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
La denuncia
Inti-Illimani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
la fiesta sigue su curso
mi largo y triste discurso
es parte de la función.
Les doy la continuación
porque eso es lo prometido
despéjense los sentidos
La prueba será el testigo
aquí la tengo en la mano
pa' condenar al villano
que tengo por enemigo.
Mis cantos desatan nudos
aquí va el primer disparo.
No han de pasar por el aro
mis versos por el saludo.
Hacia mediados de invierno
cuando las noches son crudas
vemos a tanta criatura
peleando ya en este infierno
más bien me venga la muerte
que seguir viendo este ejemplo.
El pobre vive en silencio
y sufre ya muy cruel castigo
de ver a sus diez chiquillos
en la miseria y el vicio.
Al borde del precipicio
se está agusanando el trigo.
No puede ni el más flamante
pasar en indiferencia
si brilla en nuestra conciencia
amor por los semejantes.
Es una infamia muy dura
que no se salven del foso.
El dolor es oprobioso
y pregunto de partida
si la justicia en la vida
existe pa' los rotosos.
Los llevan por el calvario
cargados con una cruz
les niegan hasta la luz
los ciegan con su sudario
los dejan sin los rosales
sin aire y sin manantiales.
De qué nos sirven los templos
de qué el sol y el aire puro
cuando su sol es oscuro
y va caminando a tientas.
Necesito un lazarillo
que me alumbre este tormento.
The lyrics of Inti-Illimani's song La denuncia can be interpreted as a message calling for social justice, empathy and the need to address the sufferings of the marginalized in society. The song starts with the metaphor of a play, where the singer's speech is a part of it, and the audience is invited to open their minds and senses to bear witness to the proof of the wrongdoing they will hear. The singer identifies himself as a victim of an enemy, who he will condemn, and who is responsible for the misery and vices suffered by the poor in society. The first shot of his verses is fired, and he criticizes the state of things and highlights the suffering of people in their fight for survival in the harsh winter nights.
The singer directs his accusations to those living in indifference, to those who are blind to the suffering of others. The poor, he says in the song, live in silence, and their cries for help are ignored. They are struggling to make ends meet, with their wheat rotting and at the brink of destruction. The singer's view of the world is bleak, and he poses a question about the existence of justice in this world for the poor. He concludes by saying that people need to rise above their indifference, their self-interest, and serve their fellow human beings. The song speaks heavily about social injustice and poverty, serving as a reminder of the need for the strong to help uplift the weak and vulnerable in society.
Line by Line Meaning
Ya está corrido el telón
The show has begun and now it's time for me to speak out.
la fiesta sigue su curso
Even though things seem like a party, there is something deeper that needs to be addressed.
mi largo y triste discurso
I have a long and sorrowful speech to share with all of you.
es parte de la función.
It's part of my role to express my thoughts and feelings on this issue.
Les doy la continuación
I will continue to speak on this matter so that I keep my promise.
porque eso es lo prometido
I made a commitment to speak up, and I intend to keep it.
despéjense los sentidos
I urge you all to clear your minds and really listen to what I have to say.
y tengan comprobación.
You will have evidence to support my claims.
La prueba será el testigo
The evidence and facts speak for themselves.
aquí la tengo en la mano
I have the evidence here in my hand.
pa' condenar al villano
This evidence will allow us to condemn the villain responsible for these injustices.
que tengo por enemigo.
The one I hold responsible for these wrongdoings is someone I see as my enemy.
Mis cantos desatan nudos
My songs untangle the knots or complexities surrounding this issue.
aquí va el primer disparo.
Here is my first shot or attempt to bring light to this issue.
No han de pasar por el aro
I won't allow my poetry to be used to maintain the status quo or perpetuate injustice.
mis versos por el saludo.
My verses are not just polite greetings - they carry deeper meaning and hold power.
Hacia mediados de invierno
Around the middle of winter, when the nights are cold and harsh...
cuando las noches son crudas
During the harshest moments of life...
vemos a tanta criatura
We see so many people, creatures or beings...
peleando ya en este infierno
struggling through hell or challenging life circumstances.
más bien me venga la muerte
I'd rather face death...
que seguir viendo este ejemplo.
than continue to witness this kind of injustice.
El pobre vive en silencio
The poor live in silence and in the shadows.
y sufre ya muy cruel castigo
and suffer greatly as punishment for their poverty or social status.
de ver a sus diez chiquillos
watching their ten little ones...
en la miseria y el vicio.
...live in poverty and resort to negative behavior.
Al borde del precipicio
They are living on the edge of a cliff...
se está agusanando el trigo.
...withering away like wheat rotting under the sun.
No puede ni el más flamante
Even the most elegant or fancy person...
pasar en indiferencia
...can't pass by with indifference.
si brilla en nuestra conciencia
If you have a conscience that shines bright...
amor por los semejantes.
...love for your fellow human beings.
Es una infamia muy dura
It's an incredibly harsh injustice...
que no se salven del foso.
...when people can't be saved from falling into a pit or a grave.
El dolor es oprobioso
The pain is unbearable and shameful...
y pregunto de partida
...and I have to start by asking the question:
si la justicia en la vida
...if justice in life...
existe pa' los rotosos.
...exists for the poor or the destitute.
Los llevan por el calvario
They lead them down the path of suffering...
cargados con una cruz
...carrying a heavy burden like a cross.
les niegan hasta la luz
...denying them even the light.
los ciegan con su sudario
...blindfolding them with a piece of cloth like a shroud.
los dejan sin los rosales
...denying them even roses.
sin aire y sin manantiales.
...air to breathe or water to drink.
De qué nos sirven los templos
What good are temples, churches or houses of worship...
de qué el sol y el aire puro
...what good is the sun and clean air...
cuando su sol es oscuro
...when their sun is darkened...
y va caminando a tientas.
...and they are left wandering blindly.
Necesito un lazarillo
I need a guide or companion...
que me alumbre este tormento.
...to light my way through this suffering.
Contributed by Mateo N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Enrique Ligeti
Mas actual esta canción,imposible,para las injusticias del Chile de hoy.
Cristian Arq
Que potente letra, estremece el corazon
Luis Conei
Hermosa canción , realista actualmente , me eriza la piel , gracias lnti , Chabela
Patricio Arce Caroca
Más actual imposible.
Luisa Rebeca López Moreno
Injusticias del mundo latinoamericano