Author: jaa6437

Finally, the last song I will be discussing is by Residente, a member of Calle 13 (who was featured in my very first post). As some of you may be able to point out after watching the music video, the video closely resembles Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.” This song is very popular in modern-day Latin America because every country can see themselves represented and heard when talking about their struggles.

Today’s song is…

This Is Not America by Residente

English Subtitles:

(These aren’t the most accurate, but it was the best one I could find)

Residente, formerly known as Calle 13, is a Puerto Rican rapper, who specializes in alternative rap and reggaeton. He, along with his brother, hold the record with the most Latin Grammys, 27 and 28 respectively. Residente is focused on advocacy work through his music, to which I would argue he does very well.

Before looking at the lyrics, I just wanted to point out the light show featured in the first few seconds of the music video. “A Logo for America” is a work by Chilean artist Alfredo Jaar trying to educate the public on what America truly is, the entire continent.

Let’s look at the lyrics:

A while ago, when you arrived
Our footprints were already there

Residente is referring to the “conquest” of Latin America and how for years it has been said that Columbus and the Spanish discovered and took over the land. The land could not have been “discovered” if there were people already there.

If you don’t understand the information, then I’ll throw it at you in cumbia
Bossa nova, tango or vallenato

 

 

 

These are musical genres that originate from Latin America.

 

 

 

2Pac is called 2Pac, after Tupac Amaru from Peru.

The artist is trying to point out that a lot of popular people of things have been influenced by Latin America, whether or not they know it. Residente knows that 2Pac is a very influential figure during his time and even now, so he wants to bring attention to the fact that Tupac’s mother named him Tupac because “[she] wanted him to have the name of revolutionary, indigenous people in the world. [she] wanted him to know he was part of a world culture and not just from a neighborhood.”

America is not just the U.S.A., papá.
This is from Tierra del Fuego to Canada

 

Again, reminding the audience that America is not just the United States, but an entire continent. Canada of course, is at the top of the continent and Tierra de Fuego is an archipelago at the end of the continent; despite its name “Land of Fire”, the land is actually very cold and snowy! He trying to encourage the listeners to be more open-minded about how they think and refer to things.

 

 

The machete is not only to cut cane
It is also to cut heads

 

A machete is a common tool from Spain that is widely used across all of Latin America. It is usually used to cut down crops and thick wood, but it has also been used for violence and warfare.

The narco-governments, everything they stole
Those who demonstrate and those who forgot
The persecutions, the coups
The bankrupt country, the exiles
The devalued peso, drug trafficking, cartels

Naming problems in Latin America (Venezuela and Argentina with their economic crisis and Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia with their drug business), etc.

Gambino, my brother, this is America

 

Reference to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” and correcting him. This is NOT Residente dissing Childish Gambino, Residente obviously gets a lot of inspiration from him and its spoken with love.

 

Citations:

“2Pac: Artists: Black Music Project.” Artists | Black Music Project, https://www.blackmusicproject.com/artists/2pac#:~:text=Born%20Lesane%20Parish%20Crooks%2C%20he,not%20just%20from%20a%20neighborhood.%22.

2PacLegacy. “Why Tupac Was Named Tupac Amaru Shakur?” 2PacLegacy.Net, 15 Mar. 2021, https://2paclegacy.net/why-tupac-was-named-tupac-amaru-shakur/.

“Anti-American Art to Take over NYC’s Times Square Every Night in August.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 1 Aug. 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/aug/01/times-square-august-art-this-is-not-america-alfredo-jaar.

“Childish Gambino Shares New Song & Video ‘This Is America.’” Stereogum, 7 May 2018, https://www.stereogum.com/1994871/childish-gambino-this-is-america/music/.

“Latin America Music Map — What You Teach Your Kids Matters.” Online Education for Kids, 23 Jan. 2017, http://www.allaroundthisworld.com/world-maps-for-kids/world-music-map/latin-american-music-map/#.ZC-KoXbMK5c.

