Lucha Libre: Stories from the Ring, El Paso Edition

Lucha Libre: Stories from the Ring, El Paso Edition

The exhibition tells the history of Lucha Libre, its connections to the border region, and the stories that have come from the sport. Lucha Libre: Stories from the Ring, El Paso edition, will showcase stories, sponsors and memorabilia all related to local Lucha Libre history. The Museum of History has partnered with the City of Las Cruces Museums to bring the exhibition to El Paso. The original exhibition opened at the Branigan Cultural Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in the spring of 2020, but it had to be cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Lucha Libre has a rich history that dates back over a century and is characterized for its over-the-top performances and supposed macho atmosphere. Although, the theatrical sport is beyond that. Lucha Libre combines athleticism, theater, dance, story, and the visual arts. Lucha Libre became a popular sport in the early 1900s; however, the origins date back to the late 1800s. There was a form of wrestling in the United Sates that was more theatrical and included a stage. This form of wrestling influenced Italian businessman and veteran of the Mexican revolution Salvador Lutterroth to start a company called EMLL (Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre). After seeing several wrestling matches in El Paso, Texas, Lutteroth took his company EMLL to Mexico and began promoting shows through the 1920s and 1930s. The demonstrations were held in Mexico City and were classified as the poor man's sport because they were rudimentary and held in the poorest neighborhoods. The sport became extremely popular during the following decades and by the 1950s, luchadores began wearing masks, which was initiallv an American tradition. The masks were then used to develop a character and depending on the colors and designs used, the crowd could determine whether they were the tecnicos (good guys) or the rudos (bad guys). It became iconic after the debut of Santo el Enmascarado de Plata, a famous luchador and film actor. By the 1960s and 1970s other independent wrestling companies began to rival EMLL and helped grow the popularity of Lucha Libre. In the 1980s, a wave of luchadores activist began to emerge after a devastating earthquake in Mexico City. Many residents were left without a home, many were evicted, and the city had to be rebuilt. This social anxiety and unrest caused an assembly of Barrios to march and rally for the government to housing credits. Out of this unrest a luchador called Super Barrio emerged becoming the staple of the marches and protests. Since the 1980s Lucha Libre not only stands as a form of entertainment and cultural staple but as a symbol used to organize communities and stand for social inequalities. By the 1990s Mexican Lucha Libre was introduced to the United States, when several luchadores were featured on television. Since then, Lucha Libre has become a transnational phenomenon and recognized for thepresentation, athleticism, unique style, elaborate attire, masks, and stories. Lucha Libre: Stories From The Ring highlights Lucha Libre's cultural, historical, and social political importance whileshowing the fun, unique, cultural aspect of it." -Norma Hartell, Curator, City of Las Cruces Museums

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: El Paso Museum of History; Las Cruces Museums

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

The Devil you Say! The Saintly and not so Saintly in Folk Art

The Devil you Say! The Saintly and not so Saintly, in Folk Art ...

The Devil you Say! The Saintly and not so Saintly in Folk Art

The Devil you Say! The Saintly and not so Saintly, in Folk Art ...

Roberto Mata Departs Sierra after Covid

Roberto Mata in 2020 on the respirator 30 days and then ...

Anita Blair and seeing-eye dog, Rita

Anita Blair, the first blind woman to hold any state ...

Mayor Don Henderson and Sugar Goodman El Paso, TX 1976

Mayor Don Henderson and Sugar Goodman El Paso, TX 1976

Amelia, nicknamed Sugar, Goodman in 1976

Friend congratulates Amelia, nicknamed Sugar, Goodman on ...

Curt Warren, jazz professor, at funeral of Felix Antoine 1996

Kurt Warren, jazz professor, El Paso, TX at funeral of Felix ...

El Paso Scottish Rite turns 100 years old.

El Paso Scottish Rite building turns 100 years old.     ...

Anita Blair by Jack Bradley

Anita Lee Blair (1916-2011) born in Oklahoma City came to El ...

Aztec Calendar

Aztec calendar park, El Paso,Tx in 2014. This photo was taken ...

My Political Signs Display

A display of historical El Paso political memorabilia I curated ...

Women Attend Historical Society Hall of Honor FALL 2021

Attendees at the Historical Society Hall of Honor event on ...

Donald Williams at the Historical Society HoF event

Donald Williams at the Historical Society Hall of Honor banquet ...

Hall of Honor attendee

Hall of Honor attendee November 14, 2021 Plaza Hotel Pioneer ...

Janine Young, writer and historian

Janine Young, writer and historian El Paso County Historical ...

Ginger G. Francis at the Historical Society HoH

Ginger G. Francis graduated the Loretto Academy Class '75. She ...

Hilda Stockmeyer Lewels, civic leader

Hilda Stockmeyer Lewels, civic leader at the November 14, 2021 ...

El Paso Realtor Ayoub

El Paso Realtor Ayoub at the El Paso Historical Society 60th ...

Downtown Main Library El Paso Texas November 2021

Downtown Main Library El Paso Texas under construction November ...

Gov Ann Richards quote and picture in downtown El Paos

Governor Ann Richards Honored in downtown El Paso, Texas by ...

Goodbye Children's section

Taking down shelves from the Children's section of the El Paso ...

Steven J. Ross, M. J. Ross, Eva Ross El Paso TX 1986

Steven J. Ross, M. J. Ross, Eva Ross El Paso TX 1986

home.search_collection