And The Mexican- American Border

Corridos
And The MexicanAmerican Border
Inter-ethnic Conflict
● Tejano (Texan-Mexican)
population uprooted by Angloinstitutionalized land-grab
● Texas Rangers, or Rinches,
employ indiscriminate violence
towards ethnic Mexicans
● Juan Cortina trains private army
to defend Tejano’s from eviction
○ Instigates “Cortina Wars” in
1859, 1861
- Juan Cortina -
From Cortina’s Proclamation
“When the State of Texas became... part of the Union,
flocks of vampires, in the guise of men, came... with...
corrupt hearts and the most perverse intentions... When we
entrusted them with our titles, which secured the future of
our families, [they] refused to return them under false and
frivolous pretexts....many of you Mexicans have been
robbed of your property, incarcerated... murdered and
hunted like wild beasts. Mexicans! Is there no remedy for
you?”
Corridos
●
●
●
●
●
Oral tradition of narrative ballads
Descend from Spanish ballads of
15th century
Border Corridos shift from old
stories of love & loss to current,
current, ‘true-life’ stories of interethnic conflict.
Combines factual or near-factual
story with invented details (e.g
dialogue)
A trusted source of news amongst
illiterate
El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez
as recorded by Pedro Rocha and Lupe Martinez in 1929
●
●
Classic corrido instrumentation
○ 1 guitar
○ 2 voices
■ Twin melody
Classic strophic structure
○ One melody/chord
progression repeated for each
stanza
Gregorio Cortez
●
●
●
●
Mexican-born, living in Karnes County, Texas
1901: Resisted unjust arrest for theft of horse
Shot sheriff in self defense
Eluded massive man-hunt for 12 days with help of fellow
Mexican-Americans
● Killed second sheriff during second shootout, escaped again
● Turned over for reward
● Convicted for one murder, pardoned after 8 years
Typical Corrido Hero-Bandit
1. Defies greater authority, but for noble purposes.
2. The common folk protect him [heroes almost always
male].
3. Story often ends in betrayal or tragic defeat
4. Common folk elaborate legendary heroic qualities via
oral tradition
El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez
In the county of El Carmen
Look what has happened
The main sheriff died
leaving Roman wounded.
Gregorio Cortez said,
with his soul ablaze:
"I'm not sorry for killing him,
self-defense is justifiable."
The Americanos would say
“If we see him what shall we do to him
if we face him head on
very few will return.”
Gregorio says to Juan
at the Ranch of the Cypress
Tell me what’s new
I am Gregorio Cortez
The following morning
when the people arrived
some, to the others, said
they don’t know who killed him
The Americans were coming
as fast as the wind,
because they would earn
a reward of 3,000 pesos.
In the corral of the ranch
they managed to surround him,
A little more than 300 men
and there he gave them the slip.
Gregorio says to Juan
Very soon you will see him
go on to talk to sheriffs
to come to arrest me
They investigated
and about three hours later
they discovered that
Gregorio Cortez was the wrongdoer.
He fled toward González.
Several sheriffs saw him
but they didn't want to pursue him
because they were afraid.
There around Encinal
from all that they say
they had a shoot-out
and he killed another sheriff
When the sheriffs arrive
Gregorio presented himself
“You’ll take me away if I wish it,
because there is no other way”
A warrant for Cortez's arrest
was issued throughout the state:
"Bring him in dead or alive,
he is wanted for murder."
The hound dogs were coming,
following his trail,
but catching Cortez
was like reaching for a star.
Gregorio Cortez said
with his pistol in his hand
“Don’t run, you cowardly rangers
from one lone Mexican
Now they caught Cortez
and the case is closed
His poor family
he carries in his heart
Gregorio Cortez said,
with his pistol in his hand:
"I'm not sorry for killing him,
my concern is for my brother."
Gregorio Cortez said:
"Why do you even try?
You can't even catch me,
with those hound dogs."
