Songs of the Homeland

In class we all watched a video about how conjunto music came about back in the cotton harvest days where Mexicans were called “vaqueros” or “Rancheros” and other names as Mexicans, Tejanos or Mexican Americans just to name a few. In South Texas, ranching to them was their way of life including cattle, windmills, and water. It basically began with singing in the fields and the poor harvest people were their audience. Conjunto music became popular to the people who harvest and it spread out to everyone. The 12 string guitar called the vajocesto was introduced as well the heart of the conjunto music the “accordian” in which has a unique sound that brings this type of music to life. San Antonio is the capitol of conjunto music today Valero Longoria to Flaco Jimenez were one the most well known conjunto artists in conjunto music history. Conjunto music of course is played everywhere at weddings, Baptists, and all sorts of gatherings. Conjunto music can be played about almost anything such as relationships, beer drinking, tear drinking, hope, love, and loss. I gained more watching the short video even putting together what I know and it made learning about conjunto music easier to understand the roots.