50 MEETINGS OF INDIGENOUS TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND DANCE VOL. III

CENZONTLE
(MOCKINGBIRD)

INI

This series of discs that consists of four volumes, brings together a great variety of musical manifestations of indigenous cultures of Mexico. It shows music and ancient musical instruments, as well as more recent expressions. The music gathered here, was compiled and selected from recordings that were made in the “Meetings of Traditional Indigenous Music and Dance”. The National Indigenous Institute held these meetings in different regions of the country, in order to promote and encourage, among the cultures that inhabit each region, its various concepts and musical resources; Likewise, it was considered that other circumstances or media would emerge from these meetings, such as this series, which promotes these rich manifestations at a broader level, a fundamental part of Mexico’s cultural endeavor.

As can be verified by listening to the examples compiled here, indigenous music contains a rich and varied world of sounds, resources and concepts. For many years before the arrival of the Spanish, the territory that today comprises our country was inhabited by different cultures. Each one, although with some influences from the surrounding ones, outlined particular styles and music endowments, derived from their development in arts and resources (carpentry, saddlery, basketry, lapidary, goldsmithing, etc.).

During the Colony, the spectrum of musical manifestations would be expanded with the encounter of Mesoamerican cultures, first with the Spanish, and later with the African blacks, brought as slaves. Each of these cultures would influence and be influenced by the others. The Hispanic, for example, would bring to the European world countless Mesoamerican natural resources and their applications. On the other hand, indigenous cultures would be influenced, first with the arrival of the Spaniards and black Africans, and later with the arrival of other cultures, which through immigration and armed movements would invade our territory. Each of them brought with it sounds apparently not exploited by pre-Cortesian cultures, such as string instruments.⁷

The different Hispanic contributions, generated during the Colony, in the music of indigenous cultures, did not owe its variety so much to the different ethnic origins of the conquerors, but rather due to its relevant socioeconomic division, which implied a variety of uses. , genres and instruments. In a global way, these strata could be defined as: the popular class, represented by the soldiers, those who had appropriate music and instruments both for tactics and harangues in military deployments, as well as for entertainment in times of rest or celebration. ; the religious one, with two aspects: that of the missionaries, who used music as a resource for evangelization, teaching the indigenous people the execution and construction of European instruments on the one hand, and adopting, on the other hand, some indigenous instruments in Catholic events, and the ecclesiastical authorities, who created edicts to diminish the great musical movement that had been provoked among indigenous cultures, supporting European music performed by Europeans or their descendants, with rare exceptions in other strata; finally, in a similar way to the previous one, the aristocrat, the one who had no major relevance in the development of indigenous music, more than in a casual way, due to the fact that her concern to keep up to date with the manifestations that were generated in Europe, caused the constant bringing to New Spain of fashionable instruments and genres from which the indigenous cultures adopted something of their musical work.7

Regarding the influence of black Africans on indigenous cultures, it should be noted that although their first encounters were hostile, they would quickly become fraternal, which led to musical exchanges, which are more evident in the regions where there was a greater settlement of blacks. , cane fields or mines, or remote places where they remained in a wild state for a long time. Even today, in regions such as the Costa Chica, where indigenous and Afro-Mestizo groups coexist, it is common to find that they share the same type of instrumental endowment or musical and/or dance genre.

Something fascinating in the music performed by the indigenous cultures of Mexico is: that already in independent spaces, or combined in one, there are musical resources and concepts with elements of different origins; some turtle shell, “teponaztli” “huehuetl”, or some type of flute or maraca, which are related to ancestral pre-Cortesian cultures, can form an endowment with each other, or be combined with some rebec, harp, or some great variety of violin or guitar, with sizes, shapes, numbers and types of strings that immediately refer us to models brought during the Colony. Finally, the presence of a great variety of percussion instruments in indigenous musical manifestations –idiophones, membranophones, chordophones and aerophones– such as the charrasca, the devil’s boat, the tapas drawer, the pitcher, the gourd drum, the rattles , the arches, etc., also denote the impact left by African culture, which in some regions became more populous than Hispanic.

