Maya Achi Marimba Music In Guatemala (Studies in Latin American and Caribbean Music) [Paperback]

Sergio Navarrete Pellicer (Author), Sergio Navarrete Pellicer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 30, 2005 | Series: Studies in Latin American and Caribbean Music

For the Achi, one of the several Mayan ethnic groups indigenous to Guatemala, the music of the marimba serves not only as a form of entertainment but also as a form of communication, a vehicle for memory, and an articulation of cultural identity. Sergio Navarrete Pellicer examines the marimba tradition -- the historical confluence of African musical influences, Spanish colonial power, and Indian ethnic assimilation -- as a driving force in the dynamics of cultural continuity and change in Rabinal, the heart of Achi culture and society. By examining the performance and consumption of marimba music as complementary parts of a system of social interaction, religious belief, and ethnic identification, Navarrete Pellicer reveals how the strains of the marimba resonate with the spiritual yearnings and cultural negotiations of the Achi as they try to come to terms with the political violence and economic hardship wrought by their colonial past.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This sustained in-depth ethnography on one of the marimba musical cultures in Guatemala is a welcome contribution towards our understanding of a major musical tradition in Latin America." from Scruggs review "Studies examining traditions of Central America are rare, and so as part of the series, Studies in Latin American and Caribbean Music, which aims to present interdisciplinary studies in traditional and contemporary musics, this work is a very welcome addition...For anyone studying Guatemalan society, ritual and beliefs and the role of music-making, musicians and musical behaviour in shaping and interacting with cultural and religious conditions than this book comes highly recommended." The Journal of Latin American Studies "An in-depth study of marimba music...Pellicer's book demonstrates the important role musical practice plays in maintaining social cohesion and identity among Central American Indian communities. The author's approach is grounded in anthropological fieldwork as well as historical and social analysis...this [is] meticulous anthropological work." Ethnomusicology "Those seeking a sensitive examination of music's meaning need look no farther than Sergio Navarrete Pellicer's book...[His] analysis clarifies the conflicting interpretations in this literature and addresses persistent misconceptions and arguments regarding the provenance of the [marimba]...[T]he reader will be greatly aided by the useful appendices that detail orthography and catalog the cofradias, the musical ensembles, the repertories, and the occasions marked by marimba music." - Reviews in Anthropology, volume 37, issue 4, 2008

From the Publisher

The marimba as a cultural force in rural Guatemala --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Temple Univ Pr (July 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592132928
• ISBN-13: 978-1592132928
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,596,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.