Students gathered Wednesday night at the rock on Farm Lane to celebrate Mexican Independence Day at the third-annual Diez y Sies de Septiembre Celebration.
"It's a day to embrace your culture," apparel and textiles design junior Ricardo Leon said. "It's important to observe where you're from as you're heading where you're going in life."
Celebrators weathered light rain through a traditional drum circle ceremony and open floor for people to speak to the crowd.
"In order for us to take an appropriate role in society, we need to understand where we come (from)," journalism senior Ernesto Todd Mireles said.
Celebrations for Mexican Independence Day kicked off Monday when the Chicano/Latino Fellows Program hosted a meeting in Wilson Hall.
History Professor Dennis Valdes shared the story of Mexico's revolt against Spanish rule to a group of about 30 people eager to learn about Mexico's struggle for free speech, a representative government and restriction on the power of the Catholic Church.
"One of the reasons we organized this event is because people often confuse Independence Day with Cinco de Mayo," said Nora Salas, program coordinator and social work graduate student.
Mexican Independence Day celebrates the events which changed the course of Mexican history, whereas Cinco de Mayo, or May 5, celebrates Mexico's victory over the French in 1862's Battle of Puebla.
"It's the story of people identifying themselves as Mexicans in an independent nation," Valdes said.
In the late 18th century, New Spain's middle- and upper-class citizens decided the best way to create progressive values that were in sync with the modern world was to gain independence from Spain.
Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was involved in several groups rallying to get the people to rise against the government.
Hidalgo and his men planned a revolt for the fall of 1810, but the Spanish learned of his plans and called for his arrest.
When Hidalgo heard of this, he called a meeting at his church on Sept. 15, 1810. It was this historic night Hidalgo rang the church bell to call his congregation and rally the people to revolt in the legendary speech Grito de Delores. The speech would become the battle cry for the Mexican War of Independence.
People of all classes marched to Mexico City, battling Spanish armies along the way.
Father Hidalgo was captured and killed before the year's end, but the Mexican people continued to fight 11 more years before they were recognized as an independent nation.
"It was a movement of the people that became a nation of the people," Valdes concluded. "Be proud and celebrate."
Students of all ethnicities celebrated the holiday.
Interdisciplinary humanities junior David Torres isn't of Mexican descent, but attended both events.
"It's never about who you are," said Torres, MSU Puerto Rican Students Association member. "It's about realizing the human spirit and its inability to be held down."
Wednesday night ended with the singing of Mexico's National Anthem followed by the raising of the Mexican flag at midnight in remembrance of Father Hidalgo's ringing of the church bell.
The crowd shouted the Grito de Delores battle cry, followed by a wave of cheers in celebration of independence.
