10/25/2026
Public Service Announcement. Save the Date: November 1, 2026, San Benito, Texas. To all my family and friends in South Texas, if possible, please make plans to attend San Benito’s 7th Annual Dia de los Mu***os event. Thanks to San Benito, our early Texas history traditions are being preserved for future generations. (See enclosed slide).
Many of us ‘gray heads’ in our 70s, 80s, & 90s remember many treasured rituals that strengthened family values and molded us into what we are today. Having been born & raised in Laredo, Texas, I recall attending several magnificent Los Matachines de la Santa Cruz de la Ladrillera performances. For the record, in 2020 the National Endowment for the Arts recognized the organization, an honor that represents the highest recognition of traditional arts in the U.S.
Also, I fondly recall the padrino’s “volo” at baptisms (throwing coins in the air for the invited children, symbolizing prosperity for the baptized child). Additionally as a youngster, I took part in breaking many piñatas at birthday parties and attended several Quinciañeras. Plus, my family visited several churches during Lent and participated in Las Posadas religious events during the Christmas season, as well.
As for Dia de los Mu***os, my mother took special care of her altar (ofrenda) in our living room on Nov 1 & 2. Also, I remember our family going to the cemetery this time of year and spending most of the day taking care of family gravesites. I clearly remember pickup trucks at the entrances, loaded with long stalks of sweet sugar cane. Our parents would buy several stalks. Then, my dad would use a small sharp axe to cut the stems into individual pieces and hand them to us kids as a rare treat. (Note: Yes, we were told not to indulge too much due to the “caña’s” high sugar content. LOL.) Yet, for that special occasion that came only once a year, it was worth it.
As to preserving our Spanish Mexican culture in Texas & Southwest, the U.S. itself created the unique set up. How & why? The U.S. drew today’s U.S.-Mexico borderline in the middle of “Old Mexico” dividing Spanish-speaking families in two (permanent Mason-Dixon Line). In other words, we came with the real estate, as recognized by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Important Foot-stomper notes: (l) For those who question our legitimacy and say, "Dia de los Mu***os" and other Spanish Mexican traditions as mentioned above aren’t "American" and don't belong in the U.S., we have history & DNA on our side.
(2) In that regard, a very special shout-out goes to Los Tigres del Norte who use their Norteño music to effectively remind everyone that since Mexican-descent people originate in America, we are more “American” than all European groups that arrived here beginning in 1620. Said another way, Mexican-descent people have an “American” family tree that is more than 14,000 years old. (3) “We didn’t cross the border; the border crossed us.”