Mariachi - Name

Name

The word mariachi was thought to have derived from the French word “mariage" (marriage) dating from the French Intervention in Mexico in the 1860s, related to the music’s appearance at weddings. This was a common explanation on record jackets and travel brochures. However, this theory was disproven with the appearance of documents that showed that the word existed before this invasion. The origin of the word is still in dispute but most of the prominent theories state that it has indigenous roots. One states that it comes from the name of the wood from which the dance platform is made. Another states that “mariachi” comes from the indigenous name of a tree called pilla or cirimo and yet another states that it came from an image locally called “María H” (pronounced mah-ree-ah AH-chay).

The term “mariachi” can refer to the music, the band or just one musician.