CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
Fina Estampa: A Musical Journey Through Mexico
A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in Chicana and Chicano Studies
By Jessica Suarez
December 2017
The graduate project of Jessica Suarez is approved:
______Dr. Yreina D. Cervantez Date
______Dr. Lara Medina Date
______Dr. Peter J. Garcia, Chair Date
California State University, Northridge
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Table of Contents
Signature Page ii
Abstract iv
My History as A Scholar 1
My History as A Musician 4
Creative Project 7
Contribution to Chicana/o Studies 8
The Genesis of Mariachi 9
The Politics of Mariachi 12
Mariachi Studies 21
Mariachi Is Activism 23
Creative Project Portfolio 24
My Master’s Mariachi Music Recital 29
Influences & Aesthetics 33
Bibliography 35
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Abstract
Fina Estampa: A Musical Journey Through Mexico
By Jessica Suarez Master of Arts in Chicana and Chicano Studies
Fina Estampa is a compilation of a my own musical history, creative project aesthetic representation and discussion of regional songs/dances central to mariachi repertoire, mariachi contributions to Chicana and Chicano Studies, mariachi politics, and musical activism as a Chicana third world (decolonial) feminist mariachi violinist and singer. Included are photos of my mariachi journey through school ensembles, mariachi conferences, and development into the professional ranks of recording artists and show group "Mariachi Divas" and performing at Disney’s California Adventure. "Fina Estampa: A Musical Journey Through Mexico", a written script for my M.A. Mariachi Music Recital is where I continue the auto-historia again discussing my performance with Mariachi Alma de Mexico, Mariachi Divas, and Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas and my B.A. in Chicana/o Studies from UCSB and M.A. degree in Chicana/o Studies at CSUN. I continue to develop my third world feminist criticism of the highly masculinist performance spaces and patriarchal politics and economics of mariachi practice in the United States. I also provide a thorough discussion of the mariachi songs and music presented at the recital and what these works mean to me personally and Mexican and Chicana/o people in general.
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My History as a Scholar
“No Dogs, Women, or Mariachis Allowed”—Nati Cano shared with Daniel
Sheehy how in Cano’s early career, they had signs up negating service to dogs, women and mariachis at many cantinas in Mexico. Because of my background, experience and passion for mariachi, I am interested in sharing my mariachi life and experiences with my readers, mariachi compañeras y compañeros, my school colleagues and with the community. My thesis is an auto-historia of my experience as a Chicana female mariachi in hopes to document and add to the mariachi rhetoric, as well as, to the discipline of
Chicana and Chicano Studies. Auto-historia is a term coined by Gloria Anzaldua which means “to describe women-of-color interventions into and transformations of traditional western autobiographical forms. Deeply infused with the search for personal and cultural meaning. Auto-historia is informed by reflective self-awareness employed in the service of social work. Auto-historia focuses on the personal life story, but as an auto-historian tells her own life story, she simultaneously tells the life stories of others” (Anzaldua,
2009, 319). In the early stages of writing my thesis, I quickly learned that there was a scarcity of information and personal documentation of the real life struggles of a female in mariachi. So I decided then to make my thesis a compilation of my research and include my story. I believe that my work will be useful and important to the future generations who want to know more about the history of mariachi.
It is important to the field and discipline of Chicana and Chicano Studies to examine the intertextuality of mariachi music and the significant ways that women play a role in that. Acknowledging my experiences, even if just one story, will be useful to document and build the historical record of our culture, arts, music, and performances
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within the Chicana/o Studies discipline. It is extremely important to bring to light the
Chicana perspectives and experiences because this is an issue of visibility, gender equity, and justice. There are more and more Chicanas emerging into the realm of mariachi, as well as education, and we must work on hearing and validating our voices.
I am a woman of color who lives in a rural community in Central California called the San Joaquin Valley. My mother was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco,
Mexico and came to the United States at age 25. She was coming to visit California, she never imagined that she would love it here enough to stay. She received her citizenship and enrolled in school at a Community College. She was a straight A student who received her Associates degree in Building Trades and later received her Bachelors in
Spanish from Fresno State University. My father was born in Lima, Peru and came to
California at age 18; His entire family migrated together on a boat. He also started at a community college and later received his Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Fresno
State University. My parents taught me the importance of having an education and expected my sisters and I to pursue higher education just as they did. So after high school, I applied to the local community college, College of the Sequoias in Visalia,
California where my world opened up.
I went to see an academic counselor about class registration and that is when I learned about a transfer-readiness program, The Puente Project. My twin sister and I joined thinking it was just going to be a fun club. I never imagined the importance the
Puente Project and that counselor would have had in my life. My counselors name was
Ms. Teresa Guadiana and she became my mentor, a friend, and somebody who would really believe in me through my journey as a scholar. The Puente Project helped create
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my platform for success, a place where I learned so much, had guidance and support with personal statement essays when the time came to apply to 4-year universities. The Puente
Project was not only a program with Human development and English courses, also included a Puente Club component that provided the opportunity for students to build leadership skills. The Puente Project was such an important place to be in our everyday lives as this was how we learned about community, about moving off to college, how to create events on campus and so many other formative experiences which have helped to make me the well-rounded person I am today. It was the Puente Project and Ms.
