The Renovation of a Damaged People:
Mexico’s Post-Revolution Cultural Recovery
Throughout history, music, art, and literature have held key roles in dealing with and responding to current political events. This type of culture has been used for good and evil - spreading truth that inspires the masses to make a change, or propaganda in order for a government to cultivate certain ideas within its citizens. By looking at the content of artistic expression during any given time and in any given area, we can use lyrics, pictures, and prose to ascertain the state of affairs and how the common people as well as the government felt about it. The Mexican Revolution, lasting from 1910 to 1940, inspired a plethora of historically significant, meaningful …show more content…
Prior to the revolution, the country’s culture lacked a pan-Mexican musical genre. Indigenous groups like the Aztec had played music with various primitive flutes and drums, until the Spanish took colonial control and introduced new instruments which inspired to a number of regional musical styles. Mariachi, characterized a group of string instruments including guitars and violins, originated in the region of Jalisco in central Mexico. Up until the time of the revolution, Mexico was fragmented into smaller areas, each with its own regional musical styles. Mariachi only began to be performed in Mexico City after many musicians from Jalisco relocated due to a lack of work. To aid in the creation of a national “imagined community”, mariachi music was adopted by the Mexican government and promoted as a representation of the nation as a whole. During this time, more instruments like horns, bass guitars, and harps were added to the mariachi band’s repertoire. The quintessential Mexican cowboy outfit became the routine uniform for this type of music - conveying a sense of machismo and virility, characteristics that were highly valued by the Mexican people during the Revolution. Mariachi became, and continues to be, the one main genre that stands as a celebrated symbol of Mexican
Mexico’s Post-Revolution Cultural Recovery
Throughout history, music, art, and literature have held key roles in dealing with and responding to current political events. This type of culture has been used for good and evil - spreading truth that inspires the masses to make a change, or propaganda in order for a government to cultivate certain ideas within its citizens. By looking at the content of artistic expression during any given time and in any given area, we can use lyrics, pictures, and prose to ascertain the state of affairs and how the common people as well as the government felt about it. The Mexican Revolution, lasting from 1910 to 1940, inspired a plethora of historically significant, meaningful …show more content…
Prior to the revolution, the country’s culture lacked a pan-Mexican musical genre. Indigenous groups like the Aztec had played music with various primitive flutes and drums, until the Spanish took colonial control and introduced new instruments which inspired to a number of regional musical styles. Mariachi, characterized a group of string instruments including guitars and violins, originated in the region of Jalisco in central Mexico. Up until the time of the revolution, Mexico was fragmented into smaller areas, each with its own regional musical styles. Mariachi only began to be performed in Mexico City after many musicians from Jalisco relocated due to a lack of work. To aid in the creation of a national “imagined community”, mariachi music was adopted by the Mexican government and promoted as a representation of the nation as a whole. During this time, more instruments like horns, bass guitars, and harps were added to the mariachi band’s repertoire. The quintessential Mexican cowboy outfit became the routine uniform for this type of music - conveying a sense of machismo and virility, characteristics that were highly valued by the Mexican people during the Revolution. Mariachi became, and continues to be, the one main genre that stands as a celebrated symbol of Mexican