No celebration in Mexico is complete without mariachi. They are ever-present witnesses to the cycles of Mexican life, the accompaniment to Mexican rites of passage: birthdays, weddings, holidays and funerals are incomplete without mariachi.

“The suits don’t change; the clients don’t change; and, although nowadays other kinds of music are also popular, the Mexican people continue to celebrate their joy, sadness—and even anger—with a mariachi song and a tequila. And that we owe to God, Mexico and Santa Cecilia,” says mariachi Antonio Rico, 64, organizer of the celebration for the mariachi patron saint, Santa Cecilia.

This year on Tuesday, November 22, San Miguel mariachis will be joined by other musicians, trios and norteño groups for a sonorous tribute to the saint who blesses them with the gift of song—and clients.

So if the Jardín appears strangely empty of the silver-bedecked musicians, look for them at the San Antonio church, where eight groups will sing the mañanitas to Santa Cecilia, a virgin martyr who sang while suffering.

“It’s a marvelous and song-filled celebration to thank her for the work she provides us every year. Just imagine, almost 70 mariachis singing to her… it’s very emotional,” reflects Don Antonio. The celebration The celebration begins at dusk on Monday, November 21, when most of the eight local mariachi groups meet at the Garibaldi Plaza (at the west end of calle Insurgentes). Singing classical festive songs, such as Caminos a Guanajuato and Guadalajara, they march to the San Antonio church to venerate the image of Santa Cecilia and participate in the 8pm mass.

The next day, mariachis and other musical groups return as early as 6am to sing mañanitas to Santa Cecilia. Traditional Mexican music continues until 8am. In the evening, fireworks and, of course, more music announces yet more celebration. A temporary stage will be set up to one side of the church so the groups can perform their heartfelt dedications for an appreciative audience.

Young, aspiring musicians will join the event this year in a singing contest for high school students. “I believe this year Santa Cecilia will be very happy, because the celebration we’ve prepared is full of young people,” enthuses Silverio Rico,17, Don Antonio’s youngest son and a member of the Allende Mariachi. Being a mariachi To find mariachi in San Miguel, one need look no further than the Jardín. Wednesday through Sunday, beginning around 7pm, eight groups arrive and each take to their designated area, whether under the arches of the Portal Allende (in front of Banamex) or along the facing wall of the Jardín.

As sanmiguelenses and visitors arrive, the mariachis begin to fill the city’s heart with joyful songs and tragic laments. If one of the groups happens to be “missing” on any particular evening, they are probably entertaining for a private party. Festivities in the Jardín often continue until the early hours of the morning, and so does the work of the mariachi.

“Each mariachi group has its own ‘territory’ and regular clients. There is a great camaraderie among us and we never fight,” observes Don Martín Hernández, 52, leader of the Son de Mi Tierra mariachi. The eight musicians of Son de Mi Tierra have interpreted music by the great composers José Alfredo Jiménez and Vicente Fernández for the past 20 years.

Don Martín and his sons not only play in San Miguel but also have traveled to the United States to promote the art of the mariachi. “Sometimes, there isn’t enough work here,” he explains, “so we must travel to the States.”
Weekends and public holidays are the busiest times for mariachis. They sing for couples, both the young and young at heart, visiting family groups or are hired for special events. Charges range from a minimum of 100 pesos per song to 2,000 pesos per hour, for an average of 14 songs.

“Thank God we always have work,” declares Don Leonardo Tovar, 48, leader of Los Camperos mariachi. “We never stop singing the classics of José Alfredo Jiménez, El Rey or Caminos de Guanajuato—and the gringo favorites are Cielito Lindo or El Son de la Negra. I like them all—because I sing with feeling.”

For Don Leonardo, mariachi is synonymous with joy. It’s both a profession and a way of life, which reflects the true character of the Mexican working man—“a man who likes to sing when he’s working under the sun or when he flirts with his woman,” in Don Leonardo’s definition. Mariachi is very much a masculine domain, with an image based on the well-groomed male charro (cowboy). Over the past decade, however, a few female singers have broken into the genre. They’re generally nationally known singers. “Yes, there are women mariachis,” Don Leonardo confirms. “But I think people identify mariachi with men.”

The family business
Mariachi is a family tradition, especially in San Miguel. Usually, grandfathers, fathers, sons, male in-laws and even grandsons work together in the family business. “I didn’t want this for my children, but they wanted to be like their father. ¡Bien música!” says Don Antonio.
“For me, to work with my family and sons is very satisfying. We’re always together and we have fun—cheering our lives and the lives of others through song,” says Don Leonardo.
“We’re witness to the many moments of life’s joys or misfortunes. We’ve welcomed newborn babies and sung farewell to the deceased in cemeteries. We attend weddings, baptisms—even divorces.” Don Martín affirms, “I was born mariachi and will die mariachi—with my guitar and my charro suit.”

Feast Day of Santa Cecilia 2005
November 21, 6pm, Plaza Garibaldi
8pm, mass in San Antonio Church
November 22, 6–8am, Mañanitas to St. Cecilia, 
6–10pm, celebration and singing contest,
San Antonio Church

Cost of the charro look
Pants: 500 pesos
Shirt: 300 pesos
Tie: 250 pesos
Hat: 1,500 pesos
Coat: 500 pesos
Boots: 1,000 pesos
Buttons: 500 pesos
TOTAL: 3,650 pesos

Cost of instruments
Violin: 2,000 to 50,000 pesos 
Guitar: 1,000 to 40,000 pesos 
Vihuela: 5,000 to 10,000 pesos
Trumpet: 3,000 to 15,000 pesos
Guitarrón: 4,000 to 20,000 pesos