I was about 18 when I saw “Missing”. A movie starring Jack Lemmon as an American looking for his son who had gone missing in the Chilean coup in 1973. I remember being struck by the powerful message of the film, the crawling desperation of the father as the sheer hopelessness/helplessness of the situation develops. All that he found certainty in, being stripped away before his eyes. A tragic yet brilliant movie….
When Pinochet & his junta grabbed power on September 11, they wasted little time in silencing effective opposition to their power-grab using the main soccer stadium in Santiago as a Concentration camp for one.
Pinochet lost power in 1988, the matter of his indictment in the torture & murder of his citizens has not been effected..yet!
Ten years later as I watched the Chilean national team sing their anthem at the World Cup in France, I will never forget the passion those lads poured into the lyrics, pride in their country and the long journey out of a dark & brutal night.
I’m a fan of Sting, who wrote this beautiful ballad (below) in honour of the women of the missing of Chile. The mothers, wives, sisters who danced alone in a park in Santiago..a silent protest, a protest of immense dignity….Dancing a Chilean dance, “La Cueca”. Their dance was a symbol of the silent courage of the oppressed masses, a testament to the will of the common people will overcome tyranny in the end.
"They Dance Alone"
Why are there women here dancing on their own?
Why is there this sadness in their eyes?
Why are the soldiers here
Their faces fixed like stone?I
can't see what it is that they despise
They're dancing with the missing
They're dancing with the dead
They dance with the invisible ones
Their anguish is unsaid
They're dancing with their fathers
They're dancing with their sons
They're dancing with their husbands
They dance alone
They dance alone
It's the only form of protest they're allowed
I've seen their silent faces scream so loud
If they were to speak these words
they'd go missing too
Another woman on a torture table
what else can they do
They're dancing with the missing
They're dancing with the dead
They dance with the invisible ones
Their anguish is unsaid
They're dancing with their fathers
They're dancing with their sons
They're dancing with their husbands
They dance alone
They dance alone
One day we'll dance on their graves
One day we'll sing our freedom
One day we'll laugh in our joy
And we'll dance
One day we'll dance on their graves
One day we'll sing our freedom
One day we'll laugh in our joy
And we'll dance
Ellas danzan con los desaparecidos
Ellas danzan con los muertos
Ellas danzan con amores invisibles
Ellas danzan con silenciosa angustia
Danzan con sus padres
Danzan con sus hijos
Danzan con sus esposos
Ellas danzan solas
Danzan solas
Hey Mr. Pinochet
You've sown a bitter crop
It's foreign money that supports you
One day the money's going to stop
No wages for your torturers
No budget for your guns
Can you think of your own mother
Dancing with her invisible son
They're dancing with the missing
They're dancing with the dead
They dance with the invisible ones
They're anguish is unsaid
They're dancing with their fathers
They're dancing with their sons
They're dancing with their husbands
They dance alone
They dance alone
More on Chile and her recent travails found here http://www.chipsites.com/derechos/dictadura_victimas_eng.html
Showing posts with label Sting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sting. Show all posts
Monday, May 01, 2006
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Ketchup!
Home thoughts from abroad...
It’s hard not to grin like a Cheshire cat these days…Flying in the League..3 games from our first Championship in half a century!
Mourinho is having a laugh with the Football authorities showing them up to be the pompous buffoons we all know them to be. To see & hear Arsene Wenger keening like a French Banshee and Alex Ferguson contenting himself with an FA Cup run…these indeed are heady days for a Chelsea fan.
The greatest day of my life was the birth of my son!. Now whether it was in the subconscious or whatever but when he popped out into the world I sung to him two songs in that delivery room “Molly Malone” and “One man went to mow..” , the respective anthems of my birth city, Dublin and the sporting love of my life, Chelsea FC.
He’s sixteen months old now, the owner of two CFC kits as well as a Wexford kit plus his own hurl and ball. Whenever Fox Soccer Channel comes on, he jigs to the music and cheers to the “Chels” on the pitch. Already he has had a spot on a TV program, Chelsea fan and all round good guy Steven Cohen read him a dedication on Fox Soccer Friday last December on his first birthday.
Needless to say, I believe the next greatest day is soon to follow when John Terry lifts the premier league trophy.
Odds & Sods!
