Mariachis in Mexico

Festival Location: All Areas, Mexico

Festival Type(s): Traditional Music Festivals , Traditional Festivals , Cultural Festivals

Serenading Mariachis - The Heart and Soul of Mexico

by © Habeeb Salloum 2008

"I loved her, yet she broke my heart,
I feel sorry for anyone who now,
Asks me for my love, I am truly hurt.
I will never give love another chance."

The Mariachis' words cut deep into my soul that day as we sat enjoying a Mexican gourmet meal at the Hacienda San José del Refugio, where the Herradura Tequila, one of the purest tequilas in Mexico, is distilled. In the courtyard of this converted Hacienda, some 40 km (24 mi) west of Guadalajara, the birthplace of the Mariachis, I listened and watched spelled-bound as these heart-rendering singers serenaded the women members of our group, one after another.

I had heard the Mariachis numerous times during my many trips to Mexico, but this time their music and song seemed to totally enwrap me. Their penetrating, lively and light-hearted songs gave me a feeling of elation, yet, at the same time, sadness. It was an unforgettable reminder of human passions. For me, that afternoon, they proved that no one can better capture the passions and image of Mexico than these colourful singers.

Proudly they stood in matching garb overshadowed by their huge, broad-rimmed and silver-embroidered sombreros. Their traditional silver decorated costumes with short jackets, tight-fitting wool pants, ruffled white shirts and pointed shining boots appeared to emphasize and give colour to their tunes. Soon those in the audience who knew Spanish were helping the Mariachis with their songs as they hummed along and, at times shouted encouragement. It was an uplifting event which I immensely enjoyed.

It is said that the Mariachis and Mexico are synonymous. Even more Mexican than the tequila , also born in Guadalajara, the two go hand in hand when there is folkloric entertainment. Mariachis often perform in city squares and plazas which, at times, act as hiring halls for those seeking their services for baptisms, hotel entertainment, patriotic holidays, restaurants, weddings and a type of Catholic mass. Playing the best known Mexican music in the world, the Mariachis are part and parcel of almost every carnival, traditional fiesta or festival in Mexico and have become a trademark of the country and its culture.

A long loved Mexican tradition is women being serenaded by wandering Mariachis - a great foreplay to a romantic evening. It is a form of courtship - a means of liaison by which the young man sends a message of love to his sweetheart. It is the tradition of the troubadours brought over to Mexico by the Spaniards who had themselves inherited it from the Moors.

Mariachi music from the very start was not only sung, but also danced. In the countryside where the Mariachi have been popular for years, skillful footwork accompanies the music. These dances are, at times, highly suggestive, often using imagery of the courtship of farm animals to describe the relationship between men and women.

The origin of the Mariachis is much disputed. Some historians speculate that the name, Mariachi, is a corruption of the French word mariage (marriage) and was invented when the French Maximilian was emperor of the country. However, the French never came to Guadalajara and the Mariachis were playing in the 16th century, long before the French era.

Others theorize that the name is derived from music played at festivals honoring the Virgin Mary and is made up of two words: 'Maria' and the Indian Nahuatl diminutive, 'chi'. However, the most logical theory is that the word, Mariachi, has native roots and is derived from the local Coca Indian word, meaning a small wooden stage on which the performers dance and sing. Yet, no matter how the name was derived, Mariachi, in our times, means exciting and enchanting Mexican entertainment.

In the past, many in high-society considered the singing and dance music of the Mariachis as low-class, tacky and trite. Nevertheless, even many of those who were members of this affluent class knew by heart the mournful yodels and love songs of these flamboyantly-costumed entertainers. In most cases, after a few drinks, they would break out and, with bravado, sing along with the Mariachis, enjoying themselves immensely.

At first, traditional Mariachi bands only played string instruments which were accompanied by popular dances like the jarabe and the son. These early Mariachis played principally the popular music of the day - a mixture of folk music from Spain, Mexico and Africa. By the 19th century, the Mariachi as we know it today had developed and more musical instruments had been added.

In our times, the Mariachi bands make use of ordinary guitars, round-backed guitars called vihuela, deep-voiced guitars called guitarro, violins, at times - harps, and, of course, always the blaring trumpets. These have become the bands' main instrument, in particular in the last century when the commercial radio stations decided to raise the decibel level and make Mariachi music more popular with the young. The sharply contrasting sounds produced by these combined instruments makes this music something unique - called by many the true heart and soul of Mexico.

In their songs, Mariachi bands, which vary from two musicians to two dozen, deal with love of country, machismo, politics, revolutionary history, but, above all with loving a woman or being betrayed by a woman. Their melodies, especially those which relate to heartbreaks generally bring tears to a good number of listeners.

Mariachi music has become Mexico's cultural expression par-excellence. It is a mixture of cultural, spiritual and traditional elements in society - a Mexican creation of which almost every one in the country is proud. In the last few decades, it has even been exported to countries as far away as Europe and Japan. More than the famous tequila, it has made Mexico well-known in many parts of the globe.

As I listened to them that afternoon serenading the women with their emotion-filled voices, in the courtyard of the Hacienda, while sipping on a Margarita, another Mexican invention, I could very well see why their music has become so popular.

by Habeeb Salloum