Who Are Those Mexicans in the Tight-fitting Pants Playing Music? History of the Mariachi Band

All cultures and nationalities worldwide have what is known as folk music. There is always a particular style of music that is deeply rooted in a region since the beginning of its existence. In Russia, gypsy ensembles are seen as folk artists. In Australia, the didgeridoo is a native sound to the indigenous people. The talking drum of Africa echoes the past, present and future to its people. In Mexico, the heart and soul of its roots can be found in the traditional Mariachi ensemble. Mariachi is a historical reference guide to the Mexican culture.

To further explore the importance of Mariachi in relation to the Mexican culture, one must use semiotic critical analysis when examining this idea. Semiotic criticism is heavily based on the importance and significance of symbols and language. According to Sillars and Gronbeck, "Languages-or, to use the more general term, symbols-were studied as the highly varied ways in which human beings built and maintained their personal and collectives lives, not simply as vehicles for representing the external world" (142). Semiotic criticism uses what is called, representational theories of language. This idea looks at the ways language "can accurately, aesthetically, and powerfully represent the world to the human mind" (Sillars and Gronbeck 141). Another facet of this criticism is signs and codes. Signs are anything and everything found in a culture. Because signs are often inner-connected, the meaning/interpretation is often never fully shared. The word code is used for a collection of signs. "They [codes] do the work of communications-and the very heart of that word, the Latin munis, refers to "public work." "Signs are elements of codes-realms or arenas of symbolization" (Sillars and Gronbeck 148). Codes can be verbal, acoustic, visual, performative, and materialistic. By combining the many facets of semiotic criticism, we will understand the importance of the Mariachi tradition through examining what and how they communicate visually, acoustically, and verbally.

First, what does Mariachi mean? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word Mariachi means: "1. A Mexican Street Band; also: a musician belonging to such a band. 2. The music performed by a mariachi" (pg. ). Studies show that there various conflicts on what the actual word, mariachi means and from where it originated. According to Sylvia Gonzales, popular legend states that mariachi groups began in Jalisco, but is rooted in Cocula. One of the first famous groups to date is Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan. This particular group was asked to play for the inauguration for the 1934 populist president, Lazaro Cardenas. After the trip from Jalisco to Mexico City, they were an instant hit. Although the meaning and origin of mariachi groups are still unclear, the message they send out through their performance is like crystal.

"The word today has one meaning that is crystal clear: Mariachi means one of the most exciting and enchanting musical ensembles found anywhere in the world" (Gonzales).

To look at a Mariachi ensemble from a visual standpoint is one that distinctive to the history of Mexico. Prior to the 1930's, mariachis wore what is now called calzones de manta and huaraches. This outfit was made of homespun white cotton pants, shirts and leather sandals-the traditional clothes of peasants in Mexico. Today, mariachi ensembles wear the Traje de Charro. This uniform has a waist-length jacket, tightly fitted pants, or ankle-length skirts for women and short riding boots. They are elaborately decorated with silver or gold galas, leather designs, or embroidery. According to the director of Mariachi Cuerdas de Oro de NMSU, Guillermo Quezada Jr., "In Mexico, the traje de charro is the most elegant uniform." After the evolution of the traje de charro, mariachi groups began to travel abroad and become instant successes. As the silver galas reflect and glisten in the sun, mariachi groups can be spotted in any size of crowd. When an individual sees a modern mariachi group and thinks back to what the first uniform of the mariachis contained, and then see the beauty and elegance of the traje de charro, it is clear that the image of Mexico has changed like no other. In the words of Camille Collins, "Mariachi goes beyond music, it is the sum of a cultural revolution expressed through a group of musicians....which encompasses the essence of Mexico and its people."

Acoustically, mariachi music has a sound that is as unique and elegant as their uniforms. The standard instruments used in a mariachi group are: violins, trumpets, guitars, vihuelas, and basses or the guitarron. Mariachi music has various styles, for example, the sones and huapangos. Each style contains specific instrumentation, rhythm, tempo and accents that make it its own. The lyrics to mariachi music range from heartbreak to head-over-heels in love. "The lyrics symbolize every emotion" (Quezada). Many of the songs deal with nature and animals to symbolize courtship between men and women. In the song, Dos Arbolitos, two trees grow up side by side, never to be separated and caress each other like two sweet hearts that were in love. The singer states that she will wait under their shade and pray that God will send her a companion. At the end of the song, the singer says she feels alone and wants the trees to accompany her until she dies. Because farming was and is a large source of income throughout various regions in Mexico, lyrics about two trees were something that the Mexican people could relate to. Although the song is literally about two trees, it can be construed that the two trees represent a man and a woman in love. By listening to the lyrics, a person can understand what was significant and a mainstay in the lives of ordinary Mexicans.

Because the lyrics are sung in Spanish, the question of language often arises. Does an individual need to know Spanish to enjoy the music? According to Quezada, "No. Only if you want to know what the song is about, but mariachi music is enjoyable without knowing the words." One must understand that because Mariachi music is native to Mexico, Spanish is the first language. But, because some songs are purely instrumental, is makes no difference whether or not an individual can speak Spanish. Many Mariachi vocalists have the skill to convey what the song is about without needing to understand every single word that he/she is singing.

Works Cited

Collins, Camille. Mexico Connect. 1996-2007. What is Mariachi? April 1, 2007. http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/guadalajara/marhis.html

Gonzales, Sylvia. History of Mariachi, Puro Mariachi. March 29, 2007. http://www.mariachi.org/history.html

Quezada, Guillermo Jr.

Sillars, Malcolm W., Gronbeck, Bruce E. Communication Criticism: Rhetoric, Social Codes, Cultural Studies. Prospect Heights: Waveland Press Inc., 2001.