Charro

Talk at the charreria event at the San Marcos National Fair.

The charro, in Mexico, is a horseman, someone who practices charrería, considered the national sport of this country.

The charrería is one of the most important Mexican traditions today. Born in the Mexican states of Hidalgo and Jalisco, the current Charros come from the CHINACOS who in turn come from the CUERUDOS who were INDIAN AND MESTIZO riders. THE MEXICAN CHARRERIA everything that it entails from the rodeo to the costumes have been declared as INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF HUMANITY.

Etymology

The oldest written reference to the word charro appears in the book “Vocabulario de refranes y frases proverbiales” by Gonzalo Correas in 1627, with a pejorative connotation, synonymous with fool and imbecile. More than a hundred years later, in 1729, in the first dictionary published by the Royal Spanish Academy, the Dictionary of Authorities, the word charro was defined as: "The person with little culture, nothing polished, raised instead of little police. In the Court, and in other places, they give this name to any person from the village". In the first edition of the RAE dictionary published in 1780, that original definition was maintained, defining the word as: "the coarse and rustic person, as the villagers tend to be", but in this edition they would add a second meaning: "adjective that is applied to some things that are too loaded with adornment and in bad taste". In this way, the word charro was originally applied in a pejorative way, to anyone from the rural area, and things overloaded with decorations and in bad taste. At no time is there mention of the villagers, or inhabitants of Salamanca. It was not until the fourth edition of the RAE dictionary, published in 1803, that they would add, as a third meaning, the villagers of Salamanca. In 1745, the Basque Jesuit Manuel de Larramendi argued that the word was of Basque origin and that it meant "a mean, despicable thing". While the Catalan historian and philosopher Antonio de Capmany affirmed that the word charro was of Arabic origin and that it originally meant "bad, of moral malice and customs", and that it happened to Spanish to mean "artistic malice and adornment", thus, something "charro" is the same as something in bad taste. In the last decades of the century XX to this day, the RAE has been altering the meaning of charro, at the request of authorities and citizens of Salamanca considering the original definition as something offensive, thus the RAE has eliminated almost all meaning pejorative, and maintains the meaning of "salamanca villager" as the primary meaning. This has created confusion and has influenced the belief that Mexican Charros are descended from Salamanca villagers, when in fact this is simply a coincidence. The word "charro" was applied since the XVIII century as a pejorative nickname to Mexican Rancheros, who because they were village people were perceived as ignorant and barbaric. In the same way, the villagers of Salamanca, for being perceived as clumsy, ridiculous and ignorant, were insulted by calling them "charros".

Origin

illustration of Mexican ranchers in the centuryXIX who influenced the Chinese style and later the puddle.

Painting of a Chinese in the 19th century, the Mexican liberal guerrillas during the War of Independence, the American Intervention and the French intervention who later influenced the puddle.

During the Viceroyalty of New Spain, the Spanish brought the culture of cattle raising, which over time acquired its own characteristics.

The employees of the CUERUDOS haciendas and later CHINACOS formed, first in central Mexico and later in almost the entire country (including the current southern and western states of the United States), a new and unique equestrian style, adapted to the characteristics of this variable and rugged territory, the so-called "Escuela Hípica Mexicana".

After independence from Spain and with miscegenation, Mexicans lacked their own identity. It was Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg who based himself on the figure of the chinaco —a man of the people who fought in the war of independence and who participated in the liberal reform of the XIX.

After independence, men "on horseback" owners of small tracts of land, muleteers and lessors known as "cuerudos" and later during the French interventions they would know him as "chinacos"; while the employees of the haciendas and some independents were simply called "Mayorales", "Caporales", "Arrieros" and/or "Jeans".

Wealthy landowners liked ornamentation similar to that of aristocrats and cavalry officers in totally differently cut suits flaunting their wealth, while less wealthy horsemen had them adorned with " pita" from maguey fiber, quilted (in cotton thread) or with fretwork and openwork in suede.

General Ignacio Zaragoza in 1861, during the government of Benito Juárez, created the first "Cuerpo de Rurales", who were auxiliaries to the army as well as in charge of chasing robbers on roads and rural towns. During the Porfirio Díaz period, they were characterized by guaranteeing security. They were very experienced riders and were uniformed in gray charro suits and sombreros. Their weapons were made up of the machete, the rope, pistol, riding carbine and a long spear; fearsome in the use of the latter, it is said that "with the lasso and with the lance the charro was forged".

By the middle of the XIX century, horsemen in Mexico fought the War of Reform, some of the Charros of ancestry approached the foreign prince Maximilian of Habsburg, who sought to surround himself with them to integrate into Mexico and its traditions, and even the modification of the charro pants and the use of booties instead of bell boots are attributed to him. On the other hand, there were the silver ones, who were wealthy ranchers imitating the way of dressing of the Bandits of Río Frío, who used the silver pieces produced from the stolen goods, to replace the horn and bone buttons of their leather suits; but liberals and chinacos (sane who only fought at night in guerrilla wars) fought for the Republic.

The Duke of Regla and Marquis of Guadalupe, Don Carlos Rincón Gallardo de Romero y Terreros, Carlos Rincón Gallardo, is considered one of the historical representatives of charrería (who was regularly invited to the coleaderos organized by Maximilian I of Mexico, in the forest is Chapultepec) and is the ancestor of many notable charros and polo players.

One of the most representative historical figures of the Mexican charro was General Emiliano Zapata, who even before the Revolution was known in the southern region of Mexico for being an extraordinary horseman and renter.

The charrería originated in the state of Jalisco, after that it was inherited to the states of Tlaxcala, Puebla, de México and Hidalgo, and it is around the 1920s with the migration from the countryside to the city, mainly towards the capitals of these states, including Mexico City, when charrería emerged as a regulated sport and Lienzos Charros were built by adding sleeves to the bullrings.

Charro suit

History

The charro suit has its origins in the XVI century when the liberal guerrillas also called "chinacos" They used this type of clothing that would later be known as the charro suit and the chinacos' suit was made of blanket and they put leather on top to protect it since it was forbidden to dress like Spaniards. The chinacos during the Independence of Mexico used a flat hat similar to the Andalusian, long manta pants covered by another pants open on the outer sides which were fastened by a button that gave rise to what later the charros themselves have used, who at that time had clothing similar to that of the chinaco, but more ostentatious. After independence there was a mixture between the typical Chinaco costume with that of the English mount during the times of Maximilian (the second emperor of Mexico).

At the end of the XIX century the charro suit became the new Mexican horseman suit with the first charro being Ponciano Díaz Salinas (1856-1899), cousin of Porfirio Díaz and at the beginning of the XX century, those who had more money wore suits made of wool, with silver ornaments, and the humblest used suede suits. After the Mexican Revolution this clothing was "democratized" and it became the national dress. During the golden age of Mexican cinema, the charro suit was widely popularized with big stars wearing this suit, such as Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete. Today the charro suit is seen as a representative symbol of Mexican culture. The charro attire and other imagery are typically incorporated into tourist advertisements and have become one of the "most universally recognized emblems of Mexican identity throughout the world". The charro suit can be worn to express pride in one's Mexican heritage.

Description

Costume (Great Gala) of feminine and masculine puddle.

A basic charro suit worn by men consists of long, tight-fitting pants covered with embellishments on the sides. The coat worn by both men and women is short and embroidered. These coats are also known as bolero jackets or chaquetillas. Traditionally, the embroidery was done with metallic thread or pitea fiber. Charro outfits also consist of a wide-brimmed sombrero (sombrero) and a silk tie. The women's charra suit is similar, the women wear a long embroidered skirt, reaching to the ankles, instead of pants. The skirt is usually wide enough to allow the woman to ride sideways. Other aspects of the attire may include a dress shirt, chaps, serape, and pitea belt. The footwear is a high-heeled boot or a leather shoe. The colors of the suit allowed are the full range of coffee, dark blue, brown, gray and dry green which contrast with the "grecas" or openwork and buttons. Dark red mixed with black is also used only in the caporal pants and in the saddle accessories. The buttons must be the color of the saddle leather, that is, honey, brown or bay. The black suit is only for weddings or funerals and is the only one that should wear black ankle boots. The shirt can be with a military collar, also known as "pachuqueña", or civilian collar, also called "folded collar", giving preference to white and off-white.

In 1960 the National Charra Federation made a classification of the suits that a charro can wear, these most formal suits at least are:

Grand Gala: Totally black from the hat itself, fine garment, silver buttons, white, black or red bow tie, suede or patent leather boots, white shirt and bandolier of the same color as the shoes. This costume is only worn at important ceremonies and is not suitable for riding.

Gala: It can be of another color than black, made of fine cloth, adorned with silver buttons and with the same conditions as the previous one. Used in ceremonies, parades, parties, civil ceremonies, suitable for riding, etc.

Half gala: It is somewhat less decorated than the Gala, but respecting the same rules of use. It is suitable for riding.

Faena: It can be a complete suit, but less austere or simply made up of pants, shirt, boots, a dark-colored bow tie and a strong and resistant hat. Suitable for competitions.

Charro hat

Different types of hats and some puddle.

The Mexican charro hat is of mestizo origin, from the region of Andalusia and also from Navarra, where it was an accessory for wealthy landowners and also in New Spain used by Mexican creoles and whose embroidery and decorations have been made by indigenous and Mexican mestizos as well as their deformation apart. It is made with wool felt, hare hair or wheat straw and is an authentic protection from the bright sun and from falling from the back of a horse. That is why the true charro hat has a wide brim, raised at the back; It has four "pedradas" that give it resistance in case of impact. For the latter case, the hat made of palm is better, which is more solid without being too heavy.

According to the region, it presents variants: in the driest areas, the brim is wider than in forested areas, and in those with higher humidity, the materials are cooler and lighter than in the highlands.

They are usually adorned with shawls and embroidered or "calados" trims. The most used types of hat are the "San Luis Moderado", "Pachuca", "Cocula", "Hacendado", among others.

A true charro hat is made by specialized artisans, and is very different from the one sold in "souvenir" for tourists.

More uses of the charro hat can be added. For those who have used it, they know the multiple uses and benefits of its design. Some may be: not only cover from the bright sun but also from the wind and, above all, from dust; with it a fire is stoked as it goes out if the field is lit; a viper is stunned and then killed; a beautiful set is made to a brave bull that comes out of the bush and is dodged; a cuaco (horse) is given to drink; anonymity is covered before a love affair or getting rid of an enemy; it is used as a shield in defense of an attack with a machete or knife, taking it from the chinstrap; It covers wonderfully from the rain that, with a straw sleeve or rubberized canvas, is the best umbrella on foot or on horseback; in jaripeo, especially of zebu bulls, it protects from the dangers of a goring and, in the event of a fall, acts as a helmet; and other uses that could be added by those who have used it in the field.

Charra chair

Charra chair with duck tails.

The Mexican saddle is one of the main characteristics of the charro. This type of headed shaft mount is of a unique design, since the previous ones were of military origin and the Mexican one is designed for work in the field. Despite the fact that it is relatively heavy compared to others, it is very comfortable for both horse and rider and basically consists of a "tree" or wooden skeleton with a head (which is used to tie the ropes or ropes), leathers and stirrups, among other accessories. There are such beautiful saddles that they are authentic works of art: saddled or hammered leather that form figures in all their elements or harness; There are some with gold or silver fittings, with pita, gold and silver embroideries or colorful threads that brighten up and embellish the tack, and are accompanied by tientos, where a machete is tied and hung as well as a fourth or a rope, a rifle or a greatcoat.

The harness and accoutrements of the charro or Mexican cowboy were copied by the cowboy or "buckaroo" American (the word "buckaroo" is a spontaneous transcription of the phonetics of "vaquero" in Anglo-Saxon lips), after the colonization of the lost Mexican territory at the hands of the United States. The Texan saddle is also based on the Mexican chinacos saddle.

During the Mexican Revolution, the Mexican criollo horse practically disappeared, due to its excessive use during combat. So the most used horses for charrería are the Quarter Horse, of North American origin, and the Aztec horse, which is a recent breed.

The charra chair should be made of natural materials, not artificial ones like plastic. There are mainly two types of saddles that the charro owns: the work chair and the formal chair.

The charro saddle has a wider horn than an "American cowboy" saddle, which helps prevent the charro from falling or hanging. There are two handles on the back of the saddle, in case the charro needs to hold on due to an unexpected act of the horse.

Charro Skirmish

Scaramuza charra.

The Charro Associations, in the traditional and provincial way, elect a "Queen of the Charros" each year, that it is a young woman belonging to an association or to a region that includes several associations. Their function is social and they are in charge of inaugurating seasons or festivities.

In a context with more and more gender equality, the Amazon is an active athlete in the middle of charrería and her main discipline is the charro skirmish. For this, a saddle called a charro saddle is used. In addition, there are women who practice other kinds that are also very intrepid and spectacular.

