Atahualpa Yupanqui

Atahualpa Yupanqui
Atahualpa in Cosquín
Background information
Birth name	Héctor Roberto Chavero Aramburo
Born	January 31, 1908(1908-01-31)
Origin	Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died	May 23, 1992 (aged 84) Nimes, France
Genres	Folk
Occupations	singer, songwriter, writer
Instruments	Vocals, Guitar

Atahualpa Yupanqui (31 January 1908 - 23 May 1992) was an Argentine singer, songwriter, guitarist, and writer. He is considered the most important Argentine folk musician of the 20th century.

Yupanqui was born as Héctor Roberto Chavero Aramburo in Pergamino (Buenos Aires Province), in the Argentine pampas, about 200 kilometers away from Buenos Aires. His family moved to Tucumán when he was ten. In a bow to two legendary Incan kings, he adopted the stage name Atahualpa Yupanqui, which became famous the world over.

In his early years, Yupanqui travelled extensively through the northwest of Argentina and the Altiplano studying the indigenous culture. He also became radicalized and joined the Communist Party of Argentina. In 1931, he took part in the failed uprising of the Kennedy brothers in order to press the government de facto of Uriburu and to give air to the democratic radical project anti fascist in support to Hipólito Yrigoyen and was forced to seek refuge in Uruguay. He returned to Argentina in 1934.

In 1935, Yupanqui paid his first visit to Buenos Aires; his compositions were growing in popularity, and he was invited to perform on the radio. Shortly thereafter, he made the acquaintance of pianist Antonieta Paula Pepin Fitzpatrick, nicknamed "Nenette", who became his lifelong companion and musical collaborator under the pseudonym "Pablo Del Cerro".

Because of his Communist Party affiliation (which lasted until 1952), his work suffered from censorship during Juan Perón's presidency; he was detained and incarcerated several times. He left for Europe in 1949. Édith Piaf invited him to perform in Paris on 7 July, 1950. He immediately signed contract with “Chant Du Monde”, the recording company that published his first LP in Europe, “Miner I am”, which obtained the first prize of Best Foreign Disc of the Charles Gross Academy, which included three hundred fifty participants of all the continents in the Contest the International of Folklore. He subsequently toured extensively throughout Europe.

In 1952, Yupanqui returned to Buenos Aires. He broke with the Communist Party, which made it easier for him to book radio performances. While with Nenette they construct the house of the Colorado Hill (Cordoba), Yupanqui crosses the country.

Recognition of Yupanqui's ethnographic work became widespread during the 1960s, and nueva canción artists such as Mercedes Sosa and Jorge Cafrune recorded his compositions and made him popular among the younger musicians, who referred to him as Don Ata.

Yupanqui alternated between houses in Buenos Aires and Cerro Colorado, Córdoba province. During 1963-1964, he toured Colombia, Japan, Morocco, Egypt, Israel, and Italy. In 1967, he toured Spain, and settled in Paris. He returned regularly to Argentina and appeared in Argentinísima II in 1973, but these visits became less frequent when the military dictatorship of Jorge Videla came to power in 1976. In February 1968, Yupanqui was named Gentleman of the Arts and the Letters of France by the Ministry of Culture of that country, by the work realised throughout 18 years to act and to offer its Literature to the Gallic country. Some of his songs are included in the programs of Institutes and Schools where Castilian Literature is taught.

In 1989, an important cultural center of France, the University of Nanterre, asked Yupanqui to write the lyrics of a Cantata to commemorate the Bicentennial of the French Revolution. The piece, entitled “The Sacred Word” (Parole Sacree), was released before high French authorities. It was not a recollection of historical facts but rather a tribute to all the oppressed towns that freed themselves. Yupanqui died in Nimes, France in 1992 at the age of 84; his remains were cremated and dispersed on his beloved Colorado Hill on 8 June, 1992.

Best-known songs

Yupanqui's best known compositions include:

• "Los Hermanos"
• "Viene clareando"
• "El arriero"
• "Zamba del grillo"
• "La añera"
• "La pobrecita"
• "Milonga del peón de campo"
• "Camino del indio"
• "Chacarera de las piedras"
• "Recuerdos del Portezuelo"
• "El alazán"
• "Indiecito dormido"
• "El aromo"
• "Le tengo rabia al silencio"
• "Piedra y camino"
• "Luna tucumana"
• "Los ejes de mi carreta"
• "Sin caballo y en Montiel"
• "Cachilo dormido"
• "Tú que puedes vuélvete"

Books

• Piedra sola (1940)
• Aires indios (1943)
• Cerro Bayo (1953)
• Guitarra (1960)
• El canto del viento (1965)
• El payador perseguido (1972)
• La Capataza (1992)

Guitar portal

External links

• Muchas Gracias Atahualpa. Educational and cultural project promoting the work of Don Atahualpa Yupanqui. The site contains videos, songs, poetry, books, testimonials and awards.
• Quotes from his music.