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Love Songs to Cause Rain
Love Songs to Cause Rain: Coplas de San Pedro de Cayambe
Picalqui, Provincia de Pichincha, Ecuador
Recorded and translated by Tod Swanson 2011
“They... went to the peak to dance when it didn't rain. Let me tell you something. Now a days they don't make the fiesta. Always since I [can remember], since [the days of] my father. Every year they made the fiesta. On San Pedro they used to make the fiesta. Holy Week pascua they used to do the fiesta, the fifth of September the same. And the rain storms never failed, you see? They never failed.” Llano Grande, Recorded in 1989
Throughout the Andean region the June fiestas were held to bring rain. The elderly Quichua lady quoted above blames the recent decrease of rains on the community's failure to hold their traditional fiestas. In this essay we will examine the logic behind how and why the fiestas were believed to cause rain. The logic of the fiestas rested on an assumption that rain was the bodily fluid of humanlike mountains and that the flowing of these fluids was triggered by emotional changes in the mountains. One way in which the analogy between rain and bodily fluids worked was to identify the rain with the tears of the earth or mountains falling in empathetic response to human sadness. However the rain can also be understood as a sexual fluid. Local mountains, like humans, were men or women, (kari or warmi) who fell in love, married, and had children. They also had affairs and jealous fights. This attraction and jealousy between mountain peaks was believed to generate storms and rain.
If the sexual arousal of the mountains caused their juices to flow resulting in rain how could a human community cause this to happen if they wanted it to rain?
Human love, especially unrequited sexual desire on a large scale, was believed to arouse the mountains resulting in rain. For this reason the fiestas featured large numbers of dance groups with choruses of men and women who sang erotic lyrics to each other. The mountains felt this contagious desire and responded with rain. Here I present a collection of these coplas which I have recorded from the Fiesta of San Pedro in the Tabacundo area of the Ecuadorian Andes. Although they are sung by communities who self identify as Kichwa the songs are now mostly sung in Spanish. I have therefore recorded them in Spanish and translated them into English.
I am Looking Straight at You
From here I am looking straight at you
Face to face Eye to eye
Yet I cannot tell you
What my heart feels
I Wish I Were a Little Bird
I wish I were a little bird
With little cotton feet
So that I could go to your bed
and cuddle your heart.
____________________________
I Spend the Day Thinking
Caramba! But caramba!
I am dying for you.
I spend the day thinking
I spend the night dreaming.
When the Barley is Born
When the barley is born
It is born leaf by leaf
And that is how our love was born
Word by little word.
______________________
I Wish I Were a Hummingbird Child
I wish I were a hummingbird child
Son of an old hummingbird
So that I could go from branch to branch sucking the best flower
The Ripe Guayaba
The ripe guayaba
You savor its little fruit
And a beautiful woman
You savor her little mouth.
______________________
I Like Milk, I Like Coffee
I like milk, I like coffee
But what I like more
is what you’ve got
What a beautiful appearance
What beautiful skin!
What beautiful lips
that woman has!
You should let someone feel them!
You should let someone feel them!
You should let me feel them too!
_____________________
The Day I Met You
The day I met you
You were like a girl
The day I met you
You were like a girl
Days passed, months passed
And I fell in love with you
Days passed, months passed
And I fell in love with you
____________________
If some day you were to leave me
And if some day you leave me
You will leave me with many memories
And if some day you leave me
You will leave me with many memories
Because I only love you
That’s why I’ll never forget you
Because I only love you
That’s why I’ll never forget you
That’s why I’ll never forget you
Because I only love you
That’s why I’ll never forget you
Because I only love you
Don't Buy the Rooster
Ay lady! Don’t buy the rooster
Ay! Better if you buy me
Ay! Woman, don’t buy the rooster
Ay! Better if you buy me
Ay! Because I have a dove
Ay! That will make you cockadoodledoo
Ay! Because I have a dove
Ay! That will make you cockadoodledoo
"Ayayay," Said the Pig
Ayayay said the pig
Ay! When they were castrating him
Ayayay said the pig
Ay! When they were castrating him
Ay! The female said
You’re getting rid of the best part!
