Video Find of the Day
Another Afro-Peruvian song. Lyrics: Cesar Calvo Music: Chabuca Granda. Performed: Silvana Rodríguez. Translation below from the album, Afro-Peruvian Classics:
The dawn breaks like a statue
Like a winged statue spreading across the city
And the noon rings, a bell made of water
A golden singing bell that keeps us from feeling alone
And the night lifts its large chalice
Its large chalice, an early moon rising over the ocean
But for Maria, there is no dawn
But for Maria, there is no noon
But for Maria, there is no moon
She lifts her red goblet over the seas
Maria has no time, (Maria Lando) to even lift her eyes
To lift her eyes, (Maria Lando) broken from lack of sleep
Maria, broken from lack of sleep, (Maria Lando) and from suffering
Maria, suffering, (Maria Lando) only works
Maria works, and her work is for others
Maria Lando, Maria Lando always working
And her work is another’s
María Landó
Showing posts with label afro-peruvian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label afro-peruvian. Show all posts
Monday, May 5, 2008
Saturday, May 3, 2008
The Bull Kills
Video Find of the Day
Toro Mata is an Afro-Peruvian song written by Carlos "Caitro" Soto. If I'm reading the description right, here he is performing it himself. I found the song on the compilation album Afro-Peruvian Classics: the Soul of Black Peru.
The website for the album has English translations of all the songs. Here's the one for Toro Mata, which is sung by Lucila Campos on the album. See especially the final note on "la ponde."
"Refrain:
Toro Mata, the bull kills
The bull kills, dancing bull, the bull kills
The old bull is dead
Tomorrow we’ll eat meat, the bull is dead
The old bull has died
Tomorrow we’ll feast, the bull is dead
His color doesn’t let him move out of the way quickly enough
and the bull might kill him
That man’s color doesn’t permit him to hide
and the bull might kill him
Don’t cut him with the rope
It’ll get too bloody
Don’t cut him with the rope
It’ll get too bloody
Here’s Pitité the drummer, the music’s kicking!
Ay, la ponde, la ponde, ponde, ponde
This black man is not from here
This black man is from Acari
Who brought this black man here?
We must kill this black man
Ay, la ponde, la ponde, ponde, ponde
La ponde translated from the KiKôngo language means: I twist, I twist/I kill, I kill."
Toro Mata is an Afro-Peruvian song written by Carlos "Caitro" Soto. If I'm reading the description right, here he is performing it himself. I found the song on the compilation album Afro-Peruvian Classics: the Soul of Black Peru.
The website for the album has English translations of all the songs. Here's the one for Toro Mata, which is sung by Lucila Campos on the album. See especially the final note on "la ponde."
"Refrain:
Toro Mata, the bull kills
The bull kills, dancing bull, the bull kills
The old bull is dead
Tomorrow we’ll eat meat, the bull is dead
The old bull has died
Tomorrow we’ll feast, the bull is dead
His color doesn’t let him move out of the way quickly enough
and the bull might kill him
That man’s color doesn’t permit him to hide
and the bull might kill him
Don’t cut him with the rope
It’ll get too bloody
Don’t cut him with the rope
It’ll get too bloody
Here’s Pitité the drummer, the music’s kicking!
Ay, la ponde, la ponde, ponde, ponde
This black man is not from here
This black man is from Acari
Who brought this black man here?
We must kill this black man
Ay, la ponde, la ponde, ponde, ponde
La ponde translated from the KiKôngo language means: I twist, I twist/I kill, I kill."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
