The event was organized by Elizabeth Muñoz-Rosas, children’s supervising librarian.

Photo courtesy of Gilroy Library A lucha libra competitor gestures to the crowd during a recent event at the Gilroy Library.

By Cesar Gamboa

Cesar Gamboa

Saturday ‘4/20/2024’ was a palindrome — a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward, such as “madam” or “nurses run.” The date’s unique name and play on words was just as distinctive as an event held April 20 at the Gilroy Public Library, which organized Día del Niño and showcased luchadores, poetry, and folklorico, alongside a meet-and-greet with Gilroy High School’s wrestling and cheerleading teams.

Photo courtesy of Gilroy Library
A competitor talks to children gathered at the library.

¡¿Lucha at the library?! I hadn’t the faintest idea what to expect, except that something stellar was going down at the biblioteca, in honor of El Día del Niño (or Children’s Day) —  and thus celebrating childhood. This custom comes from Mexico, dates to the 1950s, and has adaptations across cultures and communities to share joy and learning amid the last days of April. This is precisely what went down and was perfectly showcased at the library through the engaging activities and performances of luchadores.

Lucha libre means “freestyle wrestling” — or literally translated as “free fight.” It’s the term for the style of professional wrestling originating in Mexico. It carries a unique form of genre, characterized by colorful masks, rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers, and “high-flying” maneuvers. The origins of Mexican wrestling date back to 1863, during the French Intervention in Mexico, and further originated from Greco-Roman wrestling. The sport took on further national popularity with its broadcasting on TV in the 1950s and yielded luchador superstars, from which the iconic performances and attire became staple. Fast forward to today and in more vivid color. Lucha libre was brought right over to the library, amplifying zeal and captivating local audiences.

Photo courtesy of Gilroy Library

Along with plenty of sunshine came the gleeful shouts of spectators encouraging their champion or underdog. Figuratively speaking, the event evoked nostalgic imagery of a busy and euphoric plaza in some pueblo south of the border where crowds gathered to witness a traveling show promoting theatrics, vigor, and creativity. The blissful sun, and organizers also invited a local paletero (ice cream vendor) to beat the mild heat.

The event was organized by Elizabeth Muñoz-Rosas, children’s supervising librarian.

Her innovation, combined efforts with Gilroy’s Recreation Department and other local institutions, featured a function rivaled by no other. “My vision has been for our youth to experience growing in a healthy community,” she said.

Her team’s collaboration set itself apart to be the talk of the pueblo and even yielded an official commendation from the entire county board of supervisors. Muñoz-Rosas has also recently received an honorary designation from the School Library Journal as a “mover and shaker” for arranging other notable feats such as bringing a traveling Smithsonian Institution to our beloved library honoring civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. Gilroy’s library was one of a few in California invited to honor the co-founder, with Cesar Chavez, of the United Farm Workers.

Lucha libre isn’t some integral part to Latino or Mexican culture. It’s a noteworthy gleam to a transitory time somewhere between the advent of television and the arrival of the Internet. The library’s event allowed children to witness an echoed performance of pop culture and  history.

The Gilroy Public Library’s unique curation of creative content has set it apart in delivering quality education through these inclusive events. The resulting inertia is just as compelling as the force with which the luchadores brought enthusiasm to the crowd. The sound and roar of their slamming contact sport certainly moved youth to engage in their local school’s sport teams, as could be seen by the bubbling lines to say hello.

The wrestling team provided first-hand context for children to associate the performance alongside the sports team of their local schools and library.

The day’s events were as unique as the palindrome of the day: 4/20/2024. Gilroy shows no slowing down on any mat, scoreboard, or horizon as vibrancy thrives both within the biblioteca and beyond.

Cesar Gamboa is a local educator, an FM DJ and a linguist for the Gilroy Unified School District.