Latin American Protest Music: A guide

A comprehensive guide to Latin American protest music, from the classics to the modern day anthems.

Introduction

Music has always been a powerful tool for political protest, and Latin America has a rich history of using song to voice dissent. From anti-colonial anthems to odes to working-class struggles, Latin American protest music is as varied as the region itself.

In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most iconic protest songs in Latin American history. We’ll trace their origins, learn about the issues they’re addressing, and discover how they’ve been used in recent years to continue mobilizing social movements.

The History of Latin American Protest Music

Latin American Protest Music has a long and storied history, reflective of the region’s struggles with colonization, dictatorships, and social injustice. The music is a way for the people to express their frustrations and hope for change. It is the voice of the people, and it has the power to inspire positive change.

Pre-Columbian music

Pre-Columbian music refers to the music that was created and performed by the indigenous peoples of the Americas prior to the arrival of Europeans in 1492. The first people to populate the Americas were migrants from Asia who arrived over a period of thousands of years. These migrants brought with them their own musical traditions, which they adapted and blended with the indigenous music they encountered.

The result is a rich tapestry of musical traditions that includes everything from lively dances and energetic drumming to reflective ballads and soulful spirituals. Pre-Columbian music has been passed down through the generations and is still performed today in many parts of Latin America.

One of the most important aspects of Pre-Columbian music is its connection to nature. The rhythms and melodies are often based on the sounds of animals, birds, and other natural phenomena. This connection is thought to help listeners connect with the spirit world and achieve a state of inner peace.

Pre-Columbian music is typically performed on traditional instruments such as flutes, drums, rattles, and idiophones (instruments that produce sound by shaking or striking). The music is often accompanied by chanting or singing, which may be in a native language or in Spanish.

The tradition of Pre-Columbian music has influenced many popular Latin American musicians, including Mercedes Sosa, Carlos Santana, Diego Maradona, Shakira, Gloria Estefan, and Celia Cruz.

Music during the Colonial period

Early Latin American protest music was a product of the region’s long history of struggle against colonialism and oppression. Some of the earliest known examples come from the songs of enslaved Africans, which were often critical of their Spanish masters. These songs, known as cantos de cimarron, were typically passed down orally from generation to generation. Other early protest songs came from the Pensamiento art movement, which was active in Latin America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This movement used music to promote social and political change, and many of its songs were critical of the region’s colonial past.

During the 20th century, Latin American protest music became increasingly politicized and radicalized. This was most evident during the 1960s and 1970s, when left-wing revolutionaries were active across the region. Many of these revolutionaries saw music as an important tool for promoting their cause, and they wrote and performed songs that advocated for everything from land reform to worker’s rights. In recent years, Latin American protest music has continued to evolve, with many artists using social media to reach a wider audience.

19th-century music

During the 19th century, many different types of music were used to convey protest messages. One popular form was the corrido, a folk song that often told the story of a heroic event. These songs were often used to rally support for political candidates or to promote anarchism and other social philosophies. In Mexico, corridos often told the story of the Mexican Revolution and its heroes, such as Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa. In Cuba, they were sometimes used to spread news about the movement to end slavery on the island.

Other popular genres of protest music during the 19th century included the cantata and the ode. The cantata was a type of opera that was popular in Latin America during the 1800s. They were often used to spread political messages or to promote revolutionary ideas. Odes were a type of song that was less serious than a cantata and more likely to be about love or nature than about politics. However, some odes did contain political messages.

20th-century music

The 20th century was a time of great social and political upheaval in Latin America. The50s and 60s saw the rise of left-wing governments in Cuba and Nicaragua, while right-wing dictatorships ruled in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. This political turmoil spurred the creation of protest music throughout the region.

songs denouncing poverty, inequality, and injustice became immensely popular, spreading messages of hope and resistance across Latin America. The most famous protest singer of the 20th century was probably Cuban musician Silvio Rodriguez. His songs about love, loss, and social injustice struck a chord with people across the region and helped to inspire a new generation of musicians.

Other well-known protest singers from this period include Argentine musicians Victor Jara and Mercedes Sosa, Chilean musician Violeta Parra, Peruvian musician Chabuca Granda, Nicaraguan musician Carlos Mejia Godoy, and Honduran musician Jose Luis Paz.

This type of music continued to be popular in the 21st century, with singers like Calle 13 (Puerto Rico), Julieta Venegas (Mexico), Ana Tijoux (Chile), and Jorge Drexler (Uruguay) carrying on the tradition of using their music to speak out against injustice.

Themes in Latin American Protest Music

Latin American Protest Music can be characterized by a few different themes. A lot of the music is based on the struggles of the working class and the fight for social justice. The music is also often critical of the government and the corrupt political system. Another common theme is the fight against racism and discrimination.

