Historian documents huastec music’s role in Puebla community

Brenda Lira Montero, a historian from the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla in Mexico, spent two years researching how the son huasteco musical tradition thrives in Pahuatlán, a town nestled in the Sierra Norte de Puebla mountains.

Lira Montero documented her findings in the book El eslabón constante de la música: Son huasteco en Pahuatlán, detailing how the music fosters strong social bonds within the community and among those who have moved away from Pahuatlán to places like Tamaulipas and Veracruz. Her research began with a personal fascination with the music, she once studied the transverse flute, and a visit to the town that captivated her with its lively musical performances.

Through immersion in the community, interviews with residents, and observation of local festivals, she discovered the music’s power to connect people and overcome distrust. She noted that women play a prominent role in organizing the dances, verses, and footwork that define the son huasteco. The book traces the history of the son huasteco from the early 20th century, a period when Mexican nationalism coincided with the emergence of new musical styles and composers like Nicandro Castillo and Valeriano Trejo.

While the core themes of the songs remain consistent, Lira Montero found regional variations in the humor and playfulness expressed in the lyrics, as well as changes in the instruments used, with younger musicians sometimes incorporating electric bass and even jazz influences. Residents of Pahuatlán hope to establish a formal music school to ensure the tradition continues for future generations, supplementing the current practice of learning music informally from family members.