Stories abound on how 'ma-ree-ah-chee' got its name

As I begin, there are two icons of Mexican culture that people around the world recognize as distinctly Mexican. One is the Virgin de Guadalupe and the other is the mariachi. These are true Mexican images of Mexican culture and identity.
Where did this word "mariachi" originate? Incidentally we hear a lot of "merry-ah-chee." It's not "merry-ah-chee." Think of, "Hey ma." It's ma-ree-ah-chee.
There are some different stories - some folklore - associated with the origins of this word. One of them is that it originated in a festival to a Virgin named "Maria H." And in Spanish, the "H" is pronounced "ah-chay." So Maria H turned into mariachi. Another very popular but erroneous interpretation is that it originated with the French occupation of Mexico and with the French word for marriage, because the French employed string bands at some of their festivities. I'll explain why we know that it didn't originate with the French in a minute. There's actually a Chicago version of this word as well and I'll show that in a minute as well.
The word originates in the language of the Coca Indians of the central part of the state of Jalisco. I'll talk more about that in a minute.
Here's the Chicago version. A few years ago the city of Chicago had an incredible arts festival where they had 200-plus cows throughout the downtown area and along the Magnificent Mile. I was there for a meeting and I kept seeing these cows all over the sidewalk. Eventually they auctioned them off as a fund raiser. Here's one of the cows that was created in Chicago. It's named "Mooriachi." (shows slide of full-size cow sculpture dressed in a mariachi outfit, including the sombrero).
Now, how do we know that the word "mariachi" did not originate during the French occupation of Mexico? It turns out that a priest, Father Cosme Santa Anna, wrote to his Bishop in 1852. The priest was stationed in Rosamorada, Nayarit, the state of Nayarit borders with Jalisco. In the letter he was complaining to the Bishop about this group of musicians that were playing in front of the church during holy week, on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. Apparently he had already complained to the authorities several times but the authorities wouldn't do anything about it. So, after Mass, he walked out of the church, went across the street and asked them for their instruments. And they gave him the instruments. But the Bishop wrote back reprimanding Fr. Cosme and basically said, "You had no business taking away their instruments. Their music is fine."
There are other written accounts that use the word mariachi, as Fr. Cosme Santa Anna did, and I'll show you his letter in a second, before the French arrived in Mexico. The Battle of Puebla that is commemorated by Cinco de Mayo wasn't fought until 1862. So here we have several documentations of the word "mariachi" before the French occupation.
The word mariachi is right there (points to projection of a letter). Fr. Cosme is talking about that word being used in this region to describe these musical groups and the local people call mariachis.
What did the word mean in the Coca language? It turns out it had several different meanings over the course of time. At one time it referred to a tree. At another time it referred to wooden platforms on which people danced, probably because they made the dance platforms out of the wood from the mariachi tree. At another time, the word referred to a musician, probably the musicians that played for people to dance on the wooden platforms made from the particular tree once known as mariachi. And still later, by the time the Spaniards arrived in Mexico, the word mariachi referred to a particular musical group.
Today the word mariachi identifies both an individual musician and a particular musical group. So, an individual can be a mariachi. If I play in a mariachi, I can be called a mariachi. And a mariachi ensemble is also referred to as a mariachi. So to say "mariachi group" is redundant. It's like saying Picacho Peak or Rillito River, because mariachi already refers to a group. It's only when the word is qualified to signify an individual that it means an individual. Presently, the word mariachi also says something about an entire style and tradition, which is what I will talk to you about tonight, and in the process I will play some samples of the music as well.