1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,840 Speaker 1: Labrega is back this season. We're spending time with the 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: people and symbols that represent Puerto Rico. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 2: We're proud Borricuas and what does that mean? 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 3: And we are still terrified. 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 1: We're telling stories about champions from a place worth fighting for, 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 1: stories that will inspire you no matter where you're from. 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: Come okay, Wow, this is La Brega Campeones. Listen early 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: and ad free with fubuo plus. 9 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 4: Latino USA is highlighting stories about Afro Latinos as we 10 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 4: honor and celebrate Black History Month. This is one of 11 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 4: those stories. You can also check out our archives to 12 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 4: listen to many more. Almost a year ago, on March 13 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 4: twenty twenty five, a small jet stream plane was leaving 14 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 4: Rotan Island, a popular destination for divers and beach goers 15 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 4: of the coast of Anduras. It was headed to the 16 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 4: nearby city of La Sva on the mainland, but almost instantly, the. 17 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: Aircraft crashed into the sea within a minute of taking off. 18 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 4: After a few seconds in the air, the plane began 19 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,919 Speaker 4: to nose dive into the sea. Witnesses say the plane 20 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 4: made a sharp turn to the right of the runway 21 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 4: and plunged into the water. Local fishermen approached, aiming to 22 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 4: rescue survivors for twelve of the seventeen passengers and crew, 23 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 4: it was too late. 24 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 5: My first thought is that this is fake news. 25 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 6: And I was like, ah, it's only rumors, It's only rumors. 26 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 6: But then the media confirmed it. 27 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 4: Aboard the plane was Outradio Martinez, a man who dedicated 28 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 4: his life to playing and preserving the music and culture 29 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 4: of the Garifuna people. 30 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 5: Something like this happens and you you really see the 31 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 5: true nature of the impact that his music had. 32 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 4: From Futura Media and PRX, it's Latino USA Anfernande chavarri 33 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 4: in for Marino Josa Today The Life and Legacy of 34 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 4: Aurelio Martinez, a recording artist and star of the Garifuna people. 35 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 4: This story originally aired last year, shortly after his passing. 36 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 4: All along the coast of Central America live the Garifuna. 37 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 4: They are a unique community with mixed Indigenous and African 38 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 4: roots and a history of resistance against colonialism. They are 39 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 4: also some of the last remainer speakers of an indigenous 40 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 4: Caribbean language, the Garifuna language Familia. Nor would you me 41 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 4: Mama umadu amiro or Amida. 42 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 6: Haadi where you wo. 43 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 4: But in Central America, the Garifuna people are probably best 44 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 4: known for their unique, soulful music. The greatest exporter of 45 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 4: this music was Aurelio Martinez. Not only was Aurelio at 46 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 4: once in a generation talent, he was one of the 47 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 4: loudest defenders of a culture and people under threat. Our 48 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 4: co ceo here Futura Media and a former producer of 49 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 4: Latino USA, Marlon Bishop was a dear friend of Aurelio's. 50 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 4: In two thousand and seven, when Marlon was just starting 51 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 4: his career, he ended up living with Aurelio in Nonduras 52 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 4: for several months and learning from him and his music. 53 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 4: On this episode, Marlon will share the story of Aurelio 54 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 4: and pay a tribute to his life and his work. 55 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 4: Here's producer Marlon Bishop. 56 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 7: My story with Aurelio begins with a car battery. It 57 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 7: was two thousand and seven. I was twenty two years old, 58 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 7: just out of college. I wasn't yet a journalist. I 59 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 7: had been a musicology student focused on the music of 60 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 7: Latin America. After graduating, I won this fellowship and involved 61 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 7: studying getting from the music in Honduras. My project was 62 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,919 Speaker 7: to make field recordings and interview getting from the musicians. 63 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 7: Back then, social media barely existed, so it wasn't so 64 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 7: easy to find people. So what was my big plan 65 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 7: for getting sources for my project? Show up and hope 66 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 7: for the best. And so show up I did at 67 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 7: the bus station in Las Eba, a relaxed city of 68 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 7: sea breezes and conk soups hugging the Caribbean coast. When 69 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 7: I arrived there, waiting for me was an uncle, specifically 70 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 7: the uncle of a Honduran American friend from college. He 71 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 7: agreed to pick me up and help get me settled. 