Episode 4.
LYRICS FOR LIBERATION
Music for Lingo-Cultural Empowerment
Chapter 4.
Music goes much beyond mere entertainment; it is a powerful medium to embrace and survive languages, and the cultures they hold. This chapter delves into the transformative power of music, particularly hip-hop and rap, to rewrite language power dynamics, challenging linguistic imperialism. For these artists, music serves as a bridge between generations, a way to cherish, empower and take pride in their heritage, as well as addressing social issues.
"I will always believe that if a language dies, then history dies."
Liberato Kani, Peruvian Quechua Rap Artist and History Educator
LIBERATO KANI
THIS IS
"For many years, not knowing Spanish has complicated the lives of many people here (in Peru).
Many non-Spanish speakers and writers were manipulated and lied to, taken advantage of, mistreated by the people who imposed Spanish as an official tongue.
Losing land, being exploited. Even the law failed them because of our lack of Quechua-speaking judges and people in court. They never find justice."
Liberato Kani, Quechua Rap Artist and History Educator
"What I think we are lacking as a nation is integration. The integration of all Quechuan families. One head, one heart.
Collectively generating a social pressure regarding the importance of Quechua not only in the way we communicate, but in our essence and history."
Liberato Kani, Peruvian Quechua Rap Artist and History Educator
"We also need education. Implementing and integrating Quechua in education. People finish school with the illusion of making a change, and when they go to work in schools, and they face the harsh reality of being pressured to do everything in Spanish.
Changing the educational system framework, which is contextualized in the city (Lima) and used at Andean and Amazonian contexts. But education needs to be versatile. It needs to be adapted to different contexts.
Every material that we have is designed for the capital (Lima) and that is a flaw, and I say this from my experience not only as an artist, but also as a history educator."
Liberato Kani, Peruvian Quechua Rap Artist and History Educator
THIS IS
INMORTAL KULTURA
"If we are not here, someone else will have to come. But we need someone to speak about what is happening."
Yuyak Guitarra, Ecuadorian Kichwa Rap Artist
"I was a migrant to the capital (Quito), and my own migration process gave me perspective on the cultural and linguistic loss that I and many people experience when I migrated to the capital. That was the starting point to make Kichwa rap: to return to our culture, to our ancestral knowledge.”
When I migrated, I started valuing my essence and roots more. When you are surrounded by it, you take it for granted."
Yuyak Guitarra, Ecuadorian Kichwa Rap Artist
"The cycle will repeat itself: as long as there is no systemic and structural change, nothing will change. We can talk about liberation, about freedom and independence, but the cycle will repeat itself."
Yuyak Guitarra, Ecuadorian Kichwa Rap Artist
'We might be gaining visibility, but not necessarily in a correct manner. People advertise our traditions for profit purposes.”
"Kichwa rap is one with social justice. It's like a puzzle, where Kichwa rap fits perfectly to talk about social justice."
Yuyak Guitarra, Ecuadorian Kichwa Rap Artist
“Many times, judges are disconnected to what we are living, to our reality. In that way, the support we get is not as impactful. Even if projects are small, and their impact will be seen in ten years, they are still necessary.”
“We not only rap about politics and social justice, we also rap about politics of thought.”
Yuyak Guitarra, Ecuadorian Kichwa Rap Artist
"A cultural resistance, and reaffirmation of an identity (...) Taking our Andean Quechua culture to new horizons through music and art."
Lenin Tamayo
LENIN TAMAYO
THIS IS
Photo courtesy of Lenin Tamayo
ABOUT LIBERATO
Quechua Rap, History Educator
Peru
Liberato Kani is a Quechua-language hip-hop singer and songwriter. Through his music, he is a cultural and Indigenous language activist, sharing his connection to his Andean roots. Kani is also a history teacher and is highly involved with matters of language access and social justice in Peru.
ABOUT INMORTAL KULTURA
Kichwa Rap
Ecuador
Yuyak Guitarra is a member of Inmortal Kultura (Immortal Culture), Kichwa rap duo based in Ecuador. Through music, they empower Kichwa language and identities, in the context of Andean South America.
ABOUT LENIN
Q-pop (Quechua Pop)
Peru
Lenin Tamayo is a Peruvian music artist. In his music, Tamayo gets inspiration from K-pop and implements Quechua, an Indigenous language widely spoken in South America. Tamayo was born in Lima, but raised in the Andes.