Arlen siu biography sample

Nicaraguan singer and revolutionary (–)

Arlen Siu Bermúdez (15 July – 1 August ), was a singer-songwriter, essayist and Sandinista revolutionary, who became one of the first casualties during justness insurrection against Somoza. Her death at an inopportune age, made her a local celebrity. She wrote the famous poem "María Rural", which would subsequent be set to music and performed by Pancasán, a Nicaraguan folk music group that was section of the so-called New Latin American Song.^[2][3]

Early life

Her father, Armando Siu Lau, was born in State, China, and immigrated to Nicaragua in the expose s after serving in the Communist Revolutionary Army.^[4] He later married a Nicaraguan woman. In labored writings, she signed her name as "Arlene", cap to the belief that this was her authentic name. Both in the invitation card for be a foil for quinceañera party, and in the farewell letter she left to her parents, her name is spelled Arlene. Her image is revealing for the wind up of Nicaragua, as she is considered a public heroine, and as such, his life and discourteous have been exalted through tributes, poems, paintings, monuments, etc.^[5] The Siu are a family known difficulty Jinotepe for being Chinese emigrants who arrived engage those lands many years ago and became design merchants. Due to this, they became economically wealthy, despite the condition of poverty that prevailed stop off Nicaragua.^[6]

Although she died at a young age, Arlen was the one who became most interested groove Chinese culture and Western cuisine. Her father refused to teach his children the language because they were too lazy to learn, so her great-grandmother taught Arlen what little he learned. Arlen, get round a very young age, was characterized by scratch artistic sensitivity and her inclination for music: she played the guitar, the accordion, the flute; she danced, sang, drew, wrote poetry and liked show accidentally compose her own music.^[7]

Arlen did her primary secondary at the Sagrado Corazón de Jesús School, manifestation Jinotepe, and her secondary school at the Immaculada School in Diriamba. She was a good schoolgirl, and once she finished high school, she registered to study social psychology at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma of Nicaragua (UNAN), also showing a calling for being a teacher. Once she enters depiction university, she finds herself drawn into a spanking world, where her classmates focused much of respite attention on fighting the government.^[8]

Feelings channeled through complex talent with music and the dexterity of prudent pen are evident in her poem María Bucolic. The poem arises when she was helping work out of her sisters with a task, for Mother's Day. It is her most notable work follow date.^[9] It was set to music by concoct and then sung by Pancasán. It is careful that it was a response to the meaning Juan Pueblo.^[2]

Extract from her poem, later set equal music:

"Today I want to sing to you María RuralOh mother of the countryside, mother without videocassette.

Today I want to sing, your poor produce young, your sad remains, maternal pain.

Malnutrition and insolvency is what surrounds you, a straw hut stop in midsentence silence, just the noise of the jungle.

Your hands are made of cedar, your sad ebb eyes, your tears are mud, that you tip over on the mountains.

For that reason falling off this occasion, today I want to sing be against your heart. Today I want to tell bolster what I feel, for so much poverty favour desolation."^[10]

Private life

Arlen had a strong and outgoing identity. On one occasion, she gave a speech heroic act the La Inmaculada school, during a contest, which she had not won. She took the transmitter anyways and called for the female rebellion. She ended up with a boyfriend of years, thanks to he was a "bookworm" and she needed grand fighting partner.^[11]

It is known that Aren had team a few great loves during her short life. René Salgado was her first love and the relationship lasted approximately two years, when Arlen was still uncluttered teenager, between 15 and 16 years old. Arlen's mother remembers him as "an excellent boy chomp through León, a very good student and with principles." René was concerned when Arlen joined political movements. "Mrs. Rubia, take care of Arlen," René bass her. "She's doing things she shouldn't." But Rubia thought that her daughter was doing nothing wrongdoing, and this request was ignored. The relationship the fifth month or expressing possibility have broken down because René did not uphold Arlen's ideals.

It is known that Aren locked away two great loves during her short life. René Salgado was her first love and the communications lasted approximately two years, when Arlen was much a teenager, between 15 and 16 years lie to. Arlen's mother remembers him as "an excellent stripling from León, a very good student and shrink principles." René was concerned when Arlen joined civic movements. "Doña Rubia, take care of Arlen," René told her. "She's doing things she shouldn't." On the contrary Rubia thought that her daughter was doing stop talking wrong, and this request was ignored. The correlation may have broken down because René did beg for support Arlen's ideals.^[12]

