MUSIQUES MEXICAINES
MEXICAN MUSICS
Zapotèque Huichol Nahuatl Séri Purépecha Tarahumara Maya Chontal Mixtèque Lacandon
Disques Ocora, ORTF, 1978, OCR 73
This is an album entirely recorded in the field by Jose Raul Hellmer among Mexico's indigenous population. Back then, out of the 50 million inhabitants 3 million were considered as ''Indians'' who didn't speak Spanish in their daily life. About 50 ethnic groups were known and alive still.
The text in French and English was written by this French mexican music lover and specialist Serge Roterman (sse my post 11th of May 2022). He introduced each tune and song with enough detail to understand the situation of these people at that time. Although the ''indigena'' culture has been under pressure since the 16th century, Roterman thought that some aspects of the musical and ritual original culture were still audible. Some instruments are from the pre-hispanic period while some Spanish instruments were quickly adopted but used differently.
One the most astonishing track is A8 with an extract from the peyotl ceremony ''performed'' by Huichol men.
Ocora could be proud of the publication of such an album because at the time it was quite difficult to get access to Mexican native musics except for the few tapes issued by Folkways in the 60s.
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