El Narcocorrido: Cantando el Contrabando
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2013
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Haverford College. Department of Spanish
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Thesis
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Award
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spa
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Abstract
In this project, I explore the narcocorrido musical sub‐genre, which has evolved out of a much older tradition of Mexican music (the corrido). The corrido grew from the Spanish romance ballads of the 14th century, where it was transported to Mexico by Spanish conquistadores, and flourished. The narcocorrido sub‐genre, deals with subject matter relating to drug trafficking (although ‘el narcotráfico’ is not necessarily the primary focus), with the trafficker generally occupying the protagonist or hero position. I was interested in exploring why the people of a country that has suffered enormous violence and terror in relation to drug trafficking (approximately 60,000 people have been killed in relation to narco‐violence since the election of ex‐president Felipe Calderón in 2006) would support a style of music, which takes those very traffickers as the subject matter and hero figure. What I aim to prove in my thesis is that the narcocorrido appeal to its audience not because it promotes violence or celebrates criminals as a type of people’s hero (although this latter part has a long history within the corrido tradition, with bandits and outlaws historically occupying the hero position). The narcocorrido is appealing because the heros –narcotraffickers – are men and women who often come from poor backgrounds, but have found a means to escape poverty and become wealthy, powerful people. This potential for wealth and power is what makes the narcocorrido attractive (the audience is typically of lower or working class origins). Additionally, an important theme within the narcocorrido is the opposition of authority figures, who represent often‐corrupt Mexican governmental figures and oppressive or intrusive U.S. figures. Once again, this theme is attractive to a group who feels that they have very little power of their own. The narcocorrido represents a way for the audience to indulge in the dream of being wealthy and powerful.