Songs of the Revolution: La Adelita

These days you can see lots of kids in Mexico dressed up in peasant garb of the past century: white pants and shirts with a big sombrero for boys, and long wide skirts with a pair of braided hair for girls. Most importantly for both are one, or better two ammunition belts crossed on their chests. It is (almost) November 20th, after all, the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution.

Historical Background

A hundred and nine years ago, Francisco Madero published his Plan of San Luis, in which he called for an armed uprising against president Porfirio Díaz, who had been in power for more than three decades, and managed to be reelected yet again, despite considerable opposition. A series of armed revolts followed, forcing Díaz to renounce. In the subsequent "fair and free" elections Madero emerged as the winner, and was soon assassinated by traitors of the revolution, who in turn were killed off by traitors of the traitors... The next decade was marked by bloody violence all throughout the country, but strangely this period of the revolution is remembered today as the time when the poor peasants took up arms against their oppressors.

Soldaderas the Female Combatants of the Mexican Revolution

One of the images characterizing the revolution is that of the soldadera, women who actively participated in battles, not just as nurses and medical aids to the male soldiers, but by shooting, charging, and falling, equal to their male comrades. Given the fact that in many of these cases the fighting units were not made up of conscripted soldiers, but peasant volunteers, where every dedicated fighter was gladly accepted, regardless of their gender.

image source

This is the context from where the idea of "La Adelita" emerged, which has become immortalized in a popular song. There are many theories as to the origin of "Adelita", and the real person who may have been behind this image. According to one theory, it was Adela Velarde Pérez, who attended an injured soldier, Antonio del Río Armenta, and inspired him to write the song. As it is often the case with folk legends, there are many conflicting sources, just take a glance at the Wikipedia article. One considers the true author of the song to be Guadalupe Barajas Romero from Huecorio, Michoacan. Also, there have been many cases of female combatants prior to the Mexican Revolution. But all this is missing the point in folk legends like this.

Adelita Taking Matters Into Her Own Hands

After a century, what remains of the revolution and its accompanying images, is that instead of being one certain woman, "Adelitas" were women in general who refused to put up with the oppression doled out to them and joined the uprising. Even today, calling someone an "Adelita" means that she is a passionate and outspoken woman who won't take no crap from anyone.

This is also one of the criticisms the song has received, since its lyrics do not support this idea of a strong independent woman. Instead, while mentioning battle ships and military trains, it talks about the conventional images regarding woman, such as buying her a silk dress if she wants to marry him.

For this reason, I'd like to close this post with the punk-ska version of this song, by Todos Tus Muertos (who by the way aren't even from Mexico but from Argentina). Unlike the old version, this song laments having loved her, asking her to place the last stone on his heart, should he make the mistake of falling in love with her again. Sure, there is still no reference to fighting women of the revolution, but I find the fast, distorted punk version a lot more appealing than the traditional one.