Violeta Parra (October 4, 1917 – February 5, 1967), social activist, poet, Chilean song composer, folksinger
Tulio Mendoza Belio, Premio Municipal de Arte de la Ciudad de Concepción (2009)
https://laventanaciudadana.cl/violeta-parra-yo-canto-a-la-diferencia-en-su-centenario/
Born in San Carlos, Chile (1917), Violeta Parra was known for her work for various talents and works including poetry, art, song composing and folk singing. A woman who was remarried twice with 4 children total, she wed Luis Cereceda and bore Angel and Isabel with him whom she divorced ten years after. Followed by this divorce, she remarried again to Luis Arce in whom she bore Carmen Luisa and Rosa Clara Arce. Parra was known to be a women of multiple talents but there was those in which she is known for the most. These talents involved being both a social activist and one of the song composers in whom participated and brought influence upon the Nueva Canción Movement through her passion in music. Specifically, her song in which contributed to the movement, Gracias A La Vida (Thanks To Life)
Just like any successful succeeders story, Parra didn’t have it easy growing up with a big family, filled with poverty. Having several severe shortages and unemployment issues throughout her childhood, money was always an issue for her family. To help pay off bills and provide food, Violeta would go sing publicly throughout her neighborhood. When it came to her talents, majority of these influences came from those around her, especially her family. Her brother was a poet who influenced her to travel throughout Chile to record her folk music while her father’s occupation in teaching music helped developed her talents as well. After her father passed away in 1929, Violeta over to Santiago with relatives where she studied at a school in the Capital. Later on, she returned back to her family as she worked with her sister, Hilda, in continuing to provide money in which led the duo to becoming famous.
Don’t cry when the sun is gone, because the tears won’t let you see the stars.
-Violeta Parra
In this case, she was able to contribute to the Nueva Canción Movement through what she did best, music. Uncommon like others who usually contribute to Movements, Parra was known for her powerful words in Gracias A La Vida. This is because her songs represented the voice of the under respected and neglected people of Latin America who seeked social justice for their social, economic and political treatment. Being able to combine both her talents towards the movement, a social activist and a song composer, her song led to this movement closer towards awareness on this issue, despite the fact that it did not become as well known as one would imagine for helping to set an example and voice for the movement.
When it came to politics, Parra did not hesitate to voice out her concerns for the people of Latin America as she participated greatly for those who sought for their social justice. This was due to the fact that during this time, Chile had suppressed the rights of Latin American people alongside facing issues with poverty which was often neglected by politicians. In addition to her contribution to the movement, she supported Salvador Allende in support of the 1964 presidential campaign through her music. This was made possible after she was able to record explicit political-oriented songs in which she passed on to her son, Angel Parra so that he would be able to preform her songs in Chile.
As a result of her hit song and work, this led forward with the Movement as she influenced the suppressed people of Latin America to speak up, for her music gave a voice to them. While she was able to be apart of the Nueva Canción Movement, she faced the difficulty in managing and bringing life to a tent she set up with her children in Santiago’s Le Reina’s neighborhood due to financial failure and was underappreciated. As a result, her life came to an abrupt stop after she committed suicide inside the tent at age 49. Despite her leaving behind unfinished masterpieces, her children worked to create the Violeta Parra Foundation in which was founded 25 years later to help organize and reveal to the world her work, despite it’s missing ends. Despite the fact that her life was cut short, her inspiration lives on today in the Violeta Parra Museum in which will forever display her work and bring forth the recognition this ambitious and inspiring women brought forth for society to follow, especially for those of Latin America.
Works Cited
Ananda Blau, J. (2021, February 01). Violeta Parra. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Violeta-Parra
Biography of Violeta PARRA Chilean singer artist. (2020, December 12). Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.salientwomen.com/2020/05/22/biography-of-violeta-parra-chilean-singer-artist/
Cicchetto, S. (n.d.). Violeta Parra, Chilean singer and Composer (1917-1967). Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.latinolife.co.uk/articles/violeta-parra-chilean-singer-and-composer-1917-1967
Paz Rodríguez ZaninovicMaria Paz Rodriguez Zaninovic. Born in Santiago. (2020, August 25). Violeta parra: Voice of the poor, sound of a country. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://chiletoday.cl/violeta-parra-voice-of-the-poor-sound-of-a-country/
Taylor, P. (2021, January 27). The world Of Violeta Parra. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.cascada.travel/blog/the-world-of-violeta-parra
By Denisse Medina Flores