Guadiana that really gave me the support and taught me how to practice self-confidence and to believe in myself. It’s a path laid with bricks of support and guidance that has been growing throughout the years and that sustains my mental and emotional health. It has given me the strength to walk into new experiences and has taught me the skills that I need to keep pushing forward to a happy and healthy future. I took the Puente Project with me to the University of California, Santa Barbara when I was admitted in 2008, and into my Master’s program at California State University, Northridge in 2012.
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My History as a Musician
I was 12 years old the first time I saw a mariachi group perform live. It was
Visalia’s Mariachi Foundation and I was instantly intrigued. Both of my parents fully supported my being part of this new extra-curricular activity. This mariachi foundation was a great start for youth to get introduced to mariachi, learn some new songs, participate in Mariachi workshops, and it was a safe and fun place to be at after school. I had the opportunity to attend workshops in Fresno, San Jose, Tucson and San Antonio, where I learned a vast amount of songs, mariachi style and technique. I also had the honor to meet professional mariachi groups whom I looked up to, such as, Mariachi Los
Camperos de Natividad “Nati” Cano and Mariachi Reynas de Los Angeles.
A couple of years passed and the older members of our mariachi group from
Visalia’s Mariachi Foundation wanted to start another mariachi group who would be more advanced and who could perform; they wanted exposure and to make a little money, as they were coming out of high school and becoming young adults. My twin sister and I were recruited at age 14. We learned about six songs every Friday evening and our group, Mariachi Sol de Visalia’s repertoire grew incredibly fast. We listened to recordings of Mariachi Los Camperos for their arrangements and musical style. I held
Mariachi Los Camperos as the best mariachi in the world. Everything was healthy and happy; I never imagined that the following year, everything would change.
The following year my father left my mom, sisters and I when I was 15 years old.
We were devastated as he had been a fun, loving and supportive father my whole life, and here I was alone with one of the most important people in my life, gone. My adolescent and young adult years were filled with many questions, anger, and with a whole new set
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of fears. Of course, time heals some wounds but the scars remain to remind me that I made it to this day with the help of three special women, my mother and two sisters. In the years that I have been on my musical and academic journey, I have struggled with food insecurity, homelessness, and several evictions with my mother and sisters.
I was invited to join Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea in 2006. Mariachi Divas is an all-female Mariachi group who transcends the traditional style of playing mariachi and are proud of their multi-ethnic integration into mariachi, their music and their sound. In
2009 Mariachi Divas won the Grammy Award for Best Regional Mexican album of the year for their 2008 release, Canciones de Amor. This award to the Mariachi Divas marked the first time in the history of the National Academy of Recording Arts and
Sciences that an all-female mariachi group had been nominated and of course, won. I performed at Disney’s California Adventure Park with Mariachi Divas and different venues throughout the Los Angeles area.
It was a blessing and an honor to have been a part of Mariachi Divas and the whole experience in general, as it was also the first time I moved away from home. I was
20 years old, three and a half hours away from home and super excited about my future.
My Diva experience was short lived as I decided to move back home and continue my education. My parents always told my sisters and I to pursue higher education. I chose to continue my education and I continued to play music. Mariachi music is woven into my identity and lifestyle. I play the violin and I also love to sing. It is always a rush of adrenaline when I am going to perform.
Being a mariachi has not always been easy. Not only are we usually standing outside playing in both really hot or cold weather and the weekends are exhausting, but
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women face an additional set of struggles. I have personally experienced getting paid significantly less than my male counterparts only because they felt like they could take advantage of me. I have dealt with feeling unsafe because of the sexual harassment.
There are often tones of differential treatment due to gender, and reluctant attitudes towards gender inclusivity within mariachi spaces.
The sexualization of bodies happens everywhere, however, it is our place of work and as women it makes working and playing our music very uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, there is no Human Resource office to go and fill out a complaint. As a result, we are left alone and powerless. These situations can lead a young Chicana to feel like she does not belong, but I am here to say that this is our space and we do belong here.
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Creative Project
For my creative project, I will be showing the aesthetic representation of Mexican music in the United States. I will be showing it by performing songs from specific regions, starting in the northern states of Mexico and traveling down to the south of
Mexico. My goal is to tell my story and experiences to continue the documentation of mariachi, especially that of a female’s perspective.
I consider myself a scholar and a musician. A scholar who loves to study the
Mexican-American history. And a musician who loves and is passionate about mariachi music and its culture. As the years have gone by I have been able to formulate my own ideas and it has also caused me to question the very things that I love. For years I have had to let certain issues marinate in my head and make sense of them to myself first and now I have been allowed a platform where I can share my thoughts and queries with the public.
I have decided to present a creative project because the issues I will be discussing are about representation, gender inequality, performantics, and aesthetics of mariachi and these issues are only fully understood if one sees it and is present to watch the energy in the music, feel the pain and heartbreak in the music, and appreciate the femininity in the music as well. I would like to put a concert together to showcase the aesthetics and concepts.
