Ana Tijoux was born in Lille, France in 1977, daughter of Chileans that had fled the 1973 Chilean coup of Pinochet. Her interest in rap, hip-hop and dance began in 1988, but she didn’t return to Chile until after 1973 when civil power was restored. This song is from her 2014 album Vengo and even though it’s in Spanish, I believe the sense of independence and autonomy will come through even for non-Spanish speakers. Equally as impressive is the evident diversity of her world. For me, it echoes the sensibilities of Edward Steichen’s The Family of Man.

Since lyrics can be difficult to discern, especially on a first listening, I’m including the lyrics after the video.

 

Antipatriarca – Lyrics (Ana Tijoux)

Yo puedo ser tu hermana tu hija, Tamara Pamela o Valentina
Yo puedo ser tu gran amiga incluso tu compañera de vida
Yo puedo ser tu gran aliada la que aconseja y la acompaña
Yo puedo ser cualquiera de todas depende de como tu me apodas
Pero no voy a ser la que obedece porque mi cuerpo me pertenece
yo decido de mi tiempo como quiero y donde quiero
Independiente yo nací, independiente decidí
Yo no camino detrás de ti, yo camino de la par aquí
Tu no me vas a humillar, tu no me vas a gritar
Tu no me vas a someter tu no me vas a golpear
Tu no me vas a denigrar, tu no me vas obligar
Tu no me vas a silenciar tu no me vas a callar
CORO
No sumisa ni obediente
mujer fuerte insurgente
independiente y valiente
romper las cadenas de lo indiferente
no pasiva ni oprimida
mujer linda que das vida
emancipada en autonomía
antipatriarca y alegría
A liberar….
Yo puedo ser jefa de hogar, empleada o intelectual
Yo puedo ser protagonista de nuestra historia y la que agita
La gente la comunidad, la que despierta la vecindad
La que organiza la economía de su casa de su familia
Mujer linda se pone de pie
Y a romper las cadenas de la piel

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