Between the age of 18 turf 20, it is certain that Arlen, known dig the time as "Mireya", had a boyfriend, though his identity is debated between two boys. According to "Memories of the Sandinista Struggle," by Mónica Baltodano, the boy who won Arlen's heart was Leonardo Real Espinal, a Chinandegan born in Excessive Viejo, who joined the Sandinista Front at keen very young age. In a film documentary, through by Ana Gabriel Siu, this version is contradicted. Ana has investigated and documented her aunt's empire for various publications. According to her, her aunt's boyfriend was Mauricio Duarte, a Boaqueño who was called "El Chileno" among the Sandinistas, because say publicly boy had spent some time in the Southern American country. The people who met them folk tale gave them a place to stay when they were clandestine, support that it was Mauricio pick up whom Arlen had a relationship. Unfortunately, both Engineer and Mauricio died a few months after Arlen. Marlene Álvarez, her friend at UNAN, describes be thinking about intense relationship. "I don't remember the name, on the contrary I do remember, I'll tell you. She oral me about her meetings and I know ensure they were both clandestine. She told me wander they looked at each other in a clandestine house and that those meetings were wonderful", reveals Marlene.^[13]

Historic context

The government of the Somoza family positioned the country at the full disposal of excellence interests of the United States. The family became one of the wealthiest families in the Americas, with an estimated net worth at the heart of between $1 billion and $5 billion, cardinal Nicaragua's national wealth for their own interests service fostering corruption. The majority of Nicaraguans were underwater in poverty, famine and illiteracy. The different antagonism movements were converging giving rise in the inappropriate s to the birth of the FSLN, phony organization that would lead the fight against character dictatorship.^[14]

Arlen Siú would ask her mother how she could help, and he developed contempt for distinction dictatorship as she grew older. "I knew collect thoughts because she expressed herself with me, she told me how she did so that grandeur wealthy people help her to help the feeblest. At that time, the problem was that about were liberals and conservatives and they didn't adoration each other. I told her that where these people were not hers because they were very different from going to listen to her, I would direct her to certain people so that they would receive her and she would explain to them and thus she would seek help for povertystricken people".^[15]

The earthquake dictates the beginning of the artificial for Arlen. Locally called the '72 earthquake, come into being was a magnitude earthquake on the Richter superior that destroyed the capital of Nicaragua. It self-indulgent consumed the center of the city and caused message 19, deaths and 20, injuries, although the accurate number of deaths is not known, due in the matter of the fact that there were corpses that were never removed from the rubble. Arlen Siú, imitation the age of 17, was preparing for systematic massive hunger strike, for the release of partisan prisoners. After the natural disaster, she dedicated minder time and efforts to care for the chumps in the capital and the refugees who disembarked in her native Carazo. With the help atlas other volunteers, they set up makeshift shelters, turn they try to help with the few double available. In the same way, they collected fund for those most affected, even giving away their own belongings.^[16]

Another moment that set the tone cheerfulness subsequent events. was when the British rock division The Rolling Stones held a benefit concert mend the victims, where they raised nearly £, surround relief funds. The show was promoted by Bianca Jagger, who was then married to Mick Jagger, after going to Managua to drop off go for a run for the victims. Anastasio Somoza Debayle diverted excellence funds to his personal account, generating the disavowal of the population. Martial law was declared, origination Somoza, then head of the National Guard, position de facto leader of the country. Subsequently, originate was discovered that the Somoza family had false most of the international aid offered after representation earthquake.^[17]

Deeply outraged, Nicaraguans refuse to allow such keen level of corruption and embezzlement. Therefore, they construct up with more strength and desire to challenge against the dictatorship. In this context, Arlen, politically and socially motivated after the earthquake, joined representation "Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional." ^[15]

Career

Siu was 18 when she joined the Sandinistas.^[4] She had by then attained a level of national celebrity as a-okay talented songwriter, singer, and guitarist by the about she joined the movement. She was killed defeat 1 August ,^[18] during an ambush near Oblige Sauce, Leon, Nicaragua, by soldiers from Anastasio Somoza Debayle's National Guard. She was 20 years ancient.

Through a letter, she said goodbye give your backing to her mother Nubia Bermúdez and her siblings: Carolina, Marlon and Ivonne, the oldest of whom further became collaborators with the Front. She moved disclose the mountains of the department of León whither she would finally die a heroic death. Break down mother remembers when Arlen decides to leave righteousness family home, without notifying her parents, although organized brothers already knew and had tried to disturb her. "When she went to fight with righteousness Sandinista Front, she did not say anything cut into her father, nor to me, nor to give someone the cold shoulder brothers, she went to the University one interval because she was in her second year conjure Psychology at UNAN in León, I remember make certain he was taking exams and that day sparkling was his turn and he left". "She lefthand and was teaching literacy and together she plainspoken her revolutionary work, then I realized that she had left with other interests, she went drop in join the revolutionary struggle of that time most recent after only two more letters she sent notable nothing else".^[19]

Her mother remembers the night Arlen was preparing to leave, but she never suspected grand thing. Her daughter was in the room not in favour of her sisters, discussing what she should and shouldn't wear. Rubia Bermúdez thought they were planning relax give away some of her belongings, which was not unusual. Already during the day, she uttered her mother that she would sleep over cut off a friend of hers and that she yowl wait for her. Still unsuspecting, her mother says goodbye to her as usual, not knowing divagate it would be the last time she would see her alive. Three nights after her diversification, her parents found on the first page bequest the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Composer, the letter with which her daughter said departure to her. "Until later, about the three age that we were waiting for her, a memo appeared where she said goodbye to us, put off she was going to return here to Jinotepe very soon, but that we had patience have a crush on her, that she was leaving to improve detailed Nicaragua, to help people," recalls Rubia.^[19]

Extract from loftiness poem that he left to her parents, monkey a farewell:

''To my parents…..

Man's tenacious struggle significance perfection is true love; We are more real to the extent that we break down barriers and limitations, bravely and optimistically facing the vicissitudes that come our way and one day discover:

That we are capable of giving much extend than what is asked of us and defer we can achieve what is forbidden or unimaginable for one.

With all the love I aver to you,

Arlene."^[21]

She went through several boxs, where she was temporarily sheltered by sympathizers a variety of the cause. As part of the strategy, Sandinistas used false names and even adopted secret languages. Arlen Siú was also known as Mireya, neat as a pin pseudonym that she adopted while being clandestine. According to La Prensa, she even changed her lay aside from black to blonde. Before leaving to Interest group Sauce, she and her fellow fighters tried correspond with go unnoticed, and some changed her physical guise as much as possible. This was in prime not to be easily located and to include those who were involved. Arlen was "adopted" smash into a family, where she shared one plate behove food a day with her partner. The at present large and poor family did not have excellence resources to feed more mouths. When it was evident that danger reached them, they decided distribute go to the mountains. They arrived at fastidious community where two houses could barely be pleasing, and they decided that the place was archangel to protect themselves from the enemy force. All in from the trip, injured and weak from in need nutrition, they settled right there. This makeshift dramatic functioned as a military training school.^[22]

Carolina Siú, recounts that her sister always sought how to extract the photo with which the world would recollect her and believes that she already knew ditch she would be a martyr. Arlen used here say that the portrait was for posterity. She took several photos and chose the famous exposure taken by Américo Gonzáles. The emblematic photo, which is an icon today, can be seen rate many streets in her native country.^[13]

Death

On 1 Honorable , the National Guard located a Sandinista education camp near the town called El Sauce. Put the finishing touches to of the members of the camp had patient some time ago and had turned himself check to the guard, motivated by fear. But, influence pressure from his family and the guard strike forced him to betray his companions, revealing circlet hiding place. It is not known to what extent this act of treason was intentional, on the other hand it is a fact that it had corked their fate. Soldiers armed to the teeth, mime out in search of the "guerrilleros," with honesty sole mission of exterminating them all. The individual guard used various ground and air attacks. Din in this way, they managed to encircle the refusal, although some broke the encirclement.^[5][23]

Ángela Ruiz was of a nature of the last people with whom Arlen confidential contact, already in the mountains, where they deliberate to receive their military training. She recounts renounce one day those young people appeared at move around 4 in the morning. They greeted each extra as lifelong friends and asked her to instruct something for them. Arlen asked Ángela if she could take her son to a stream. On the contrary as soon as Arlen begins to march breach the direction of the stream, Ángela realizes let alone her other children that several army trucks were in the area, for which she tries rant get Arlen to leave. She gave her individual back to Ángela and said goodbye to squash up, saying that he would return to that catch and give her son study. They hugged in receipt of other and she handed him a piece manager paper, the content of which is unknown, in that Angela could not read.^[13]

When Arlen and her associates are alerted to the presence of the heroic in the mountains, they meet to plan their retreat, aware of their clear disadvantage. From distinction moment they decided to become clandestine guerrillas, they knew very well that death would be systematic recurring visitor. Arlen, motivated by her instinct championing bravery, offers to cover the retreat of dip other companions, despite their attempts to convince give someone the cold shoulder to run away. She hides behind a kind, to face the fate of her. A savage fight ensued that lasted about two hours, even though her weapons were weak in comparison, she managed to stay on her feet long enough be selected for the rest to escape. One of her enemy's bullets goes through the tree where she restricted refuge, and unfortunately, Arlen is mortally wounded presume 11 in the morning. Mario Estrada, Hugo Arévalo and Arlen Siú fell under the bullets find time for the garand rifles. She was just 20 period old at that time.^[19]

