MÚSICA INDÍGENA DE LOS ALTOS DE CHIAPAS

Indigenous music, which in itself is mostly secular, is linked in its practice with religious activity and is performed in festivities that have this character. This duality is explained because religious activity fulfills a multiple purpose in indigenous life. The festivities, with a religious motive – to pay homage to an image in its titular festival – also serve to bring together people who are usually dispersed in the places, to establish personal and family relationships among them, to trade, discuss and have fun. These social and coexistence functions are also present in music. This has as its primary objective the worship of the saint and it is organized for this purpose, but at the same time it provides fun, an opportunity to shine and to acquire fame and prestige, which translates into recognition and respect from the community. Only keeping this complexity in mind can we explain how the zapateado dances take place accompanied by marimba before a religious image. The three types of music that the compilation works allow to distinguish take place in this area: two of them by indigenous musicians, music of breaths and percussion and string music; the other remains in the hands of mestizo performers who form marimba ensembles.

SIDE 1

• A1 Mákuli San Juan.–San Juan Chamula (Tzotzil).
  Performer(s): ?
• A2 Music for the Dance of the Negroes.–Aguacatenango (Itzeltal).
  Performer(s): Andrés Hernández Pérez, reed flute; Silvestre Hernández Pérez, big drum; Antonio Rodríguez Hernández, small drummer.
• A3 La Maruchita.–Venustiano Carranza.
  Performer(s): Marimba “El Águila” by the Santiago brothers.
• A4 San Mateo.–San Juan Chamula (Tzotzil).
  Performer(s): ?
• A5 Whistle And Bugle Music.–Tenejapa (Tzotzil).
  Performer(s): Miguel Guzmán Tzurin, flute and cornet; Alfonso Guzman Tzurin, drummer.
• A6 Zapateado Of Father Ruben.–Venustiano Carranza.
  Performer(s): Marimba by José Leopoldo Villafuerte and sons.

SIDE 2

• B1 The Memelel.–Venustiano Carranza.
  Performer(s): Miguel Guillén, guitar and singing; Maria Guillen, marimba.
• B2 They are from the Royal Mayordomo.–Tenejapa (Tzotzil).
  Performer(s): ?
• B3 Music Of The Singles.–Colonia Veracruz, Margaritas (Tojolabal).
  Performer(s): Manuel Pérez, mouth organ.
• B4 Road to San Cristobal.–San Cristobal de Las Casas.
  Performer(s): Marimba from Belisario Domínguez Boarding School.
• B5 Procession Music.–Colonia Veracruz, Margaritas (Tojolabal).
  Performer(s): ?
• B6 El Bolonchón.–San Juan Chamula (Tzotziles).
  Performer(s): ?