Mariachi music is an essential element of Mexican culture and is a traditional Mexican musical genre. It is a genre of Mexican music dating back to the 18th century that has developed over time in the rural areas of western Mexico.
Historically, the word Mariachi was thought to have been derived from the French word mariage ("marriage"). This was after the French intervened in Mexico in the 1860s, impacted by the music's presence at weddings. One states that the word came from the wood used to make the dance platform. Another says that it was the indigenous name for a tree called pilla or cirimo; yet another says it was derived from an image known locally as Maria H (pronounced MariAche). However, many theories have emerged regarding the origin of the word mariachi, but prominent theories attribute it to deeper roots.
Traditional Mariachis are two or more musicians, who wear regional costumes adapted from charro costumes and play a broad repertoire on stringed instruments. A wide variety of songs from various areas of Mexico are played, including jarabes, minuets, polkas, valonas, schottisches, waltzes, and serenades, as well as corridos (traditional Mexican ballads narrating stories of battles, notable deeds, and love affairs) and rural songs.
Mariachi is mainly transmitted through ear-learning, and the skill is usually passed on from father to son and through performances at festive, religious, and civil events. Through the Spanish language and the different Indian languages of Western Mexico, Mariachi music transmits the values of respect for the natural heritage of Mexico's different regions.
Furthermore, Mariachi songs celebrate the love of the earth, hometowns, native lands, religion, nature, fellow countrywomen, and the strength of a nation. Today, the most common mariachi group has as many as eight violins, two trumpets, and at least one guitar, including a high-pitched violin called a vihuela, and a guitarrón, which is a bass guitar, and all players take turns singing lead and backup vocals.
In Mexico, however, there is no better place to hear mariachi music in the city than Garibaldi Plaza, where mariachi musicians perform for gigs. Especially since government renovated the plaza, it is now more tourist-friendly. Many people choose to visit the plaza to hear the musicians.
As of today, Mariachi music is still alive. Mexican mariachi music is also played during Catholic Masses. It also can be found in The International Mariachi Festival that is held annually in Guadalajara. This ten-day event attracts more than 500 mariachis from all over the world every year. Modern Mariachi music incorporates other genres, such as rancheras, the bolero ranchero, and even cumbia from Colombia.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/mariachi-string-music-song-and-trumpet-00575) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariachi) |Subject=Music |Country=Mexico |SDG=(08) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities }}