I want to tell you all about our delightful experience at Teatro Degollado in Guadalajara, Mx.We went to a dance performance depicting the history of a traditional Mexican style of dance called "Jarabe." I wish I could have taken pictures or video of the show to share with you all. Because an important realization took place for me, as I watched and learned and finally understood something that has been in plain sight my whole life and finally clicked for me.
Let me start by saying, the word "jarabe" in Spanish can be used to describe two things: a specific rhythmic pattern used in mariachi music or medicinal syrup. Last night, as I learned more and more about the history of the "Jarabe" and how its lyrics and dance steps have always been a vehicle for voicing popular resistance against oppression and slavery...It hit me! Specially because as the music and the rhythms of the dance steps could be forceful felt, specifically in my gut giving me a sense or relief and instant communal relaxation in the middle of a very fancy theater...As I said, it hit me... El Jarabe has always been our meditative form of healing, providing artistic outlets of music and movement, community circles, an underhanded way to refuse our compliance with oppressive colonialism and a vehicle to express our feelings. Those of you who practice yoga sound therapy or know about the function of indigenous drums, will likely understand what I mean. Our cleverness to underhandedly preserve the pieces of our indigenous culture we need to survive, never seizes to amaze me. During the times in our history when our drums, our ceremonial chants, seashell horns and ceremonial dance circles have been under siege, us Mexicans have found ways to heal our bodies, souls and communities by adapting and producing the healing sounds and communal movements with new "acceptable" instruments and movements, creating our much needed "Jarabe". I'm blown away by the obvious! See link for a musical sample link if interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR8P4B0GkLI&list=PLr39WO_Hx3ZVkhp33Z8Kf7rWv25BJhCun
