A Mexican charro rides to town.

In Mexico, charro is a term referring to a traditional horseman or cowboy mostly of central-western Mexico, originating in the State of Jalisco. The term "vaquero", is related but it is a different variant of cowboy which originated in what is now northern Mexico. In Texas, which won its independence in 1836, "vaquero" was the term used by the Spanish speaking citizens of the new Republic. The term was also prevalent in what are now the U.S. states of California, Nevada, and New Mexico. In South America, the term vaquero is used. In the Pampas regions, the term gaucho would be an equivalent term.

In Spain, a charro is a native of the province of Salamanca, especially in the area of Alba de Tormes, Vitigudino, Ciudad Rodrigo and Ledesma^[1]. It is likely that the Mexican charro tradition derived from Spanish horsemen who came from Salamanca and settled in Jalisco.

The traditional Mexican charro is known for colorful clothing and participating in charreadas, a type of rodeo. The charreada, or corrida, is the national sport in Mexico. and is regulated by the Federación Mexicana de Charrería. There are more charros in the state of Jalisco than any other state in Mexico. Jalisco has also won more national championships than any other state.

[edit] Other uses

The "charro film" was a genre of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, and probably played a large role in popularizing the charro, akin to what occurred with the advent of the Hollywood Western. Its stars were Jorge Negrete ("the singing charro") and Pedro Infante.

In Mexican politics, a charro or líder charro ("charro leader") is a government-appointed union boss.

In 1969 Elvis Presley starred in a movie called Charro!, in which he played reformed outlaw, Jess Wade.

Mariachis in charro suits.

A "charro suit" or traje de charro is the folkloric costume of the state of Jalisco, and is worn, in a more colorful version by mariachis since the 1930s, folklórico dancers, and for charreadas. It is also the name for the folkloric costume of the province of Salamanca in Spain, which inspired the Mexican version.

In Portuguese, a charro is a marijuana cigarette.^{[citation needed]}

In Puerto Rican slang, "charro" is the equivalent of the American slang for "lame", referring to something weak, inadequate, clumsy, unsophisticated or unsatisfactory. It is used to refer to both people and objects.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• Sombrero

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Arte en la Charerria: The Artisanship of Mexican Equestrian Culture at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City
• Art of the Charrería at the Museum of the American West
• Charrería from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Charro Days from the Handbook of Texas Online
• San Antonio Charro Association
• Charreria, the symbol of Mexico
• Federación Mexicana de Charrería (Spanish)
• Nacional de Charros (Spanish)
• Official Rulebook (Spanish)
• Mexican website for charro news (Spanish)
• "CHARRO USA" U.S. Radio, Magazine and Media News off Charreria (Mexican Rodeo)
• http://www.deportecharro.com