|
GOOD NEWS FROM MEXICO
Day after day our newspaper is filled with articles describing the
problems troubling Mexico at the present time. Lawlessness, violence, and
corruption seem to be escalating as the drug trade flourishes. Kidnappings
are common, murder is a daily occurrence and gun battles between drug
cartel members and Mexican authorities threaten many Mexican cities and
towns. Drug busts on the border are frequent and lately the violence has
even infected several of the border towns popular with Winter Texans and
other tourists. Tour companies, who usually encourage visits to our
southern national neighbor, have recently been warning U.S. citizens to
"Stay home. Don’t plan to visit Mexico until it is safer."
But, about a week ago, we discovered there is also good news coming out
of Mexico. It is exciting, colorful, rhythmic, graceful, beautiful and has
a long history. We attended a performance of mariachi and conjunto music,
and folklorico dance offered by the fine arts groups of a local high
school. It was outstanding; a real treat for both eyes and ears. We found
it hard to believe that high school students could be capable of creating
such complex musical sounds and physically demanding dance sequences.
The dance selections were from various states in Mexico, of course, but
also from Bolivia and Columbia, South America, and from Spain. Each dance
was performed to the music of the area portrayed. Instrumentation ranged
from pan flute to acoustic guitar and drums.
Several of the dances represented indigenous cultures and their
traditions of worship and celebration. Costumes were varied, representing
the traditional dress of each locale. Bright-colored, double-circle
skirted dresses and formal white suits, red bandana ties and sombreros
illustrated the music of the Mexican state of Vera Cruz. Large arches of
flowers were an important part of a women’s dance from Nuevo Leon state.
Formal gowns and dark suits were the attire for the music of Spain. Scanty
woven and feathered costumes were authentic in the Indian dances.
Instrumental and vocal music from a mariachi group and a conjunto group
entertained us between dance sequences.
Surrounding all this excitement on stage were artistic backdrops and
creative lighting. The backdrops, painted on curtains which could be
raised and lowered quickly, illustrated the various places being expressed
in music and dance: a beach scene for Vera Cruz state; a green valley and
high mountain for Nuevo Leon; a steep mountain trail for Bolivia; a
stately cathedral for Spain; an arched adobe brick wall for the mariachis.
Throughout each number, lights played artistically across and over the
stage, and frequently beside and above the audience!
It was a delightful three-hour celebration of Hispanic cultures,
especially that of Mexico. For us, it was good news to be able to enjoy
the beauty and charm of the arts and traditions of the land to our south.
The even better news, we think, is that high school students want to
preserve those arts and are willing to work hard in order to share them
with the wider world. Nearly every public high school in the Rio Grande
Valley has its own mariachi musicians and folklorico dancers. There must
have been at least fifty students in the troupe we enjoyed but many
schools have even larger departments focused upon preserving these
traditional Mexican arts. Each local school is as proud of their mariachi
and folklorico artists as they are of their athletes. There are district
and statewide competitions held to encourage these groups in their
endeavors.
The current wave of violence in Mexico and the bad news it creates is
temporary. It has increased in recent years but will decrease as soon as
authorities in Mexico and the U.S. find more effective ways to curb it.
The beauty and charm of traditional Mexican arts have endured for
centuries, and will continue to delight us far into the future.
Culturally-proud and energetic high school (and college) students will see
to that. And that is good news indeed!
7 Mar 2010 - mshr |