The group was formed by students at Universidad Técnica del Estado at Santiago, Chile in 1967. In 1973 as they were on tour abroad, General Augusto Pinochet launched a coup d'etat and took power. Having heard of the numerous extra-judicial killings of many fellow artists by Chile's army, they took up residence in Italy, resulting in "the longest tour in history" for Inti-Illimani as they lived in de facto exile. They continued their efforts supporting Chilean democracy internationally; magnitizdat copies of their work continued to be widely distributed in Chile. In September 1988, days after they were no longer banned from Chile, they began touring Chile again. They helped organize the voting down of the referendum that would have re-elected Pinochet. Recently, they were actually supported by Chile as representatives of Chilean culture.
In the past the group was musically led by Horacio Salinas and politically led by Jorge Coulon. However, in 2001 there was a controversial split of the group, which started when three key members left the group (José Seves, Horacio Durán and Horacio Salinas). They were replaced by Manuel Meriño (from Entrama), Cristián González and Juan Flores. Due to the importance of departed members, many called into question the ability of the remainder to carry on the Inti-Illimani name. Meanwhile, the three departed members started their own group they call Inti-Histórico. From 2005 there are two groups:
Inti-Illimani New (Coulon brothers)
Inti-Illimani Histórico (José Seves, Horacio Durán and Horacio Salinas)
Membership
In August 1967 Inti-Illimani's earliest membership consisted of:
Horacio Durán
Max Berrú
Jorge Coulon
Luis Espinoza
Oscar Guzmán
Ciro Retamal
Pedro Yáñez
In 1968 Inti-Illimani's membership consisted of:
Horacio Salinas (Musical director and main composer)
Horacio Durán
Max Berrú
Jorge Coulon
Ernesto Perez de Arce
Current line-up of the "Inti-Illimani Nuevo":
Jorge Coulon
Christian González
Daniel Cantillana
Juan Flores
Efren Viera
Marcelo Coulon
Manuel Meriño
César Jara
Current line-up of the "Inti-Histórico":
Horacio Salinas
Horacio Durán
José Seves
Jorge Ball
Fernando Julio
Camilo Salinas
Danilo Donoso
Other members in the history of the group:
Ernesto Pérez de Arce
Homero Altamirano
José Miguel Camus
Renato Freyggang
Pedro Villagra
El Arado
Inti-Illimani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y hundo el arado en la tierra
Hace años que llevo en ella
¿cómo no estar agotado?
Vuelan mariposas, cantan grillos,
La piel se me pone negra
Y el sol brilla, brilla, brilla.
Yo hago surcos a la tierra
Sin parar.
Afirmo bien la esperanza
Cuando pienso en la otra estrella;
Nunca es tarde me dice ella
La paloma volará.
Vuelan mariposas, cantan grillos,
La piel se me pone negra
Y el sol brilla, brilla, brilla.
Y en la tarde cuando vuelvo
En el cielo apareciendo
Una estrella.
Nunca es tarde, me dice ella,
La paloma volará, volará, volará,
Como el yugo de apretado
Tengo el puño esperanzado
Porque todo
Cambiará.
The song "El Arado" by Inti-Illimani is a beautiful and poignant expression of the struggle of a farmer who is tilling the land. The song opens with the lines "I grip my hand firmly and plunge the plow into the earth. I've been in this land for years, how can I not be exhausted?" The singer then goes on to describe the beauty of the land, with butterflies flying and crickets singing in the background. The sun is shining down on the farmer's hardworking hands, and his sweat is forming ruts in the soil as he plows.
The song speaks to the resilience and strength of the farmer, who is never discouraged despite the hardship of his life. The lyrics are filled with hope, even as the farmer continues to struggle. The singer says that he is filled with hope when he thinks of the other star, and that he knows it's never too late. The chorus repeats again and again, "The dove will fly, will fly, will fly." The song ends with the farmer returning home in the evening and seeing a star in the sky.
Overall, "El Arado" is a beautiful tribute to the hardworking farmers of the world, who work tirelessly to put food on our tables. The song celebrates their resilience and strength, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Aprieto firme mi mano
I tightly grip the plow with my hand
Y hundo el arado en la tierra
And I push the plow into the earth
Hace años que llevo en ella
I have been working on this land for years
¿cómo no estar agotado?
