Rigoberto Fontao Meza
| Rigoberto Fontao Meza | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Rigoberto Fontao Meza December 29, 1900 Tape Ka'aty, San Pedro Department, Paraguay |
| Died |
December 29, 1936 Asunción, Paraguay |
| Nationality | Paraguayan |
| Known for | Poet |
| Notable work |
"El arriero" "India" "Che Resay" |
Rigoberto Fontao Meza was one of the most outstanding poets of the Paraguayan native song-book. His highly descriptive and elegant rhymed poems enriched the Paraguayan literature history in Guaraní, Spanish and jopara.
He was born in Tape Ka'aty, located in the San Pedro Department, Paraguay, December 29 of 1900, son of Benjamín Fontao and Marciana Meza.
The died in Asunción, Paraguay, December 29 of 1936, the same day that he reached 36 years old.
Childhood and youth
His high composer attributes where useful to being the first author of the verses of the first guaranias composed by the creator of that revolutionary Paraguayan style, José Asunción Flores, whom he maintained a long and strong friendship, ruined later by a disagreement between them related to the guarania "India".
Career
He is the creator of many extraordinary and famous pieces as "El Arriero", "Arribeño Resay", "Ka'aty", and many others.
He gained the friendship of many composers of his time, being José Asunción Flores maybe the most famous of them. He composed the lyrics of the songs "Arribeño Resay", "Ka'aty" and the first version of "India" for him.
He wrote the lyrics of El Arriero", with Félix Pérez Cardozo composing a song for it later. This piece was very famous and nowadays we could still listen it by various media and in different versions by many interpreters.
When Manuel Ortiz Guerrero listened the guarania India for the first time interpreted by José Asunción Flores, he manifested his admiration for the piece, but questioned the lyric saying that it didn't had the same transcendence of the song, and offered to compose a better lyric. Flores conversed it with Rigoberto Fontao Meza, and he agreed supposing that his friend wouldn't allow the change, but Flores changed the lyric with the one from Manuel Ortiz Guerrero, and it became the version of India known nowadays, declared in 1944 by law of the Executive State as "Official Paraguayan Music" along with "Campamento Cerro León" and "Cerro Corá".
"Fontao Meza never forgot that attitude of mine. He took those hard feelings to his grave.“ says Flores in his memories.
Work
Numerous are the lyrics from this poet that confirms him as a great author. His contribution to the folcloric song-book are songs like:
- Mba'épa Nerohasê.
- Mutilados de guerra.
- El Arriero.
- Arribeño Resay.
- Ka'a Poty.
- Che resay.
- Nde Clavelkuemi.
- Poniente Ruguaicha.
- Congoja.
- Nda vy'airamoguare.
- Guerra tiempope guare'e.
Also theatrical plays and a poem book that will last forever in the memory of those who enjoyed this beautiful pieces.
INDIA
Un rey fabuloso, poeta y pintor,
que huyó cansado del trono real
llevó por el mundo su hondo dolor
en vano buscando un ideal
II
Indiscreta morena
que una noche naciera
de tristeza y penar.
Y una noche quisiera
de la selva olorosa su
perfume arrojar
Tupàsy Ka´aguy
nde rete mbokaja,
nde juru yvoty,
nde resa angaipa
III
Tras un largo de deambular por la sombra
sin ningun compañero de sueño cruel
forjo de su sueños toda la armonia
su cuerpo divino indiscreta, fiel.
Tupàsy ka´aguy
Nde juru eirete,
Nde resa pyhare,
Ne ma´è ñasaindy.
LYRICS: Rigoberto Fontao Meza SCORE: José Asunción Flores
Ka`aty
Amo mombyry cerromi kupépe
ka`aguy mbytépe che valle okañy
sapy`amiràicha ka`aty pe aju
apyta ko`àicha ku techagaù
II
Tras de aquellos montes, arroyos y cerros
Yo imito vente al urutaú
y mi lindo pueblo de largo destierro
lleva la nostalgia del mbarakapu
III
Aniveangána che compañero
Ore korasò reikytî`asy
ore aveiko orekuèra entero
ore symimi ha ore valle hovy
IV
Aniveangàna che compañero
ore korasô reikytÎ`asy
anive angana che compañero
ore korasî reikytî`asy
LYRICS: Rigoberto Fontao Meza. SCORE: José Asunción Flores.
References
- Sonidos de mi Tierra.