Mexican Soundscapes of the Colonial Era

FAIN: FEL-282338-22

Alexander Hidalgo
Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, TX 76129-0001)

Completion of a book on the cultural meaning of sound in colonial Mexico.

Mexican Soundscapes of the Colonial Era tells a new story about the way cultural difference, linguistic diversity, and social categorization shaped people’s interpretation of the things they heard. Set during a turbulent period that witnessed widespread rioting, racial tension, and changing gender norms, sound functioned as a disciplinary force in the hands of officials who imposed order by utilizing important technology including bells, cannons, and firearms to shape their authority. A rich archive of alphabetic and print sources, paintings, and hand-made objects speak forcefully about how the audible elements of everyday life carried meaning differently across ethnic lines and how Natives, Blacks, and mixed race groups controlled the acoustic environment through spoken language and song but also laughter, shouting, rumor, and incantation.