Eastern Washington University’s music hall is home to one of only a few mariachi bands in the region and gives Hispanic students a chance to showcase their heritage.
CHENEY, Wash. — Inside the walls of Eastern Washington University’s (EWU) music hall lies a secret; luckily, you don’t have to get too close to see- or rather, hear- this secret..
For the last 10 years, the public university’s music hall has been home to one of only a few mariachi bands in the Inland Northwest. The band takes part in more than 25 performances each year, and has become so popular in recent years, they’ve had to turn down performance requests. However, band members don’t perform for the popularity; instead, it’s for the expression of their heritage.
Sheila Woodward, a music professor, founded the band and has since turned the school’s music hall into a place for band members to showcase their music.
“I understand the importance of being able to bring your culture and celebrate that,” Woodward said. “We wanted our Hispanic and Latino students to feel that they belong, that they have a place here at Eastern and we love their music.”
The band was formed 10 years and averages about 12 full time band members a year.
“I’m just getting out of my comfort zone, and I just love it,” said Katherine Ayerdis, a first-year graduate student who joined the band last spring. ““I’m not Mexican, I’m Nicaraguan, but they accepted me. They adopted me in the group of the mariachi.”
In less than a year, Ayerdis said she’s already plucking away at the heart of her heritage. Like many of her fellow band members, she proudly wears their logo on her back.
“We want to share our culture with others,” Ayerdis said. “That music has a way of bringing people and culture together, no matter where you’re from, no matter what language you speak. Music is a universal language.”
Mariachi music dates back to the 1700s and can be recognized across the world. According to EWU professor Dr. Martin Garcia, it’s symbolic of traditional music from the state of Jalisco.
“Music is very powerful, music moves people,” Garcia said. “In fact, music has been a factor in revolutions, for example, in inspiring revolutions.”
Garcia’s time at EWU began when he was a student in the mid-1990s. When he began teaching 16 years ago, 3% of students were Hispanic. Now, that number is almost 20%.
“This was a home away from home,” Garcia said. “Hence, students gravitated towards the center.”
Other band members like Jonathan Arguello have been in the band since stepping on campus. He’s now a senior and has been a member of the band for the last four years. Just like his other band members, playing keeps him connected with his culture. He’s been able to even share a bit of his culture with people through his music.
“I would say that did have a big influence on me coming to Eastern,” Arguello said. “It shows a lot of the heritage. It gives people chances to connect with the music, even if they’re just singing along with it.”
EWU’s mariachi band also impacts more than its members. Woodward credits them as helping to diversify the university.
“We’ve seen more and more Hispanic students and that’s our goal to keep increasing that percentage of students,” Woodward said.
Because they are a organization from a public college, they cannot charge for their performances. However, Woodward said they ask for donations to fund scholarships for mariachi members. Both Ayerdis and Arguello are recipients of them.
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