The car rolled slowly through one of those neighbourhoods the guide books warn you not to visit. My eyes were sweeping along the crowded roadside devouring the intriguing outfits emblazoned with silver studs, dazzling under the beam of the headlights. The options were plentiful, overwhelming. They stared through the car’s windows with pleading eyes, ‘Please pick me, I’ve had no work tonight’. A few stumbled alongside the car offering their services, “500 pesos por hora o 2000 todo la noche” was the going rate. They hung in relaxed groups of eight or ten, sipping on tequila while a lonely harmonica played a sad melody. We continued down the road and after considering the multitude of options, returned to our favourite.
All eight were dressed in finely pressed black suits, their jackets tightened across heavy bellies and strong arms. Polished boots, wide sombreros and orange neck ties completed the elegant outfit. They smelt of cheap aftershave and booze, an intoxicating combination. I handed over our address and returned to the car. We drove back to the party to await the night’s entertainment.
They arrived in a sleek Scooby-doo van, piling out, one ruggedly handsome man after another. Then the instruments: violins, cellos, guitars of various sizes, trumpets, an accordion and the lonely harmonica. Our mariachi band is here.
In Mexico, mariachi bands are as common a 4am taco stand. From tiny pueblos to the metropolis of Mexico City, you will find them loitering on the roadside waiting to be bought or serenading lovers in plazas that once bore the name of a Revolutionary hero but eventually became known as Plaza Mariachi.
Our party is celebrating 200 years of Mexican independence. Ironically, it was the arrival of Spanish instruments that led to the development of mariachi music, the heart and soul of Mexico. The band takes over the lounge room while couples dance effortlessly around the room, courting each other with music and dance. The musicians have dark passionate eyes, worn faces and a deep, intoxicating harmony. They are merrily drunk, the tequila bottle almost empty. A request is played and the room erupts in rowdy chorus. For Mexican’s these songs are childhood lullabies. For me, they represent an enchanting culture, a culture that seduces me more with each song.
The lyrics are drenched in emotion; the theme is always the same: love.
I saw you, so beautiful, so sensual
I imagined you with others, it made me mad
Aaay aaay love, aaay aaay the pain
Too late I realised
With you I had everything and now it’s lost
The mariachi tradition runs through the blood of Mexico. For centuries mariachi bands have been serenading young lovers, entertaining newlyweds and fifteenth birthdays, even fulfilling last wishes at funerals. Their pride and strength, emotion and beauty encapsulate this vivid country. I leave the party, my heart beating heavily to the rhythm of Mexico.