Martin, Eric, and Patricia Laya. “What Broke Venezuela’s Economy and What Could Fix It: Quicktake.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2019, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-09/what-broke-venezuela-s-economy-and-what-could-fix-it-quicktake.

Montañez, María Camila. “On Puerto Rican Resistance: ‘Because with Red Nose and Machete, the Future Won’t Be Al Garete’.” Latino Rebels, Latino Rebels, 14 June 2017, https://www.latinorebels.com/2017/06/14/on-puerto-rican-resistance-because-with-red-nose-and-machete-the-future-wont-be-al-garete/.

Sandy Tolan, Euclides Cordero Nuel. “The Bitter Work behind Sugar.” Reveal, 7 Dec. 2022, https://revealnews.org/podcast/the-bitter-work-behind-sugar-update-2022/.

“’This Is Not America’: A Chilean Artist’s Newly Electric Message to Trump.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 June 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2016/jun/08/this-is-not-america-chilean-artist-message-to-trump-alfredo-jaar-logo-for-america

Ulubay, Gabrielle. “A Taino Descendant Speaks on Columbus.” MUSKRAT Magazine, 15 Oct. 2019, https://muskratmagazine.com/a-taino-descendant-speaks-on-columbus/.

 

 

This song came out in 1989 and it started a great conversation about LGBTQ+ rights and its perception in the Latin American community. Just like anywhere else, the LGBTQ+ community faces many adversities; in Latin America there is a strong presence of Catholicism, which is often used to judge persecute those in the community. The song tells the story of Simón and the relationship with his father before and after his transition from male to female.

Today’s song is…

El Gran Varón by Willie Colón

There actually is not an official music video for this song, but there was an episode in a Mexican show with the same title, alluding to the song.

English Subtitles:

Willie Colón is a Salsa artist from the United States, but belongs to Puerto Rican heritage. Although not a prominent figure in Latin American music, he has brought up important topics through the talent and use of his salsa music. He is often known to be paired up with Hector Lavoe, a more popular salsa artist.

Let’s look at the lyrics:

In a hospital room
at 9:43 Simon was born
It’s the summer of ’56
The pride of Don Andrés, for being a man

 

Here the audience gets to know a bit about the “main character” Simón, and the time that we are in to get a better understanding of what is to come in the future. In Latin America, the culture appreciates and is more exited about expecting a boy; obviously this has a lot to do with patriarchal society.

 

 

 

With a heavy hand, with severity
he never gave an opinion
“When you grow up you will study
The same things as your dad, listen well
You will have to be a great man”

According to the machismo, when raising boys, the fathers make sure that their sons do not show emotion and that everything is served to them on a golden platter. The men are expected to follow in their fathers; footsteps.

He wore a skirt, lipstick, and a purse

Now it is talking about the transitions and changes that Simón goes through to achieve her their true self.

 

And a woman spoke to him as she passed
She said “hello, what’s up dad, how’re you doing?
You don’t know me I’m Simon
Simon, your son, the great man”

This is the first time that the father sees Simón as a woman and she is so unrecognizable, he finds it difficult to see Simón as the “great man” that everybody told him that he was going to be.

And don’t complain Andrés, don’t complain about anything
If lemons fall from the sky
learn to make lemonade

This is a reference to the common saying of “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. In this situation the “lemon” would be the father finding out that his son is transgender and the “lemonade” would be to maintain a relationship with his child.

At last there was news of where his son was
Andres never forgot the day of that sad call

 

After years of being distant, Andres (Simón’s father) stopped hearing from his child and never ended up taking the last phone call.

 

In a hospital room
Simon died of a strange illness.

HIV is a sickness that is commonly tied to homosexuals, this however, is a stigma. It is important to have compassion because those that love you will end up gone the next day.

Citations:

Appiah, Kwame Anthony. “Should I Tell My Elderly Turkish Dad That His Grandchild Is Trans?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 Aug. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/09/magazine/trans-elderly-ethics.html.

Quintana, Hugo. “Machismo Culture Must Go.” The Michigan Daily, 21 Mar. 2022, https://www.michigandaily.com/michigan-in-color/machismo-culture-must-go/.

Ricks, Jason. “Moving on- When Life Gives You Lemons Make Lemonade.” LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/moving-on-when-life-gives-you-lemons-make-lemonade-jason-ricks/.

“Simon, El Gran Varon [DVD].” Best Buy, https://www.bestbuy.com/site/simon-el-gran-varon-dvd/13887118.p?skuId=13887118.

Unaids.org. “New HIV Infections Rising in Latin America―Key Populations Particularly Affected.” UNAIDS, UNAIDS, 14 Oct. 2019, https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2019/october/20191014_latin-america.

Again, this is another song by Los Tigres del Norte. This song is about a man thinking about the negative effects of coming to the United States and how much he misses his homeland, Mexico. This is something that not only Mexicans, but every Latin-American can relate to, even I have seen my father miss his country and the limits that he has in the United States that he does not have back home in El Salvador.

Today’s song is…

La Jaula de Oro by Los Tigres del Norte

They have actually performed this song and many others live at Folsom Prison, so I thought that it would be interesting if I added that here too, so enjoy!

English Subtitles:

I do not want to repeat what I have said before about them, so I will just share some fun facts about the group! Although the band was founded in Rosa Morada in Mexico, it is actually from San Jose, California. They are very popular among Latinos in the United States, they even have their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

Let’s look at the lyrics:

Here I am established
In the U.S
Ten years have passed
in which I crossed wet
Papers I have not fixed
I’m still an illegal

The narrator starts off by telling the listener that he is in the United States illegally, even after ten years.

 

I have my wife and my children
That I brought them very young
And they have already forgotten
Of my dear Mexico
which I never forget
and I can’t go back

He now tells us that he brought his family over to the United States, but he still misses his native land, Mexico. No matter how much he wants to return, he knows that he cannot and will continue saying that the United States is not his country.

What use is money to me?
If I’m a prisoner
Inside this great nation

Many countries in Latin America see the US as this great country where everybody that lives there is filled with riches, this however, is not the full truth. Still, one can earn way more money in the US than they ever could back in their homeland.

When I remember I even cry
Even if the cage is made of gold
It is no longer a prison

Even though he made it into this great country that is America, it does not eliminate the fact that it feels like a prison, due to the fact that he cannot leave, nor give himself away or raise any suspicion to himself because the immigration customs enforcement (ICE) would come after him and his family and rip them away from the opportunities that this country presents.

My kids don’t talk to me
They have learned another language, and forgotten Spanish
They think like Americans, they deny that they are Mexicans
even if they have my color

Many first/second generation Americans that end up in the US often find embarrassment in embracing their culture and speaking their native tongue. The father may see this as them switching their loyalty from Mexico to America. Of course he would be worried because due to the discrimination that they face, he fears that his kids will begin to deny their Mexican heritage as a result of internalized racism.

From my work to my house
I do not know what’s happening to me
that although I am a man of home
I hardly go out
Well, I’m afraid they’ll find me
and they can deport me

I am sure that this is not only a Latin American thing, but a custom in those countries is that they boys and men would just stand outside and talking for hours. The narrator is talking about how strange it is for him to stay inside coming right home from work or always have to watch your back, for fear of being caught.

Citations

Family Immigration – United States Department of State. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration.html.

“How the U.S. Taught Me That Spanish Was Shameful.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 26 Mar. 2019, https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/how-u-s-taught-me-spanish-was-shameful-ncna986746.

Nolan, Rachel, et al. “Cage of Gold, by Rachel Nolan.” Harper’s Magazine , 17 Aug. 2020, https://harpers.org/archive/2020/09/cage-of-gold-deportation-history-bracero-program/.

