Mujeres de metal, mujeres de madera: Música p'urhépecha y relaciones de género en las bandas de viento en Tingambato, Michoacán

traditional music and brass bands are important symbolic reference points for p'urhepecha identity in the town of tingambato, michoacan. in tingambato there are some 12 brass bands, only 2 of which are dedicated to traditional regional music. today brass bands are generally made up of young males whilst in the bands which play traditional music we see increasing numbers of women playing instruments and learning to read music. this is a descriptive research project which deals with the experience of women in the world of traditional p'urhepecha music, their participation in brass bands and how they see themselves as musicians. identification with traditional music and with the p'urhepecha people helps them to deal with gender discrimination which they frequently experience within the brass bands.