I have to share with you my favourite song from the Andes: Malacum Wawapa by LLajtasuyo.

I first heard this song live in a small pizza joint in Cusco by a talented Peruvian 4-some that travelled from restaurant to restaurant entertaining the tourists. It took forever to track down this song, well over a year in fact. I didn’t know the title or the original artist, nor even any of the lyrics, since its a combination of Spanish and Quechua. All I had was a choppy video to remind myself how the catchy ditty went. The other day I decided to hunt through iTunes for it, searching for music of the Andes, and viola! I found it with in 15 minutes.

This video is a live version by the original artist, Kalamarka, from Bolivia:

I love this song because of the way the flutes battle each other in some sort of beautiful dance, which mirrors the lyrics, from what I could track down. With the dancing flutes being metaphoric for the wind dancing with the beautiful maiden’s skirt as she dances. I translated the Spanish parts, but not the Quechua. Please forgive me for any mis-translations.

Malacum Wawapa (Spanish/Quechua)

En mis sueños he visto bailar
En Achacachi
Una linda suma imilla
Flor Azucena

Mantapasti Pank'ajama
Muythatapasti
Jawirjam jalir imilla
Malacum Wawapa

Su pollera que mandaba
Como viento que bailaba
El bailar de su pollera
Ritmo de mi bombo... bis
En la fiesta de mi pueblo
En Achacachi
Hay una luz como estrella
Testigo de mi amor

Uñcatasipaw K'ajjtaski
Chuym Lunthattu
Uca laycukiw jachtastua
Malacum Wawapa

Su Pollera que mandaba
Como viento que bailaba
El Bailar de su pollera
Al ritmo de mi bombo...bis
Malacum Wawapa (English/Quechua)

In my dreams  I've seen dancing
In Achacachi
A beautiful maiden
Flor Azucena

Pank'ajama Mantapasti
Muythatapasti
Jalir Jawirjam imilla
Malacum Wawapa

Her skirt is commanding
As the wind dances
The dance of her skirt
Rhythm of my drum ... bis
At the  party of my people
In Achacachi
There is a light like a star
Witness my love

K'ajjtaski Uñcatasipaw
Lunthattu Chuyma
Uca laycukiw jachtastua
Malacum Wawapa

Her skirt is commanding
As wind dancing
The Dance of her skirt
The rhythm of my drum ... a