Kalamarka “Mamita”

The sun rises from the frozen plateau

with its dress worn by the years

The air of the wind of the plateau

direct little sheep to the mountain range

To fight against this though life

the coca foliage solely helps you

Beautiful mother your eye pouches are a pride of the motherearth.

Mother, you pray for the earth,

even the moon stays silent.

It doesn’t speak of the neither the sun nor the rain.

Where could your lost dreams be?

A callus sole has form

On your grounds, dust by the frost

Your womb, you breast wrinkled

Just like the earth that has given plenty of fruits.

Even though this life is hard,

Your body radiates of this love.

You leave dancing on your plateau

Like the star wara warita

The moon reflects you black locks

Woven with silver threat

Kalamarka is a band from Bolivia that plays lainamerican music, this song in particular I think is directed towards the Andean women of Bolivia. The original song is in Spanish but I was able to find its translation. I think it’s not literary talking about mothers, rather, I think it is a word that describes women of the Bolivian plateau.

            I would consider the song to be almost poetry because for example they used personification when they described the frozen plateau to have a dress worn by the years. It could also be a metaphor, for saying that the land has been used to plant crops for many years.

            Another personification and metaphor can be found, “Even the moon stays silent. It doesn’t speak of the neither of the sun or the rain.” The moon does not speak so this is definitely a personification. Furthermore, I think it is a metaphor for saying that it doesn’t rain or shine on the Bolivian plateau.

            I think the whole song creates a visual imagery on the listeners mind. It creates an image of the hard working Andean women of Bolivia. We can clearly image these women to be hard working women, and even though “life is hard,” they still radiate with love.

            I personally love the last line, where they say ‘You leave dancing on you plateau Like the star wara warita The moon reflects your black locks Woven with silver threat,” This creates an imagery in my head of a woman dancing her way home after a longs day of work.

here a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwH7dhQeQSk