Pirekua (Purépecha) is asong form of thePurépecha (Michoacán, Mexico). The singer of apirekua, apirériecha, may be male or female, solo or accompanied, andpirekua may be performed instrumentally.Pirériechas act as social mediators and "express sentiments and communicate events of importance to the Purépecha communities."^[1]

Pirekua ensembles usually include "two or threeguitars, strings and winds, [and] a smallbrass band, or [pirériecha are] unaccompanied."^[2] Performed with "a gentle rhythm", generally insones (³
₈ time) orabajeños (⁶
₈ time), the genre combines African, European, and indigenous American influences.^[1]Pirekua is related to theson and thewaltz, andHenrietta Yurchenco points out that both theson andpirekua are in a slowtriple meter, performed asduets, featurerhythmic sequence against fixed patterns in theaccompaniment, and use two to three chords (I-IV-V) inmajor orminor with littlemodulation.^[2]

The subjects ofpirekualyrics range "from historical events to religion, social and political thought and love and courtship, making extensive use of symbolism."^[1] Lyrics make frequent use of flowers as symbols of femininity, passion, and local identity.^[3] Whilesones are usually sung in Spanish,pirekua are usually sung in Purépecha, and whilesones tends toward everyday life,pirekua tend more towards poetic expressions of the Purépecha world view.^[2]

• UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists

• Media services: "Pirekua, traditional song of the P’urhépecha",UNESCO.org.

• Indigenous culture of Mexico
• Regional styles of Mexican music
• Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
• Purépecha