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Contribution to Chicana/o Studies
This creative project is important to me because I will be focusing on the intersectionalities for women mariachi and I will be performing with a mariachi to show these intertextualities that I write about in my written thesis. This will be presented to my
Master’s thesis committee, as well as open to the public.
Chicana/o Studies is an identity that politicizes what it means to be Mexican American. It is a weapon for protection for all the different terms that other people wanted to label us as. Now it means many things and I personally embrace everyone’s reasons for their term of identification as it is what empowers us- that is important. Latin, Latina/o, Latin
American, the Latinization wave is something that is more inclusive to many other ethnicities such as Peruvian, Salvadorian and Guatemalan cultures and identities. I believe it is the new direction for Chicana and Chicano Studies.
Chicana/o Studies is a discipline which represents a group of people whose roots are of Mexican descent. The study of Chicano or even the term Chicano has evolved throughout the years, creating a Latinization, including not just Mexicano/as but also
Salvadoreño/as, Chileans, Ecuatoreano/as, Brazilians, Peruano/as and all central and southern Latin American countries who have contributed in making the U.S the melting pot that it is. It is the Chicanos and Latin Americans that have made mariachi what it is in the United States.
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The Genesis of Mariachi
The genesis of mariachi is a bit uncertain. The first studies of the origin of mariachi gave more insight on the region of Mexico rather than a specific location, or time and date. “The mariachis have been famous mainly in the states of Jalisco, Colima, and Michoacán. Now they have reached Mexico City, and in all areas where they play, they are an object of admiration” (Jauregui, 2007, 203). There are a couple different stories about where mariachi began and I will explain in the following. Miguel Galindo was the first historian that attempted to document the beginning of mariachi. He believed it was important to collect information and data of this music, he did not feel it was pertinent to record precise dates or location. Never did he imagine that generations to this day are digging passionately for a more accurate genesis of mariachi.
Another historian named Davila Garibi has stated that the origin of mariachi took place in Cocula, Jalisco. “Data de tiempo inmemorial y tuvo su cuna en Cocula, Zacoalco y otras poblaciones jaliscienses que en lo antiguo formaron parte de la nacion coca. Los mariachis de Cocula son, a lo que parece, los mas antiguos y los que al presente han alcanzado mayor celebridad” (Jauregui, 2007, 203). There is no doubt that little evidence and documentation can lead to many ideas and theories. These ideas can make a lot of sense and it is difficult for us to make a decision of the truth. We still do not know which one of these theories are true. All we can do is try to document as much as possible in the present for the clarity of the future.
To contradict Miguel Galindo and Davila Garibi’s beliefs, Gabriel Saldivar argues that mariachi began in 1730 in San Miguel el Grande, Guanajuato. He states that the fundamental instruments consisted of string instruments such as the harp, violin, and
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vihuela. “El documento mas antiguo, hasta hoy conocido, que trata de un grupo de esta naturaleza [musicos con arpa, violin, vihuela y violon, que tocan sones] es del ano 1730”
(Jauregui, 2007, 204). What is mariachi? How did it begin? Is the genesis what counts or is it its evolution. All of these things remain a debate, however, we know that in the present time, a mariachi is not a mariachi without its trumpets.
As many of us would like to be certain of the exact location and time that mariachi began, we have to acknowledge all sides of the controversy. Miguel Galindo did not find it crucial to record dates and location along with his empirical experiences, then
Blas Galindo came along and added to the discussion, stating that we cannot be sure that mariachi originated from a specific location as many of us want to believe. All in all, there has been a scarcity of information; not misinformation or inaccurate information, just a lack of information and whatever has been documented is fragmented. “Las escasas referencias escritas sobre el mariachi, anteriores a la decada de 1920, constituyen una documentacion ocasional, fragmentaria y dispersa…Todos ofrecen pistas inseguras sobre su naturaleza (melodias, ritmos, coreografias, letras, diferencias regionales de estilo e instrumentacion), su variada funcionalidad social y, mas aun, su origen” (Jauregui, 210,
2007). Jesus Jauregui is saying there are scarce written references about mariachi, especially before the year 1920. There may be examples of journal notes complaining of the inconveniences of being a mariachi, or excerpts of newspapers, however, all of them were uncertain pieces of proof of mariachi’s natural form, especially its origin. “No podemos asegurar que [el mariachi] sea originario de un lugar determinado como muchos lo han creido, porque existe lo mismo en Michoacan que en Colima, en Jalisco o en
Nayarit. Dejamos asentado, entonces, que el Mariachi no pertenece a un lugar
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determinado sino que corresponde a toda una region” (1946: 3-4). Blas Galindo felt very passionate about accuracy. He believed that if it was not concrete information then we should not use it as factual data. This is an ongoing debate where it is difficult to know for sure, we can only speculate. Mexican musicologists like Alvaro Ochoa and Jesus
Jauregui, Ethnomusicologists in the United States such as Daniel Sheehy and Jeff Nevin, mariachi historians as Miguel Galindo and Jonathan Clark and mariachi educators like
Mark Fogelquist have tried to research this for decades and mariachi historians today can only focus on documenting our present experience as mariachis to leave something behind.
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The Politics of Mariachi
All these men are making foot marks and paving the way, but so are women.
