TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Today is the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month and the Tucson community is ready to celebrate.
The month-long celebration kicked off with the Mes de la Cultura event at Pueblo High School this morning, featuring Mariachi Aztlan and Grupo Folklórico Los Guerreros.
Students in attendance got more than a performance, they also received a blessing.
Victoria Bodanyi explained, “the ceremony this morning was a blessing, looking at the four directions and the sky and the earth. Then just giving thanks to the environment and the earth and where we come from and our ancestors to really appreciate and cleanse as we usher in this new month of celebration.”
As that ceremony continued, behind the scenes, Mariachi Aztlan went straight to practicing for their performance tonight with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
It’s a tradition they feel honored to be a part of while getting to experience what mariachi means to the culture.
“Mariachi is a big part of my heritage, coming from a big musical family. I really love it, I love what I do. I've been doing this for about 10 years,” said Marcos Figueroa, Mariachi Aztlan’s President.
“We’re representing our culture in a very beautiful way,” said Adrianna Herrera, Mariachi Aztlan’s Secretary.
“It just feels kind of magical because it feels like a special power with the music we’re able to create,” said Alexis Vargas, one of the section leaders.
The passion behind the music is why the Mexican Consulate chose the Mariachi Aztlan for tonight’s concert with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. It’s a celebration of Hispanic heritage and its strong roots in the Tucson community.
“Mexican music is universal music. It's the best way to celebrate. It's a universal language. It unites us in a way that our culture, our traditions,also unite us,” said Rafael Barceló with the Mexican Consulate.
For more events throughout the month, the Mexican Consulate has provided a list of Hispanic heritage events at visittucson.org/viva.
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Reyna Preciado is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after graduating Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Reyna by emailing reyna.preciado@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or Twitter.
