Luzmila Carpio
Encyclopedia
Luzmila Carpio is a representative of the autochthonous music
and soul of Bolivian people.
She learned the daily songs of the Quechua and Aymara indigenous
peoples that inhabit the mountains and valleys of Northern Potosí
in Bolivia
as a small child. There she learned the meaning of sounds (the wind, the birds, the river, the echo of her own shouts to the winding cliffs) and voices (in rituals and fiestas of the people) and more importantly the connection between music and the well being of human beings and Mother Earth
.
Having migrated to Oruro
in her early teens, she started expressing herself through her songs. Once she went to a radio station and sang the national anthem of Bolivia
, for she knew not other songs in Spanish. Later on she was selected as the lead singer by a musical band that participated in a contest in Cochabamba. The popular songs she sang in this occasion were designed to meet the demands of the vast popular segments of the population, mostly descendants of indigenous peoples but who already lived in the cities and spoke Spanish
.
Afterwards, Siway Azucena, a melody composed by her inspired by the music of Northern Potosí
, spread throughout the country. Not everybody knew who the singer was, but the song was a landmark in the quest of integration, for it was the first time that a true indigenous song entered the domains of the popular segments of society.
Nonetheless, although her vocal quality and creativity guaranteed Luzmila a great amount of success among this the population, she was unrelententlessly searching both to reach more people with her music and to further the spirit of the Quechua people as a contribution to the country. Music was not so much a means to make money, which in any case was limited (compared to the amounts made by mega stars in first world countries), rather to reach people and share with them the spirit of the Andes
.
Thus, contrary to the prevalent trend of modernization, she started looking deeper into the cultural and musical ways of the Andes
and singing in Quechua, rather than Spanish. The main ingredient was not to please the audiences that kept growing but rather to use her music as an expression of rebellion against the predominance of wrong western ways of cultural progress over indigenous ones, as a way to show that this so far subordinated world also had a contribution to make, and as a way to build more harmonious relationships among the peoples of the world. In this quest, she authored and coauthored a number of songs for children: Ima sarata munanki ‘What kind of corn do you want’, Aylluman kutiripuna ‘Let us return to the community’ and many others.
In rural schools, it is common to observe children singing these songs with real pleasure. Then she went to Paris
where her musical evolution continued: from her popular songs in Spanish to her songs in Quechua to her Sacred Songs of international, universal quality. The aim, to foster peace amongst men and between man and nature.
On April 21, 2006, President Evo Morales
appointed Luzmila Carpio as Bolivia's ambassador to France.
Luzmila Carpio has been awarded Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the French Republic (Grande Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite), on June 14, 2011
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and soul of Bolivian people.
She learned the daily songs of the Quechua and Aymara indigenous
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
peoples that inhabit the mountains and valleys of Northern Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
as a small child. There she learned the meaning of sounds (the wind, the birds, the river, the echo of her own shouts to the winding cliffs) and voices (in rituals and fiestas of the people) and more importantly the connection between music and the well being of human beings and Mother Earth
Mother Nature
Mother Nature is a common personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it in the form of the mother. Images of women representing mother earth, and mother nature, are timeless...
.
Having migrated to Oruro
Oruro, Bolivia
Oruro is a city in Bolivia with a population of 235,393 , located about equidistant between La Paz and Sucre at approximately 3710 meters above sea level. It is the capital of the department of Oruro....
in her early teens, she started expressing herself through her songs. Once she went to a radio station and sang the national anthem of Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, for she knew not other songs in Spanish. Later on she was selected as the lead singer by a musical band that participated in a contest in Cochabamba. The popular songs she sang in this occasion were designed to meet the demands of the vast popular segments of the population, mostly descendants of indigenous peoples but who already lived in the cities and spoke Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
Afterwards, Siway Azucena, a melody composed by her inspired by the music of Northern Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
, spread throughout the country. Not everybody knew who the singer was, but the song was a landmark in the quest of integration, for it was the first time that a true indigenous song entered the domains of the popular segments of society.
Nonetheless, although her vocal quality and creativity guaranteed Luzmila a great amount of success among this the population, she was unrelententlessly searching both to reach more people with her music and to further the spirit of the Quechua people as a contribution to the country. Music was not so much a means to make money, which in any case was limited (compared to the amounts made by mega stars in first world countries), rather to reach people and share with them the spirit of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
.
Thus, contrary to the prevalent trend of modernization, she started looking deeper into the cultural and musical ways of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
and singing in Quechua, rather than Spanish. The main ingredient was not to please the audiences that kept growing but rather to use her music as an expression of rebellion against the predominance of wrong western ways of cultural progress over indigenous ones, as a way to show that this so far subordinated world also had a contribution to make, and as a way to build more harmonious relationships among the peoples of the world. In this quest, she authored and coauthored a number of songs for children: Ima sarata munanki ‘What kind of corn do you want’, Aylluman kutiripuna ‘Let us return to the community’ and many others.
In rural schools, it is common to observe children singing these songs with real pleasure. Then she went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where her musical evolution continued: from her popular songs in Spanish to her songs in Quechua to her Sacred Songs of international, universal quality. The aim, to foster peace amongst men and between man and nature.
On April 21, 2006, President Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
appointed Luzmila Carpio as Bolivia's ambassador to France.
Luzmila Carpio has been awarded Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the French Republic (Grande Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite), on June 14, 2011