Mariachi Music and Romantic Serenatas
Mariachi music is one of the most well-known aspects of the Mexican culture. It's easy to picture a full Mariachi band, dressed in their charro attire, as part of any festive gathering.
Mariachi hold a significant place in the celebration of special moments of Mexican people.
Mariachi hold a significant place in the celebration of special moments of Mexican people.
Aside from being a part of nearly any type of Mexican celebration, Mariachi also play a romantic role with their serenatas (serenades). A popular Mexican courtship tradition involves la serenata, in which a suitor arrives at his love interest's home with a Mariachi band or guitar to serenade her. He sings until she comes out and acknowledges him.
The serenata is a musicial message of love and is a means of communicating from a man to the woman that he is courting.
The origins of Mariachi aren't exactly clear and the genre has developed differently from region to region. The type of Mariachi that we are familiar with today has roots from the indigenous people of Jalisco, although the genre evolved differently in other parts of Mexico.
Mariachi continues to play an important role in Mexican culture and a traditional source of entertainmnet in both Mexico, and parts of the United States.
Source: New Mexico State University, Puro Mariachi, Cultura Colectiva