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'Coco' boosts traditional guitar sales in tiny Mexican town
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A still from 'Coco.' Paracho has become known as Mexico's main manufacturer of stringed instruments. Following the recent success of Coco, artisans have said that the film has brought its craftsmen global fame and booming sales. (Disney/File)
F
ollowing worldwide success of Disney-Pixar animated fantasy Coco, traditional Mexican guitars, which were central to the film's plot, have seen a surge in sales in a tiny Mexican town.
Originally created in a Mexican hamlet called Paracho, the region, along with its signature musical instrument, subsequently experienced a spike in popularity after the release of the film, as reported by Reuters.
Coco, which tells the story of Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez), sees the young boy pursue his musical aspirations despite his family's unrelenting ban on music. Miguel accidentally finds himself in the land of the dead during the Mexican celebrations for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The Paracho-style guitar played a central role in Miguel's story.
The film went on to gross more than US$550 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. It also ranks as the highest grossing movie in Mexico ever.
Read also: 'Coco,' a charmer from the Land of the Dead, lives on
For centuries in Paracho, the 16th century-style guitars have been a major part of life in the town of 30,000. According to legend, a priest with the original Spanish conquerors decided locals in the village should be taught a craft to support their economy, Reuters reported.
Paracho soon became known as Mexico's main manufacturer of stringed instruments. Following the recent success of Coco, artisans have said that the film has brought its craftsmen global fame and booming sales.
The prices for hand-made guitars range from around 2,000 Mexican pesos ($104) to 20,000 pesos for those made with fine wood.
While the guitars are traditionally made in black, by popular request, the instruments have been painted white with a traditional Mexican skull on its front. (liz/kes)
