Francisca García-Cobián Richter is a researcher at the Center for Urban Poverty and Community Development at CWRU, and co-chair of Alianza Latina/Latin Alliance.
Her research focuses on the analysis of social interventions and the environments in which they operate.
A native of Peru, Francisca is honored to have collaborated with William Palomino Campos to bring his compilation of poetic songs from Ayacucho, Peru to Literature Against the Pandemic.
QACHWA[1]
Song sung by William Palomino Campos
I
Kumpa puriylla puririllasun
Yaku kallpaylla kallparillasun
Colorchallay cintachallay
Colorchallay cintachallay
II
Pilpinchay qillu sisachay
Pilpinchay puka sisachay
Arrayan[2] hina sarta sartacha
Calabaza hina warki warkicha
Aysarillaway chutarillaway
Hierro cadena watuchaymanta
Alambrecha watuchaymanta
III
Wayta huertapim yachani yachani
Coles huertapim yachani yachani
Kallpay brincay tumbischay[3]
Coles colerachay
Coles colerachay
IV
Pichqan pukyu[4] wikuñitaschay[5]
Sayanaykichum kayqa kallarqa
Tawan pukyu wikuñitaschay
Sayanaykichum kayqa kallarqa
Saya saya puralla pukllarikusun
Wiñay wiñay puralla pukllarikusun
Saya saya puralla pukllarikusun
Wiñay wiñay puralla pukllarikusun
QACHWA
Translated by Francisca García-Cobián Richter
I
Let us trot like rolling boulders
Let us run like the rush of a river
My colorful little lace
My colorful little lace
II
My dear butterfly of yellow flowers
My little butterfly of red flowers
Like vines of creeping myrtle
Like pumpkins hanging tight
Take me, hold me
From my iron vine
From my wire twine
III
I live in a farm of flowers
A farm of cabbages is my home
Jumps and skips my little goat
Angry little cabbages
Irksome little cabbages
IV
None of those five streams, my little vicuña
Has been your last stop
And none of these four streams, my dear vicuñita
Is your last stop
Let us play, all of us who are peers
Let us play, all of us together
[1] Cachua, Cashua, Kashwa, Qashwa, Qaswa or Kachua is the name given to a dance of indigenous origins that is typical of the areas of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Chronicles describe this dance as a courtship dance that was practiced during the Inca period. Currently the instrumentation, choreography and musical accompaniment of this dance is different in all the regions where it is performed.
[2] Shrub with flexible and opposite branches, opposite leaves in a cross, pointed, oval or lanceolate, of an intense green color, white and fragrant flowers, solitary or in groups of two, and blue-black or white berry fruit with a pleasant flavor; it can reach up to 5 m in height.
[3] It is a native climbing plant or creeper that grows in the inter-Andean valleys. It produces fruits of an ellipsoidal shape and similar in size to a chicken egg.
[4] They are springs of water that sprout from the subsoil.
[5] A camelid mammal the size of a goat, which is similar in general configuration, but with a longer and upright neck, a rounder head and no horns, pointed and straight ears and very long legs, which has a long and very fine colored coat. yellowish reddish, and lives wild in herds in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia.