U.S. Postal Service Honors Mariachi, the Traditional Music of Mexico

 

POSTED ON Jun 23, 2022

 

The U.S. Postal Service has announced that it will celebrate mariachi, the traditional music of Mexico that has become deeply rooted in the United States. The first-day-of-issue ceremony will be held during the 30th Annual Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque.

Dedicating officials at the event include Peter Pastre, USPS government relations and public policy vice president; Peter Sanchez, CEP, Atrisco Companies, and Rafael Lopez, a stamp illustrator.

The Atrisco Companies include the Rio Grande Educational Collaborative—a non-profit business providing supplemental education services, such as before and after school programs in schools throughout New Mexico; Mariachi Spectacular, a non-profit organization that provides educational training workshops for people of all ages interested in the music of mariachi; and Atrisco Oil and Gas, a company that manages energy exploration on land that was part of the original Atrisco Land Grant.

López has illustrated thirteen stamps for the United States Postal Service. He has received three Pura Belpré Award medals from the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.

His book illustrations are the recipient of the American Library Association Schneider Family Book Award, a Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators New York, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, and the Tomás Rivera Book Award along with three Pura Belpré honors and two Américas Book Awards.

The first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony will take place on Friday, July 15 at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Mariachi musicians are recognizable in their traditional costume called traje de charro or charro suit and a wide-brimmed hat. The most well-known dance is Jarabe Tapatio — the Mexican Hat Dance, the national folkloric dance of Mexico. In the United States, it is performed at festivals and public concerts, and in dance competitions.

Mariachi has reached a global audience through recordings, films, live concerts, and television programs. In recognition of the importance of mariachi music and culture, UNESCO added them to the list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” in 2011.