How to Celebrate El Salvador Independence Day in Los Angeles
El Salvador is a country that has a long history of being plagued by war and political instability. As a result, U.S. cities such as Los Angeles have seen waves of immigration from political refugees. Salvadorians often stick together and form their own neighborhoods in the U.S. Areas such as East LA and just south of downtown are places where you will find events happening to celebrate El Salvador Independence Day. Like other Central American nations, El Salvador declared its independence from Spanish rule on September 15, 1821. While you will find mostly religious holidays celebrated in El Salvador, in Los Angeles, people regularly celebrate El Salvador Independence Day with secular gusto.
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Instructions
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Celebrate El Salvador Independence Day in Los Angeles
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Celebrate El Salvador Independence Day in Los Angeles by hosting a picnic in your local park. Keep in mind that there will likely be other Latino Americans celebrating there, too. You are likely to find music and dancing among Latino communities wherever you go on September 15 and 16, or the weekend that falls near it.
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Visit a Salvadoran restaurant or pupuseria. Pupusas are a uniquely Salvadoran dish made of thick corn tortillas stuffed with refried beans, pork, cheese or shrimp. They are usually served with a tomato-based sauce and spicy coleslaw.
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Try another uniquely Salvadoran dish called yuca frita, or fried yucca root. You will also find Salvadoran food at some Central American or Pan-Latino American restaurants in Los Angeles.
Learn More About El Salvador and Its History
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Honor the Pipil culture by learning a few words in the dying language of Pipil-Nawat. Before Spanish colonization, an indigenous tribe called the Pipil dominated El Salvador. Most Salvadorians today possess a combination of Pipil (or Mayan or Aztec) and European ancestry.
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Read about El Salvador customs and culture. One book to read is appropriately titled "Culture and Customs of El Salvador" and is available at Amazon (see Resources below).
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Tips & Warnings
You are more likely to find Independence Day celebrations by visiting Salvadoran neighborhoods in LA than through local media outlets. Many Los Angeles-based Salvadorians keep a low profile because they are illegal immigrants.
