Testimonies

Testimonies are sorted by publication date, showing the newest first.
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To Sing by Improvising (Pa’ cantar de un improviso)

Music piece by:
Violeta Parra
Testimony by:
Claudio Durán Pardo
Experience in:
Campamento de Prisioneros Melinka, Puchuncaví, June 1975
Tags:
« We made a Venezuelan cuatro from a large plank of wood attached to one of the walls of the "ranch" where we ate. »
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Published on: 23 December 2014

Today I Sing for the Sake of Singing (Hoy canto por cantar)

Music piece by:
Nydia Caro and Riccardo Ceratto
Testimony by:
Beatriz Bataszew Contreras
Experience in:
Calle Irán Nº 3037 / Venda Sexy / La Discotheque, 12 - 18 December 1974
Tags:
« I have never been a great music listener. Nevertheless, before the coup I used to listen to Nueva Canción, especially Quilapayún and Rolando Alarcón. I also liked cumbias, to fool around. We would dance and have fun. »
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Published on: 13 September 2016

Today I Sing for the Sake of Singing (Hoy canto por cantar)

Music piece by:
Nydia Caro and Riccardo Ceratto
Testimony by:
Ángeles Álvarez Cárdenas
Experience in:
Villa Grimaldi, 6 - 15 January 1975
Tags:
« At that time, many prisoners were subjected to extreme torture in the interrogations. Some managed to get through those processes alright, while others broke down. »
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Published on: 02 December 2015

Today Was Visitors’ Day (Hoy fue día de visitas)

Music piece by:
Sergio Vesely
Testimony by:
Sergio Vesely
Experience in:
Cárcel de Valparaíso, 1976
Tags:
« Visitors’ day was an exceptional day that broke the monotonous routine of all the other days of the week. »
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Published on: 22 June 2015

Trim the Sails (Brazas a ceñir)

Music piece by:
Luis Mella Toro
Testimony by:
César Montiel
Experience in:
Campamento de Prisioneros Melinka, Puchuncaví, 1975
Tags:
« The Navy sailors made us sing every day, when we got up very early to raise the flag. We, as the squaddies, had to sing military songs, their songs. »
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Published on: 18 June 2022

Under my Skin (A flor de piel)

Music piece by:
Julio Iglesias
Testimony by:
Carmen Espinoza Alegría
Experience in:
Colonia Dignidad, April 1975
Tags:
« I’m from Talca. I met César, my comrade, my love, in 1971 or 1972, approximately. We were young idealists, we were members of Juventudes Comunistas, and were student leaders in our secondary schools. »
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Published on: 18 June 2022

Under my Skin (A flor de piel)

Music piece by:
Julio Iglesias
Testimony by:
César Montiel
Experience in:
Colonia Dignidad, April 1975
Tags:
« At the beginning of the 1970s, I met Carmen, my comrade, my love, at the Juventudes Comunistas of Talca. We had the life of young idealists, sharing our everyday, living this revolutionary process so beautifully. »
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Published on: 18 June 2022

Valparaíso

Music piece by:
Sergio Vesely
Testimony by:
Sergio Vesely
Experience in:
Cárcel de Valparaíso, 1976
Tags:
« This song was written and sung in cell number 198 of Valparaíso’s former prison, that is to say, on the top floor of the main building, which was higher than the walls that surrounded it. »
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Published on: 22 June 2015

We Shall Overcome

Music piece by:
Attributed to Charles Albert Tindley
Testimony by:
Alfonso Padilla Silva
Experience in:
Cárcel de Concepción / Cárcel El Manzano, December 1974
Tags:
« When the concentration camp that operated for nearly five months at the Regional Stadium of Concepción was closed in early February 1974, hundreds of political prisoners were transferred to the Concepción Prison, a wing of which was turned into a concentration camp. »
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Published on: 12 December 2014

We Shall Overcome

Music piece by:
Attributed to Charles Albert Tindley
Testimony by:
Héctor Salgado
Experience in:
Cárcel de Concepción / Cárcel El Manzano, December 1974
Tags:
« I would like to add, to the testimony of Alfonso Padilla, a picture of the musical group that performed the Joan Baez song, 'We Shall Overcome'. This group was formed and led by Alfonso Padilla during his time in prison. I was one of the first guitar students of Padilla. »
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Published on: 30 March 2019