Latin American culture celebrated at S.C. State Museum’s Cinco De Mayo event

Miss Teen Columbia Latina was dressed Sunday in a traditional Mexican dress, called a China poblana, to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at the S.C. State Museum.

The 16-year-old pageant queen, Gigi Hiers, wore a ribbon entwined in her two braids. A crown adorned her head because she won the Miss Columbia Latina Project pageant founded by Vanessa Mota, who wanted to support local children and teenagers with Latin American backgrounds.

Often, those children do not know where to fit in, Mota said. For example, some children have both Caucasian and Latin American backgrounds, she said.

“A lot of times, when you’re half and half, you don’t feel whole,” Mota said. Her organization allows those children to see that they are more than whole.

Latin American culture was celebrated at Sunday’s event, which had arts and crafts, dance, music and food.

Tomalyn Jamison of Columbia ate a beef soft taco and chicken taquito with salsa. Jamison also drank “saintly sangria,” meaning there was no alcohol in the traditionally alcoholic drink.

Jamison and her friend Tamaron Costen attended the Cinco de Mayo celebration because they are avid salsa dancers, often attending Latin American events.

A group of young men performed a traditional Aztec dance. Their dance troupe, Latin Heritage Dance Company, had traveled from Charlotte to perform.

Most often, dancers in the company participate because their parents are of Mexican heritage and do not want them to forget the customs and traditions, said Mariela Morales, of the company.

Even though the children are often encouraged by their parents to join, those children often find they love it, Morales said.

Five-year-old Zara Shah-Fuente watched the boys dance. She enjoyed the drums and how fast the dancers moved, she said.

Participants also made traditional Latin American arts and crafts.

Nine-year-old Vivian Ullrich decorated a doll made from corn husk.

Drawing features on the doll made from a plant was easier than trying to put makeup on a modern doll, which likely would be made from plastic or porcelain, Vivian said.

A highlight for children at Sunday’s event was a pinata, broken open for the children to enjoy the candy inside.

Jackson Benner was next to last to hit the pinata, but it broke right before his turn, said his grandfather Hank Chardos.

Jackson grabbed the leg that had broken off the pinata and used that to hold the candy he collected.

“Timing is everything,” Chardos said.

This story was originally published May 1, 2016 at 8:17 PM with the headline "Latin American culture celebrated at S.C. State Museum’s Cinco De Mayo event."