In these phonograms, something of the feeling of the cultures that inhabit Mexico can be recovered; some of the various resources that have come to accompany his world of sound; With endowments of bands, stringed instruments, and many others, indigenous cultures preserve visions of the world that are listenable.

Ana Cecilia Angüis Dumas
Researcher at the Department of Ethnomusicology, INI

A-SIDE 

1. NAMELESS
   Dance of shepherdesses…………3:17
   Performers: Violin, sixth guitar, canes with bells and voices.* Representative: Brígida Matías. La Concepción Chico, San Felipe del Progreso, State of Mexico. Ethnic group: Mazahua.
   Recorded at the “XXVIII” meeting in Atlacomulco, state of Mexico, on October 27, 1979.

During the Colony, the missionaries took advantage of various means of expression such as theater and/or songs to evangelize the indigenous communities; they represented and/or recounted biblical passages.
Pastorelas is the name given to the representations of the Nativity of the Child God, these were widely disseminated in the country; The shepherdesses are a variant, in which only women participate who sing and dance religious themes, accompanied by a cane, which has a rattle at its upper end.
The chordophone instruments that accompany are the violin, the sixth guitar and the idiophone percussion and shaking instrument, the cane with rattles, previously mentioned, to which conceptions of pre-Hispanic origin are attributed that are related to the cult of fertility.

2. FANTASY
   Potpourri…………2:27
   Performers: Breath band. Representative: Jacob González Bolaños, Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca.
   Ethnic group: Zapotec.
   Recorded at the “L” meeting in Oaxtepec, Morelos, on April 19, 1982.

Bands in the state of Oaxaca were widespread at the turn of the century; This was due to the fact that General Porfirio Díaz, during his government as President of the Republic, provided complete bands to this state.
Therefore, generally, the instruments are the patrimony of the community and are in charge of the director of the band or of political or religious authorities of the community.
In addition, the services he performs are done most of the time for free, and if they were to charge, it is a minimal fee, since the band musician generally has another job aside that allows him to maintain himself financially.

3. THE BULL
   Son…………3:25
   Performers: Violin, small drum, tambora.* Representative: Santiago Chiuh. Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo.
   Ethnic group: Maya.
   Recorded at the “L” meeting in Oaxtepec, Morelos, on April 19, 1982.

The Mayan culture still performs rites and ceremonies with pre-Hispanic remnants, in which different music is played in terms of instrumentation and musical genres, to the one played during festivals dedicated to Catholic deities or social festivals such as weddings, baptisms and deaths.
This type of music accompanies dances and ceremonies in which offerings are made to the deities or philosophical concepts of this culture.
The musical group that plays this example consists of a violin, a small drum and a tambora.

4. THE FLOWER AND THE TURKEY
   Syrup…………4:00
   Performers: Violin and sixth guitar.* Representative: Juan Herrera Jiménez. Tamaxola, Nochixtlan, Oaxaca.
   Ethnic group: Mixtec.
   Recorded at the “L” meeting in Oaxtepec, Morelos, on April 28, 1982.

Jarabe, a danceable genre that became popular in our country in the middle of the last century, is made up of a series of melodies that were previously sung; Currently, the majority of the lyrics have lost their validity, the melodies still surviving.
Depending on the region and culture that performs it, the application of this genre varies, either in popular dances or in ceremonial dances.
The instruments that accompany this example, violin and sixth guitar, have been among the most widespread among the indigenous cultures of our country; these are acquired in the cities or are manufactured by the musicians themselves.

5. THE COYOTE
   Easter dance…………2:36
   Performers: Harp, violin, strings with butterfly cocoons and rattles.* Representative: Gerardo Romero Ciriaco. San Bernardo, Sonora.
   Ethnic group: Guarijío.
   Recorded at the “L” meeting in Oaxtepec, Morelos, on April 20, 1982.