We (that was a royal we, meaning her indoors and myself) went to see Tom Jones last week. At the shows end, I counted 24 pairs of knickers on the stage, not bad for a 65 year old boy from the valleys…a great show, a great showman. Great to see fellow Celts in the numerous welsh who were present, glowing in my congratulations on their rugby team winning their first grand slam in 27 years and more power to them! With regard to the Knickers owners, they obviously didn’t count on it been so windy as they were whistling down Broadway after the show’s end…giving that piece of anatomy a second purpose in life! well at least that night!
Sting is next on the list next week. We’ll be visiting Oxford on the Ohio-Indiana border for that. Joe Jackson comes to Cincinnati next but Ticket master are scalping us with a $20 cover fee for two $33 tickets…it is getting ridiculous so I’ll hold fire on that.
The night before Tom Jones, we went to see Columbus crew open their MLS season v LA Galaxy…atrocious weather made an atrocious match..3-0 to the Crew
The Clan went to Chicago last month…all I can say about that is what a wonderful city it is. Wonderful architecture, tremendous attractions, fabulous restaurants and simply lovely people…we’ll be going back there very soon. The Missus’ maternal family is from Chicago and I know it was emotional for her, the first time she visited her mom’s old haunts and neighborhoods.
If ever you go there buy the Citypass combo pack…great value altogether.
http://citypass.com/city/chicago.html Check it out here!
England plays the US at Soldier Field and methinks I may head there if the Chelsea contingent doesn’t cry off.
Finally
The New York & US Blues heads to “Mecca” next week and take in The Fulham and Arsenal games….here’s wishing them all a safe and hugely enjoyable trip…fantastic people…we are close to setting up the Ohio branch here very shortly…details will be announced presently.
It’s hard not to grin like a Cheshire cat these days…Flying in the League..3 games from our first Championship in half a century!
Mourinho is having a laugh with the Football authorities showing them up to be the pompous buffoons we all know them to be. To see & hear Arsene Wenger keening like a French Banshee and Alex Ferguson contenting himself with an FA Cup run…these indeed are heady days for a Chelsea fan.
The greatest day of my life was the birth of my son!. Now whether it was in the subconscious or whatever but when he popped out into the world I sung to him two songs in that delivery room “Molly Malone” and “One man went to mow..” , the respective anthems of my birth city, Dublin and the sporting love of my life, Chelsea FC.
He’s sixteen months old now, the owner of two CFC kits as well as a Wexford kit plus his own hurl and ball. Whenever Fox Soccer Channel comes on, he jigs to the music and cheers to the “Chels” on the pitch. Already he has had a spot on a TV program, Chelsea fan and all round good guy Steven Cohen read him a dedication on Fox Soccer Friday last December on his first birthday.
Needless to say, I believe the next greatest day is soon to follow when John Terry lifts the premier league trophy.
Odds & Sods!
We (that was a royal we, meaning her indoors and myself) went to see Tom Jones last week. At the shows end, I counted 24 pairs of knickers on the stage, not bad for a 65 year old boy from the valleys…a great show, a great showman. Great to see fellow Celts in the numerous welsh who were present, glowing in my congratulations on their rugby team winning their first grand slam in 27 years and more power to them! With regard to the Knickers owners, they obviously didn’t count on it been so windy as they were whistling down Broadway after the show’s end…giving that piece of anatomy a second purpose in life! well at least that night!
Sting is next on the list next week. We’ll be visiting Oxford on the Ohio-Indiana border for that. Joe Jackson comes to Cincinnati next but Ticket master are scalping us with a $20 cover fee for two $33 tickets…it is getting ridiculous so I’ll hold fire on that.
The night before Tom Jones, we went to see Columbus crew open their MLS season v LA Galaxy…atrocious weather made an atrocious match..3-0 to the Crew
The Clan went to Chicago last month…all I can say about that is what a wonderful city it is. Wonderful architecture, tremendous attractions, fabulous restaurants and simply lovely people…we’ll be going back there very soon. The Missus’ maternal family is from Chicago and I know it was emotional for her, the first time she visited her mom’s old haunts and neighborhoods.
If ever you go there buy the Citypass combo pack…great value altogether.
http://citypass.com/city/chicago.html Check it out here!
England plays the US at Soldier Field and methinks I may head there if the Chelsea contingent doesn’t cry off.
Finally
The New York & US Blues heads to “Mecca” next week and take in The Fulham and Arsenal games….here’s wishing them all a safe and hugely enjoyable trip…fantastic people…we are close to setting up the Ohio branch here very shortly…details will be announced presently.
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