Coco film strikes a chord in Mexico guitar town

Jan 10, 2018 06:00 am

Pixar's hit film Coco has struck all the right notes in the tiny Mexican town of Paracho, home to the traditional Mexican guitar made famous in the animated family movie.

Paracho is seeing a boom in guitar sales following the worldwide success of Coco, which follows a boy who finds himself in the land of the dead during the Mexican celebrations for the Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Central to the plot is a 16th century-style guitar, which has been key to the way of life in the town of 30,000 for centuries. According to legend, a priest with the original Spanish conquerors decided the villagers should be taught a craft to support their economy. Paracho soon gained fame as Mexico's capital for the manufacture of stringed instruments, and Coco has now brought its craftsmen global fame and booming sales.

Coco is the all-time highest grossing movie in Mexico.

Costs for the handmade guitars range from 2,000 Mexican pesos (S$140) to 20,000 pesos.

Due to popular demand, local artisans gave the traditionally black guitar a Day of the Dead twist by painting it white with a Mexican skull on its front, just like in the movie. - REUTERS