How can I not be tired?
Vuelan mariposas, cantan grillos,
Butterflies fly, crickets sing,
La piel se me pone negra
My skin becomes dark
Y el sol brilla, brilla, brilla.
And the sun shines, shines, shines.
El sudor me hace surcos,
My sweat makes grooves,
Yo hago surcos a la tierra
I create furrows on the land
Sin parar.
Without stopping.
Afirmo bien la esperanza
I hold on to hope tightly
Cuando pienso en la otra estrella;
When I think of the other star;
Nunca es tarde me dice ella
It's never too late, she tells me
La paloma volará.
The dove will fly.
Vuelan mariposas, cantan grillos,
Butterflies fly, crickets sing,
La piel se me pone negra
My skin becomes dark
Y el sol brilla, brilla, brilla.
And the sun shines, shines, shines.
Y en la tarde cuando vuelvo
And in the evening when I return
En el cielo apareciendo
Appearing in the sky
Una estrella.
A star.
Nunca es tarde, me dice ella,
It's never too late, she tells me,
La paloma volará, volará, volará,
The dove will fly, fly, fly,
Como el yugo de apretado
Just like the tightly fit yoke
Tengo el puño esperanzado
I have a hopeful fist
Porque todo
Because everything
Cambiará.
Will change.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Victor Jara
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ricardoruz3500
sandbats5 Aprieto firme mi mano,
y hundo el arao en la tierra
hace años, que llevo en ella
Cómo no estaré agotao?
Aprieto firme mi mano
y hundo el arao en la tierra
hace años que llevo en ella
Cómo no estaré agotao?
Vuelan mariposas, cantan grillos
la piel se me pone negra
y el sol brilla, brilla y brilla
el sudor me hace zurcos,
yo hago zurcos a la tierra sin parar
Vuelan mariposas, cantan grillos
la piel se me pone negra
y el sol brilla, brilla y brilla
el sudor me hace zurcos,
yo hago zurcos a la tierra sin parar
Afirmo bien la esperanza
cuando pienso en la otra estrella
nunca es tarde me dice ella
la paloma volará
Afirmo bien la esperanza
cuando pienso en la otra estrella
nunca es tarde me dice ella
la paloma volará
Vuelan mariposas,cantan grillos
la piel se me pone negra
y el sol, brilla, brilla y brilla
Y en la tarde cuando vuelvo,
en el cielo apareciendo una estrella
nunca es tarde me dice ella
la paloma volará, volará, volará
Cómo yugo de apretao
tengo el puño esperanzao
porque todo cambiará...
@martinezeler5564
Quelle musique!!! c'est une pure merveille; il est vraiment dommage de ne jamais entendre de tels trésors en Europe!!!! Vive la culture sud-américaine!!!!
@perringostarr8784
Aun quedamos muchos quienes valoramos esta hermosa musica,en estos tiempos en que nuestra Latinoamerica esta invadida de ruido sin sentido.....
@chiconavarro605
Aunque nunca trabaje' la tierra se me pone la carne de gallina cuando escucho esta cancion del INTI yme siento identificado con mis hermanos campesinos LA PALOMA VOLARA Y VOLAAARA.
@karinitaomar
Víctor hoy en Chile estás más vivo que nunca 🙁
@MrImpalcature
Una música que me toca en el alma, gracias ♥️
@RobertoMartinez-kv5tp
Hermosa interpretación del Gran Maestro Max Berrú.
Él fue el alma de Inti Illimani.
@edsatan666
Esto es una forma de perfeccionar temas de Victor Jara, no como otros artistas chilenos que destruyen toda la belleza de sus temas. Grande Inti Illimani!
@aeea8318
C'est si beau et touchant que ça me fait pleurer 😢
@farshidmemari2459
Perfect music, perfect feelings ❤❤
@miloxxful
cada ves q oigo ete tema se me viene a la memoria los recuerdos de my abuelo...de la vida antigua...del araoo el asaon y la hichona...me encanta esta cancion..!!