Nunez, Peter K. “Commentary: How U.S. Is Encouraging Illegal Immigration.” Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2019, https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/story/2019-06-26/us-encouraging-illegal-immigration.

Radio Turquesa. “Los Tigres Del Norte Tienen Estrella En El Paseo De La Fama.” Radio Turquesa, 27 Dec. 2014, https://radioturquesa.fm/los-tigres-del-norte-tienen-estrella-en-el-paseo-de-la-fama/.

Swan, Betsy. “Republicans Say Forced Labor Is Good for Detained Immigrants in Letter Defending Private Prison.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 19 Mar. 2018, https://www.thedailybeast.com/republicans-say-forced-labor-is-good-for-detained-immigrants-in-letter-defending-private-prison.

Vogue, Ariane de. “Supreme Court Hears Texas’ Challenge to Biden Immigration and Deportation Policies | CNN Politics.” CNN, Cable News Network, 29 Nov. 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/29/politics/texas-supreme-court-immigration/index.html.

 

 

 

Growing up, I have LOVED this song. I would dance to this song in elementary school for our talent show every year. It is so energetic and enlightening, I do not think I have came across any Latino that has disliked this song. I think whether Latino or not, anybody could find inspiration and motivation by the melody and lyrics composed by Celia Cruz.

Today’s song is…

La Vida Es Un Carnaval by Celia Cruz

English Subtitles:

Celia Cruz is famous in the Latino community for her Salsa music, and also bringing in and popularizing this genre in the United States. She is Afro-Cuban and she loved to show off her heritage through her music. Sadly, she passed away in 2003 due to cancer, but her legacy will always and forever live on through her music and her catchphrase “Azucar!”

Let’s look at the lyrics:

Anyone who thinks that life is unfair

Of course, Celia Cruz is referring to the saying “life is unfair”, something that a lot of people know and accept. However, by mentioning this in the song, she wants to let her listeners know that they are not alone in the feeling. I also like to think that this lyric is referring to the struggles in Latin America, more specifically Cuba.

 

That in life, no one is alone, there is always someone

She is basically saying that there is somebody for everybody, so you are never really alone. She probably wrote this thinking about her husband, Pedro Knight, who gave up his career to become her manager.

Oh, there’s no need to cry (No need to cry)
that life is a carnival

 

Carnivals are veryyy popular in Latin American culture. She is telling us to live life as if it were a carnival, have fun and keep pushing forward!

 

And it is more beautiful to live singing

Obviously, Cruz’s profession is to sing, but she knows that her signing and music brings joy to the world. She is telling her audience to follow her and rejoice and spread positivity in the world.

 

Anyone who thinks that life is always cruel
They have to know that it is not so
That there are only bad moments and everything passes

 

A lot of people would consider life to be cruel, but Celia Cruz would protest otherwise. Sure, there are bad moments in life, but without the bad there can be no good. These harsh times will pass soon enough.

 

That in bad times, smile hard, and everything changes

 

This one was a bit difficult to translate, but as I wrote above, it means to smile at the hard times. When you are in a bad situation, it is better to be optimistic and look at it from a good perspective rather than dwelling on the negative. I personally feel that it will make the bad times pass quicker.

 

 

Citations:

Brady, Emily. “Amid the Gravestones, a Final Love Song.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Feb. 2007, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/nyregion/thecity/25celia.html.

“Cuban Nostalgia Havana Carnival 1970 – 1974. Allegorical Float for Parade or Carnival Salsa Dancers by Elena Gantchikova.” Fine Art America, https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cuban-nostalgia-havana-carnival-1970-1974-allegorical-float-for-parade-or-carnival-salsa-dancers-elena-gantchikova.html.

Estevez, Marjua. “La Negra Tiene Tumbao: Celia Cruz’s Most Iconic Looks.” VIBE.com, 21 Oct. 2016, https://www.vibe.com/gallery/celia-cruz-most-iconic-looks/.

