Ramapo News - November 12, 2009

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A&E: WRPR hosts annual Dark Room Series ~ page 8

SPORTS: Dance team aims even higher this year ~ page 13

THE RAMAPO NEWS

Student Leaders Provide Mariachi Osorio New Perspective on Serenades J. Leeʼs African History, Culture THURSDAY, November 12, 2009

A publication by the students for the Ramapo College community

By AMY FEZZA Staff Writer

An authentic Mariachi singer came to Ramapo to teach the history and culture of his profession, but due to an error on the advertisement, hardly anyone was there to watch. Fortunately, the students who did show up enjoyed the extra-intimate mood in J. Lee’s last week. “I definitely felt more connected with the speaker since there wasn’t that many people in the audience, it was a very relaxed atmosphere,” sophomore Colleen Steel said. Just because he’s from Colombia, Juan Carlos Osorio said that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love Mexican music. “Colombian people listen to more Mexican music than their own, that’s just the way it is.” Osorio came to Ramapo to talk about the history of how Mariachi came about and why he believes it is so beautiful. “I’m a Spanish major and I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the culture outside of a classroom,” sophomore, Melanie Orinski said. Osorio started his presentation by singing a Mariachi love song, which quickly got the audience’s attention. “Mariachi is about telling stories and filling yourself with happiness and joy,”

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Osorio said. “For example, any time anyone breaks up in Mexico or South America, men will send out Mariachi’s to their exgirlfriends in order to get them back, the songs and the performer of the Mariachi tend to fix a broken heart and make everything better.” Osorio explained that three centuries ago a priest came to teach Catholicism to the Indians through music in Mexico. This is how the Mariachi came about; Indians mixed their music with the Spanish, he said. Most of the instruments were made out of animals. “The instruments were made out of some wild things, for example an armadillo’s top and intestines were used to make a bass.” Osorio also passed around clothing worn by a Mariachi singer. “The hat was much more heavy than I expected,” Steel said. The clothing was all black with a couple embellishments and a majestic black hat to complete the outfit. “The wardrobe, the style of singing, and the presentation are all very key to how a Mariachi truly comes to life,” Osorio said. Throughout Osorio’s lecture, he used a PowerPoint presentation to accompany him with each historical Mariachi figure he see TELLING on page 6

photo by Keri Ann Flaccomio

Members of BMAD and Omega Phi Chi at Going Back to Africa. By KERI ANN FLACCOMIO Staff Writer

Brothers Making a Difference sponsored Going Back to Africa on the evening of Nov. 5, in an effort to provide a fresh perspective on the continent’s history and its influences on the modern-day culture of the United States. Going Back to Africa, co-sponsored by Omega Phi Chi, Inc., was one of many events held as a part of Black Solidarity Week, which gave African American students the opportunity to come together and reflect upon the contributions made by their ancestors, and to see how the past and present have correlated to carry them to where they are today. Anthony Harris, senior advisor for BMAD, believes that it is essential for people to understand African history and move

past the common misunderstandings in order to appreciate their own ancestries and societal traditions. “The oldest fossil link that was found came from Africa, so somehow, we are all, in a sense, linked to this continent,” Harris said. “I think it’s important to start deconstructing those myths, those stereotypes that in a sense kind of scare people away. I think it’s very sensationalized over there—people say everyone’s sick and that there’s so much poverty, and while certain factors of what people say may be true, in its entirety, Africa is just as industrialized, just as functional, just as politically, economically, socially and culturally strong as any other continent.” The night began with refreshments, including ethnic selections of chicken, see GOING on page 6

photo by Amy Fezza

Juan Carlos Osorio talks about the history and traditions of Mariachi.


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