An aymara poet

Some days ago I met Clemente Mamani Laruta after long time. I asked him whether he was still working on the radio and he answered yes. I remembered that in We Media Miami Conference where Voces Bolivianas participated we talked something about the use of aymara language within Media in Bolivia.

Fidel Huanca, was one of the first persons involved in radio using aymara, a native language mainly used in the Andean part of Bolivia. After him, there were other people that continued this job and within them we find to Clemente Mamani Laruta who nearly has 25 years working on radio using this native language, aymara.

He was born in Catavi, Los Andes and he told me that during the 80’s he started working on Mendez Radio and then he continued with other ones: Altiplano Radio, Progreso Radio, Unidas Radio and San Gabriel Radio. During the last 18 years he has been working in San Gabriel where he has a radio program “Aymara Culture”, which includes interviews, tales, sociodramas for one hour and a half.

He also makes poetry in aymara and up to now he has some poetry written in this language. Here comes a little of his poem Qullasuyo.

Qullasuyu wiñay Marka:
irnaqawimp wali jach'aptata
churich'amampi utjnuqayata,
qullqi jump'impi laqnchata
pututunakan art'apampi jilsuyata,
titxa q'urawanakamp sayt'ayta

The meaning would be:

Eternal Kollasuyo, that has advanced with great strength, that has walked with a lot of effort, with the sound of pututus has advanced.

Note: A pututu is an instrument used to call for a meeting or some important event. The noise this instrument produces can be listened at long distances.