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 ii 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 iii 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. iv 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 1 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 2 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. 3 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 4 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.