Original article: Mil guitarras contra el olvido: Recoleta rindió homenaje masivo a Víctor Jara
Thousands Honor Victor Jara in Recoleta: A Massive Tribute with ‘A Thousand Guitars’
On Saturday, September 26, a large crowd gathered at Plaza La Paz in Recoleta to participate in the 14th edition of the concert ‘A Thousand Guitars and a Thousand Voices for Victor Jara’, paying homage to the icon of Chilean music and culture.
This traditional free event brought together music, memory, and community around the legacy of the Chilean singer-songwriter.
For over an hour and a half, the crowd in Plaza La Paz sang along to iconic songs by Victor Jara, including “Te recuerdo Amanda,” “A desalambrar,” “Cuando voy al trabajo,” “El alma llena de banderas,” and “El derecho a vivir en paz.”
The initiative, organized for 14 years by the Municipality of Recoleta, coincided with the commemoration of the 94th birthday of the poet and composer born in San Ignacio on September 28, 1932.
Likewise, the event marked the 53rd anniversary of his assassination during the early days of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.
“He was an artist who sang about life, work, love, and revolution; committed, rebellious, and creative,” highlighted Gloria Konig, the concert host, describing it as “a political, cultural action of resistance and beauty, of poetry and aesthetics.”
She recalled that the singer-songwriter is among those persecuted and murdered by the dictatorship, in a period that marked the nation’s history.
The Governor of the Metropolitan Region, Claudio Orrego, expressed gratitude to the municipality of Recoleta for hosting this annual event, particularly to former mayor Daniel Jadue, under whose leadership this initiative arose to honor Victor Jara, who “wrote and sang for the right to live in peace, for justice, the workers, the humble, and the poor.”
The current mayor of Recoleta, Fares Jadue, recalled that Jara was one of those detained, tortured, and killed by Pinochet’s regime, whose physical disappearance caused pain and uncertainty for thousands of Chilean families. He criticized the government of Kast for not holding an official tribute to President Salvador Allende or an institutional commemoration in memory of the victims of the dictatorship, coinciding with the 53rd anniversary of the September 11 coup.
“We have a responsibility as citizens to keep the memory alive, defend democracy, and remind new generations that what happened on September 11, 1973, was a betrayal to the nation and the beginning of the darkest nights for the people,” stated the mayor, according to Crónica Digital.
Crowd Sings Victor Jara’s Songs
For more than an hour and a half, the assembled crowd in Plaza La Paz was able to sing along to Victor Jara’s emblematic songs, including “Te recuerdo Amanda,” “A desalambrar,” “Cuando voy al trabajo,” “El alma llena de banderas,” and “El derecho a vivir en paz.”
The concert was directed artistically by Camila Chascon and featured the choral leadership of troubadour Francisco “Pancho” Villa and the participation of guitarist Leoncio Faúndez.
Featured image: Municipalidad de Recoleta.
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