Traditions on the border

 Celebrating two cultures

by Valeria Barajas

"The Day of the Dead"/ CC0 1.0

When I was a child, my home celebrated American traditions that not all Tijuanense did. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Saint Patrick's Day were very normal, as was waiting for Santa Claus instead of Papá Noel. I always believed we copied traditions from the United States and were cooler for doing so. However, my perspective changed a lot when I started studying at San Ysidro High School. There, I discovered that the border isn't just a place that imitates its neighboring country; it's a place where the traditions of two countries come together and coexist. 

"Salute to America 2020, Fourth" by National Archives and Records Administration/ CC0 1.0

My high school was the closest to the border, and because of this, 80% of the students were born to Mexican parents. This is why the school embraced a very beautiful culture, celebrating both Mexican and American traditions. I remember being a freshman and hearing a student shouting el grito de Independencia de Mexico on stage; it seemed like the most random thing in the world. The costume contests on Halloween, the altares on the Day of the Dead, and of course, the folklorico dances. All these celebrations in a school in San Diego were something I never imagined when I studied in Tijuana, but it made me realize that growing up on the border means being surrounded by two cultures that blend together.

Those who live between Tijuana and San Diego can understand my excitement and the powerful impact these celebrations have. From a young age, we're taught that we don't have to choose between one culture or the other, but that we can make both cultures part of our lives. Personally, I feel that those of us who grow up on the border grow up with a very unique and cool identity. 

We know what it's like to dress up for Halloween and go trick-or-treating with our friends, then come home excited to eat delicious chocolates.

 At the same time, we know what each step entails to create a Day of the Dead altar, and we eat Pan de Muerto bread with the same excitement. We border kids know the feeling of shouting "Viva Mexico" on Independence Day, just as we know how beautiful it feels to see fireworks on the Fourth of July. 

Each holiday reflects a symbol of cultural fusion, and these celebrations form a very special community, a community capable of rejoicing in singing mariachi music just as it rejoices in singing "Don't Stop Believing," the best song in the world, according to me. We are a community that, when November and December arrive, gets excited for a delicious turkey and, of course, for the great Black Friday sales. 

We laugh at videos of people fighting, but we still spend time in stores surrounded by "crazy people," knowing that we are part of those crazy people. We also get incredibly excited knowing that posadas navideñas, piñatas, and of course, tamales and champurrado await us, but the food will come in another blog.

For me, these celebrations are the most beautiful part of living between Tijuana and San Diego. They teach us that we don't have to choose between one culture or the other, but that we can grow by enjoying the beauty of both. In my next blogs, I want to delve deeper into different aspects of this border life, such as the language, food, and music, which, like the traditions, are an essential part of the magical and unique culture of the border.