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SOUNDERS* FROM ANCIENT MEXICO**
* Artifacts to make sounds. ** Actual Zone from South of US to Nicaragua.

Clay triple flute copy from my teacher and friend:
Mario Cortés Vergara
Texcoco, Edo. de Mex.
Libertad #15 Mexico, CP 56130
Tel. Nal. 01-(595)-46731
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/mctlapitzali

 

The singular, fine and diverse organology from ancient Mexico was developed during several millenniums. Its utilization and fomentation was a central matter of state and sound government, at the highest levels in administration, religion and military. It was utilized in all kind of events, celebrations and multiple social, recreative and festivities, in harmonic union with dancing, singing, literature, poetry, etc., from the greatest ceremonial centers to the smallest and dispersed communities and even in those considered undeveloped and nomads. Its utilization had a fundamental role in all their regional "music" and in other vital social and personal activities. Fundamentally, it was used:

 

Those who made and used the sounders were educated at the highest level and were watched with rigor. If they did not acted well they were sacrificed, because if they did not had theirs sounds there were not festivities, celebrations and good performance, and that was not allowed.

Unfortunately, the rich Mexican organology was destroyed, forbidden, proscribed, substituted and forgotten since the Conquest and the Colony, five centuries ago. That historic global policy has been continued until now with effectiveness, as if there were not the Independence and the Revolution neither the letters of our laws to research and to promote the diverse prehispanic and indigenous cultures. From an autosufficiency situation in organology it have become to an almost total dependency from the exterior to obtain professional musical instruments and devises, much of their music and those that generate it. They (those with power to do it) opened the frontiers to imports of all kind of goods and services, including much induced musical scrap, but they impeded the resurgence of Mexican sounders and the benefits from its development and fomentation.

Actually, the only interested to rescue these ancient traditions are a few artisans, musicians, and dancers that still make or use Mexican sounders and a researcher that makes studies on aerophones:.

Roberto Velázquez Cabrera
Investigador Externo
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: http://www.geocities.com/rvelaz.geo

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