Part II compiles music, graphic arts, and memes from the past year in Nicaragua.
Music
Carlos Mejía Godoy y Los de Palacagüina
Carlos Mejía Godoy is a Nicaraguan institution. Though once sandinistas, Carlos and his brother, Luis Enrique, distanced themselves from the FSLN. Last year, Carlos Mejía composed several new songs honoring the April protesters. This playlist contains 7 songs, including a live performance.
Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy
Like his brother, Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy has composed several songs about the Nicaraguan crisis. This playlist compiles six of those new songs.
De Humo: Canto Vandálico
On December 13, De Humo hosted the Canto Vandálico, a virtual concert compiling several of the new protest music in Nicaragua.
https://youtu.be/pGV0XATevxk
Los Minúsculos
Founded last year, Los Minúsculos are a band that describes itself as “a musical movement born from the violations of human rights in Nicaragua”. The band uses music to protest and “bear witness to injustice, aggression, murder, torture, detentions, censorship, persecution, intimidation, and threats by the government, its police, and paramilitaries against the Nicaraguan people.” This playlist contains 18 songs.
Jandir Rodríguez
Perhaps the best known song of the April protests is Jandir Rodríguez’ Héroes de Abril.
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Graphic Artists
Many Nicaraguan graphic artists have been sharing their work via social media. Here are some examples.
Contraforma Estudio
“Design is a political act. By this premise, the designer is also a political actor, consciously or not of his/her role in society.” These words preface a curated collection, compiling works by Edwin Moreira, Meyling Paz, and Lonnie Ruíz, with photographs by Jorge Mejía Peralta. The typeface, vandálica, that is used is free to download.
📣ATENCIÓN 📣A un año de insurrección cívica, Contraforma Estudio presenta la tipografía "Vandálica" de uso libre en sus carteles digitales. ¡El diseño es un acto político! ¡RT para que más gente la use! #SOSNicaragua#GritoPorNicaragua https://t.co/IqiT8gSjBO pic.twitter.com/kQipO1oIRT
— Bruja mística (@brujamistica) April 18, 2019
La Guasiruca
“A year ago, Nicaragua woke up. A year ago, we came together in a just cause for what it is right. We have suffered uncountable losses, but we will triumph, like a deep, loud volcano”
El Gato (via Managua Furiosa)
“How can we forget the peasants, the mothers of the victims of the repression, the young people who were persecuted and suffer; those who are in prison. I carry all of them in my heart.” Mons. Silvio Baez.
Edwin Carcache was kidnapped on September 4, along with six members of the University Coalition. He is a communicator, activist, and father. He mobilized at UPOLI and was the spokesman for the students. Carcache has been tortured and beaten several times in the Modelo Prison, but he has never lost his smile.
“Irlanda Jérez is one of the women that rose up with all she had against the dictatorship. She is a lawyer, a dentist, and a merchant. She led the gigantic Oriental Market into a full stoppage, through her calls to civil disobedience. She was detained last July, but her voice has not been silenced, even though she has been beaten, threatened, and jailed.”
“Amaya Coppens has dual nationality. She is Belgian-Nicaraguan. When the European Parliament Members visited Nicaragua, she had the chance to leave the prison. She responded “I’ll leave when all political prisoners get to leave.”
“To die at fifteen, barely when the kiss of that girl tickled your mouth.
To die at fifteen, when water ran through your hands, and the motherland was more love than the girl.
To die, Alvarito, before the kiss, before the motherland allowed you to live” (Gioconda Belli).
Alvaro Conrado would be 16 years old today.
Wanki Sketch
“Hello. I’m an illustrator, but first and foremost, I’m Nicaraguan. I was born in this blessed land and because of that I feel sad, pissed off, and impotent in the face of the oppression we are experiencing. Gentleman, Lady, young people of this country, let’s unite today more than ever. Let’s help each other. We won’t give up!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhz1R0xDCKG/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
This is a tribute to all the girls who came out, fought, and continue fighting for our rights and our dignity, and for those who died during the struggle. In tribute to Nicaragua, for being a land full of bravery and beautiful values.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiBOD6-jIQU/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
“For a free Nicaragua! with her vandal child…”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi75CjGDTH9/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Ralapi Wolf
Vagancio Juancho
“I am happy to have been part of the design for the monument to Alvarito, who will live in the hearts of the students of the Loyola and of all Nicaraguans. This was a joint effort, involving several artists.”
“If the country is small…”
“Freedom for our political prisoners”
The Introvert Bee
“When I asked, what does it mean to be Nicaraguan? people responded “listening or singing the national anthem, or Nicaragua, Nicaragüita, and crying”. And that is true. It doesn’t matter where we are in Nicaragua, or if we are abroad; whether we were born here or moved here, we are united. Our eyes and our hearts cry.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnu6Ul9BLyB/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
“Lesther, I cried when I heard you speak during the National Dialogue. Your voice is enormous and your words carry weight. You told it like it is. You are a hero to this country, a source of pride.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi5Pioaj2vC/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
“We have been called vandals, we have been lied to, we have been robbed, many things have been take from us, but not our hope. Be strong, Nicaragua!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh542IFjlY7/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
“This is how small we are…”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh2axRdj_dj/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
“No greater heartache…Forgetting is Forbidden.
For those 92 mothers, and for the mothers of those who have disappeared, and those who don’t know if their children will return after a march. For those mothers who will not surrender.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjaE1otD7CM/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Ellie Rainy
Brandon Lovo and Glen Slate were arrested by the Ortega regime, and today, they were declared guilty of the murder of journalist Angel Gahona. They are all from Bluefields, my Bluefields. They were tried in a city that wasn’t theirs, in a language they don’t fully speak, without evidence, by a murderous regime that is full of class prejudice and racism. We will not rest until we achieve freedom for our political prisoners.
And let’s not forget the feminine side of the revolution. These girls have their ovaries on tight. They fight against a system that minimizes them.
Memes
Rey Mapache (@mapachejambado)
Rey Mapache is the indisputable king of memes in Nicaragua; he has created over 90 memes.
en honor a todxs lxs leñadorxs y los que son parte de #OperaciónHorrocruxes pic.twitter.com/UwvOWIWh3M
— rey mapache 🃏🦝 (@mapachejambado) May 15, 2018
See the entire collection here
The Ortega-Murillo repression over the last 365 days has resulted in over 300 deaths, over 750 political prisoners, and 65 thousand exiles. Though there seems to be no end in sight, Nicaraguans still resist, hope, and work for a better nation.
#TodosSomosAbril #TodasSomosAbril
Never forget.
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