Twenty-fourth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

The Mexican corrido (ballad) has had a long connection to the lived experiences of working poor Mexicans on both sides of the “so-called” Mexican-US borderlands. The corrido has its roots as a representation of cultural resistance to oppression. This music attests to historical resistance in Mexico by the poor rural proletariat against centralist oppressive forces that would terrorize the country side (Herrera-Slobek, 1979). Paredes (1963) supports this by stating that corridos that emerged along the Rio Bravo Valley in Tejas, and spoke of resistance by Mejicanas/os against the atrocities committed against them by the Texas Rangers. The contemporary narco-corrido has been a subject of controversy in regards to the content of this music. Corridos can be in relation to a tragedy or an event that is preserved through the telling of an oral history through music. This particular kind of music is usually listened to by the working poor of Mexico, and serves as a testimonio to their lived experiences. This paper explores the benefits of using oral storytelling in ethnic studies classes as a methodology for self-reflection for student empowerment in providing a sense of belonging where language, culture and identity are accepted by looking at the following questions 1. Do corridos connect to the realities and experiences of students in the borderlands? 2. Do corridos assist in the preservation of language and culture?