TUNES FOR TUESDAY - Colombian Conexion

By -
With today's song, I want to briefly introduce a decidedly Colombian rock band. Eclectic in style, irreverent in their lyrics, daring in their song's themes, from Medellin here's Aterciopelados.

Colombian Conexion by Aterciopelados

Anyone familiar with Colombia's traditions and modern history will be able to understand the connection offered in the song. It starts right where a traditional Colombian folkloric song ends, the "oh, how proud I feel to be a Colombian . . ." riddle, and ends with "but here goodness germinates" a phrase borrowed from our national anthem. In between, sprinkled with irony and some sarcasm, Aterciopelados names a series of people, places, and events that indeed connect all Colombians.

Taken literally, Aterciopelados would mean The Velvety Ones (Terciopelo = Velvet). But since this is Colombia I think that there has to be more to it. Well, don't forget that in Colombia a Kid is a "pelado." Just saying the name of the band makes me think about growing up in Colombia, about being un "pelado" there. This is no accident, I think that this exemplifies Aterciopelados music. It is hard to listen to it and not feel that (Colombian) connection. Indeed, as the song says, te vas te vas y no la olvidas--you leave, you leave but you never forget her.

Los Pelados in Aterciopelados are Andrea Echeverry and Hector Buitrago. Andrea is a music hero in Colombia, but she is the anti-Shakira type of hero. Not a flashy star, just a charismatic one who, as many in her generation, carries the weight of Colombia's social issues on her shoulders. Here's my favorite part of Colombian Conexion, right after Gringos go home, it says:

Pobre Colombia irredenta
poor unredeemed Colombia

Desnuda, fria y hambrienta
Naked, cold, and hungry

Y a diario tan descontenta
and daily so unhappy

con la crisis turbulenta
with its turbulent crisis


Pero el bien germina ya, Germina ya!
But here good germinates, it germinates!


/div>

Comments

Anonymous said…
Son de Bogotá, ¿no?
March 1, 2011 at 4:18 AM
Colombian Mommy said…
No, de la 'Tierra de Libertad" -- BOYACA, sumerce.
March 1, 2011 at 8:17 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Popular Colombian Names

By -
Recently, I was asked to write a post on Colombian names, and popular Colombian names. I had a hard time finding a list, but eventually I did find one. According to I.N.E. - Instituto Nacional de Estadística, -- unfortunately, when I found this it doesn't say the year -- the most common Colombian boys names across all ages are: 1 JUAN CARLOS 2 CARLOS ALBERTO 3 ALEXANDER 4 ANDRES FELIPE 5 LUIS FERNANDO 6 DIEGO FERNANDO 7 JHON JAIRO 8 CARLOS ANDRES 9 ALEJANDRO 10 JUAN DAVID The girls are: 1 SANDRA MILENA 2 LUZ MARINA 3 CAROLINA 4 PAULA ANDREA 5 CLAUDIA PATRICIA 6 MARIA EUGENIA 7 PAOLA ANDREA 8 DANIELA 9 LILIANA 10 MARTHA CECILIA Just as here, names go through ebb and flow. Fourteen years ago when we were married, I attended several baby baptisms and met numerous friends of my husband. At the time, it seemed like everyone was naming their kid Juan CAMILO (boy) or Maria CAMILA (girl). I met dozens of them. Then, about 7 years later, I heard tons of SANTIAGO, JULIAN, SEBASTIAN and FE
Read more

Muisca Indigenous Names, from Hunza (Tunja)

By -
In response to this week’s posts on names, I have received several e-mails asking about the names of famous Colombians and their stories and about Indigenous names. I plan to spend the next three days sharing some of them. Also, I will continue to post more in the future and you will be able to find them all by clicking on the NAMES link the LABELS section to the right of the blog. Name: AQUIMÍN ( pronounced: ah key MEAN) or AQUIMINZAQUE (pronounced: ah key mean ZAH kay) When the Spanish arrived on the plains of Bogotá, 1536, they found a great nation. In fact, it was the third largest group of indigenous inhabitants in America. They called themselves the Muiscas , which meant ‘the people’. Their language was called Chibcha . The Muiscas were not a united group, but rather a collection of city states. The majority of the power was held by two main cities – what today are called Bogotá and Tunja (in Boyacá). These two cities were mortal enemies and each enlisted the loy
Read more

La Madremonte

By -
Image
The myth of the Madremonte (Mother Mountain), and I do say myth though many campesinos in Colombia believe in her today, has it's roots in the indigenous cultures of Colombia and is known throughout much of Colombia including Antioquia, Caldas, Arauca, Caqueta, Amazonas, Guainia, and perhaps more departments. The Madremonte looks like a large woman. She has large, bony hands, large teeth and Betty Davis Eyes -- which on closer examination glow. Her body is covered in leaves and moss. Her hair is a tangled mess of plants and moss which often covers her face. She lives in the mountains and jungles, (in Antioquia and Caldas she lives in swamps where streams are born. People who claim to have seen her, usually report to have done so near thickets and bushes in jungle like areas. Others report having heard her bloodcurdling screams and groans on stormy nights. She rules the winds, the rains, and all the vegetation, and her role is to protect nature. She punishes those who invad
Read more