“New York Debut! Celia Cruz the Musical, Starring Lucrecia @ Lehman Center, Sat. November 16.” The Riverdale Press, The Riverdale Press, 4 Nov. 2019, https://www.riverdalepress.com/stories/new-york-debut-celia-cruz-the-musical-starring-lucrecia-lehman-center-sat-november-16,70427.

Peggynoonanny/. “The Cuban Regime Is a Defeated Foe.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 18 Dec. 2014, https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-cuban-regime-is-a-defeated-foe-1418946550.

“Yo Regresaré: Celia Cruz and Cuban Exile Memory.” Home, https://www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/january-2023/yo-regresar%C3%A9-celia-cruz-and-cuban-exile-memory.

 

Every Latino knows this song. It is so iconic to the Latino community and it is played at every single party, if you are Latino and you do not know this song… Are you really Latino? Who knew such an upbeat song would carry dark lyrics and an important message to all Latinos.

Today’s song is…

Rebelión by Joe Arroyo

English Subtitles:

Joe Arroyo was a Columbian artist most known for his salsa music. Fun fact about him, he actually spoke Creole, which is a language descendant from the Bantu people. “Rebelión” was his greatest hit and it tells the story about the enslavement of the Africans that were kidnapped and brough to Colombia.

Let’s look at the lyrics:

The streets of Cartagena
that story lived
When those enslavers arrived here
Africans in chains
perpetual slavery

As I have said earlier, this song is the story of enslaved Africans brought to Colombia. This song is like a way to honor the Black people in Latin America, especially Colombia, and to never forget what has occurred.

 

An African marriage
Slaves of a Spaniard
He treated them very badly
And he hit his black woman
And it was there, the handsome black man was revealed
He took revenge for his love
And he still hears himself at the gate
Don’t hit my black woman

The chorus starts when the “master” hits one of the enslaved women, who happens to be the wife of the man telling the story. He comes in to defend her and her dignity; hence “No le pegue a mi negra” (“Do not hit my Black woman”).

Hey, that black woman is to be respected
(Don’t hit the black woman)
Eh, its still heard, its still heard at the gate
(Don’t hit the black woman)

In an interview, Arroyo said that the idea from this song came from a story that he had read when he was in the college of Santo Domingo. It was about the king of a tribe, along with his wife, who were brought to Cartagena, Colombia, and made to work. The man did hard, physical labor, I believe breaking/ picking at rocks, and the wife worked in the house. One day, she had a pot that she accidentally spilled and began to be whipped by her “master”.

No no no no no, don’t hit my black woman anymore
Because my soul gets agitated, my Black woman
(Don’t hit the black woman)

This song is a way to pay homage to the history and culture of the Black people in Colombia. A lot of people take the exclamation “Do not hit my Black woman!” to mean to remember and acknowledge of the disrespect that Black people had endured. Even after all they went through, the culture of Latin America is also composed of and through the Black experience and their heritage.

Literally the rest of the song Joe Arroyo is just repeating the chorus, but he had said in an interview that his intention was to get this verse stuck in our heads every time we heard the song because he did not want people to forget the Black experience.

Citations:

Dawson, contributed by: Eduardo. “Ladinos and Bozales: A Brief Early History of Africans in Colombia: 1500-1800 •.” •, 7 Feb. 2023, https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/perspectives-global-african-history/ladinos-and-bozales-a-brief-early-history-of-africans-in-colombia-1500-1800/.

Fuente, Anna Marie de la. “Joe Arroyo Salsa Biopic ‘Rebellion’ Wraps; Colombia’s Chocquibtown Does Cover on Titular Song (Exclusive).” Variety, Variety, 12 July 2021, https://variety.com/2021/film/global/joe-arroyo-salsa-biopic-rebellion-wraps-colombias-chocquibtown-does-cover-on-titular-song-exclusive-1235017042/.

George, Rachel. “What It Means to Be Black in Colombia.” Travel Noire, 7 Feb. 2019, https://travelnoire.com/black-in-colombia-culture.

