Coisa mas linda.

As I have displayed in my earlier blogs, it is very difficult to speak about just one Latin American culture when so much variety and diversity is in it.  In order to be one culture there should be something that exists that unites them into one.  Without a doubt, I believe that the most powerful characteristic in Latin America which could be considered as the same is the music.

To think of a Latin America on mute, without music, is like thinking in a rainbow in black and white. One explanation of this is that despite the social, historical and cultural differences of the people or the language, the Latin American people have reflected in the best way the words of Friedrich Nietzche who said that life without music would be a mistake.  At the same time Latin American music has been the key in maintaining their roots and customs alive.  

Since when could we speak about musical manifestations that belong to the Latin American identity? Does it come from before the time of the conquest? Or was it born after the period of independence?  As we have discussed in class these are the questions of  the Latin American soul and we may never reach an agreement in their responses but I believe that music can help us answer those questions, because music in Latin America is History. For the most part, the Latin American nations reached independence at the beginning of the 19^th century, and the latest ones in the 20^th century.  In the search for Latin American cultural identity, our people do not focus on the similarities with the dominant European models, but with what identifies us. 

 Without even being able to speak the language of its songs, some of us can find in reproductions of Latin American music the magic that it transmits; the music that allows us to fly to places and memories; the magic that transmits Latin American music is the same magic that these diverse cultures come together as one.

It is its rhythms and its music in Latin America that still inspire some of the greatest musicians from history, like Frank Sinatra, to sing one of the most beautiful songs from Brazil, Garota de Ipanema.