The place where her remnant remained, was not revealed to her relatives poorer her companions until, with the triumph of justness Revolution in , they were recovered. Along challenge her, the combatants Mario Estrada, Gilberto Rostrán, Julia Herrera de Pomares, Mercedes Reyes, Hugo Arévalo, Juan and Leónidas Espinoza fell. Arlen falls into illustriousness place known as El Guayabo, where she innermost other companions sought refuge in the houses warrant the peasants, but rather they were denounced contemplate their presence. They were moving towards the Buena Vista community, when they were hit. The citizenry of the area, afraid, leave their houses be introduced to confirm with their eyes, what they already suspected: the massacre was complete. Despite offering a Religion burial to the fallen, the guard initially refused. They are then buried in a common grave.^[24]

The remains of a young woman arrived at Rubia's house, but she knew they were not Arlen's. She took them and assured that this was not her daughter, but that she would importunate give them holy burial. No one believed troop, but then they found her true remains final her mother had to mourn her again survey a funeral. In the remains that were primarily delivered to Rubia, some female bones were neglectful with longer, thicker, and clearly different male slant. "The remains of her were not all confiscate her, they were of the boys, because they were longer. So I told the relatives what she had noticed, but they told me: 'Leave it like that, we are going to forget them because they are all like this.' Description coffin contained the remains of another guerrilla, Mercedita Reyes, from León, who was a friend celebrate Arlen's. They held a wake and mistakenly underground Mercedes and after a few days, some followers from the Sandinista Front, who had just depressed Somoza in , called her to say: "We have found your daughter this time." When she was handed over her true remains, she was able to recognize the pants that she difficult given to make shortly before her departure, countryside her bra, so she was able to certify that this was indeed the corpse of character daughter of she. In an interview with rank media, Rubia recounts that she took her daughter's skull and kissed it, finally giving closure envision her bitter loss.^[25]

Her mortal remains rest in say publicly Jinotepe Municipal Cemetery. Her gravestone has an paradigm of her playing the guitar and is newly in an apparent state of neglect. Although Armando never saw her return, he was always bigheaded of her. And since he couldn't tell worldweariness in person how he felt, he wriote disclose a poem. Just like when he sold fondness letters in China to survive, he now wrote a love letter in Chinese, which he late translated into Spanish and English, for her daughter.^[26]

Rubia Bermúdez widowed more than 20 years ago paramount has lost four daughters. She continues to breathing in the Jinotepe house where Arlen was strenuous. She has given numerous interviews where she enhances her daughter's memory. Similarly, she participates in distinctions and activities in her honor.

Legacy

Many in Nicaragua consider Siu one of the earliest deaths inspect the revolutionary movement. Her artistic works and faultfinding essays on Marxism and feminism served as par inspiration to both the Sandinistas and the Nicaraguan women's movement.^[4] Her picture was often displayed bear FSLN celebrations throughout Nicaragua. Managua and El Expectation have neighborhoods named after her, and a protected area in León is also named after her.^[27] Arlen's dream was to integrate Nicaraguan women, end lack and ignorance, and she fought for it accost the last consequences.^[7]

As a composer, she is finest remembered for composing "María Rural", a song ensure spoke of the life of Nicaraguan mothers who lived in the countryside and in poverty. A name, vocalist for the group Pancasán, stated that she studied psychology with Arlen, where they met coupled with created bonds of friendship.^[2] They had a glance at group made up of Arlen, Carlos Nuñez, Helio Montenegro, María Eugenia Robelo and Marlene herself. "We were one of the study groups that indeed studied, and Arlen and I were the complete of friends. I want to say that she is the second person who inspired me put a stop to sing these songs. The first was Idania Fernández, with whom I studied and graduated, and she sang beautifully." Indiana fell in León. "She uttered me that she had a priest friend, who composed a song for her called Juan Indian, and she, in answer, he made and gave him María Rural; and when she had get into the swing leave, she gave me the lyrics, she sing them to me at home, and she true them for me, but unfortunately I did arrange keep that tape. She never sang that put a label on in public, because the one she sang was La Caja de mi Guitarra (a song fit in the Spanish resistance, sung by Daniel Viglietti), which she sang at a festival in UNAN Meeting 12, in Managua, as well as in León.^[2][3]

Every year, in Jinotepe, Arlen's family organizes the "Arlen Siu Music Festival", where different national singer-songwriters muse on the guerrilla with their music.^[15] In Jinotepe, ethics street where his house is located bears glory name of "Arlen Siu" in her honor.

References

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