“Rebelión.” Spotify, 1 July 2015, https://open.spotify.com/track/3v32VtMTRZbIQJUFsQpeJD.

Wooldridge, Anny. “A Brief History of Cartagena, Colombia.” Culture Trip, The Culture Trip, 30 Apr. 2017, https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/colombia/articles/a-brief-history-of-cartagena-colombia/.

I have always heard this song on repeat growing up. The song is the story of a woman waiting for her lover by the pier of San Blás.  I decided to write about it today because it got stuck in my head and now I can not get it out.

Today’s song is…

En El Muelle De San Blás by Maná

English Subtitles:

Maná is a pop rock band from Guadalajara, Mexico that has had many hits within the Latin American community, especially with their creation of Oye Mi Amor. They are very popular in the Latino community and have won multiple Grammy and Latin Grammys.

Let’s look at the lyrics:

She said goodbye to her love
He left on a boat at the San Blas pier
He swore that he would return
And drenched in tears, she swore that she would wait
Thousands of moons passed
And always she was on the pier, waiting

This is the introduction that we get to Rebeca Méndez, the woman that this song is talking about. This is a real story, so this all begins in October in 1971, when she says goodbye to her lover, Manuel. Before departing, he had promised her that he would come back and marry her as soon as he came back. Unfortunately, Manuel had died, it is commonly believed that the ship had gone down and so did he.

she wore the same dress
And if he came back, he wouldn’t mistake her

She wore the same dress that he had seen her in as he sailed away in order to make sure that he would not confuse her for anybody else. Rebeca still had hope that he would come back and waited at the pier every single day.

And in her town they called her
They called her the crazy woman from the San Blás pier

Basically everyone in her town thought she was crazy, as they had already understood that Manuel was never coming back, yet she still waited for him, as though he would be able to survive for that long. She was nicknamed “la loca del muelle de San Blás” (the crazy of the pier of San Blás).

They tried to transfer her to the asylum
no one could rip her off
And they never separated her from the sea

No one could ever convince her or remove her from that pier, she was still waiting to get married to Manuel. The story ends with her passing away in 2012, never being able to marry, not even being able to see him or hear him again. She was cremated and (as many of you can guess) her ashes were thrown into the water at the pier of San Blás. The people in that town did it to honor her and her commitment and loyalty to her lover. I think this is kind of funny especially since the townsfolk were talking about her and calling her crazy. Now, this way she will never be separated from the ocean and rest in the same place as Manuel, wherever he may be.

Citations:

Arellano, Pavel. “Rebeca Méndez: La Historia De La Mujer Que Inspiró a Maná En La Composición De La Canción ‘En El Muelle De San Blas.’” Prensa Libre, 6 July 2022, https://www.prensalibre.com/vida/escenario/rebeca-mendez-la-historia-de-la-mujer-que-inspiro-a-mana-en-la-composicion-de-la-cancion-en-el-muelle-de-san-blas/.

Higueruela, Por Gustavo. “El Muelle De San Blas Al Que Cantaba Maná Existe. y Es Un Paraíso.” Esquire, 8 June 2021, https://www.esquire.com/es/viajes/g36544599/muelle-de-san-blas-mana-donde-esta/.

Michoacán, Redacción / Primera Hora. “Muere Rebeca, LA ‘Loca’ Del Muelle De San Blas.” Primera Hora Michoacán, 6 Feb. 2018, http://www.primerahoramichoacan.com/nacional/muere-rebeca-la-loca-del-muelle-san-blas.html.

Pino, Andrea M. Rosa Del. “La Tr.” ELMUNDO, El Mundo, 28 May 2019, https://www.elmundo.es/loc/celebrities/2019/05/28/5cecf7f4fc6c83a22e8b4602.html.

I first heard this song from my Heritage teacher as an introduction to the injustices that people face in Latin America. This song is specifically about how you are treated because you are a woman.