The most important festival in the culture of the Guarijíos is that of San Isidro Labrador. This is of a propitiatory nature and they request good harvests. They celebrate others such as the Holy Cross, Saint John the Baptist, All Saints, Good Night, etc.
The organization of the patron saint festivities is in charge of a “fiestero”, who is appointed by the community, as well as two other people to help him.
The party is held under a bower that is built so that the musicians and dancers of Pascola can be placed there; the dance is very similar to that of the neighboring cultures: Yaqui, Mayo and Tarahumara.
The instruments used for this dance, like the Mayos and Yaquis, are: the violin and the harp, instruments spread in this region by Jesuit missionaries; while the instruments played by the dancers (Sartales with butterfly cocoons, and rattles) are considered pre-Hispanic remnants.

6. THE SUCKER
   Son…………2:36
   Performers: Violin, Apolonio Ortega Patiño; guitar, Juan Ortega Mananas. Dancers: Luciano Valencia and Rosario Cadena from Serogachi, Urique, Chihuahua.
   Ethnic group: Tarahumara.
   Recorded at the “XXXII” meeting in San Rafael, Urique, Chihuahua, on May 31, 1980.

An important celebration in which the pascola dance participates in some Tarahumara communities is during the wake and burial of a deceased in which they spend several nights dancing even after the burial, repeating it the following year.
During the ceremony, the community is invited and a kind of party is held where food and drinks are given.¹⁴
The shamans give advice to the deceased before and after the burial. The instruments used for this pascola dance, unlike the groups: mayos, yaquis and guarijíos, are the violin and the sixth guitar, both of local manufacture. The dancer wears only strings of butterfly cocoons around his legs.

B-SIDE

1. I WANT TO BE YOUR HUSBAND
   Tap dance…………3:05
   Performers: Marimba ensemble. Representative: German Vega Briones. Male, Mazapa de Madero, Chiapas.
   Ethnic group: Mames.
   Recorded at the “L” meeting in Oaxtepec, Morelos, on April 19, 1982.

The example that is presented is a fragment of a zapateado that is part of a dance that is called “La tonalteca”, and that consists of a couple dance, in which it is customary for the man to stop the music to say a ” bomba”, alluding to the couple with whom one dances.
Beginning in the 16th century, Dominican friars arrived in the region that includes the states of Chiapas, Tabasco and Guatemala to preach the Christian religion, taking with them black slaves from Africa to work on their farms; the marimbas played in this region have morphological and sonorous similarities with those played among African cultures.⁷

2. “MIMINIO” THE COYOTE
   Music for dance…………1:47
   Performers: Violin, sixth guitar, banjo and double bass.* Representative: Enrique Alejandro. Santa Vieja Temoaya, Edo. from Mexico.
   Ethnic group: Otomi.
   Recorded at the “XXXVIV” meeting in Santa María Tixmadeje, Acambay, edo. from Mexico.

Music accompanies various dances such as La mojiganga, Arrieros, Cinco locos, pastorelas, etc., in the patron saint festivities of the community and participates with genres such as polkas, songs, shotis, cumbias, etc., in the dances that are organized in the social parties such as weddings and baptisms of the Otomi community.
The group that is presented in this example, is made up of a violin, a sixth guitar, a double bass and a banjo; This last instrument reaches the indigenous communities due to the influence of the people who go to work as braceros in the United States of America (where the instrument originates from). The use and in cases the substitution of instruments foreign to the community and sometimes even the use of modern musical genres, does not change the aim and objective of the cultural tradition.

3. TASTE
   Dance of Santiagos…………2:08
   Performers: Flute and drum.* Representative: Filiberto Santos. Hueytamalco, Teziutlan, Puebla.
   Ethnic group: Nahua.
   Recorded at the “XXXV” meeting in Teziutlán, Puebla, on August 16, 1980.

