Huichol Music Groups

A group of Mexicans known as the Huichol were discovered in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain region (Vogt, 2015). The Wixaritari tribe, whose name means “the people,” lived in the states of Durango, Zacatecas, Jalisco, and Nayarit. The Huichol People took various components and incorporated them into their music, including the usage of guitars and violins, as a result of the impact of the Spanish who had conquered the region. On the other hand, Mariachi is a type of expression in music that began in the 1700s in Western Mexico and spread to most of it regions. The form of art began during the nineteenth century in the state of Jalisco with the origin of the word being postulated to be from the word marriage which is a French word for a wedding (Collins, 1998). Mariachis would be dressed in traditional workmen’s clothes nad would move from one hacienda looking for employment. With time, they began playing in public venues for money. Although indigenous groups in Mexico initially made music using whistles, flutes, and drums, the Mariachis utilized harps, vihuelas, guitars, and violins in their public performances due to the influence of the Spanish.

The music among the Huichol people was characterized by chants and songs. Performances of songs incorporated the use of instruments that were locally made by the people which included guitars and violins (Vogt, 2015). The songs were used for both ceremonial and nonceremonial purposes and personal enjoyment (Vogt, 2015). The art among the Wixarika has evolved into a genre that is known for its use of string instruments leading to the formation of two groups: the acoustic violin group which is at times referred to as the traditional mariachi, and the electro-acoustic guitar group (Warden, 2015). They have become dominant in the use of violins all over Mexico. Thus, the Huichol can comfortably be referred to as traditional mariachi due to the parallelism in their style of instrumentation and music techniques.

Works Cited

Collins, C. (1998, September 1). What is the mariachi? Mexconnect.

Vogt, E. Z. (Ed.). (2015). Handbook of middle American Indians: Ethnology. Univ of Texas Press.

Warden, N. M. (2015). Wixarika Music, Huichol Music: The Construction and Commodification of an Indigenous Identity. Doctoral dissertation. University of California, Loss Angeles.