Mujeres Talk: Corrido de Norma CantÃº

August 22, 2012

By la Webjefa

August 31, 2012, is the last day that renowned Chicana, feminist scholar Dr. Norma E. CantÃº will be at the University of Texas, San Antonio’s English Department. To honor her work, Dr. Larissa Mercado-LÃ³pez (one of her former students) led a group of volunteers who organized an amazingÂ mini-symposium on the life and work of Dr. CantÃº. Other Chicana scholars and some of Dr. CantÃº’s former students presented papers highlighting the multi-faceted aspects of CantÃºâ€™s work. As part of the panel on “Chicana Literary Expressions,” David F. GarcÃa, and Dr. Rita E. Urquijo-Ruiz collaborated by writing her a corrido entitled “Destino al andar.”Â The day closed with an after party at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center co-organized by another one of Dr. CantÃº’s former students, Dr. V. June Pedraza, and Dr. Antonia I. CastaÃ±eda, Dr. Elsa CantÃº Ruiz and another group of volunteers. People visited from all over the country to honor and thank Dr. Norma E. CantÃº for all the work, passion and love that she has shared with thousands of people in her communities. This corrido is just a little “regalito” for her. Mil gracias, Norma! De todo corazÃ³n.

Written and performed by Rita E. Urquijo-Ruiz and David Garcia at UT San Antonio on Friday, August 24.Â Video by conference organizer Larissa Mercado-Lopez.

“DESTINO AL ANDAR”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “DESTINY AS WE WALK”
Al empezar a cantar Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â As we begin singing
Pedimos permiso ahoraÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â We now ask for your permission
Para rendir homenajeÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â To pay tribute
A una ilustre doctora.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â To an illustrious doctor

Ella es de la frontera Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â She is from the border
En los dos Laredos criadaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Raised in the two Laredos
Chicana de tal carrera Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A Chicana with such a career
Por todos muy apreciada Â Â Â Â Respected by everyone

Norma CantÃº es su nombreÂ Â Â Â Norma CantÃº is her name
Y le vengo a saludar Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â And I come here to salute her
Le brindo mi canto alegre Â Â Â I offer her my happy song
Un regalo musical Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A musical gift

Es persona de renombreÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â She is a renowned person
Con buen don de la palabra Â Â Gifted with words
Maestra en todo sentidoÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Knowledgeable in every sense
En cualquier lengua que habla. In any language she speaks

Esta doctora sÃ curaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â This doctor does cure
Con esa pluma en la manoÂ Â Â Â Â With her pen in her hand
Escribe de la cultura Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â She writes about
De chicanas y chicanos Â Â Â Â Â Â Chicana and Chicano cultures

Para ayudar a estudiantes Â Â Â At working with students
Nunca nadie la mejora Â Â Â Â Â Â No one can be better
Todos ellos son brillantesÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â They are all brilliant
Es la ideal profesora Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Because sheâ€™s the ideal professor

Escribe nuevas historiasÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â She writes about new (hi)stories
Que hablan del feminismo. Â Â That speak of feminisms
Y con una pluma zurda Â Â Â Â Â Â And with the left-handed plume
De un pÃ¡jaro fronterizo Â Â Â Â Â From a borderlands bird

Brindamos a la maestroÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â We toast our teacher
En el lindo San AntonioÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In our beautiful San Antonio
Por la cultura tejana Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â She continues to give testimony
Sigue dando testimonioÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â On Chicana/o culture

Al andar se hace el destinoÂ Â Â Â Â Destiny is created as we walk
Por donde no hubo ni huellaÂ Â Where there wasnâ€™t a footprint
Peregrina de caminos Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pilgrim of the roads
Yo le saludo, Â¡Ultreya! Â Â Â Â Â Â Â I salute you, â€œ-Go forth!

Vuela, vuela golondrinaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Fly, fly away, swallow
Por el cielo tan azul Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Throughout the deep blue sky
Protege a nuestra madrinaÂ Â Â Â Â Protect our godmother
La profesora CantÃº Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Professor CantÃº

Â¡Viva la Dra. Norma CantÃº! Â Â Â¡Viva la Dra. Norma CantÃº!

Dr. Rita E. Urquijo-Ruiz is a professor of Spanish and Transnational Mexican Popular Cultures at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. Her book entitledÂ Wild Tongues: Transnational Mexican Popular CultureÂ was published in July 2012 in the UT Press Chicana Matters Series.

David Garcia is a musician/composer of Chicano/Mexican music from northern New Mexico. He is a Queer Xicano/Manito anthropologist who studies popular culture, foodways and the production of public space. Garcia is currently a Ph.D. student in the in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin.