176 CultureShock! Chile
other side of the political spectrum, Los Huasos Quincheros
represented the conservative right and sang folk songs for
the upper classes. They are the very definition of cuico.New Song Movement
Perhaps the most famous Chilean singer/songwriter was
Violeta Parra. She was the mother of the New Song Movement,
a cultural movement that swept the country in the late 1960s
and early 1970s. It voiced the great hopes for political and
social change in Latin America by incorporating traditional
rhythms, instruments and musical forms with modern lyrics.
The New Song Movement inspired and influenced many later
musicians. Parra committed suicide in 1967, supposedly
due to financial problems and the failure of a love affair. Her
most famous song Gracias a la Vida (Thanks to Life) was also
recorded and made popular in English by Joan Baez. Her
brother Nicanor Parra is a famous poet and several other
family members are well-known musicians.
Another prominent member of the New Song Movement
was the folk singer Víctor Jara. He was arrested during the
coup and detained in the Estadio Chile. He bravely sang
protest songs while being detained and was eventually
killed. He is a martyr to many Chileans. The Chile Stadium
was renamed Estadio Victor Jara in his honour. His two most
famous songs are the beautiful Te recuerdo Amanda and
Plegaria del Labrador.Popular Music
Chilean youth enjoy listening to both English and Spanish
language pop and rock music. There is no shortage of radio
stations and television programmes dedicated to playing
the latest hits. While Chile has had some successful rock
groups over the years like La Ley, Lucybell, Los Tres, Los
Jaivas, Los Prisioneros, a new wave of popular musicians is
just beginning to emerge.FINE ART
Chile has produced several world-renowned artists, whose
works have been exhibited in Latin America, Europe and