Mexico

(I and H level- Reading for understanding)

Guadalajara, the birthplace of Mariachi music

The conquest of Hernan Cortez of Mexico began when he captured the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan in 1521.  For over 300 years the Spaniards colonized and ruled Mexico.  During their colonization of Mexico, the Spaniards brought with them musical instruments which the native Mexicans learned how to use very quickly.

Thanks to the Spaniards, they brought musical influenced to Mexico which the Mexican learned how to play. They were the guitar, the guitarrón (a large, deep-bodied six-string acoustic bass guitar that provides the rhythmic and harmonic foundation (the violin, the harp, the trumpet, the vihuela (a small, high-pitched, five-string guitar used for rhythmic and harmonic support.

            Early Mariachi players began playing these instruments and realized they could make loud sounds and play happy and rhythmic music that sung about love and betrayal, longing for love, and hoping for love.  The Mariachi group began to play all types of traditional Mexican music genres, like sones, rancheras, corridos, and jarabes, and also included European-influenced styles like polkas, waltzes, and boleros.

They enjoyed playing for fiesta, birthday parties, weddings, or special events.  Then the French came to conquer and colonized Mexico in 1861 and 1862.  They came to collect unpaid debts owed to France, but Napoleon III‘s had other ambitions by starting a French-controlled empire in Mexico which was facing financial instability following their independence from Spain.  Spain left Mexico after the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba on August 24, 1821, which officially recognized Mexico’s independence after an 11-year war. The declaration of independence was ratified on September 27, 1821which ended nearly 300 years of Spanish rule This was a result of Mexico’s financial instability following its independence from Spain, which led President Benito Juárez to suspend debt payments in 1861. Although France, Spain and Britain had offered financial assistance to Mexico, it was France under the rule of Napoleon who wanted to establish a puppet empire ruled by Archduke Maximilian of Austria as Emperor in 1864.  France, Spain, and Britain initially sent a coalition to Veracruz to demand payment, but France’s aims became clear when the other two powers withdrew, leaving France to install Archduke Maximilian of Austria as Emperor in 1864.   (Google source)

            During the time the French colonized Mexico, the French began hearing the music of the Mariachi which they loved very much.  The French were told by the Mariachi group they specialized in playing for weddings.  So French couples who wanted to get married with the Mariachi music decided to invite them to their weddings.  They invited the Mexican musicians by say, “Venez chez nous et jouez pour notre ‘marriage”.(translation – Come to our wedding and play your music for our marriage.)  The Mexican musicians were so happy to play for the French for their weddings.  The constant word “marriage” kept ringing in their ears as the word for wedding or “boda” in Spanish.  The musicians liked the word “marriage” so much that that they named themselves “Mariachi.” The musician would say, “Vamos a tocar para su “marriage” (Let’s go play for their marriage)-  In time that word “Mariachi” stuck in their minds and the Mexican people started calling them “mariachis” a derivative of the “marriage” in French.  Now Mariachis are well known for their popularity in playing for weddings or “marriage” and are often asked by families, communities and town officials to play their Mariachi music.  In contrast, further research suggests that a letter from a Mexican priest discovered in 1981 uses the term mariachi in 1852, a decade before the French intervention. It is now believed that the word has an indigenous origin, possibly referring to the wood used the musician’s dancing platforms. (Google search)

             Mariachis developed differently in each region of Mexico, specially during the Mexican Revolution which happened from 1910 to 1920. Early mariachi during the revolution would be largely unrecognizable to modern audiences because they did not use the trumpet which are no emblematic in the modern era of Mariachi music. The ensembles were smaller, consisting of three to five musicians playing various strings like the violin, the vihuela (a five-string guitar), and the guitarron (a large bass-string guitar.

But the birthplace of Mariachi is actually in the city of Guadalajara in the Plaza de Mariachi.  

During September of each month, the International Mariachi and Charrería Festival is held in the city Guadalajara which culminates in a free stage event on the Plaza de la Liberación and later a ticketed concert in the Teatro Degollado. 

            Plaza de Mariachi, located across from the market (off Avenida Javier María).  It really comes alive at night when the tequila starts flowing and the musicians get in the mood.  During the Mariachi festival in September, Guadalajara also host a live “charreada” called the “Mexican National Charro Championship” that involves men and women competing in horse riding, roping & cattle handling.  The men are dressed in tight fitting decorative suits, boots and sombrero.  

Mariachi men dance with zapateado and jarabe which originated from Spain but with two rhythmic style of music (son jaliscience and son jarocho).  Dancing zapateado dancers would use their heels of their boots to drive them with a loud thump sound in sync with the rhythm of the music.  This type to dance is usually dance when the Mariachi play “jarabe tapatío” (the Mexican hat dance) the most well-known dance people which people from all over the world recognize and have heard as the national dance of Mexico.

Rubric for this assignment

0 – 1 Mistake A – The student reads well and understands the story.

2 Mistakes B – The student is having a little problem reading & understanding the story.

3 Mistakes C – The student shows signs of not reading and understanding the story.

4 Mistakes. D – The student is having significant problems reading and understanding the story.

            There are many well-known Mariachi songs and music.  Here are some the favorites:  

Enjoy these songs on your leisure time. Mariachi music is always uplifting and full of energy which we all can need from time to time.

1. Jesusita en Chihuahua,
2. Jarabe Tapatío,  
3. Cielito Lindo,
4. Las Mañanitas,
5. El son de la Negra,
6. Bésame Mucho,
7. and El Rey.