Ay! The female said
Ay! You’re getting rid of the best part
Drinking pure rum
Ay! Drinking pure rum
Ay! But without getting drunk
Ay! Drinking pure rum
Ay! But without getting drunk
Ay! Macho, macho, like daddy
Ay! Not effeminate like you
Ay! Macho, macho, like daddy
Ay! Not effeminate like you
If You Can You Go Out
If you can you go out
If you can't you stay home
If you can you go out
If you can't you stay home
Giving wáter to the guinea pigs
Giving grass to the chickens
Giving wáter to the guinea pigs
Giving grass to the chickens
Ay! The boys from Picalqui
Ay! This how they sing and dance!
Ay! The boys from Picalqui
Ay! This how they sing and dance!
Ay! The boys from Picalqui
Ay! Stomping their feet hard, hard
Ay! Sweeping up dust from the floor
Ay! Stopping their feet hard, hard
Ay! Sweeping up dust from the floor
____________________
El grupo picalqueño
Esta con alegria,esta con alegria,
esta con emocion
Asi cantamos,asi bailamos asi
Chupamos con todo el Corazon
En viernes de cuaresma
Yo me confese
porque un día santo yo me enamore
en viernes de cuaresma yo me confese porque un dia santo yo me enamore
asi vida mia asi Corazon
cada que te veo me lleno de emocion
Arás tantiar, harás tantiar,
harás tantiar a mi también
Si no has de dar haras tantiar si no as de dar aras oler
Estoy sufriendo amargamente por una chola que no me quierete. estoy sufriendo amargamente por una chola que no me quiere, te quiero dises te adoro dises pero mas tarde adios me dises, te quiero dises te adoro dises pero mas tarde adios me dises.
A la vida de mi vida ay muerta la quisiera ver ay y no verla padeciendo
ay en brazos de otro querer
Los juramentos de las mujeres
En este tiempo no velen nada
Los juramentos de las mujeres
En este tiempo no valen nada
Te quiero dises te adoro dises pero mas tarde adios me dises
Te quiero dises te adoro dises pero mas tarde adios me dises
Arriba arriba arrba
Abajo abajo abajo
Al centro al centro al centro
Salud la copa adentro.
Te quiero dices te adoro dices pero mas tarde adios me dices
Te quiero dices te adoro pero mas tarde adios me dices
A la vida de mi vida
Ay! muerta la quisiera ver
A la vida de mi vida
Ay! muerta la quisiera ver
Ay no verla padeciendo
Ay en los brazos de otro querer
Ay no verla padeciendo
Ay en los brazos de otro querer
Ay! arrayan de la quebrada
Ay! ves que te van a cortar
Ay! arrayan de la quebrada
Ay! ves que te van a cortar
Ay! porque sirves ve alcahuete
De las que van a lavar
Ay porque sirves ve alcahuete
Ay de las que van a lavar
Ay! para ser buenos casados
Ay lo primero hay que tener
Ay! para ser buenos casados
Ay! lo primero hay que tener
Ay! dos platitos dos cucharas
Ay! una piedra de moler
Ay! dos platitos dos cucharas
Ay! una piedra de moler
Ay! canta canta wirak churo
Ay! encima de una solera
Ay! canta canta wirak churo
Ay! encima de una solera
Ay! como no quisiera estar
Ay! encima de una soltera
Ay! como no quisiera estar
Ay! encima de una soltera
Ay! ultimo año me doy gusto
Ay! porque ya me he de casar
Ay! ultimo año he me doy gusto
Ay! porque ya me he de casar
Ay! si la mujer es celosa
Ay! pateando le he de botar
Ay! si la mujer es celosa
Ay! pateando le he de botar
Ay! si no sabe cocinar
Ay con la olla le he de dar
Ay! si no sabe cocinar
Ay con la olla le he de dar
Ay! pañuelo blanco me diste
Ay! pañuelo para llorar
Ay! pañuelo blanco me diste
Ay! pañuelo para llorar
Ay! de que me sirve el pañuelo
Ay! si no te puedo olvidar
Ay! de que me sirve el pañuelo
Ay! si no te puedo olvidar
Ay! en el cerro del Mojanda
Ay! va silbando una torcaza
Ay! en el cerro del Mojanda
Ay! va silbando una torcaza
Ay! en su silbo va diciendo
Ay! cojudo es el que se casa
Ay! en su silbo va diciendo
Ay! cojudo es el que se casa
Ay! date gusto chivo viejo
Ay! ultimo año tan será
Ay! date gusto chivo viejo
Ay! ultimo año tan será
Ay! ya te cargarán los diablos
Ay! ya no bailarás San Pedro
Ay! ya te cargarán los diablos
Ay! ya no bailarás San Pedro
De la vida sí se goza
Cuando se tiene otro amor
De la vida sí se goza
Cuando se tiene otro amor
En me casa con mi moza
Y en la choza mi mujer
En me casa con mi moza
Y en la choza mi mujer
El sapito de la quebrada
Ay! chiquito perro ruidoso
El sapito de la quebrada
Ay! chiquito perro ruidoso
Ay! así son de las mujeres
He de hondo pero sabroso
Ay! así son de las mujeres
He de hondo pero sabroso
Ay! qué bonitos ojos tienes
Ay! en tu carita morena
Ay! qué bonitos ojos tienes
Ay! en tu carita morena
Ay! esos ojos serán míos
Aunque me cueste la vida
Ay! esos ojos serán míos
Aunque me cueste la vida
Desde aquí yo te estoy viendo
cara a cara frente a frente
Pero no puedo decirte
lo que mi corazón siente.