There are feminists in the United States, as well as in Mexico making a wave of awareness and autonomy that does not go forgotten as this is something that we carry and grow stronger from. “Por la pura conciencia de que eso no es solo ‘cosa de hombres’, sino de quien le guste… Son el Mariachi Femenil Xochitl, de los pocos que hay de puras mujeres en nuestro pais. Ramona [Madera, directora del grupo], es la unica del grupo que se assume como feminista, porque admira a las mujeres que se ‘atreven a estar en todas partes’.” (Jauregui, 2007, 313). We may think a lot of modernity in the United States but it is actually everywhere. On the contrary, there are people everywhere who have an antiquated way of thinking and may not agree with modernity cultures, and that can pose a problem for us moving forward. “Aunque no falta el prietito en el arroz , aquel que les dice que ‘’se vayan a la cocina, que se regresen al metate’. Esos, dice Marisol Sequra
Patino —encargada de rascarle a la guitarra— ‘son gente que no se civiliza, quienes todavia no estan ubicados en la realidad’” (Jauregui, 313, 2007). Nonetheless, we will continue to do what we love doing and we will keep retaliating if need be, in order for us to have equality.
Many times women and girls are pressured into looking a certain way and acting accordingly depending on where we are in public spaces. This happens quite often in mariachi spaces, as cultural aesthetics are very prevalent with what we do in this business. In Margaret E. Montoya’s article, Mascaras, Trenzas y Greñas: Un/masking the
Self While Un/braiding Latina Stories and Legal Discourse, she speaks of the types of ways in which we try to mask our identity as brown females, whether it is the way we
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dress, do our makeup, how we do our hair, to what kinds of food we eat. It is a way to protect ourselves from any scrutiny, embarrassment or being treated differently. “As I put on my uniform and as my mother braided my hair, I changed; I became my public self.
My trenzas announced that I was clean and well cared for at home. My trenzas and school uniform blurred the differences between my family’s economic and cultural circumstances and those of the more economically comfortable Anglo students. I welcomed the braids and uniform as a disguise which concealed my minimal wardrobe and the relative poverty in which my family lived” (Montoya, 515).
The trenzas, braids are symbolic for culture and yet leaving her hair down, would have made her look ‘unclean’ or ungroomed. Montoya’s experience is not unique for
Chicanas. This resonates with me and my experiences as a little girl and growing up because I clearly remember, just like it was yesterday, how both my mother and father would make sure that we were always cleaned up and groomed. I remember my parents combing our hair and it was always in a gelled, well combed, tight, pony tail. When I was
7 years old, I remember actually ‘daring’ myself to one day, go to school with my hair down like some of the other girls; I used to think it was beautiful when girls had their hair down. To conclude, I never went through with the dare I made to myself.
I know there is a correlation between my childhood experiences being a brown
Chicana, what Montoya shares, and the reason I really never let my hair down. We, as females always worry about things we don’t need to; we should feel free to groom and present ourselves the way we want to and not feel that we are going to be treated differently or less than. In mariachi I always feel that I have to “roll with it,” I have to dodge the obvious and the subtle micro aggressions and sexual undertones, in order to
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work and get through the gig to pay my bills. Just as Montoya shares her story about her hair having to be combed up to look clean, women in mariachi have to look ready, be ready always, we do not have room to be too feminine or it could be mistaken for sensitivity or weakness.
We have so much to offer as Chicana mariachis and mujeres. There needs to be documentation of Chicanas in mariachi to record and have in our history. There is very little integration of Chicana/o history in the k-12 text books. Furthermore, even when
Chicanos do address Chicana/o history, many of them omit and even displace women as having anything to do with history or the genesis and evolution of any part of our
Chicana/o history (Garcia, 1995). Therefore, I want to document and publish research as evidence that there are strong mujeres and that we do disrupt, create, and exist.
Mariachi music is a big part of our culture; Mexicans and Chicanas/os hold this music very dear and close, as this is the music of our abuelitas y abuelitos, grandmothers and grandfathers. Mariachi is traditional music of Mexico and it is part of our culture as
Chicanas/os.
According to Daniel Sheehy in “Mexican Mariachi Music: Made in the USA,”
Mariachi music and the mariachi ensemble has been a symbol of Mexican identity since the 1930s. He goes on explaining that Mariachi music has been a cultural icon that anchors Mexican culture in its evolution through time. I would like to add to the words of
Daniel Sheehy in saying that not only does Mexican culture evolve with time, but so does
Mariachi’s “cultural, commercial and social” aspects as well (Sheehy, 2006, 132), and in those shifts that Mariachi music and Mexican culture experience, comes more additions and integrations from different areas of our community, such as women—traditional and
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modern, beginners and professionals, each with something unique to contribute to the realm of mariachi—equally as our men contribute. “It is a symbol and stereotype, ancient and modern, glorified and scorned, profession and avocation, a form of musical expression, and a way of life” (Daniel Sheehy, 2006, 132). I believe mariachi music is an enjoyable yet structured type of genre that brightens people’s hearts and makes them feel many emotions; happy, sad, nostalgic, excited. And although it is what we transmit to the audience, we struggle to always keep our musical group and experience a positive one as musicality and hierarchies begin to intersect with entertainment.
Being a woman in mariachi can be tricky as it creates a different energy than when a man is a mariachi, and although there are many Latina mariachis in the Los
Angeles area, it is hard to find them in the Central Valley de San Joaquin. One could feel the looks of being seen as a novelty when you walk into work with a mariachi that is not used to working with female mariachis. There are also other instances where male mariachis are used to it, and one will feel that welcoming energy. I embrace working/performing mariachi music in general. I truly enjoy working with people who make me feel good. I appreciate when musicians accept you for the level of musicianship you are at in your current state. Many female musicians ignore the unpleasant feelings and experiences they face when asked about their musical careers and experiences. Very few women will stand up and say how it really was or still is. The reason I think they mask or hide their true emotions and experiences is because they are intimidated since there are a substantial amount of men who have pioneered the way for mariachi and they are usually attendees or presenters at mariachi conferences, panels, etc.
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The literature on mariachi music portrays women as complacent and satisfied with their place in mariachi (Sheehy, 2006). However, the reality is that Chicana mariachis face many challenges in this field and there is discouraging treatment that does not allow women’s full integration into mariachi. As noted by Sheehy (2006, 19) “More gender-equal school programs and stage concerts have changed this, making the presence of women more of an asset to the groups’ showmanship” (Sheehy, 2006, 19). Although men in mariachi and people in our communities are now more accepting of women in mariachi and there is acknowledgement that the presence of females is an asset in mariachi, the reality is that mariachi is still not a gender-equal space. Inequalities are still taking place and there needs to be more integration within the genre of Mariachi music.
There are still underlying notions and misconceptions, macro aggressions and repercussions towards women who are in mariachi and I will show this in my research.
“The change in performance context from the cantina to the restaurant and in role from backup musician to featured performer is tied in the minds of some musicians to their desire to elevate the social status of the music and the musicians who play it, distancing them from these old prejudices. Natividad Cano tells of how, in his earlier career in
Mexico, there were signs on cantinas with the warning “No Dogs, Women, or Mariachis
Allowed,” and how he is determined to change this form of prejudice through maintaining an extraordinary level of musicianship and through advocating his musical tradition to the widest public possible” (Sheehy, 2006, 19).
There may not be signs at the cantinas anymore, or signs when you get in one of the mariachi vans at the Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, but after the gig is over and they take you back to the plaza, you realize what the value of your work
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actually means to them, because you are paid half or less than half than the male musicians. This kind of humiliation is very difficult to describe. Although there is sexual harassment that we have to endure in order to temporarily play/work with a mariachi, it is really the violation of our work that hurts me, personally. It is my time, as a full time student, and the overlooking of me as a hard working woman that really makes me feel violated.
Although there are a few articles on women in mariachi (Jaquez, 2006; Sobrino,
2001), it’s not enough information to gain a holistic idea of the experiences that Chicanas in mariachi go through. There is literature and research on mariachi in general, but it tends to be very male based such as “Mexican Mariachi Music: Made in the USA” by
Daniel Sheehy.
However, Daniel Sheehy does a fantastic job at examining the emergence of mariachi music in America, and its importance to people of Mexican heritage. He points out several mariachis and their stories and very detailed experiences of their day as a mariachi. He acknowledges Mariachi Los Camperos de Natividad (Nati) Cano and
Mariachi San Matias from Los Angeles. Regardless, in my opinion that is not a holistic approach of mariachi, especially not in the United States.
Candida F. Jaquez (2002) acknowledges some women in Texas who are active in mariachi. There was actually one woman, Elida, who did a great job; she started and directed her own group but it was because her daughter, Carmen, was not accepted in the all-male mariachi groups as an equal, that she decided to start the women’s mariachi.
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Candida Jaquez expresses, “For Elida, Carmen’s participation in mariachi symbolized this cultural pride through involvement with a long-standing tradition. The problems began when Carmen sought to continue mariachi performance within the local professional ranks. Elida recounted the evenings when her daughter would return home late at night having finished playing and Carmen would tell her about problems dealing with an all-male mariachi group who had only reluctantly recruited her for a temporary trial. Because she was not openly accepted, she even had difficulties assuming what should have been one of her most accepted roles, that of a singer. This inconsistency was laid bare during the first taping session, during which Carmen exhibited skills and poise as a particularly fine ranchera singer. As Elida revealed, it wasn’t long before she decided to seize the earliest possible opportunity to begin their own mariachi group”
(Jacquez, 177).
I am concerned with this because I see the mariachi musician and director finding her own space for music and creativity but it was because the men didn’t find her worthy or up to par, and therefore, rendered her invisible until she left. I understand Carmen’s frustration from her experiences as a woman in mariachi because I have been playing mariachi music for 14 years now.
