 12 Euro.