La Bamba

The following video is of Tlen Huicani performing the Son Jarocho song "La Bamba." The music is from Veracruz in Mexico and the song is best known because of the rock 'n roll version created by Ritchie Valens. The song is performed with traditional instruments like the arpa (harp), guitar, requinto, and jarana. 

    Certainly we might engage with this song by listening, performing, or analyzing and arrive at some important conclusions. We would learn about the music of Veracruz and this song in particular, but miss out on a great deal of context vital to the understanding of this music in relation to culture and the music itself. Ethnomusicology is important because it helps us develop a deep and enduring music pedagogy. We can investigate the origins and usage of the requinto and it's role in Son Jarocho music. We can lean about the reasons for the loud shouts and their meaning in this music. We can discover the role this music plays in Veracruz and better understand the importance of music in culture. 

I used this recording when teaching the music of Mexico to 6th grade students. It's familiarity because of Ritchie Valens was a "gateway" to learning about the music of Veracruz. We learned that, much like in America, Mexico has different regions with different music and musical tastes. We learned that shouts and calls in Mexican music communicate intensity and passion. This learning was made possible because ethnomusicologists have conducted field work to learn more about the music of Veracruz and made that information available. In teaching world music, I was able to include enthomusicology to provide a better picture of this music in relation to it's culture and our own culture as well.