I want to disrupt that sexist and patriarchal space that renders us mujeres invisible and create a standard where men will work with women. Women finding their own space is, unfortunately, counter-productive because it only perpetuates the power of patriarchy and we need to demand a space in mariachi, equal to the males, not on the side. There is another example in Jaquez’s article in which she writes about a girl, Maria Castro, who was having trouble being accepted in the male dominated mariachi world, even when her
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father was the teacher at the Austin high school mariachi program, so she went solo. She started singing songs by Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline such as “Honky Tonk Girl,” and
“You Ain’t Woman Enough To Take My Man” at a local Mexican restaurant. “Maria
Castro, herself a product of the Austin high school mariachi program (her father teaches the classes), has chosen to circumvent some of the difficulties of a female mariachi performer by inventing a different performative context. She regularly performs as a solo singer while accompanying herself on guitar at a local Mexican restaurant. As such, she is able to perform within the mariachi tradition with a greater degree of control over her own musical expression” (Jacquez, 179).
Maria Castro wanted to be part of a mariachi, was tracked off of mariachi because she was female, and then ended up singing songs that weren’t even mariachi. I use the term ‘tracked off’ as in the term used in education and Critical Race Theory; when a student is tracked off of courses and parts of their education that they could have received but were never given that chance, due to stereotypes, stigmas, and racism (Yosso, 2006).
Mariachi carries decades of oppression and of inequality. I see it every weekend when I get paid significantly less than the men in the mariachi group. I also see it when I am discouraged from singing the heart wrenching, passionate songs of Javier Solis and
Vicente Fernandez. Some of it has to do with the different vocals I have compared to the men singing the songs in the recordings but that is not the whole reason mujeres, women are not likely to be given these songs; some men just don’t think we are capable of delivering these songs as effective as them. If we continue to feel suppressed and discouraged, like Maria Castro and other mujeres, we will experience a different dynamic of expression where our potential can go unrealized and we will most likely not the
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artistic expression we set out to experience. We need to stand up for our rights as human beings, and demand an equal acceptance and entry into mariachi where we can express ourselves openly.
There is a much bigger gender problem in the music genre of mariachi in the
United States than there is a race or phenotype problem. We females often times do not feel comfortable playing with men due to patriarchy and sexism. Must we always live masking our real selves, never reaching our fullest potential? What do we need to do to feel accepted and how do we forcefully implement that into our physical realities of the everyday struggle?
I stress these inequalities because I want to fight for an integrated approach and illustration of mariachi music. I want to see the short hair, long hair tied up and long hair let down with roses to show the amazing feminine side of mariachi that is powerful and sensual. I want to work with men and women equally. I need both males and females to really feel the excitement that mariachi can bring. Mariachi music isn’t all about singing or soloing, but about the energy in which a group of people come together with various instruments to play with the passion and energy that these songs and our traditions bring.
More so, it is us human beings that bring so much excitement and creation of community when we perform this artistic expression; it’s magical and therapeutic.
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Mariachi Studies
The mariachi festivals were a conscious and logical decision to advance the mariachi world and to perpetuate the tradition with the younger generation. The Mariachi festivals were a success and the first mariachi program to be implemented in schools was in 1966 by Belle Ortiz, a pianist and fourth grade teacher at San Antonio Independent
School District. That also turned out to be a success and grew quickly throughout the
1970’s. During the workshops and festivals, students began to have mentors and professional musicians as examples for motivation. I am one who was a young girl once and going to these mariachi workshops and festivals were so exciting, fun and left me motivated to keep learning and practicing. “Habia nacido a partir del deseo de proporcionar a los estudiantes una experiencia educativa superior y culturalmente resonante” (Jauregui, 2007, 383). I believe Culturally Relevant Curriculum is extremely important for the success of our diverse youth and future generations. A need for a more superior and quality education, along with cultural relevance was in place.
The first International Mariachi Conference took place in San Antonio in 1979 and included themed conferences, workshops for every specific instrument and preparation for the end result, a concert that students would be featured with professional mariachis at their side. According to Fogelquist, the Tucson Mariachi Conferences was the turning point for the surprising career of Linda Ronstadt as a ranchera singer as she already was a rock artist. Her participation and exposure in mariachi conferences helped her to gain a whole new audience, of students and the general public that were of non-
Mexican descent.
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Nati Cano, late owner of Mariachi Los Camperos states, “Ronstadt a hecho mas que revivir la tradicion del mariachi tanto para audencias viejas como nuevas; ella ha conseguido para el estilo mariachi un nivel internacional todavia mayor de reconocimiento y difusion comerciales” (Jauregui, 2007, 385). Linda Ronstadt album
Canciones de mi Padre recorded in 1987, was an album to record the songs of her father’s generation. Surprisingly it did not just target her parents’ generation but it also was a huge influence for the young musician students that were rising in the genre of mariachi through the mariachi conferences. It was the conferences that helped a great deal with her success of her album.
As a result, Linda Ronstandt is an icon for mariachi; she paved the way for a lot of us Latina musicians and singers in the United States. She brought something somewhat of an old-fashioned music genre of Mexico and made it modern to the U.S. population.
What I find intriguing is how much pride it spread for our cultura, culture and the arts.
One female rock artist did that for us. I appreciate it and am open to anybody who can add to the world of mariachi in a positive way.
