Thread: California Prepares For Mexico's Independence Day

Mexican expatriate group gets the jump on Independence Day
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By Stan Oklobdzija /STAFF WRITER
Santa Maria Times
The "grito de Dolores" came a week early to Guadalupe as Club Comunitario Tepehuaje brought mariachis and folk dancers to the Royal Theater to commemorate Mexico's Independence Day.

Mexican Independence Day is a busy weekend, explained club president Armando Gomez, who came from the Jalisco township in 1968. So as not to conflict with the other events happening next weekend, but at the same time giving his group a chance to get together, Gomez said the board decided to hold the celebration early.

Club Comuntario Tepehuaje was started in 1999 as a way for ex-residents of the village, which sits 80 miles west of Guadalajara, to come together. Aside from cultural affairs, the approximately 800 members also get together to come to each other's aid.

"Sometimes we send money back to Mexico when a person there needs it," said Gomez.

In the past, the group has helped with major surgeries its members could not otherwise afford. In addition, the group will also put together funds to send bodies back to Mexico when one of its own passes away. The group is currently trying to raise scholarship funds to send some of its high school aged members to university.

Though membership is only open to past residents of Tepehuaje, said Gomez, anyone with an interest in the cultural of Jalisco is invited to its events.

Eileen Prieto, a senior at Righetti High School, took in the sounds of Mariachi Mexicanisimo from the upper levels of the Royal Theater.

"It's pretty cool how they keep with the traditions," she said.

Prieto, born in the nearby township of San Luis Soyotlan,said the overall traditions of Jalisco were represented at the celebration.

"In a way it's a little different (between Tepehuaje and her village), but it's still very nice," she said.

Also present at the celebration was Santa Maria High School's Baile Folklorico club, which performed a dance from the Mexican state of Nayarit called San Pedreno, according to junior Eunice Calderon.

Unlike the group's other events, which raise money for a cause, the $5 entrance fee was strictly to recoup costs, said Gomez.

Club Comunitario Tepehuaje will hold a dance on Oct. 14 in Santa Ynez. For more information, visit www.clubtephuaje.com


Stan Oklobdzija can be reached at 739-2159 or at soklobdzija@santamariatimes.com.

September 12, 2005

In the past, the group has helped with major surgeries its members could not otherwise afford. In addition, the group will also put together funds to send bodies back to Mexico when one of its own passes away.

better take a loan.