Flag Day

Yesterday, February 24th, was "Día de la Bandera" (Flag Day) in Mexico.  It commemorates the day in 1821 that the tri-color banner that was to be the basis of the current Mexican flag was first used by the insurgents who were about to win Mexico's independence from Spain.  

I was on the computer yesterday morning when I received an email from Alejandro.  His nephew Ezra's school was going to have a streaming ceremony in honor of the day on YouTube.  (The schools in Mexico are still conducted on-line or on television.  Ezra has not been in his school building for almost a year.)  I made it to YouTube just as the ceremony was beginning.

After the pledge to the flag and the National Anthem, several students, dressed as historical figures, told the history of the evolution of the flag.  Here are some of the characters that were portrayed: 

José María Morelos was one of the heroes of the War for Independence.

His banner featured the eagle perched on a cactus which would become central to the Mexican coat of arms.

Agustín de Iturbide briefly ruled as Emperor of Mexico after the country gained its independence.  The three colors of the flag represented independence, religion and unity. Notice the imperial crown on the eagle.

Maximillian was a Hapsburg prince placed as puppet emperor by Napoleon III when the French invaded Mexico.  The flag had even more imperial trappings.

Venustiano Carranza was a leader of the Mexican Revolution, and President.  By this time the flag had assumed its current design.

The day was also the twenty first anniversary of the school.  There was a video that had been prepared by former students.

Ezra did not have a role in this ceremony.  (He had a part in an on-line school presentation for Revolution Day last November... and he did a very good job!)  Nevertheless I enjoyed watching his schoolmates perform.