Story and photos by Pilar Pedersen, Contributing Writer

It was a surprise. What started as a suggestion turned into an entire day. Understanding my excitement for the horse culture of Chihuahua, my fellow workers at the Cibolo Creek Ranch told me about the parade in honor of the Mexican Revolution on 20 de noviembre, in Ojinaga. They make the round trip from Mexico to work at the ranch each day.

Unlike our country, the Mexicans fought two revolutions: one for independence from Spain 200 years ago and the second for liberation from the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz, which started in 1910. This was a revolution in the classic sense. The citizens of the nation took up arms to end the misery that was the birthright of most of their countrymen and women. They fought for the right to become educated, to own land, and to dismantle the feudal system of vast estates – haciendas - in which, unless born into the upper class, one was destined to work hard, suffer and die without hope of advancement.

Francisco Villa, Emiliano Zapata, and Francisco Madero are all names which still burn brightly in the collective memory. The Revolution is so recent that Mexicans remember their grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts and uncles who left their homes in sandals to join Pancho Villa’s army, winning its first major victory at Ojinaga in 1912. The women – Las Adelitas - served alongside the men, carrying their ammunition, loading weapons, and taking bullets.

The ideals they fought for and the huge sacrifices which the men and women of Mexico made for the common good have not been forgotten. Most people have heard of Pancho Villa. He fought and rampaged all up and down our shared border. His dramatic rise from hacienda bondage to Commander of the Northern Forces, his passion for justice, colorful and violent life, and battlefield brilliance are the stuff of legend. There are dozens of ballads, or corridos, describing the feats of valor of Villa and his dedicated Dorados (golden ones). Strict adherence to fact blends with the prerogative of oral tradition, and stories of this hero of Chihuahua abound.

Ojinaga has a population of about 30,000 and put on a parade which was well beyond the scope of its numbers. I assumed I could arrive a few minutes before parade time, grab a good spot, watch the festivities, and be done in an hour.

Boy, was I wrong. Downtown was thick with people, marchers, and floats. I was lucky to find a parking place and found it even harder to get a good spot to watch the parade at the plaza. People had obviously been holding their places for some time. It lasted over two hours. Every school in town had worked to construct ornately beautiful floats pulled by semi trucks, intricately depicting revolutionary scenes.

The attention to detail was fantastic. Living golden statues of prominent revolutionary heroes was one of my favorites. Another – promoting a slogan of recycling - depicted a formal ball of the last century with the tuxedoes and gowns of the dancers constructed of colorfully painted and shellacked newspapers and magazines. It was stunning.

The floats paused at intervals and the lavishly and traditionally-dressed students marching in formation performed for us. This mostly took the form of folkloric dancing. There were acrobats and contemporary dances as well. The youngest did drills with their tri-colored pom-poms (floating the colors of the Mexican flag, of course). During each pause the sweet norteño sound of the revolutionary ballads filled our ears. One group of sinewy young women reminded us that Texas and Mexico were once one region by giving us a vibrant, hip-swinging display of Texas line dancing to the best of country and western music. The crowd went wild.

When the sun goes down in Ojinaga these days people lock their doors in fear due to increased violence from the drug war. The once placid and safe community is watching a dark and sinister force take over and there is no end in sight. This celebration of that which is vital and proud provided a moment of psychic relief. The animation I witnessed was a testimonial to the tenacity of spirit and heart which has always carried Mexicans forward. The parallel between the ideals we were celebrating and the bravery it will take to restore peace to this community was not lost on me. Humbled in the presence of this spiritedness, my eyes brimmed with tears.

Then came the horses. Seventy five horsemen who had been riding for five days led the column. These processioners had started their march in Cuchillo Parado, the village where the first shots of the revolution were fired. This was the culmination of their ride. Their festive march to Ojinaga had been feted and celebrated along the route. Cabalgatas – horse cavalcades – often make it their mission to remind those along the route of an important piece of their own history.

The revolution was the proud theme of this ride. The riders were dressed in matching denim shirts with the theme of their ride emblazoned on the fabric and red bandanas around their necks. Their horses stepped proudly. The resonance of shod hoofs on pavement filled our ears. During pauses in the procession’s forward progress a few individuals rose to stand in the saddle and swing a big loop in a display of roping. Some threw firecrackers down on the pavement, which made the horses even livelier.

The cabalgata was followed by no less than 125 local jinetes, or horsemen. Chihuahua is a horse culture. From prancing stallions, to fat ponies carrying future rancheros in complete cowboy attire, to a sad donkey pulling a sad cart, everyone who had a mount to ride was on parade. The column stretched farther than my eyes could see. Its passing took more than half an hour.

Sadly, I noticed no others from my culture and race present at this lively celebration. As the sole gringa, I did my best to applaud and cheer on the behalf of my countrymen. At no time did I feel nervous or unsafe. I arrived back at my car to find it exactly the way I had left it. Next year, November 20, 2010, Mexico will commemorate the centennial of their Revolution. Mark your calendars, get in your cars and drive down to stand shoulder to shoulder with our neighbors as they celebrate their greatness. You’ll be glad you did.

Pilar Pedersen serves as volunteer coordinator for the Sierra Children’s Health Project and works to build bridges of cooperation and understanding between this culture and our neighbors.


On the 20th of November, people of Ojinaga celebrated the anniversary of México’s second revolution, replete with folklorico dancers in the middle of the street.