JUST LIKE the classic elements of earth, air, fire and water, four entities recently intersected on the mystical plane: (1) the Mexican Consulate of San Jose, (2) The San Jose–Dublin Sister City contingent, (3) Marcela Davison Aviles of the Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival and (4) yours truly. On the morning of March 5, the Consul General Mexico of San Jose held a media breakfast in a private room inside Il Fornaio in the Sainte Claire Hotel.
The event was low-key, but the plans were elaborate: This year marks a massive two-pronged celebration for the entire country of Mexico, as 2010 is both the bicentennial of Mexico’s independence and the centennial of the Mexican Revolution. Also attending the breakfast was Aviles, the prime mover behind the Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival—the hugest party of its kind anywhere in California. She spilled a few provocative details of her own. It turns out the legendary Irish band, the Chieftains, has been invited to perform at this year’s festival.
Now, this requires some explanation. First of all, the Chieftains have won six Grammy Awards and are easily the most famous practitioners of traditional Irish music, 45 years running. They’re also renowned for fusing many types of world musics. Just last week, they released an unprecedented CD/DVD titled San Patricio, a soon-to-be-controversial project describing the story of the San Patricios, the Irish-Americans who deserted the United States Army to join the Mexican side in the Mexican-American War of the 1840s.
In a story not usually mentioned in U.S. history books, the San Patricios, a.k.a. St. Patrick’s Battalion, consisted primarily of Irish immigrants, many of whom had just fled to America from the potato famine in Ireland. After arrival or, in some cases, immediately upon arrival, they were enlisted against their wishes to fight in the war. They were not keen on what they saw as a gross injustice—and they also didn’t want to fight against Catholics—so they deserted the American army and went to fight alongside Mexico instead. In the end, those who survived were executed for their desertion. It is not a happy story.
A collaboration with legendary guitarist Ry Cooder—himself a direct descendant of an original San Patricio—the project also features guest stars Linda Ronstadt, Lila Downs, Los Tigres del Norte and many other celebrated Mexican, American and Irish musicians and singers. Actor Liam Neeson even narrates one track. A one-month Chieftains tour began on Feb. 17 and concludes in New York City on St. Patrick’s Day. The band is already getting flak for celebrating fighters who were considered traitors by the United States.
Aviles said the Chieftains are not yet officially confirmed for the 2010 San Jose Festival, but they’ve been invited, and honestly, I can’t see why they wouldn’t do it. After all, Ronstadt is still the festival’s artistic director. She, Downs and Los Tigres have all performed at the festival in years past. This new Chieftains project about the San Patricios would be perfect.
“When they come to San Jose, we want everyone to come together,” Aviles said. “The Mexican-Americans and the Irish-Americans.” She even quoted famed Chicano playwright and SJSU graduate Luis Valdez, who quipped that “the Irish are the Mexicans of Europe.”
San Jose, of course, already has a strong Irish connection, and it was bizarre that March 5 also fell right during Irish Week 2010, sponsored by the San Jose–Dublin Sister City Program, which was celebrating its 24th anniversary. Each year, a contingent of politicians and diplomats from Dublin arrives in San Jose for a week to attend dinners, lunches and other events.
Both of these episodes—the Mexican breakfast and the Irish week—took place independently of each other and unbeknownst to each other. But Aviles infiltrated both circles of people—the Mexican Consulate and the Irish Consulate from San Francisco—and promoted the Chieftains’ new project. The entire meeting of these four elements, yet again, was a beautiful, unexpected synchronicity, if I must say so myself. I am only the messenger.
