'It unifies people': Regina’s first mariachi band makes debut performance
A group of musicians from five different countries, dubbing themselves as Saskatchewan’s first mariachi band, made their debut on Sept. 10 with a performance celebrating Latin independence.
“Music is something that runs in our blood and it’s part of our everyday life,” said Ana Hernandez, lead vocalist and guitarist of Mariachi Latino.
“It unifies people. It doesn’t care about colour; it doesn’t care about your age or about how you look or about anything. Our hearts beat at the same rhythm.”
Hernandez moved to Canada from Mexico in 2005. She decided to start the band a year ago when she discovered the need for Latin music on the prairies.
She put out an ad and recruited 10 other musicians. All of them have been practicing in Hernandez’s garage for the past year.
“We rehearsed a lot—three, four, sometimes even five days a week in here,” she said.
Mariachi is a genre of Mexican music that is traditionally played at weddings and special events, Hernandez said.
We do dance with the mariachi. There are a few songs that are very happy,” Hernandez said.
“But it’s mostly for performing and watching.”
Mariachi Latino stretches the cultural boundaries with 11 musicians from Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile and Canada. The youngest band member is 11-years-old.
“Every person, you learn. It doesn’t matter what is your age, your culture or what you believe,” said Sandra Zapata, guitarist and vocalist.
Zapata, originally from Colombia, joined the band to grow as a musician and meet new people.
“The mariachi band is a family,” she said.
The band plays five different types of instruments: trumpet, flute, violin, saxophone and guitar. Two of the guitars are so unique that they can only be found in Mexico, Hernandez said.
On stage, the musicians dress in the same traditional outfits that represent cowboys, or charros in Mexico. Each musician wears a jacket, ribbon and sombrero. The women wear skirts and the men wear pants.
Hernandez said everything should be sewn by hand.
“This would be the representation of nice clothing for a cowboy guy in Mexico,” she said.
The band has a couple of performances under its belt, Hernandez said. She hopes as time goes on, the band can grow in numbers and shows, while creating a welcoming space for everyone.
“You make people unified, sing together, dance, forget about your problems and have a better view of your life just by putting music together,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.