Today’s song is…

Si Me Matan by Silvana Estrada

English Subtitles:

Silvana Estrada produces alternative or indie music that tells stories and brings to life through her poetic verses and vocals. Although she has been making music for a few years, she is starting to get more recognition as she releases more music.

Let’s look at the lyrics:

If they kill me
When they find me
That they always say, that they always say
That I was a singer

Essentially what she’s saying here is that when she dies she does not want to be remembered as another victim of anger and hate. Instead, she wants to be remembered for what she did, making music and singing it. When women die at the hands of machismo and lack of control, the news or other media outlets only talk bout how they were murdered, the cause, the location, etc. It is important to recognize these women for who they were, it humanizes them and brings more attention to the issue since it could be anybody’s friend or family member.

Living dreams that like all, I grew up with fear
And even so
I went out alone to see stars

I am sure that the majority of women can relate to this, the fact that they all grow up in fear of something bad happening to them or their loved ones. There is no guarantee that they can be safe at anytime of the day, and yet Silvana Estrada tells the audience that she goes out alone regardless. There is no need to stay inside because she could be assaulted at anytime, so she would rather live life her own way.

If they kill me
If they find me

When women are murdered, they will most likely be hidden and disposed of; never giving the families any sort of closure. She is saying that if she is killed, it is likely that they would not even find her body.

So much has been taken from us
They took away our fear
Let hope remain

IMPUNITY+SILENCE+INDIFFERENCE=FEMICIDE

She is saying that despite all this and what the men and government has done to keep women powerless and subject to abuse, women are so used to this fear that it now feels freeing. Now that they know what to expect, they can live life the way they want it and continue fighting for their rights.

Sister, I love you

I just thought that it is important to mention that Estrada feels that all women are sisters and that they should remind each other of their importance since they can forget at times.

Citations:

Janetsky, Megan. “Violence against Women up amid Latin America Covid-19 Lockdowns.” Coronavirus Pandemic | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 20 Apr. 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/4/20/violence-against-women-up-amid-latin-america-covid-19-lockdowns.

Latin America Reports. “Mexico Rattled by Increasing Violence against Women.” Latin America Reports, 21 Apr. 2022, https://latinamericareports.com/mexico-rattled-by-increasing-violence-against-women/6448/.

Morland, Sarah. “In Mexico, Lack of Resources Aggravates Impunity in Gender Crimes.” bdnews24.Com, https://bdnews24.com/society/iaq3dryhe6.

Skyatnightmag. “Is Every Star We See in the Milky Way?” BBC Sky at Night Magazine, BBC Sky at Night Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022, https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/stars-in-milky-way/.

Young, Emily. “Silvana Estrada Delivers ‘Marchita’ to the Sonic Cathedral.” WNXP 91.1 FM, 26 Apr. 2022, https://wnxp.org/silvana-estrada-delivers-marchita-to-the-sonic-cathedral/.

My father first introduced me to this song when I was six and I told him that someone called me a “dirty fucking beaner”. Although we are not Mexican, this song has hit home for so many Latinos that end up experiencing racism and xenophobia in the United States.

Today’s song is…

Frijolero by Molotov

English Subtitles:

This song had been Molotov’s greatest hit and has launched them to fame and success. Molotov specializes in rock, more specifically, Latinamerican rock. This genre is famous for being censored due to the immense criticization towards the government and society.

Let’s look at the lyrics:

I am fed up
With people putting a sombrero on me
So listen when I tell you
Don’t call me a beaner

Everybody knows that Mexican people are largely stereotyped with the Mexican sombrero; many times people wear it as a joke or costume for Halloween. What this line also means is that he is tired of all the negative stereotypes that white Americans put on Mexicans because this causes unnecessary hate and violence towards them for just existing.

We never inflate our currency
by going to war with other countries

Here Molotov is criticizing the way that America has been able to inflate their currency, by going to war and involving themselves in other countries. This is not always a bad thing, a main example that they kept in mind while writing this verse is that during World War Two, America had an immense contribution in terms of how the war ended. However there is no doubt that the US currency was the only stable one after the war. It is also important to note that the US gives weapons to countries in the Middle East, without any regard towards the people that live there and are suffering the consequences of their own greed.

