Las Chiapanecas

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"Las Chiapanecas" ("The Chiapan Women" or "The Women of Chiapas") is a traditional melody from Chiapas and has acquired status as an informal anthem of that state.

Chiapas State of Mexico

Chiapas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas, is one of the 31 states that along with the federal district of Mexico City make up the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 124 municipalities as of September 2017 and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Other important population centers in Chiapas include Ocosingo, Tapachula, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Comitán and Arriaga. It is the southernmost state in Mexico. It is located in Southwestern Mexico, and it borders the states of Oaxaca to the west, Veracruz to the northwest and Tabasco to the north, and by the Petén, Quiché, Huehuetenango and San Marcos departments of Guatemala to the east and southeast. Chiapas has a coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the south.

Contents

Authorship and evolution

There exists controversy about the authorship of the "Chiapanecas" melody, but the most probable account is as follows: The "Chiapanecas" melody was composed by the musician Bulmaro López Fernández (1878–1960), born in the city of Chiapa de Corzo. López Fernández was inspired by Chiapan women's traditional attire, [1] which his then-fiancée tended to wear; following his marriage and death, his widow, Juana María Vargas, retained control of the composition's original score. [2]

Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas Town & Municipality in Chiapas, Mexico

Chiapa de Corzo is a small city and municipality situated in the west-central part of the Mexican state of Chiapas. Located in the Grijalva River valley of the Chiapas highlands, Chiapa de Corzo lies some 15 km (9.3 mi) to the east of the state capital, Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Chiapa has been occupied since at least 1400 BCE, with a major archeological site which reached its height between 700 BCE and 200 CE. It is important because the earliest inscribed date, the earliest form of hieroglyphic writing and the earliest Mesoamerican tomb burial have all been found here. Chiapa is also the site of the first Spanish city founded in Chiapas in 1528. The "de Corzo" was added to honor Liberal politician Angel Albino Corzo.

Musician, composer, and conductor Juan Arozamena (1899–1926), born in Mexico City, frequently performed the melody and added to it the widely known text that Nat King Cole, among others, used in performances and on recordings. [3]

Nat King Cole American singer and jazz pianist

Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. He recorded over one hundred songs that became hits on the pop charts. His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first African American man to host an American television series.

As time passed, performers added choreography, usually intended to be danced by women wearing traditional Chiapan attire.

Melody and text

Audio file of melody

Text by Juan Arozamena Sánchez


Spanish original [4]


Un clavel corté.
Por la sierra azul, [second verse as sung by Nat King Cole: "Por la sierra fui,"]
caminito de mi rancho[, / ;]
como el viento fue
mi caballo fiel
a llevarme hasta su lado.
Linda flor de abril,
toma este clavel,
que te brindo con pasión.
No me digas no,
que en tu boca está
el secreto de mi amor.

Cuando la noche llegó
y con su manto de azul
el blanco rancho cubrió,
alegre el baile empezó.

Baila, mi chiapaneca;
baila, baila con garbo;
baila, suave rayo de luz.
Baila mi chiapaneca;
baila, baila con garbo,
que en el baile
la reina eres tú(, Chiapaneca gentil). [5]


English translation


I cut/plucked a carnation. My faithful horse went like the wind through the blue mountain range, (down) the little road to my ranch, [Second verse as sung by Nat King Cole: "I went through the mountain range, (down) the little road to my ranch; my faithful horse went like the wind"] to bring me to its [antecedent ambiguous] side. Lovely flower of April, take this carnation, which I bring to you with passion. Do not say no to me, for the secret of my love is in your mouth.

When the night arrived and covered the white ranch with its blue cloak, the happy dance began.

Dance, my Chiapaneca ["Chiapan woman"]; dance, dance with grace; dance, soft [or "smooth"] ray of light. Dance, my Chiapaneca; dance, dance with grace, for in the dance you are the queen(, gentle Chiapaneca).

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References

  1. For a Spanish-language discussion of specific features of Chiapan women's traditional attire, see Traje de Chiapaneca (accessed 2014-09-18).
  2. The Chiapas Herald (El Heraldo de Chiapas), "Hombre ilustres de la Chiapa heroica" (accessed January 1, 2014)
  3. The Chiapas Herald (El Heraldo de Chiapas), "Juan Arozamena" (accessed January 1, 2014)
  4. "Historia de la melodía "Las chiapanecas", 1924-2013 (Tercera parte)," http://www.oem.com.mx/eloccidental/notas/n3040637.htm (in Spanish; accessed 2015-03-05)
  5. http://www.lyrster.com/lyrics/las-chiapanecas-lyrics-nat-king-cole.html