Inked Mag Staff
May 3rd, 2019
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with These Tattoos Inspired by Mexican Culture
Cinco de Mayo is often celebrated with Coronas and too much tequila. But what about with a trip to the tattoo shop?
Freddy Negrete, one of the fathers of the Chicano style black-and-grey fine line tattooing, along with Mister Cartoon, Tamara Santibañez, Chuco Moreno, and Chuey Quintanar, are extremely respected artists for their Chicano tattoos.
Cinco de Mayo — not to be mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day— celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has been popularly celebrated (often with tequila and Coronas) and has become associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture.
In terms of celebrating Cinco de Mayo with tattoos, common symbols for Mexican-culture inspired ink include: payasas, skulls and skeletons, roses, the Virgin Mary, rosaries, suns and moons, Aztec artifacts, and Roman Catholic iconography. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with these tattoos inspired by Mexican culture:
Check out our Exclusive with Freddy Negrete:
Editor's Picks
Bridging Classical Art and Modern Tattooing
Esteban Rodriguez brings the discipline of classical fine art to the living canvas of skin, creating hyper-realistic tattoos that merge technical mastery with emotional depth.
Show Your Ink Fashions Brings Custom Style to Tattoo Culture
Show Your Ink Fashions creates custom shirts designed to showcase your tattoos as wearable art, blending fashion with personal expression.
The Ultimate “Superman” Tattoo Roundup: Just in Time for Superman’s Return to Screens
With Superman’s big return to theaters, fans are revisiting some of the most iconic ink inspired by the Man of Steel.
More From News Content
Inked & Approved: Father’s Day Gifts That Aren’t Boring
June 21, 2026
Why Clients Trust This Artist With Their Largest Tattoos
June 16, 2026