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Mariachi Is Activism
I believe the mere fact of being present, playing in a mariachi is a form of activism because the more I see women playing mariachi and holding a place in the group, only then will it be normalized. I believe activism happens when a woman experiences inequalities, such as sexism and differential treatment and rather than running away, she stays and challenges the social norms. If we all faced difficulties and ran away when things got tough, there would be no women in mariachi and the representation would be significantly less and it would discourage females from entering these spaces. So, I believe we have many mariachi musical activists paving the way for the future women mariachis to come. It seems like a simple task to be present, however, anyone who has dealt with the difficulties I have, know that it is not easy, yet it is the most progressive thing a woman can do.
Mariachi is music, art, expression; let us inspire our youth and readers to make art, to sing, to express themselves, to be proud of their culture and history. My creative project will be in form of a musical recital on April 26, 2017 and I will show the importance of having both female and male mariachi musicians. They will share a stage and each will bring a unique energy to the performance. I will present a dynamic performance filled with energy, a 3-part harmony violin section, 3-part harmony vocals, a number of traditional pieces as well as a couple of modern songs to show how diverse and worldly the music of mariachi really is. I will show with a grounded theory method (GTM), and with a feminist theoretical framework, that Chicanas bring something very special to the genre of mariachi music. This project is an expression of empowerment for women, for Chicanas, and for
Mariacheras to come.
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Creative Project Portfolio
Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana in 2002.
Jessica and Vanessa Suarez with Mariachi Divas in 2006.
This is a photo of me with my favorite Campero, Luis Damian in 2014. He was in Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano and has recently retired. He came to play with us, Mariachi Serenata Ranchera, one random Saturday and I had to document this day. I'll never forget it.
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Mariachi free-lancing with my twin sister, Vanessa Suarez in 2015. (Left to Right): Vanessa and Jessica.
Jessica Suarez in 2016.
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Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas were the headliners for the Anaheim Convention Center for Religious Congress in 2016.
Mariachi Garibaldi at Teatro Degollado in 2016.
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Mariachi Garibaldi and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan in 2016.
Mariachi Espectacular while free-lancing in 2016.
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Mariachi Divas in Downtown Disney promoting and celebrating our CD #12 “Tributo a Joan Sebastian y Rigoberto Alfaro” being nominated for a Grammy and Mariachi Divas at The NAMM Convention in 2017.
Mariachi Divas recording their 13th album, “Recordando a Juan Gabriel” in April 2017. (Left to right) Jessica Suarez, Daniela Gutierrez, Stephanie Martinez, Jasmine Lopez and Wendy Franco.)
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My Master’s Mariachi Music Recital
“Fina Estampa: A Musical Journey Through Mexico”
Mariachi and Song: Description and Background
I have picked specific mariachi musicians to accompany me today. I have Ernie
Lazaro, violinist and vocalist for Mariachi Garibaldi, next we have Grammy award winning Rosalie Rodriguez, violinist and vocalist for Trio La Victoria, next we have
Orpheus Guerra, lead trumpet for Mariachi Garibaldi, we have Severo Lopez,
Guitarronero for Mariachi Garibaldi, next we have Gilberto Rodriguez, Vihuelero for
Mariachi Garibaldi, Adrian Martinez, Guitarist for Mariachi Garibaldi and last but not least we have Elizabeth Sanchez playing Guitarra de Golpe. Thank you guys for joining me on such an important day.
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The first song I will be performing will be in form of a popurri. The song I will be performing is “Mexico, Mexico”. “Mexico, Mexico” is a beautiful song that speaks of the way Mexico was formed by the Aztecs, then colonized and conquered by the Spanish, however, Mexico never lost its beautiful blue skies. I wasn’t able to find the composer but I wanted to start with this song as it reminds me of my early Chicana/o Studies epistemology. It is a Huapango, in ¾ time and we will be playing it in LA, the key of A.
The next song we will be performing is “Corrido Del Norte”. Lucha Moreno wrote “Corrido Del Norte”. The lyrics are referring to the public sentiment of the
Mexicanos during the era of when the United States was invading Mexico. It is a corrido, in ¾ time and it is also in LA, the key of A.
“Jesusita en Chihuahua”, also known as “Chucha” or “Chuchita” is the next song we will be performing. Quirino Mendoza y Cortes was the composer for “Jesusita en
Chihuahua”. Quirino was the colonel and director of the banda de musica en Puebla. He wrote this Polka during the Mexican Revolution. He performed this song at Christmas in
1916. This turned into a common revolutionary song, as well as, Pancho Villa’s favorite song. It is a polka, in ¾ time and we will be playing it in Sol, in the key of G.
It was also written by Quirino Mendoza y Cortes. There are many different versions of Cielito Lindo, however, the version we are performing was made famous by
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan. It is a huasteco, in 6/8 time and we will be performing it starting in the key of FA (F) and then moving up to the key of LA (A). Normally, men will play it in FA all throughout the song, however, since we are doing a 3-part harmony with women, we had to change keys to LA.
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The next song is “Camino Real de Colima”. It was written by Ruben Fuentes. He is the man that revolutionized the way mariachi dressed, groomed, their musicality, performativity, and wrote amazing musical arrangements. It is a son Colimense in ¾ time and we are playing it in the key of LA (A).
