Adela's Mariachi Band
by Denise Vega
illustrated by Erika Medina Rodríguez
illustrated by Erika Medina Rodríguez
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Adela's Mariachi Band, by Denise Vega, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina, in memory of my
00:18grandfather Jesus Vega, to Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Evelyn and to my father John Vega, thank
00:23you, DV, dedicated to me Papa for all the conciones rancheras that I can sing along
00:29to because of him, ERM.
00:32Adela loves her family's mariachi band.
00:34She loves how the music skips and bounces.
00:37She loves how her family dances and claps.
00:40She loves how the band and the audience come together as one especially when, her Tia Evelyn
00:45steps to the front of the stage, after the last song fades away, she shouts Los Gritos,
00:51A H H A H H A H A H A I I I E E, OI OI OI, and Adela shouts right back, A H H A H H
00:58A H A I I I E E, OI OI OI, Adela loves everything about her family's mariachi band, except
01:05the fact that she isn't in it.
01:07When Papa plays la trompeta big beautiful sounds burst about, bright sharp tu-tu-tum
01:12sounds, strong springy brrbrrbrrruup sounds.
01:16When Adela tries it a small fizzly sound dribbles out.
01:20It will take a long time to learn to blow sharp rat-a-tat sounds thinks Adela, too long,
01:25A H H A H H, ping ping ping.
01:28When Tio Matko plucks la viola clear sweet sounds float from the strings and skip across
01:33the air.
01:34When Adela tries it, a tiny mouse sound squeaks out.
01:39It will take a long time to make la viola ping, thinks Adela, way too long, ahaha i
01:44i i e e, when her mama and sisters dance, their colorful skirts flow like rainbows swirling
01:50and twirling through the air, swish, snap.
01:53When Adela tries to dance, she trips over her skirt and lands.
01:58It will take a long time to perfect my swirls and twirls thinks Adela.
02:02And I want to belong in the band now, oi oi oi, it feels as small and fizzly as her.
02:09As teeny and squeaky as her.
02:11As flat as her.
02:13Adela watches the band play.
02:15She sighs.
02:16She watches the dancers dance.
02:18She sighs.
02:19She watches Tia Evelyn set down her violin and rush to the front before the last song
02:24is finished.
02:25And Adela doesn't sigh.
02:26She has an idea.
02:28Adela loves her family's mariachi band.
02:30She loves how the music skips and bounces.
02:33How her family dances and claps.
02:36How the band and the audience come together as one especially when.
02:40Adela steps to the front of the stage and after the last song fades away shouts los
02:44gritos.
02:45Authors note.
02:46Maraca music has its roots in Mexico and has been around for hundreds of years making its
02:50way to the United States many decades ago.
02:53It is a music people their lives and experiences triumphs and struggles.
02:58And while the bands were originally made up of only men today you can see move all female
03:02bands or a mix of genders.
03:04The size of a mariachi group can vary.
03:07The minimum is usually four people and the number of players can go up to twelve or more.
03:12The band usually includes a mix of these foundation instruments.
03:15La trompeta, a brass instrument.
03:18La guitarra, a five-stringed instrument similar to a guitar, but smaller with a humpback.
03:23The vihuela is unique to mariachi music.
03:26El violín, a four-stringed instrument played with a bow.
03:30El guitarrín, a six-stringed bass guitar often with a rounded deeper body than a standard
03:35guitar.
03:36Like the vihuela this instrument is unique to mariachi.
03:39My uncle Jesus Jimmy Vega.
03:41My grandfather Jesus Vega.
03:43Singers in the band usually take turns singing different verses singing together and singing
03:47in harmony a true community vocal experience.
03:51Not all mariachi performances include dancers but Adela's band does.
03:55The dancers performing in the story are all female and the dance is based on the ballet
03:59focorico which is known for its beautiful skirts and dresses for the women and stylish
04:04outfits for the men when they dance with the women as partners.
04:07The dressers and skirts are a vital part of the dance designed to be held so dancers
04:12can swish and swirl just as Adela's mom and sisters do in the story creating a beautiful
04:16flowing feast for the eyes.
04:18While the dressers in the story are very colorful some dancers may wear white dressers with
04:23just a splash of color that comes from scarves fans hair pieces and jewelry depending on
04:28where their style of dance originated.
04:30At the end of the performance Adela leads the ordinance in los gritos, the shouts.
04:35Like the dancers, not all mariachi performances will include this but for those that do it
04:40is an incredible expression of life and vitality.
04:43Both my paternal grandfather and uncle were in a mariachi group at their church in Utah
04:48many years ago, see photo.
04:50Many catholic churches serving mexican and mexican-american communities incorporated
04:55mariachi music into the mass.
04:57While I never had a chance to hear them perform in the group I grew up listening to them play
05:02the guitar and sing baton in english and spanish when we visited them.
05:06I've seen several mariachi performances and love how the music really expresses emotions
05:11whether it's the upbeat sounds and songs of celebration or the slower songs for more contemplative
05:16times such as experiencing a loss.
05:19If you haven't seen them before I encourage you to look locally for performances of the
05:23ballet folklorico and mariachi bands as well as finding examples of performers shouting.
05:29Los gritos, the end.