History of the Mariachi

The Origin…
The Mariachi is not a simple invention of a single person, it's the product of the racially mixed culture, religion and music which arose from the early 1500. With the arrival of the Spanish conquerors. Chrystian religion was tought through music which produced a combination of the liturgical doctrine with native music.
This combination took steps to the birth of racially mixed music.

How It began…
The historians assure that early in 1533, Fray Juan de Padilla taught to the native people of Coculán the Christian doctrine using Spanish music. With the influence of this music quickly, the natives delivered the attack to include the use of the violin in their groups, they constructed these instruments with a simple wood called wood of colorín.
They demonstrated as much talent to copy these instruments that soon adapted the guitar and time later, the Right native Rodriguez Nixen invented vihuela using an armadillo shell. Later guitarrón was introduced using animal guts like cords. Throughout century XVI and XVII the Spanish pop music began to bloom in the regions of all Mexico, being produced a mixture of racially mixed percussion and melody. Also the Spanish dance in combination with the native dance gave birth to a new rythmical, bailable combination and that also could be sung: The fandango.

Lets go to the Party …
Century XVI the Fandango became a popular dance between the people of the field. When happening of the time, the word fandango acquired a new meaning: the celebrations were known like fandangos. It was very common for the people of the towns to say: We go to the fandango! “We go to the Celebration”. In a moment the fandango acquired the meaning of orchestra and mariachi.
In century XIX the mariachis began to bloom between the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Guerrero, Michoacan and Colima. In this period of time, the use of primitive instruments in the fandango or mariachi habia almost disappeared. The guitar, the ARPA, vihuela and the violin became the main instruments that guided the mariachi until which it is today.

Finally
With all it's wealth it is easy to imagine why mariachi music has grown with such popularity throughout North America. Today in the United States the mariachi exists as a common form of folkloric music. The Mariachi will continue representing the cultural pride of Mexico. Mexican, Mexico-Americans, and people of not-Hispanic origin will continue sheltering and nourishing to the Mariachi through their course and evolution.