The next song we will be performing is “Son de Mi Tierra”. It was written by
Geronimo Mendez. I couldn’t find much on the song. It is a son Jalisciense in ¾ time. We are playing it in the key of Sol (G).
The last song we will be performing as part of the popurri is “Son de la Negra”, written by Blas Galindo in 1940. It is known as the second national anthem of Mexico and as the first anthem of mariachi. We usually walk into parties playing this song and after big concerts or presentations at mariachi conferences, mariachis gather to conclude the event by playing La Negra together.
The next song we will be performing is “Mucho Corazon”. This song was written by Emma Elena Valdelamar. We are performing it in the key of F (FA) and it will be sung by me, Jessica Suarez.
Next we are performing the song “Animas”. This song was written by Antonio
Aguilar. We are playing it in the key of A (LA) and it will be sung by Gilberto Rodriguez and I, Jessica Suarez coming in on the bridge doing the segundas, harmony; singing a duet part at the bridge adds more color and dimension to the performance and song.
We will also be performing “Cucurrucucu Paloma”. This song was composed by
Tomas Mendez who was born in Zacatecas, Mexico. We will play it in they key of F
(FA) and it will be sung and performed by Elizabeth Sanchez.
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The song, “Que nadie sepa mi sufrir” was made famous by Sonora Dinamita. We are performing this song in E minor (si bemol) and it will be sung by Rosalie Rodriguez.
In this song, we are focusing on modernity versus traditional.
This song will conclude my musical recital. I will be performing “Fina Estampa”, written by Chabuca Granda. She is a Peruvian artist, singer, songwriter and was the first to integrate Afro-Peruvian rhythms into musica criolla, a criollo waltz. It will be performed in the key of C (Do). I will be singing and performing “Fina Estampa”. The first half of the song I will be accompanied by the mariachi and the second half of the song, I will be accompanied by an afro-peruvian trio that I organized for my recital. I have Gino Gamboa on the castanuelas, Victor Vento on the guitar and Rodrigo Rodriguez on the cajon.
We hope you like our show. Thank you!
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Influences & Aesthetics
My mariachi journey has had many influential examples and models throughout the years. I have always listened to Mariachi Los Camperos and Mariachi Reynas de Los
Angeles for their violin parts and vocal talents. I have also listened to individual artists such as Linda Ronstandt, Selena Quintanilla and Chelo. Locally, I have always enjoyed to listen to Mariachi Alma de Mexico and Mariachi Colonial in Visalia, CA. Some iconic mariachi singers whom I really admire are Javier Solis, Lola Beltran, Lucha Villa and
Jose Alfredo Jimenez. Some outside mariachi influences were Jose Jose, Eva Ayllon,
Alvaro Torres, Alicia Villareal, Ricardo Montaner and Oscar De Leon.
I chose to have my recital at the Chicano House for many reasons. First, I wanted to create a backyard party feel, as if we were at a regular Saturday gig. I chose not to have it in an auditorium because I wanted a closer, intimate setting which would make everyone feel comfortable. I set up the mariachi under the white gazebo because I wanted to create depth for the audience. My sisters and I decorated the gazebo with papel picado and lights all around to create a warm, cultural and uplifting ambiance. I asked my mother to make her famous pozole and it was delicious as always, along with her special pozole salsa. I set out tables and chairs too instead of just chairs because I wanted to make everything feel comfortable and relaxed while they watched and listened to us perform. I believe the setting I created was helpful to illustrate the mariachi gigs, culture, energy and enjoyment that people feel when they book a mariachi for their party. We really enjoyed ourselves. I was thrilled to have my performance recital and I gave it all I had to create the setting that was right for me and what I believe in. I don’t think I would have had the same outcome, had I performed my recital in an auditorium. I am grateful
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for the Chicano House and my professors who supported me having it there. My professors were flexible and gave me the space to choose my platform which further validated my creativity. Thank you.
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Bibliography
Garcia, Peter J., Sandoval, Chela, Aldama, Arturo J. Performing the US Latina and Latino Borderlands. Indiana University Press, 2012. Jaquez, Candida F. Meeting La Cantante Through Verse, Song, and Performance. Cantú, Norma Elia, and Olga Nájera-Ramírez. Chicana Traditions: Continuity and Change. Urbana: University of Illinois, 2002. Print. Jauregui, Jesus. El Mariachi: The Mariachi Simbolo Musical De Mexico. Taurus, 2007. Print. Perez, Leonor Xochitl. Trangressing The Taboo: A Chicana’s Voice In The Mariachi World. Cantú, Norma Elia, and Olga Nájera-Ramírez. Chicana Traditions: Continuity and Change. Urbana: University of Illinois, 2002. Print. Sheehy, Daniel. Mexican Mariachi Music: Made in the U.S.A. Musics of Multicultural America: A Study of Twelve Musical Communities. Edited by Kip Lornell and Anne K. Rasmussen. 2006. Soto Flores, Leticia Isabel. "UCLA Center for the Study of Women." Performative Metaphors: The "Doing" of Image by Women in Mariachi Music [eScholarship]. EScholarship: University of California, 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
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