SOUND OF PRIDE MEXICO'S 'EL GRITO' ECHOES IN L.A.

Byline: Rachel Uranga Staff Writer

SAN FERNANDO - Along streets decorated with the colors of Mexico's flag, hundreds of people on Wednesday gathered in San Fernando and several other communities in Los Angeles County to commemorate Mexico's Independence from Spain.

From downtown San Fernando to Los Angeles City Hall to the National Palace in Mexico City, dignitaries belted out ``El Grito de Independencia,'' the cry for independence commemorating priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla's 1810 call to the country's poor to reject Spain's rule.

``We have to celebrate our independence and remember our traditions,'' said Cesar Hernandez, a 34-year-old janitor, who attended the celebration with his wife and 18-month-old daughter, dressed in red, white and green.

``We belong to two countries, separated by one line,'' said Hernandez, who is a native of Jalisco, Mexico.

More than 60 percent of Los Angeles' Latinos claim to be of Mexican ancestry, according to the 2000 Census. For, many the annual celebration is a mix of nostalgia, patriotism and culture.

``This is to teach our children the beautiful history of Mexico,'' said Enedano Aguirre, president of the Mexican Civic Committee for Patriotism, which puts on an annual Mexican Independence Day parade in East Los Angeles, a traditional Mexican stronghold.

``It's makes us so proud, that we can celebrate the fiesta of Mexico here.''

Many families of Mexican ancestry have lived in the United States generations and often know little about the history or culture of their forefathers, he said.

In Mexico, the fervor surrounding Independence Day infects every sliver of the country, from small pueblos to its cosmopolitan cities.

Main squares are decked out in red, white and green and fiestas surround the celebration.

But the most celebrated re-enactment of the grito takes place at the country's political center: Mexico City's main square. There, at midnight, the president rings the same bell Hidalgo tolled nearly two centuries ago.

Although the grito is celebrated Sept. 15 in the United States, it was actually first heard on the dawn of Sept. 16, 1810, or Independence Day. It triggered a long struggle for Independence that lasted more than a decade.

Rachel Uranga, [phone]

rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Ballet Folklorico Ollin dancers perform during the independence celebration in San Fernando on Wednesday evening.

(2) Members of the Mariachi Masters Apprentice Program prepare to take the stage during Wednesday's event.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer