A Beautiful Thing: Mariachi and Femininity in Jalisco, Mexico

Authors

  • Mary-Lee Mulholland Mount Royal University

Keywords:

mariachi, embodiment, femininity, performance, popular culture, Mexico

Abstract

In Mexico, the western state of Jalisco is popularly
represented as the birthplace of mariachi. An excessively cir
culated national symbol, performances and performers of
mariachi embody two important tenets of Mexican nationalism:
machismo and mestizaje. In addition, Jalisco is also famous
for its beautiful women, known for their light skin and piety.
In this article I examine the increasing popular performance
of women in all-female mariachis. Specifically, I am interested
in how these mariacheras embody, mimic and contest their
femininities in a highly gendered and racialized context in Jalisco.

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Published

2013-11-30

How to Cite

Mulholland, M.-L. (2013). A Beautiful Thing: Mariachi and Femininity in Jalisco, Mexico. Anthropologica, 55(2), 359–372. Retrieved from https://cas-sca.journals.uvic.ca/index.php/anthropologica/article/view/712

Issue

Vol. 55 No. 2 (2013): Time and the Expert: Temporalities and the Social Life of Expertise

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2013 Mary-Lee Mulholland

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