He turned toward Laredo
without a single fear,
“Follow me you cowardly rangers
I am Gregorio Cortez”
Now with this I take my leave
in the shade of a cypress
Here we finish singing
the tragedy of Cortez
Smugglers
●
●
●
●
●
●
Exposed arbitrariness of border and
undermining its authority
Smugglers seen as further casualties of interethnic conflict.
Mythologized as ‘Robin Hood’ figures
though often not true.
Popularity in corridos tied to unpopular
Mexican presidency of Porfirio Díaz 18761911.
Corrido’s often trusted over Diaz’ stateowned newspapers.
Mariano Resendez smuggles luxury goods
into Mexico late 19th/early 20th century
- Mariano Resendez -
Corrido de Mariano Resendez
The year nineteen hundred
left us quite vivid memories:
Mariano Reséndez died;
apprehended by Nieves Hernández
The wagon in which Mariano rode
was surrounded by picked men;
Mariano Reséndez said,
"I have not lost hope."
At his ranch, which was El Charco,
on an unfortunate Tuesday,
the man could not save himself
as he woke up surrounded.
As they were scared of him
that he might be given some office,
they killed him while between
Agualeguas and Cerralvo.
They went to knock down the door
when his brother arrived;
anxiously they asked him,
"Where can Don Mariano be found?"
Police of Guerrero,
I carry you all on a list;
you will no longer die from fright;
"The Smuggler" is already dead.
Don José María Reséndez,
his reply was truthful:
"Sirs, I do not know anything;
I am coming from Santa Elena."
State of Tamaulipas,
municipality of Méndez,
because of the fault of contraband
did Mariano Reséndez die.
Excerpts From Other Versions
Send word to the government
that it should meet its obligations...
.
..It is really a pity that they
should call themselves real Mexicans
Smuggling
● 1900: Resendez, fine clothing
● 1919: US Prohibition spawns
tequila smuggling industry.
Corridos of tequileros appear
shortly after
● 1933: Prohibition ends
● WW2: Sinaloa region grows
opium for US Army’s morphine
● 1960s: Mexican mafias begin
major dealings in drugs
●
Los Tigres del Norte -Contraband y Traicion
The Tigers of the North - Contraband and Treason
● Los Tigres del Norte record in
1974.
● Story of Camelia and her lover
smuggling marijuana into US.
● Drugs incidental to narrative.
● Hugely popular, spawning two
sequel songs continuing story of
Camelia
● Arguably spawns trend of songs
referencing narco culture
● Narcocorridos descend
from corridos of smuggling
● Corridistas often
commissioned by druglords
● High risk to corridistas and
performers
● Banned by some media
since 90s
● Do they glorify narco
culture?
Los Tucanes de Tijuana - Operacion Pesada
The Toucans of Tijuana - Heavy Operation
● How does this story
compare to Mariano
Resendez’s?
Comparing Old and New
Old Corridos
New Narcocorridos
Emerge spontaneously
Commissioned by drug lords
Composed anonymously
Composed by corridistas
Disseminated orally
Disseminated via recordings
Numerous variations
Single authoritative version
Sung in third-person
Often sung in first-person
Tragic ending for hero
Triumphant ending for hero
How is it made?
How does it circulate?
What is the story like?
Los Tigres del Norte - Los Jefes de Jefes
The Tigers of the North - The Boss of Bosses
I'm the Boss of Bosses gentlemen,
I get respect from all levels,
And my name and my picture,
They will never be seen in papers,
Because my journalist like me,
And if you do not, you'll lose my friendship.
Many chickens that were just born,
Already want to fight the rooster,
If they could reach my level,
Then they would have to suffer many years,
And I will not leave the post,
Where I give my orders.
My work and value have cost me,
To manage the contacts that I have,
Many want to climb to my height,
With no more than my glance they go falling,
They wanted to scratch my crown,
Those who try have been dying.
Questioning Narcocorridos
Who’s emotions, perspective, or fantasy is being
expressed in song?
How is this related to the way in which the corrido
is produced?
How do these differences shape how we
interpret the song?