Social injustice

One of the most common themes in Latin American protest music is social injustice. This can manifest itself in a number of ways, but is often focused on issues like poverty, racism, and corrupt government officials. This kind of music often aims to give a voice to the people who are suffering from these issues, and to inspire change.

Some well-known songs that tackle social injustice include “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Bruce Springsteen, “Bella Ciao” by an anonymous Italian singer, and “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay. These songs have all been adapted and performed by Latin American artists, and have become anthems for protesters across the region.

Other popular themes in Latin American protest music include environmentalism, feminism, and LGBTQ rights. These songs often seek to raise awareness about the issues facing these groups of people, and to promote equality and acceptance.

Economic inequality

Economic inequality is a hot-button issue in Latin America, and has been for many years. Protest songs about economic inequality often highlight the disparity between the rich and the poor, and call for a more just distribution of wealth. These songs often have a strong Marxist flavor, lambasting capitalism and calling for revolution.

Some well-known protest songs about economic inequality in Latin America include “Los Ricos También Lloran” by Venezuelan singer Danny Daniel, “La Pobreza” by Cuban rapper Silvio Rodríguez, and “El desempleo” by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona.

Political repression

Since the 1950s, music has played an important role in Latin American protests against political repression. In Chile, for example, songs like Violeta Parra’s “Gracias a la Vida” and Violetta Villalba’s “El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido” were used by the opposition to express their resistance to the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. In Argentina, meanwhile, songs like Mercedes Sosa’s “Los Irrompibles” and Victor Jara’s “El Derecho de Vivir en Paz” denounced the human rights violations committed by the military government during the so-called Dirty War of the 1970s and 1980s.

Political repression is just one of the many themes that have been addressed in Latin American protest music over the years. Others include economic inequality, social injustice, environmental destruction and racial discrimination. Regardless of the specific issue at hand, these songs have served as powerful tools for mobilizing people to demand change.

Environmental degradation

Another common theme in Latin American protest music is environmental degradation. This issue is particularly relevant in the Amazon rainforest, which has been widely deforested for agriculture, mining, and other development projects. In addition to the economic and social impacts of this deforestation, there is also a significant environmental impact, as the rainforest plays a vital role in regulating the earth’s climate. Deforestation of the Amazon has also contributed to the displacement of indigenous peoples, who have often been forcibly removed from their lands without compensation or consultation.

Because of its location, the Amazon rainforest is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and intentional fires set for agricultural purposes have become more common in recent years. These fires release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. They also destroy biodiversity and contribute to air pollution.

Latin American protest music about environmental degradation often calls for an end to deforestation and respect for indigenous rights. It may also criticise corporations or governments that are seen as responsible for environmental destruction.

Notable Latin American Protest Songs

Music has always been a tool for protests and social movements. In Latin America, music has been particularly important in both reflecting and shaping the region’s culture and identity. From the early days of European colonization to the present, Latin American protest music has played a significant role in both resistance and revolution.

“Canto General” by Victor Jara

“Canto General” is a monumental work of protest music written by Chilean singer-songwriter Victor Jara. The song is based on the poem of the same name by Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. “Canto General” is an epic work that chronicles the history of Chile and its people, from the time of the indigenous peoples to the present day.

The song was written in the early 1970s, at a time when Chile was going through a period of intense political turmoil. The country had just elected socialist president Salvador Allende, and there was a lot of hope for change among the Chilean people. However, Allende’s government was quickly overthrown in a military coup, and Jara was arrested and murdered soon after.

Despite Jara’s tragic death, “Canto General” has become an anthem for Chileans and Latin Americans striving for social justice. The song has been covered by many artists over the years, including Mexican singer-songwriter Silvio Rodriguez and Argentine rock band León Gieco.

“El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” by Inti-Illimani

“El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” is a Chilean song that became popular during the presidency of Salvador Allende and was later used during the Pinochet dictatorship. The song’s title comes from a popular saying attributed to Allende, “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” (“The united people will never be defeated”). The phrase quickly became a rallying cry for Allende’s supporters and was used extensively during his election campaign.

After the 1973 coup d’état that deposed Allende, “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” was banned by the Pinochet regime. However, it continued to be sung clandestinely by dissidents and became an anthem of the Chilean resistance movement. The song was featured prominently in the 1983 film El Norte and has been covered by many artists, including Quilapayún, Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger.

“Somos más Americanos” by Los Tigres del Norte

“Somos más Americanos” is a song by Mexican Norteño band Los Tigres del Norte. The song, written by lead singer Jorge Hernández, express the sentiment that Mexican-Americans are just as American as any other Americans.

The song became popular among Mexican-Americans in the United States during the early 1990s, at a time when there was a great deal of anti-immigrant sentiment directed towards them. It remains one of the most iconic protest songs in Latin American music history.

Conclusion

While the Golden Era of Latin American protest music has passed, the social and political issues that gave birth to it have not. In a region where oppressive regimes are still a reality for many, the power of music to inspire and mobilize remains as strong as ever.