300 people observe Chilean independence

Folk music, indigenous food and traditional poetry readings provided the University community with a sense of South American culture at a celebration of the Chilean Independence Day, Saturday. More than 300 people attended the third annual Pena Chilena at the Christian Association -- a celebration sponsored by the Penn Chile Committee and the Chile Committee for Human Rights. Pena Chilena Spokesperson Vivian Schatz said the Pena is a cultural jubilee. "The Pena celebrates Latin American culture," she said. "It is a place where there is this amazing interchange of musical ideas and it's similar to what goes on in Chile." Among the evening's entertainers was the Corazon al Sur, a trio which plays a variety of indigenous instruments including the charango and the bombo. Coro-Cane, a six member group who plays music from the Andean highlands of Peru, Bolivia and Chile also appeared. Coro-Cane musicians played handpipes and wooden flutes including the six-foot-long wooden toyo. The music was a blend of folk songs and Nueva Cancion -- a movement which adds contemorary words to old tunes. Carlos Trujillo, a Chilean poet who was awarded the distinguished Pablo Neruda poetry prize in 1991 and who teaches Latin American literature at Villanova University, spoke of the similarity in all human beings. "We are here in the name of all the peoples of the world seeking independence and freedom," he said. Proceeds from the evening will go directly to grass roots organizations in Chile to further human rights and promote education and health, Schatz said. College sophomore Todd Prinkey, decided to attend the Pena because he heard about the political repression in Chile since the 1973 coup that ousted Chilean president Salvador Allende. "I thought it was important to learn a little more about the culture and the current situation," he said. "The oppression seems to be played down in international politics." Karen Brandow, one of the performers, has lived in Guatamala since 1986, doing human rights work with families, workers, peasants and women's groups. "Latin America has not been in the public eye in recent times," Brandow said. "A lot of people still struggle south of the border in this hemisphere and we need to focus attention on them." Many performers also attended in order to meet fellow musicians. Program coordinator Estelle Platt, who is responsible for gathering a wide variety of music from many Latin American countries, said that past performers at the Pena have created groups after meeting one another at the event. "Paramo is one such group," Platt said. "They met here last year and this year they perform together." Heidi Mercado-Littles, a singer-guitarist at the Pena, agrees that musicians meet and bond at the event. "Many of us meet at one of our homes and just sing," Mercado-Littles added. "In Chile, we would do this often, but in America, it is hard with such hectic schedules." The food at the Pena was authentic, like the poetry and music. Empanadas -- a Chilean meat patty, Porotos chilenos -- a Chilean mixture of beans, squash, corn and tomatos, and Pastel de Choclo - baked corn with chicken, were served. Graduate student Maria Luz Aylwin, who brought her two sons Pablo and Ignacio to the Pena. "This was a great chance to meet people with interesting Latin American ties and to enjoy the music and the food," she said.