President Bachelet, speaking at the wake for Margot Loyola: “We have her to thank for rescuing dances that were thought to be extinct, rhythms and melodies and traditions of our indigenous peoples.”
Last night President Michelle Bachelet attended the wake of renowned Chilean folklorist, composer, guitarist, pianist, compiler and researcher of Chilean folklore, and National Musical Arts Prize winner (1994), Margot Loyola. The ceremony was held in La Moneda Palace Cultural Center.
President Bachelet said, “Today is a sad day for all of us, for those of us who knew and appreciated the amazing woman Margot Loyola was: her talent, her personality, her work, her legacy. It is a sad day for me, not only as the President of Chile, but also as a woman who knew and appreciated Margot’s warmth, smile, and knowledge.”
The President recalled moments that she shared with Loyola and expressed gratitude for her closeness, affection, and the opportunities that they had to talk. “I have already spoken of the gift that she gave me, which I always carry with me. On her 95th birthday at her home in La Reina, she spoke to me of the indigenous peoples and sang me a Mapuche song. She gave me this ring, which is a cultrún (ceremonial drum). It has a bell inside that rings and brings good vibrations,” she said.
The President highlighted the fact that, “Margot Loyola and the women of her generation, like Violeta Parra, went on the road to rescue rural Chilean song, to place at the center of our identity the men and women who kept alive the cueca (the Chilean national dance), the tonada (a melancholy Chilean folksong), the versos por ponderación (Chilean folk style featuring lyrics containing exaggerations), the old dances, a central part of our history and our life as a nation.”
President Bachelet emphasized, “We have her to thank for rescuing dances that were thought to be extinct, rhythms and melodies and traditions of our indigenous peoples, from the northern highlands to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), from Chiloé to the Central Valley. Margot gave us must-have records, unforgettable notes, and the way that she was able to pass her love for our culture on to new generations.”
Finally, she said that Loyola’s legacy will live on, and that “though we are saddened by her passing, we are here to express our gratitude for her life, her work, and the work that she left to us. We will never forget that our mixed heritage and diverse identity is what nurtures the search for a better, freer, more just, and more beautiful future. And for all of this, we thank you very much, dear Margot.”