This example corresponds to a fragment of the Dance of Santiagos, a variation of the Dance of Moors and Christians, a dance widely spread throughout the country during the Colony, which represents the conversion of infidels to Catholic doctrine; This is done through a fight, in which Santiago is the main character and winner.³²
The musical instruments that accompany the dance are the elder flute and a double-headed drum, each instrument is played by a musician; in addition to the rhythmic accompaniment produced by machetes and rattles, which the dancers wear as part of their clothing.

4. THE COCK
   March…………2:06
   Performers: Breath Band. Representative: Tiburcio Bruno G. Ahelican, Agua Dulce, Guerrero.
   Ethnic group: Nahua-Tlapaneco.
   Recorded at the “II” meeting in Chilapa, Guerrero, on February 4 and 5, 1978.

The Nahua, Tlapaneco and Mixtec groups from the state of Guerrero live together in the same space, facing the same socioeconomic problems.
The band represents an element of social cohesion shared, in this case, by the Nahua and Tlapaneca cultures, invariably participating in the festivities celebrated by both cultures.

5. THE VIRGIN OF SAN JUAN.
   Minueto…………3:21
   Performers: Hit Music Quartet.* Representative: Jesús Ramírez. Chichimecas Mission, San Luis de la Paz, Guanajuato.
   Ethnic group: Chichimeca Jonaz. Recorded at the “XXXVII” meeting in Misión de Chichimecas, Guanajuato, on October 18, 1980.

The “minuetto”, is a musical genre widely spread during the Colony among indigenous cultures, this genre was introduced by missionaries for use in the rites of the Catholic Church; however, the indigenous communities have adopted this genre using it in processions, dances, patron saint festivals or deaths.
During the Colony, each Hispanic social group (military, aristocrats and missionaries), brought with them their own instruments and repertoire, in such a way that the influence that indigenous cultures received was very varied, causing a particular musical expression, like the present one; two violins, a sixth guitar, a tambora and a snare drum are the instruments used.

6. DANCE OF THE ROSE.
   Dance…………2:35
   Performers: Flute, Lucario Hernandez; Big drum, Melesio Hernández; Small drum, Desiderio Hernández. Nacajuca, Tabasco.
   Ethnic group: Chontal.
   Recorded at the “XXXVIII” meeting in Nacajuca Tabasco, on February 16, 1981.

Music in pre-Cortesian cultures had different connotations, depending on the social spheres in which it was developed, as is currently possible to observe in indigenous communities, in which the same musical group as the present one, for example, accompanies both ritual dances and popular dances, according to be the occasion
About the musical group, a flute with 6 obturation holes and a pair of cylindrical bimembranophones.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Altamirano Ematus Esquivel and Sodi Pallares. Costumes and Dances of Mexico. Mexico Porrua. 1984.
2. Alvarez Boada Manuel. The Popular Music of the Huasteca Veracruzana. Mexico. Editor Award. 1985.
3. Basauri, Carlos. Indigenous Population of Mexico, Mexico, S.E.P. 1940.
4. Bannet Wendell C. and Zingg Robert M. Tarahumaras, A North Indian tribe. Mexico, I.N.I., 1986.
5. Caballero, Ma. del Socorro. Regional Dances of the State of Mexico. Mexico, S. ed. 1985.
6. Campos, Rubén M. The folklore of the cities. Mexico, S.E.P. 1930.
7. Contreras Arias J. Guillermo. Cultural Atlas of Mexico. Music Mexico. INAH. PLANET. 1988.
8. –. particular notes.
9. –. Large Harp Ensembles. (to be published)
10. Covarrubias, Eugenio. Regional Dances of Mexico. Mexico. Posted by Eugenio Covarrubias. 1979.
11. Covarrubias, Miguel. The South of Mexico. Mexico INI 1980.
12. Chamorro, Arturo ed. Popular Wisdom, Mexico, Col. Mich. CONACYT 1982.
13. Dominguez, Francisco, edt. Folkloric Investigation Mexico, Mexico, Sep. 1945.
14. Fabila, Alfonso. The Yaqui tribes of Sonora. Mexico, INI 1978.
15. Galinier, Jacques. Peoples of the Sierra Madre Mexico, INI 1987.
16. Ethnic groups. INI Monographs s.f.
17. Guerrero, Guerrero Raúl. The Otomi of the Mezquital Valley. Mexico 1973.
18. Hinton, Monsoon, Grimes, Jordan. VonRiley, Nahmad. Coras, Huicholes and Tepehuanos, Mexico, 1972.
19. Lumholtz, Carl. Unknown Mexico. Mexico INI 1981.
20. Mayer Serra, Otto. Panorama of Mexican Music from Independence to the present. Mexico. COLMEX. 1941.
21. Mompradé, Electra and Tonatiuh Gutiérrez, General History of Mexican Art. Dances or Popular Dances. Spain. Ed. Hermes. 1976.
22. Program Notes of the IV National Festival of Autochthonous Music and Dance. Held from April 25 to May 2, 1982.
23. Eight Moses fields, La Chilena Guerrerense. Mexico. Guerrero Institute of Culture. 1987.
24. Olivera Mercedes. The Dances and Festivals of Chiapas Mexico. FONADAN. 1974.
25. Reed, Karen Barbara. The Huichols. Mexico INI 1972.
26. Reuter, Jas. Popular Music of Mexico. Mexico, ed. Panorama, 1982.
27. Rodriguez, Mariangela. To decipher the day Monograph of the Mayos. Mexico, DIFOCUR. s.f.
28. SEP. Monographs and Dance Music and Regional Dances in the National Sports and Cultures Days carried out in 1953 to 1958. Mexico SEP. 1958.
29. Saldivar Gabriel. History of Music in Mexico. Mexico, Sept. 1934.
30. Sanchez Olmedo Jose Guadalupe. Ethnographies of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Tepehuanos and Mexicaneros. Mexico S.E.P. -INAH 1980.
31. Varelera Leticia, Music in the life of the Yaquis, government of the state of Sonora, Mexico, 1986.
32. Warman, Arturo, Dance of Moors and Christians. Mexico, Sept. 1972.

Music and dance are inextricably linked in the worldview of the indigenous peoples who have inhabited our country since time immemorial. His current presence constitutes one of the most important artistic manifestations of our contemporary musical world. Knowing this richness is recognizing ourselves as a multicultural nation. It is the interest of the National Indigenous Institute to offer the public this collection as a contribution to the Study, Promotion and Diffusion of the Autochthonous Musical Art of our country.

■ NATIONAL INDIGENIST INSTITUTE AUDIOVISUAL ETHNOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE

■ COVER PHOTOGRAPH
Nacho López 

■ DESIGN
Isabel Naranjo

A-SIDE

■ NAMELESS…………3:17
Dance of shepherdesses

■ FANTASY…………2:17
Potpourri

■ THE BULL…………3:25
Son

■ THE FLOWER AND THE TURKEY…………4:00
Syrup

■ THE COYOTE…………2:36
Easter dance

■ THE SUCKER…………2:36
Son

B-SIDE

■ I WANT TO BE YOUR HUSBAND…………3:05
Tap dance

■ “MIMINIO” THE COYOTE…………1:47
Music for dance

■ TASTE…………2:08
Dance of Santiagos

■ THE COCK…………2:06
March

■ THE VIRGIN OF SAN JUAN…………3:21
Minueto

■ DANCE OF THE ROSE………… 2:35

The CENZONTLE brand is the result of the collaboration of the following institutions:

SEP, Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, INAH, INI, DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE CULTURAS POPULARES

For the revaluation and diffusion of the authentic musical traditions of the country.

Gallery: