"Las Chiapanecas" ("The Chiapan Women" or "The Women of Chiapas") is a traditional melody from Chiapas and has acquired status as an informal anthem of that state.
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Authorship and evolution
There exists controversy about the authorship of the "Chiapanecas" melody, but the most probable account is as follows: The "Chiapanecas" melody was composed by the musician Bulmaro López Fernández (1878–1960), born in the city of Chiapa de Corzo. López Fernández was inspired by Chiapan women's traditional attire, which his then-fiancée tended to wear; following his marriage and death, his widow, Juana María Vargas, retained control of the composition's original score.
Musician, composer, and conductor Juan Arozamena (1899–1926), born in Mexico City, frequently performed the melody and added to it the widely known text that Nat King Cole, among others, used in performances and on recordings.
As time passed, performers added choreography, usually intended to be danced by women wearing traditional Chiapan attire.
Text by Juan Arozamena Sánchez
Spanish original
English translation