Going home risky for musicians

Press, 17 August 1983, Page 1

Going home risky for musicians

If the members of the South American musical group, Papalote, played their music in their own home countries they would risk government disapproval.

The trio, Justo Diaz, Hernan Flores, and Janis Carter, are now based in Sydney but spend their time travelling and performing the traditional music of Latin America. Ask them where they are from and their first response is South America.

“We don’t really think of our individual countries. We are South Americans, the same people from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego," they explained. Justo Diaz is from Argentina and is the only remaining founding member of the group, formed about three years ago. Hernan Flores and Janis Carter, from Chile, have joined within the last year.

They are a part of a new song protest movement in South America, which aims at moving back to the “musical roots” of the continent.

“We, the movement, are against the commercial music pollution that is being played in our countries,” said Justo Diaz.

“It was impossible for young musicians to get started because all the radios were playing was American music. That is why the movement started.” They no longer live in their home countries of Chile and Argentina because of military dictatorships. Although too young to be directly involved, they remember musicians who were killed or disappeared because their songs challenged what the governments were doing. Uncertain whether they would ever be allowed into their countries, they say

they have put themselves at risk because of their association with Papalote. The three young musicians between them play more than 30 instruments, most of them traditional Latin American instruments. Some they have not brought to New Zealand because of the expense. However, one the group has brought is the charango, a 10-string guitar, that was banned in Chile because of its “subversive” connotations with the song protest movement.

Although the Papalote members have strong political feelings, they describe themselves as musicians rather than politicians. “If we gave political speeches it would take too long. We tell what is happening through our music. We sing in Spanish but explain what the song is about,” said Hernan Flores. The group sings full-time

and is more than willing to give its time to promoting appeals and support for South America. The New Zealand tour is part of a Corso appeal called “Keep the New Hope Growing in Central America.”

Papalote attended the launching of the appeal in Christchurch yesterday before travelling to Dunedin for a concert.. The group will perform in the Ngaio Marsh Theatre on Saturday evening and also give concerts in the North Island. South American music is strong in Sydney where about 10 groups perform, said Mr Diaz. “We belong to the La Pena cultural club, which is a group of South American musicians.” The members teach classes in how to play the traditional instruments.

“Many of the musicians can only play the music of their own country but some can play the whole range,

which is very wide. The instruments are different and also the rhythms,” he said.

Among the instruments the group has brought to

this country are the quena and quenacho (flutes from the Andes), the tiple (a small 12-string guitar from Venezuela), the marimba (xylophone), the bombo (bass drum), zamponas (pan flute)' and several percussion instruments.

The name Papalote comes from a song about an old Cuban kite-maker and is the Cuban word for kite. The song tells the story of the kite-maker looking back in history before he dies. It symbolises the group’s commitment to traditional South American music. The group has toured

New Zealand and Australia before visiting schools and has made a record, which Corso is selling to help the appeal.