Even though we’re portrayed
as sellers
of the drugs we plant
you are the consumers

Many Americans criticize Mexicans, or Latinos in general, over the fact that they grow the plants that turn into drugs, but here Molotov points out that the biggest consumer of these drugs are the Americans themselves. Everybody knows that the only way that these drugs are able to go through into the US is through the border. Meaning… that some members of the border patrol are in on these drug operations, so the blame cannot go solely onto Latinos.

If not for Santa Ana, just to let you know
That where your feet are planted would be Mexico

A huge piece of land on the West side in America used to belong to Mexico. The Santa Ana that they are referring to is the traitor that is responsible for handing over this land to the US, as seen in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.  Mexico’s influence over this land still remains to this day, as seen in city names such as Los Angeles, California, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Mesa, Arizona.

Citations:

Loesche, Dyfed, and Felix Richter. “Infographic: U.S. Arms Transfers to Rivaling Middle Eastern Allies.” Statista Infographics, 15 June 2017, https://www.statista.com/chart/9833/american-arms-exports-to-middle-eastern-countries/.

“Mexican Marijuana Farmers See Profits Tumble as U.S. Loosens Laws.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2015, https://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-mexico-marijuana-20151230-story.html.

projects, Contributors to Wikimedia. “Files.” Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 6 June 2022, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Files.

“The State of California.” FIELDGUIDES OUTDOOR EDUCATION, https://www.fieldguides.org/fieldguides-blog/the-state-of-california.

 

 

In honor of my previous blog subject, I decided that I would introduce a song that spoke about the immigration experience from a Central American.

Today’s song is…

Tres Veces Mojado by Los Tigres del Norte

English Subtitles:

Los Tigres del Norte is a Mexican banda, whose genre is música norteña, but in English it is referred to as regional mexican. The song is about the experience of immigrating to the United States as a Salvadoran; hence the title: “Three Times A Wetback”.

Let’s look at the lyrics:

There are three borders that I had to cross
I went through three countries undocumented
Three times I had to risk my life
That’s why they say I’m three times a wetback

So from the beginning of the song we know that this is from the point of view of a Salvadoran, who needs to cross three borders: Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. In all countries, immigrants risk everything they have three times. They hike over mountains, walk across deserts, and swim across bodies of water in every territory, all the while with the hope of not being caught and needing to start all the way from the beginning.

The same language and the color I reflected
How is it possible that they call me a foreigner?

Although one could argue that all of Latin America is made up of Latinos, that is not the way that they view it in Latin America. The term “Latino” is not commonly used because everyone identifies with the country that they are from; therefore are treated differently in every country based on their motherland. Just because you are Latino, it does not give you a pass to go through a country undocumented, so many run the risk of being caught and deported back before even seeing the US border.

For Arizona they told me, I would cross
And that I would throw myself through the middle of the desert
Luckily a Mexican that they called Juan
Gave me his hand and for this I did not die

I honestly thought that this was a nice lyrics to show Mexican and Salvadoran solidarity and unity. Anyone who is familiar with Latin American culture knows that Salvadorans and Mexicans do not get along (mainly due to gangs rivalries and negative stigma against Central Americans). There are many times that immigrants (like my father) told stories about how some people would be left behind if they could not keep up, but it was very rare that another immigrant would come across and help them out.

Citations

“In El Salvador, Children Flee Gangs and Violence.” Thestar.com, 8 Dec. 2014, https://projects.thestar.com/news/world/2014/11/14/in_el_salvador_children_flee_gangs_and_violence.html.

Thompson, Ginger. “Desperation on Unforgiving Arizona-Mexico Border.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 May 2006, https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/us/21border.html.

“Tres Veces Mojado.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 19 Oct. 1989, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380769/.