Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Labor Day Mexico and Day of the Cross

Labor Day (Día del Trabajo) is an International Holiday first established in the US in the late 1800's. The first time it was celebrated in Mexico was with a parade in 1913, with workers demanded their rights.

In 1923 as president of Mexico General Alvaro Obregon officially agreed that the first of May is the celebration of the Mexican working class struggle and from 1925 President Plutarco Elias Calles made the decision that each first of May Labor Day Mexico would celebrate.  It is a National holiday so banks and many businesses will be closed ... and this year a four day weekend.
 

Group of people who organized the festivities and demonstrations on 1 May 1913 to celebrate Labor Day. Image taken from the book: Gustavo Casasola, graphic History of the Mexican Revolution, Volume 2, Mexico, Editorial Trillas, 1973, p. 586.
 
Following Labor Day on the 3rd of May is the Dia de los Albañiles or Dia de la Cruz.   This day is not a national holiday but workers expect a good meal, a little cervesa and a cross on the house they are working.


Our cross from last year made by a workers wife

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The construction of the house finished in April 2011 and I'm pretty much settled in. As of March 2014 I'm in preparation for rain mode for this coming summer. That includes sealing and painting things and dealing with drainage issues from last year.

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House building in Pinal Villa

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