Five Centuries and no Change

[Xipe Totec]

https://www.riseupandsing.org/songs/cinco-siglos-igual

About the Song
This sad and triumphant song is about 500 years of colonization of the indigenous peoples of the New World.

Different singers sing this song in a different order of verses.

Soledad sobre ruinas, sangre en el trigo
Rojo y amarillo
Manantial del veneno, escudo heridas
Cinco siglos igual

Libertad sin galope, banderas rotas
Soberbia y mentiras
Medallas de oro y plata contra esperanza
Cinco siglos igual

En esta parte de la tierra la historia se cayó
Como se caen las piedras aun las que tocan el cielo
O están cerca del sol, o están cerca del sol

Desamor, desencuentro, perdón y olvido
Cuerpo con mineral
Pueblos trabajadores, infancias pobres
Cinco siglos igual

Lealtad sobre tumbas, piedra sagrada
Dios no alcanzó a llorar
Sueño largo del mal, hijos de nadie
Cinco siglos igual

Muerte contra la vida, gloria de un pueblo
Desaparecido
Es comienzo, es final, leyenda perdida
En esta parte cinco siglos igual

Es tinieblas con flores, revoluciones
Y aunque muchos no están
Nunca nadie pensó besarte los pies
Cinco siglos igual


Mudcat
Translation(s)
Translation:
Five Centuries the Same

Loneliness over ruins, blood on the wheat
Red & yellow
Spring [source] of the venom, shield, wounds:
Five centuries the same

Liberty without gallop, broken flags
Arrogance & lies
Medals of gold & silver against hope
Five centuries the same

In this part of the earth, history fell down
Like the stones fall down, even the ones that touch the sky
Or are near the sun, oh that are near the sun.

Lack of affection, failed meeting, forgiving & forgetting
Body with mineral
Working peoples, poor childhoods
Five centuries the same

Loyalty over tombs, holy stone
God couldn't manage to cry
Long dream [or sleep] of evil, nobody's sons
Five centuries the same

Death against life, glory of a people
That have disappeared
It's the beginning, it's the end, lost legend
In this part five centuries the same

It's darkness with flowers, revolutions
And even though many are not there
Nobody ever thought of kissing your feet
Five centuries the same