:: Biography
Guerra is the son of Pedro Guerra Cabrera, the first President of the Canarian parliament. He began studying the guitar at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Tenerife.
At the age of 16 he started to perform regularly throughout Tenerife. At 18 he moved to the university city San Cristóbal de La Laguna, where he met fellow singer-songwriters Andrés Molina, Rogelio Botanz, and Marisa Delgado, with whom he formed Taller Canario de Canción in 1985. Marisa left the group the following year.
Pedro Guerras' style is based on Canarian folk music, as well as contemporary popular music, Latin American, and North African music.
In 1993 he moved to Madrid and embarked upon a solo career. As a musician and composer he worked together with Ana Belén, Víctor Manuel, Joaquín Sabina, Javier Álvarez, Paloma San Basilio, Amistades Peligrosas and the group Cómplices.
In 1995 he released his first solo album Golosinas. For his album Mararía (1998) he was nominated by the Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España and won the Mejor Banda Sonora de Obra Cinematográfica de los Premios de la Música, which is awarded yearly by the Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (S.G.A.E.) and the Sociedad de Artistas, Intérpretes o Ejecutantes (A.I.E.).
For the election of the European Parliament in 2005 he supported the campaign of Izquierda Unida.
:: Discography
* Nueva Canción Canaria (1985)
with Taller Canario
* Trapera (1987)
* Identidad (1988)
* A por todas (1989)
* Rap a duras penas (1991)
as a solo artist
* Golosinas (1995)
* Tan cerca de mí (1997)
* Mararía (1998)
* Raíz (1999)
* Ofrenda (2001)
* Hijas de Eva (2002)
* La Palabra en el aire (2003)
* Bolsillos (2004)
Malicunda
Pedro Guerra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Niñas nómadas que cruzan el desierto
cuidando los rebaños, guardando los corderos,
esperando el día en que la vieja aquitana
circuncide su sexo con cortes de navaja.
Entonces serán mujeres de provecho
que sus padres cambiarán por 5 ó 6 camellos,
porque 5 ó 6 camellos valen una mujer
En Malicunda juraron que nunca más.
Fue en Malicunda que se hizo el juramento,
y el eco fue llegando a oídos del gobierno.
Que pare el rastro de niñas mutiladas,
mujeres que no cuentan, mujeres que son nada,
y así hasta que termine y no vuelva a oirse nunca
el corte del acero en todo Malicunda,
ni en ningún rincón del mundo y sean iguales
para hombres y mujeres las prácticas sexuales.
En Malicunda juraron que nunca más.
The lyrics of Pedro Guerra's song "Malicunda" shed light on the practice of female genital mutilation that takes place in certain parts of the world. The song tells the story of young girls who are forced to nomadize through the desert to take care of their fathers' herds and guard their sheep. These girls are waiting for the day when they will become women after they undergo the painful practice of female genital mutilation. The song highlights the deep-seated patriarchal beliefs in some communities where women's worth is determined by their virginity and their ability to bear children.
The lyrics of the song also talk about the oath that was taken in Malicunda, the place where this practice is carried out, to never again allow the mutilation of young girls. The oath's echo reached the government's ears, prompting them to take action against female genital mutilation, which is still prevalent in many parts of the world. The song calls for an end to this practice and for gender equality in sexual practices.
Pedro Guerra's "Malicunda" is a powerful tribute to the girls and women who have been subjected to female genital mutilation. It calls for a cultural shift in attitudes towards women and their bodies, challenging prejudices and practices that diminish their worth. The song is a testament to the power of music in raising awareness and promoting change.
Line by Line Meaning
En Malicunda juraron que nunca más.
In Malicunda, they swore to never do it again.
Niñas nómadas que cruzan el desierto cuidando los rebaños, guardando los corderos, esperando el día en que la vieja aquitana circuncide su sexo con cortes de navaja.
Nomadic girls crossing the desert, taking care of herds and lambs, waiting for the day when the old Aquitanian woman will circumcise their genitals with a razor blade.
Entonces serán mujeres de provecho que sus padres cambiarán por 5 ó 6 camellos, porque 5 ó 6 camellos valen una mujer siempre y cuando esté intacta la puerta de su piel.
Then they will be useful women, whom their fathers will exchange for 5 or 6 camels, because 5 or 6 camels are worth a woman only if the door of her skin remains intact.
Fue en Malicunda que se hizo el juramento, y el eco fue llegando a oídos del gobierno.
The oath was made in Malicunda, and the echo reached the ears of the government.
Que pare el rastro de niñas mutiladas, mujeres que no cuentan, mujeres que son nada, y así hasta que termine y no vuelva a oírse nunca el corte del acero en todo Malicunda, ni en ningún rincón del mundo y sean iguales para hombres y mujeres las prácticas sexuales.
To stop the trace of mutilated girls, women who do not count, women who are nothing, until it ends and the sound of steel cutting is never heard again in Malicunda or any corner of the world, and sexual practices are equal for men and women.
Contributed by Amelia E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.