Something About Those Mariachi Women…

by Natalie Vasquez

Something About Those Mariachi Women… 

With their 

Makeup: 

Bold, proud colors on bold, proud faces. I like the way they line their lips with a dark color, and fill in the rest with LOUD VIBRANT CRISP ROSY RED. Full eyebrows, full eyes, full of music, and LIFE! Pronounced cheekbones and bright pink cheeks… 

Hair: 

Slicked back into a neat, clean bun. Black hair, or brown, or anything, really, gleaming in whatever lights are shining. Sometimes with nothing but gel, sometimes with ribbons, sometimes even a hat! 

Uniform: 

Traje de charra, embroidered in bright thread and gold accents and BIG BIG buttons and soft silk ties. You know it when you see it, you know? It’s one of those ICONS; one of those things that you recognize in a heartbeat; one of those things that feels familiar, even in just a picture. 

Sound: 

Like MOUNTAINS! Like RIVERS! Like STRENGTH and POWER! 

GUITARRON! It looks comically huge when being played, but in the right hands, it’s the soul of mariachi. 

TRUMPET! The classic Pru-parapapapapaaa! Slices through the harmony every time! Breath of powerful lungs to achieve that sound. 

VIOLIN! VIOLA! Rich, Lively Strings bring FLOWERS to the sound! Roses, lilies, orchids! AND THE VOICES! 

CRACK! Through the air! Those mariachi women don’t croon… They BELT!! They BOOM! They cry out and their voices adorn each other between each dust particle in the atmosphere being SHAKEN by the VIBRATIONS and the WAVES OF SOUND produced by these POWERHOUSES OF MUSIC AND WOMANHOOD AND CULTURE! Un grito para las Mujeres del Mariachi se oye: ¡AAAA-AAYE!!! 

Something about those Mariachi Women makes me proud… 

Of my heritage, of my culture! Of womanhood! Of our voices! ¡AAAA-AAYE!!