 -screams the Spanish tearjerker in my radio, while I am sitting in my kitchen waiting for the Peruvian news. In the next song the singer sighs: “You betrayed me with another woman, but I will never forget you, but love you forever…..” and her follower in the radio complains in a similar way that her lover cannot do without alcohol, but she cannot get away from him as well. I take an hour that morning to listen to the music program of the common local station and wonder one more time: What is going on?!
Ten songs one after another with the same subject: Disappointed love, betrayal, abuse in partnership, inability to draw obvious conclusions and the so-called endless “love”. It sounds like the exact description of everyday’s reality in the Peruvian highlands that we permanently confront in our church, counselling, seminars and contacts on the streets.
Some days later I find myself sitting in the public internet store trying to send my emails to Germany. „Te amo, te amo....soy un idiota, te perdí pero te amo....” – I love you, I love you….I am an idiot, I lost you, but I love you…..” sounds from the next cabin loud enough for everybody to hear.
I have other, similar experiences nearly every day in the public transportation, where the radio is turned on all the time, just like inside the stores and even on the street, from a big loudspeaker close to the main market. And I am amazed on how many young people know the lyrics and sing along!
I am meanwhile wondering: Does this public music scene mirror their everyday life and is therefore so popular? Or forms this constant subtle musical affusion everyday’s reality of the people around? Probably both applies and like that a literally vicious circle is being established. As Christians we keep teaching about the power of spoken words – not for nothing – and that we are being formed by what we expose ourselves to every day. This may be pictures or especially music, that with its sound addresses even deeper emotional levels.
I experienced several times when, in the public Minibus or in the internet shop my mood suddenly changed – out of the blue I would suddenly feel depressed or melancholic…. Only then I realized the music and oppose to my feelings.
What we as Europeans love about the South American music – the intoxicating rhythm, the minor sounds and ability to arise feelings – is in the highlands connected to frustrasting and destructive lyrics. They on the one side reflect the sad everyday life and yet cements it. A reality reflected in high suicidal rates, even higher divorce rates, alcoholism and violence.
And I understand even better why we see people love to sing Christian worship songs again and again – no matter if they are connected to faith or not. They may not be able to lay their hands on it themselves, but in those songs thythm and common melodies are connected to a positive, hopeful message. And that is what people hunger for so much!
Yes, we do offer an alternative! This is what keeps motivating me to encourage and teach our Peruvian siblings to sing and play music for and about Jesus. And it is good to see a growing national christian music scene, whose shongs are more and more audible in public radio stations and on the streets.
And sometimes, being asked as a foreigner if I like the local music, I have a good start to talk about the messages of the songs.
Birgit Ufermann
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