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"Deified Heart"
Pre-Hispanic Music
Mineral de Pozos
Construction and Performing of Musical Instruments
How are the instruments made?
First, we investigated
which instruments were used in the pre-colonial.
Once we had identified them
we began to reproduce them,
based on pieces in museums and private collections.
And when we couldn't find the instruments
we had to base the instruments on images
paintings, sculptures, murals
or descriptions found in colonial Spanish documents.
That is how we began to make the instruments
and reconstruct them from antiquity.
What materials did you use to build the instruments?
The materials they used to build the instruments
were wood, leather, seeds and clay.
Those were the principle materials used to build the instruments.
We use the same materials.
Why did you begin to work with these instruments?
26 years ago, we realized
that while these were Mexico's most ancient instruments,
they were also the least known.
It then became a process of rescuing the instruments
and begin to use them
so that people would learn of their existance.
The Instruments
The instruments of Pre-hispanic origin
are very varied.
Pre-hispanic music is based on the Huehuetl
that is this big drum.
It has a deep tone.
The teponastli is a hollowed out trunk of wood.
The sounds is produced from the air circulating within.
It has a variety of different tones, which go
from very deep to very high.
The drums have a very deep sound.
They combine well with the huehuetl.
Small Percussion Instruments
These big percussion intruments are accompanied
by small percussion instruments.
One of these is the cantaros.
Juanjo can demonstrate.
Other are the water drums,
the turtles and the singing rocks.
This is the deep sound of the water drum.
The water drum is from the north of Mexico.
The turtle is from the center of Mexico.
The singing rocks are from both the south and the north.
Accompaniment Instruments
Along with these instruments there were accompaniment instruments,
such as a variety of different kinds of rattles.
Flutes and Whistles
Along with these instruments
they had a series of flutes.
There were Aztec flutes, Mayan Flutes and ocarinas.
This is double flute from the center of Mexico.
The Aztec flute.
It is a ceremonial flute.
And the famous ocarinas from the center of Mexico.
They are known thoughout the world;
African, South America and Mexico.
Along with these are whistles .
And the very famous wind whistle.
The Tepehuano Bow
Then there are instruments we added
like this one from the north of Mexico.
The instruments of bone
are called "scrapers" or Omichicahuastli.
The one made of wood is also from the north.
Trumpets
There are a series of trumpets
like this one made out of a guard.
And there is the famous shell trumpet,
that was very important for it announced the time.
It announced sunrise, midday, important events and dances.
The musical group: "Deified Heart"
What was your profession before you became musicians?
We began as a theater troupe,
performing live with pre-hispanic instruments.
Little by little we transformed into a musical band.
Are you planning cultural activities
to increase the knowlege of these instruments?
Of course, everything we do,
when it comes to shows and short documentaries
about us and Pozos,
it is with the intentension of introducing these instruments,
not only in Pozos, but in all of Mexico and the world.
What is your vision for the future of your band and the instruments?
In the the future, the only difference I can see
apart from our intension to grow,
is that we grow grey, grow older.
That is the only difference. We will continue
to work together, with the same intensity.