Thus far, our journeys through various of the indigenous cultures of the new world in this series have begun south of the Rio Grande and further west, that arbitrary line in the sand which divides the U.S. from Mexico. We have lingered south of this border on our way further south to Venezuela, Chile, Brazil and Argentina. This is barely a rough sketch of what we call Latin America, and it is unlikely we will make it all the way to southern most Patagonia in the remaining days of Hispanic Heritage Month.
However, today we step briefly back into the southwestern U.S., where numerous indigenous nations have flourished, and in so doing, created amazing feats of architecture and cultural identity.
These people were not totally stationary. The Navajo and Pueblo peoples were also adventurous, establishing trade routes connecting their territories to points as far south as present day Mexico City.
We begin today's journey with flute music from R. Carlos Nakai, born into the Navajo Nation of present day northern Arizona. His flute song "Ancestral Home" may have been in the souls of the ancestors as they beat out footpaths toward the south, trading goods along the way. The path took them through the territory of the Huichol, where music, as well as peyote, were the foundation of spirituality.
Composer Gabriela Ortiz came to know music of the Huichol Indians by happenstance:
"You know, I was just doing some research, and then suddenly someone gave me this CD by this Huichol, familia de la Cruz, singing Huichol melodies. And I just love it. I mean, it was a music that is very repetitive, and they use a violin.... but this violin only had like two strings, so it's always like out of tune! But I love the melody. The melody has had something that that, for me was very meaningful, and so I decided to quote that melody."
"I use the essence of that, but in a very different way in the string quartet for Kronos, and then I translated that into an orchestra piece years later. So it's based on that, but it's not literal. It's not something that it's exactly the way, you know, these Huichol people [are] singing that kind of melody. It's more sophisticated and and obviously with more syncopation and more polyrhythmic things that happen on that piece."
Some listeners may recall that Gabriela's "Kauyumari" was performed recently by the San Antonio Philharmonic, where it was greeted by rapturous applause. I think we can all agree it is such an enthusiastic piece of music.
Traveling further south, all on foot, the Navajo traders eventually reached deep into Aztec territory, perhaps hearing ceremonial songs sung chant-like to the beat of the teponaztli rhythm. "Teponazcuitcatl," rendered by San Antonio's own Vocal Arts Ensemble, SAVAE, is a good example of the theatrical character of much of the music of the Aztecs. The boom of the drum was the voice of God, and flutes represented birds.
Finally, listen to Gabriela Ortiz's "Huitztl," which is Aztec for "hummingbird," played by Horacio Franco.
PLAYLIST:
Richard Adler: The Rio Grande (from Wilderness Suite)
Charles Ketcham, Utah SO
RCA 4726
Trad/R. Carlos Nakai: Ancestral Home
R. Carlos Nakai
Canyon Records
Trad: Hikuri Neirra
Familia De La Cruz
Paraiso 65
Gabriela Ortiz: Kauyumari
Dudamel, LA Philharmonic
LAPhil 02
Trad: Teponazcuitcatl
SAVAE
IAGO
Gabriela Ortiz: Huitztl
Horacio Franco
Música Mexicana para flauta de pico
