FROM NATIVE REFUGEE SITE TO MARIACHI PLAZA
by Adam Linder
Boyle Hotel, 1890. Source: Los Angeles Conservancy
The City of Los Angeles is the story of her people. A story of people from all cultures and backgrounds coming together, through strife and collaboration, bringing us to what we know today. The east side of the Los Angeles River now holds monuments honoring the city’s historic Mexican roots.
Mariachi Plaza, as we know it today, wasn’t always the site of honoring Día de los Muertos, nor of celebrating traditional Mariachi music and Chicano culture. Originally the site of Native refugees displaced by the site of the current El Pueblo, the area surrounding today’s Mariachi Plaza was known as Pueblito. The area was seized during the Mexican American War and the Natives were pushed out yet again. In the 1850s, an Irishman named Andrew Boyle purchased the land and it became known for its grapes and wine. As one of the few areas of the growing city that did not have restricting housing laws against persons of color, the area became one of the most diverse neighborhoods for immigrants. Between the two World Wars, the City of Los Angeles saw a large population and culture shift. The Cummings Block, now known as the Boyle Hotel, had opened in 1889 the same day streetcar service opened to the neighborhood, and could now bring new talent to the community. It is said that Juan M. Gonzalez, now known as the Founder, or fundador of "La Boyle,” discovered affordable weekly room rentals and invited his fellow talented Mariachis to join him for work. The hotel’s proximity to the plaza brought these musicians a place to gather.
Mariachi Musician. Source: Todd Bigelow Photography
Dressed to the nines in traje de charro, the Mariachi emulates pride in Mexican heritage. The traditional horseman’s suit may include a sombrero, and almost always exemplify handmade embroidery on the coats. The music of the Mariachi elicits deep roots in Mexican heritage, embodying the area’s folk tales told through music. These mariachis perform for a living, and often are found within a group commissioned for parties or restaurants for the day. Plaza Garibaldi, in Mexico City, is known for being the informal home base of mariachi music. This influence was brought to Los Angeles as immigrants searched for a new home as the city grew.
Mariachi Plaza. Source: Gourmet Globe
Despite being a cultural hub for centuries, the Mariachi Plaza we know today is fairly new! In 1992, on the feast day of Santa Cecilia, the patron Saint of great musicians, the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs announced plans to formally create a public square honoring the heritage, and today’s Plaza del Mariachi de Los Angeles was born. After years of racial strife, the city funded a true landmark honoring the area’s culture. The Plaza also serves as a bridge between countries. In 1998, the Mexican State of Jalisco funded the construction and design of the plaza’s Cantera kiosk. With this kiosk centering the Plaza, the connection between LA’s Mariachi Plaza and Mexico City’s Plaza Garibaldi is complete. Now a proper gathering space to celebrate, Mariachi Plaza can be accessible for all Angelenos as Metro also runs an extension of the E Line subway underground with a station directly entering Mariachi Plaza.
Mariachi Square. Source: Los Angeles Conservancy