Quisiera ser pajarito
con patitas de algodon
para irme a tu cama
y arullarte el corazon.
_______________________
Caramba pero caramba
muriendo estoy por vos
el día paso pensando
la noche paso soñando.
La cebada cuando nace
Nace hojita por hojita
Y así nació nuestro amor
Palabra por palabrita!
_______________________
Quisiera ser kindi wawa
hijo del kindi mayor
para ir de rama en rama
chupando la mejor flor.
A la guayaba madura
Se le chupa la pepita
A las mujeres bonitas
Se les chupa la boquita.
_________________
Me gusta la leche, me gusta el cafe
Pero mas me gusta lo que tiene usted!
Que bonita catadura,
Que bonita piel!
Que bonitos labios
Que tiene esa mujer!
Aras tantiar!
Aras tantiar!
Aras tantiar a mi tambien!.
____________________
El día en te conocí
Como una niña yo te encontré
El día en te conocí
Como una niña yo te encontré
Pasaron días pasaron meses
Y yo de ti ya me enamoré
Pasaron días pasaron meses
Y yo de ti ya me enamoré
____________________
Y si algún día tú me dejarás
Muchos recuerdos me dejarás
Y si algún día tú me dejarás
Muchos recuerdos me dejarás
Porque te quiero tan solo a ti
Por eso nunca te olvidaré
Porque te quiero tan solo a ti
Por eso nunca te olvidaré
Por eso nunca te olvidaré
Porque te quiero tan solo a ti
Por eso nunca te olvidaré
Porque te quiero tan solo a ti
Ay señora! No compre al gallo
Ay! mejor cómpreme a mí
Ay señora! No compre al gallo
Ay! mejor cómpreme a mí
Ay! porque tengo una paloma
Que le hará qui-ri-qui-qui
Hay porque tengo una paloma
Que le hará qui-ri-qui-qui
Ay! ayayay decía el puerco
Ay! cuando le estaban capando
Ay! ayayay decía el puerco
Ay! cuando le estaban capando
Ay! y la puerca le decía
Ay! lo más rico están sacando
Ay! y la puerca le decía
Ay! lo más rico están sacando
Ay! tomando trago del puro
Ay!pero sin emborrachar
Ay! tomando trago del puro
Ay! pero sin emborrachar
Ay! jari jari como tayta
Ay! warmiyashka como vos
Ay! jari jari como tayta
Ay! warmiyashka como vos
Ay! siendo de poder se sale
Ay! si no se queda en la casa
Ay! siendo de poder se sale
Ay! si no se queda en la casa
Ay! dando agua a los cuyes
Ay! dando hierba a las gallinas
Ay! dando agua a los cuyes
Ay! dando hierba a las gallinas
__________________
Ay! así canta y así baila
Ay! la gallada Picalqueña
Ay! así canta y así baila
Ay! la gallada Picalqueña
Ay! zapateando duro duro
Ay! sacando polvo del suelo
Ay! zapateando duro duro
Ay! sacando polvo del suelo
San Pedro Dancer and Picalqui lead singer William Imba, Tabacundo, July 29, 2010. Photographed by Tod Swanson