Western New Mexico University Nurtures the Culture of Mariachi
Since 2011, mariachi music has been included on the list of “Intangible Cultural Heritages in Need of Safeguarding,” published by UNESCO, the education, science and culture arm of the United Nations. This summer, the WNMU music program took action to safeguard this heritage by hosting high school mariachi ensembles in a four-day conference, the inaugural event in what it expects to be an annual tradition. El Son de la Gila: Exploring Culture through Mariachi was held on campus June 12-15. Drawing students and their mariachi directors from across the southwest, the conference provided an opportunity for high school musicians to learn from master mariachis and each other. The idea for the conference came from a recognition that the rich cultural and musical heritage of mariachi deserves to be highlighted, celebrated, and passed down to future generations. Mariachi music is engrained in the identity of WNMU, a Hispanic Serving Institution, and the continued legacy of the art...