Cantos Cautivos

« While waiting in the grandstands to be interrogated for the first, second or more times, we would sing 'Free' to those who were being lined up to be released. 'Free' was a catharsis, a mixture of joy for those who were going and hope for those of us left behind. Unfortunately, the dictatorship and its civil and military henchmen employed the song for their own propaganda. »

Music piece by:

José Luis Armenteros and Pablo Herrero, popularised by Nino Bravo.

Testimony by:

anonymous

Experience in:

Campamento de Prisioneros, Estadio Nacional, September - November 1973

Tags:

[...]

« This song was performed in the Stadium grandstands by a worker from the Madeco factory: Peineta Vasquez, winner of a Song Festival that was organised at grassroots level, during the times when we were allowed to leave the spaces under the grandstands, inside the stadium, to sunbathe, together with women from various countries, before they got sent off to the pool area. »

Music piece by:

José Luis Armenteros and Pablo Herrero, popularised by Nino Bravo.

Testimony by:

Guillermo Orrego Valdebenito

Experience in:

Campamento de Prisioneros, Estadio Nacional, 1973

Tags:

[...]

« I’m from Chol Chol, part of the Coihue community. I was arrested along with 12 other people and they took us to the Second Police Station of Temuco. »

Music piece by:

José Luis Armenteros and Pablo Herrero, popularised by Nino Bravo.

Testimony by:

Paicavi Painemal

Experience in:

Comisaría de Carabineros N° 2, Temuco, 22 April 1985

Tags:

[...]

« I was taken prisoner on 23 November 1973, at the University of Concepción. In the Regional Stadium of Concepción, we had to sing the National Anthem every day. »

Music piece by:

José Luis Armenteros and Pablo Herrero, popularised by Nino Bravo.

Testimony by:

Marianella Ubilla

Experience in:

Campamento Prisioneros Estadio Regional, Christmas 1973

Tags:

[...]

« In prison, there was a guy who played the guitar. He cheered up the afternoons in the cell. We all sang with him. »

The Wall (La muralla)

Music piece by:

Nicolás Guillén (lyrics) and Quilapayún (music)

Testimony by:

Domingo Lizama

Experience in:

Cárcel de Valdivia / Cárcel de Isla Teja, 1973 - 1978

Tags:

[...]

« Nicolás Guillén (lyrics) and Quilapayún (music) »

Coplas of El Yopo (Coplas de El Yopo)

Music piece by:

Unknown. Traditional Venezuelan song. Popularised in Chile by Isabel and Ángel Parra

Testimony by:

Carlos Muñoz

Experience in:

Campamento de Prisioneros, Tres Álamos, 1975 - 1976

Tags:

« A comrade whose last name was Saavedra (if I recall correctly) sung this song passionately. This song earned him the nickname of ‘El Yopo’ (also ‘Chopo’), as is usual in popular culture. »

[...]

« Coplas of El Yopo (Coplas de El Yopo) »

Reflections (Reflexiones)

Music piece by:

Sergio Vesely

Testimony by:

Sergio Vesely

Experience in:

Campamento de Prisioneros Melinka, Puchuncaví, 1975

Tags:

« Prison forced me to think quite a lot about my political past and my total commitment to an ideological cause, and its consequences. »

[...]

« like glass tops. »

« To every comrade who had a birthday, we would sing 'Las mañanitas' and we would give them presents. The majority of the female prisoners would come together and sing to you. I spent one birthday in prison. Birthdays were important for everyone because we were alive. Because you have a birthday when you’re alive. »

Las mañanitas

Music piece by:

Manuel M. Ponce

Testimony by:

Beatriz Bataszew Contreras

Experience in:

Campamento de Prisioneros, Tres Álamos, December 1974 - May 1976

Tags:

[...]

« Las mañanitas »

Song of the Disappeared (Canción del desaparecido)

Music piece by:

Sergio Vesely

Testimony by:

Sergio Vesely

Experience in:

Cárcel de Valparaíso, 1976

Tags:

« Several of my friends and comrades disappeared after being arrested. The dictatorship denied knowledge of their whereabouts but I knew they were lying. »

[...]

« lashes the mind of an innocent man. »

« We arrived at Camp Compingin on Dawson Island on the afternoon of 11 September. We knew that we had been arrested that morning, and we knew nothing else yet. »

Balderrama

Music piece by:

Manuel José Castilla (lyrics) and Gustavo Leguizamón (music). Popularised by Mercedes Sosa

Testimony by:

Eduardo Ojeda

Experience in:

Campamento de Prisioneros Isla Dawson, 1973

Tags:

[...]

« and in every glass of wine »