Social context

At the end of the XIX century, the charro was synonymous with a very skilled or experienced rider.

One was the wealthy landowner and the other the farmhand, although both wore broad hats for a long time. The charro, being a landowner or trusted employee of the owner of the land, generally had a "superior" to that of the other peasants.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, horsemen who did not belong to the upper classes were common peons

The tamer or the journeyman cowboy (skillful horseman), even being humble, had the prestige of being better "quoted" as an employee than any other type of worker and wore charro suits similar to those of the bosses.

With notable exceptions such as the revolutionary leader himself Emiliano Zapata or Benjamín Argumedo, the current charro is in many cases conservative and frequently reactionary. For this reason, in Mexican unionism he is called "charro leader" to the one who represents the interests of the employer and not of the union members (a curious paradox is the case of Jorge Negrete, who in the cinema represented the charro, but as a trade unionist he was notable for his honesty and for the labor conquests he achieved in his time).

Caballerangos, blacksmiths, shepherds, and muleteers were not necessarily considered charros, but they aspired to be. Much like personal service in medieval Spain, charros on Mexican haciendas held a chivalric prestige that many cowboys sought access to.

The official discourse of the first decades of the XX century established the charro as the "archetype of the Mexican next to of the Chinese poblana.

Despite the class origin of the Mexican charro, currently, in the teams that practice charrería there are both humble and wealthy athletes who stand out for their performance in an environment of equality (at least) during practices and matches.

In rural areas, the social position of the charro has been emblematic, although for several decades, with the influence of globalization, things have changed a lot.

The most common phenotype in the charro is that of the white and then the mestizo with predominantly Iberian or “mestiblanco” features, varying of course in each region: in Jalisco there are charros from light to light brown complexion; on the gulf coast there are some with mulatto features and in the south you see more of the indigenous type. Curiously, a good part of the descendants of Lebanese and Syrian immigrants has joined the charrería environment.

There are Charro associations in the United States, both amateur and professional, due to the huge population of Mexican origin in that country.

Culture and entertainment

Game: "Los Charros Contrabandistas", 1890-1917. Lithography of Antonio Vanegas Arroyo.

The cancionero and cheerful charro of Mexican cinema is not as fictitious as its critics claim, since before the era of the mass media, the people of the countryside entertained themselves by making music and dancing, and this was the source of the folklore.

In Mexico, the culture of partying and coexistence made the charro a cheerful character, somewhat braggart and a completely social entity unlike the (paro) but also macho American cowboy or cowboy.

The influence of the charrería culture is present in today's Mexico in multiple expressions; for example, the word wool as a synonym for money, since this fiber was distinctive of the dominant classes in the field; expressions like "dont get off the horse" that is: "do not give in"; or the imperative "pícale" (with the spurs on the horse) to mean "run" or "hurry up". This "pícale" It has also derived in "ándale" with the same function.

The paintings by the painter Ernesto Icaza portray various scenes of charrería in the countryside, documenting the customs and characteristics of charrería at the end of the century XIX and early XX.

In movies, the charro has been as recurring as the cowboy. Some of the film charros have been: Pedro Infante, Luis Aguilar, Javier Solís, Vicente Fernández, Tito Guízar, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Francisco Avitia, among others.

A particular charro from Mexico was Antonio Aguilar, originally from Zacatecas, who was a true charro and not just an actor, an excellent horseman who with his equestrian show made charrería known with tours of different countries along with his entire family. In his films you can see him practicing different tricks without camera effects such as: lassoing, fishtailing, piercing and doing death steps. His sons are also excellent charros, Pepe Aguilar and Antonio Aguilar Jr., who in the movies are also seen performing charro luck

Jorge Negrete, the Charro Cantor, is considered the best representative of the Mexican charro in cinema.

Notable for his brilliant horse shows has been Antonio Aguilar, possibly the last genuine representative of the charro in the entertainment industry, which in recent decades has contributed to the distortion of the concept and the image of the charro in low-quality soap operas and with purely commercial singers, with little or very little cultural content.

In many Latin American women, the charro, the rejoneador or the gaucho still produce sighs, perhaps because in the collective unconscious they represent the original and original virility.

Although Mexico is characterized by its richness and folkloric variety, the image of the charro unifies Mexico because its use has not been limited to a single region and because it represents miscegenation itself, which is considered the basis of identity mexican.