It was a normal sunny day, and people were casually strolling on the busy streets of Peru.
After that, one man blew all the passersby away with his incredible talent in music and puppetry.
Though plenty of people can play music and some people can do puppetry, very few people can combine the two as well as he does here!
Armed with two stringed instruments, a pan flute, two girl puppets wearing Peruvian clothes and a pair of two cute alpacas, one man made everyone smile as he gave his rendition of “El Condor Pasa.”
“El Condor Pasa,” Spanish for “The Condor Passes,” is an orchestral musical piece from the zarzuela of the same name by Peruvian composer Daniel Alomia Robles.
It was written in 1913 and is based on traditional Andean music, specifically folk music from Peru.
The Andean condor is a symbol of freedom from which the zarzuela takes its name.
It starts with the slow strumming of the guitar, but before long, the man adds in the hum of the flute and beckons the start of the bird’s journey as it flaps its wings through the Andes.
Renowned as the world’s biggest flying bird, the Andean condor has been an important part of Andean mythology and traditions.
For example, the Inca nation considered it as the immortal representation of the Jananpacha—the upper world, sky and future.
These Andean people also believe the condor is a symbol of the Inca nation, and the bull represents the might of the Spanish conquerors.
Thus in the Peruvian Blood Festival, a giant condor is strapped to the back of an enraged bull in front of a roaring crowd.
For many Peruvians, it is a symbolic re-enactment of their liberation from Spanish rule. Though they predominately identify themselves as Christians, villagers see the condor as an Andean god that has come down from the heavens to fight for their freedom.
With the birds chirping and the mighty sun shining upon their faces, the performance symbolizes waking up in a new day full of hope.
Every strum of the guitar was a battle that occurred, every jingle of the feet was a struggle to move forward, every hum of the pan flute was the last breath someone took in the midst of battle.
By the end of the song, they have won the battle and reclaimed what is rightfully theirs!
And they shall wander in their lands free of fear and doubt, hence “El Condor Pasa” represents liberty as if you were a bird freely roaming the vast skies after fighting hard to regain independence.
The zarzuela’s famous melody is considered the second national anthem of Peru.
It is based on the traditional Andean music of Peru, which was declared an element of National Cultural Heritage in 2004.
It is the best-known Peruvian song in the English-speaking world due to a 1970 cover by Simon & Garfunkel on their album Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Their version is called “El Condor Pasa (If I Could)”.
Even so, we’re guessing there are probably more than 400 versions of the piece by artists from around the world, at least 300 of which have lyrics. In any case, be sure to check out this stunning street performance which offers a window into Peruvian culture.
Watch the entire thing by clicking on the link below:
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