Illapu was exiled due to their very liberal viewpoints during the right-wing dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, and returned to Chile in 1988. Their return was captured in the 1989 album `En Vivo: Parque La Bandera', which was a recording of their returning concert.
During their exile from Chile, they spent time in Europe in general and France in particular, where they gained a good amount of fame, as with other similar groups such as Inti Illimani and Los Calchakis.
Illapu comes from the Quechua word for "Lightning Bolt" (Quechua being the language of the Incan empire and still spoken by many Native American groups in South America).
Morena Esperanza
Illapu Lyrics
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(Nelly Lemus - Roberto Márquez)
Cadenciosa la esperanza
se metió entre las polleras
y le fue afirmando el paso
que bailaba la morena
revertir la vida entera
la esperanza le dio un beso
mintiendo la primavera
Los morenos en festejo
candombeando la esperanza
meneando pierna y caderas
ardían como candela
Suspendidas de la luna
van y vienen las morenas
y sus pechos agitados
alumbrando como estrellas
Por la tierra va creciendo
la esperanza de los buenos
y bailando están los dioses
bandera de los morenos
...:::Nelita:::...
The lyrics of Illapu's song "Morena Esperanza" tell the story of a hopeful and empowering spirit that enters the lives of a group of Afro-Latino individuals, giving them the energy and motivation to dance and celebrate life. The first verse describes this hopeful spirit as taking hold of the skirts and dresses of the women dancers and guiding their steps as they move in rhythm. The second verse focuses on a man, who is referred to as "the moreno" (a term used in Latin America to describe someone with dark skin), who dreams of changing his life completely. The hopeful spirit kisses him, falsely promising him a new springtime, but nonetheless igniting a spark of hope within him.
The energy of the dancers intensifies as they celebrate together and move with abandon, shaking their hips and legs like flames, suspended and shining in the moonlight. The final verse suggests that the spirit of hope is spreading throughout the land, and the "good people" are dancing into a new era. This song speaks to the experience of marginalized individuals who are able to find hope, joy and a sense of community through music and dance, even in the face of difficult circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Cadenciosa la esperanza
The hope was rhythmic and steady
se metió entre las polleras
It slipped among the skirts
y le fue afirmando el paso
And affirmed her dancing pace
que bailaba la morena
As the morena danced
Al moreno que soñaba
To the black man who dreamed
revertir la vida entera
To turn his whole life around
la esperanza le dio un beso
The hope gave him a kiss
mintiendo la primavera
Deceiving the springtime
Los morenos en festejo
The black people celebrating
candombeando la esperanza
Dancing the candombe with hope
meneando pierna y caderas
Moving their legs and hips
ardían como candela
Burning like flames
Suspendidas de la luna
Suspended from the moon
van y vienen las morenas
The morenas come and go
y sus pechos agitados
And their agitated chests
alumbrando como estrellas
Shining like stars
Por la tierra va creciendo
Through the land, it is growing
la esperanza de los buenos
The hope of the good people
y bailando están los dioses
And the gods are dancing
bandera de los morenos
The flag of the black people
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROBERTO MARQUEZ BUGUE�O, ROBERTO MARQUEZ BUGUENO, VILLA LEMUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind