Sounds of Mexico City
It took me a couple of years to identify the many street sounds of Mexico City and learn their meaning. They all felt like random street noise to me when I moved there, but once I learned what each sound meant, my relationship with the city suddenly became more intimate. I got a little nostalgic the other day and decided to rewatch Alfonso Cuarón's Roma because it's set in the neighborhood I called home for two years, and one of the strongest emotions I experienced was actually of an auditive nature. The movie is replete with the typical sounds of Mexico City, but if you don't know what they mean, you can't really partake in the sound spectacle of the street. So let's delve into the soundscape of Mexico City and discover a few charming traditions on the way.
🔉 The scrap metal recording
At least once a day on the streets of Mexico City you will hear the following recording blasting from a loudspeaker attached to a pickup truck: 'Se compran colchones, tambores, refrigeradores, estufas, lavadoras, microondas, ¿o algo de fierro viejo que vendan?' (We buy mattresses, drums, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, microwaves, or any old iron you're selling). In 2005, scrap metal collector Marco Antonio Terrón Aguilar decided to give his voice a much-needed break by asking daughter María del Mar to record the message he had been shouting through a megaphone for years. The recording became extremely popular in Mexico and abroad and is now part of the capital's identity. You will even find 'se compran colchones' T-shirts.
▶️ María del Mar Terrón (in Spanish)
🔉 The street organ
The street organ arrived in the 19th century in the Mexican capital, where you will still see organ grinders dressed in uniforms like the one worn by revolutionary Pancho Villa. Back in the day, the grinders would use Capuchin monkeys to draw attention and collect the coins, which is why you might see plush monkey toys sitting on top of the organ as a reminder of those times. Actually, everything about these street performers evokes nostalgia, from their military uniforms to the songs they play.
▶️ Organ grinders talking about their job (in Spanish)
🔉 The sweet potato cart whistle
Most sweet potato vendors (camoteros) come from San Lorenzo Malacota in the State of Mexico. They sell sweet potatoes (camotes) and bananas which are cooked in a small wood-fired oven attached to a cart. Smoke from the oven is released through a tall pipe, producing a hissing sound that exceeds 55 decibels, so you might want to cover your ears in time when you pass a camotero. But don't forget to try a camote with condensed milk on top!
▶️ A day in the life of a camotero (in Spanish)
🔉 The tamale tricycle recording
The tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of nixtamalized corn dough, filled with cheese, meat, fruit, vegetables or herbs, then wrapped and steamed in corn husks or banana leaves. The tamale tricycle vendor sells Oaxacan tamales, wrapped in banana leaves and made with chicken or pork, and you will know when he is around when you hear: 'Pida sus ricos tamales oaxaqueños! Ya llegaron sus ricos y deliciosos tamales oaxaqueños! Acérquese y pida sus ricos tamales oaxaqueños! Hay tamales oaxaqueños, tamales calientitos!’ (Order your tasty Oaxacan tamales! The tasty and delicious Oaxacan tamales are here! Step right up and order your tasty Oaxacan tamales! We have Oaxacan tamales, warm tamales!) The voice belongs to Mexican Veracruz native Elías Zavaleta, a tamale vendor's nephew.
▶️ The tamale tricycle recording
🔉 The knife sharpener's flute
The knife sharpener arrives on a bicycle equipped with a rotating grindstone and he blows into a pan flute called zampoña. The short ethereal sound brings us back to colonial times and reminds us that tradition is still deeply rooted here.
▶️ A day in the life of a knife sharpener (in Spanish)
🔉 The garbage truck bell
The garbage truck collects the household waste from Monday to Saturday, and when it comes, we hand over our garbage bag and give the collectors a tip (5 0r 10 pesos). They'll let us know when the truck is here by ringing a bell for a couple of minutes. Then the bell goes silent and the collectors get to work on rhythms of cumbia and banda (a type of Mexican folk music).
🔉 El gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!
In Mexico many people buy propane gas tanks every month, which is not always an easy task because they might not always be at home when the gas sellers show up. Asking a neighbor to flag down the seller and buy the gas for you in exchange for a tip is always a good option. The seller shows up every day and we will inevitably hear the shout 'El gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!', which is quite impressive and not everyone can produce it correctly. Apart from good lungs, the gas seller also needs strong arms because he carries the gas tanks to the roofs of the buildings, and some can weigh up to 125 lbs (57 kg).
▶️ Gas sellers talking about their job (English subtitles)
🔉 The subway
The subway is a world in itself, a street vendor's paradise. Most of the time, the vendors start pitching their products just as the car doors close for the train to begin its journey. The products are all cheap and varied, from lollipops to books and CDs. Apart from vendors, you can also meet clowns and buskers who show up with their bands and instruments, so no passenger gets bored here. The distance between stations is short (2-3 minutes), and the vendors and performers have to make that good impression fast because they usually get off the train in the next station. The sound experience is not limited to the trains, though. We see vendors in the aisles and also at the entrance of the subway station outside. It's true most tourists prefer Uber to public transportation, but I would say the Mexican subway is part of the adventure.
Have a virtual Mexico City sound experience 👉here.