72 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 7: I threw my backpack in the car and we drove 73 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 7: off to explore the town. 74 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 6: Yet, as. 75 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 7: We passed by the quiet malecon the Plaza, the mall 76 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 7: with the seemingly out of place Applebee's in it, soon 77 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 7: the uncle pulled over next to a two story, whitewashed home. 78 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 7: He thought I might be interested in this particular house. 79 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 7: It was Aurelio Martinez. It's house. My big dream for 80 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 7: this trip was to meet Aurelio. I had been inspired 81 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 7: to come to Hunters after falling in love with his 82 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 7: album Gotti from a Soul. Now Here. I was in 83 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 7: front of his house and by chance, here he was too, 84 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 7: sitting in a black pickup truck in his driveway, repeatedly 85 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 7: twisting the key in his ignition. His car battery, as 86 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 7: it happened, was dead. Naturally, we offered to give him 87 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 7: a jump, and to thank us, he invited us in 88 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 7: for lunch. He was thirty eight years old, then, short hair, 89 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 7: dressed casually, he frequently broke out into an enormous smile 90 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 7: and belly laughs. Aurelia was already a well known musician 91 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 7: and a member of the Hunter. In congress over a 92 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 7: seafood stew, I told him about my project, hoping he 93 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,159 Speaker 7: might grant me an interview. He had a better idea, 94 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 7: Why don't you move into my house and then you 95 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 7: could do all the interviews you want if we made 96 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,359 Speaker 7: jam coldly And so for the next three months, I 97 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 7: more or less became Aurelio's random gringo intern. I found 98 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 7: this recording of us playing some music together in one 99 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 7: of those first days For a music nerd like me, 100 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 7: it was all kind of a dream as Aurelio's random 101 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 7: gringo intern I lugg speakers to concerts, recorded his demos 102 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 7: and garage band, and just kind of followed him around. 103 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 7: One day, he took me to a televised benefit concert 104 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 7: held in a gymnasium Martinez I love. The next day 105 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 7: we drive out for cultural event in a small church 106 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 7: in a Garriffina beach town. The pews filled with women 107 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 7: in pastel dresses. When time allowed, Aurelio would give me 108 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 7: lessons on Garriffin of music. He told me about the 109 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 7: rhythm that was danced to make the yuca harvest stronger. 110 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 5: Is from. 111 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 7: For about the different songs for men and women. 112 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 8: Ana. 113 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 7: She was an absolute encyclopedia of culture, and he also 114 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 7: taught me about Garriffina history. 115 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 6: Africa. 116 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 7: The Gekuna story begins not in Honduras, but on the 117 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 7: Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, located near Saint Lucia and Barbados. 118 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 7: The European powers largely failed to colonize Saint Vincent at first, 119 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 7: facing fierce resistance from the indigenous carib people, who managed 120 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 7: to hold on to most of the island themselves by 121 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 7: at least the seventeenth century. There are records of a 122 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 7: sizeable number of Africans and their descendants living among them. 123 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 7: How exactly they got there is unknown. Some historians believe 124 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 7: they were survivors of wrecked slave ships on the way 125 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 7: to the New World. Others say the Africans had escaped 126 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 7: plantations on neighboring islands and sought freedom in Saint Vincent. 127 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 7: Yet others believe their presence may predate colonialism. Aurelio and 128 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 7: most Gariffina people are proud of their history of resisting 129 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 7: enslavement La commeegrifu and munca a clavisa it's illico pelon 130 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 7: nero in Kurasungia America to cis jnas plavituri. Regardless of 131 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 7: how they got to Saint Vincent, the Africans mixed with 132 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 7: and occasionally fought with the native people, ultimately taking on 133 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 7: their Arawak and carib language and culture and becoming the 134 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 7: dominant force on the island. When Europeans returned to try 135 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 7: to finally subdue the island, a fierce war between the 136 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 7: English and these so called Black Caribs broke out, lasting 137 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 7: for several years. The English decided that this powerful nation 138 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 7: could never be brought to heal, so in seventeen ninety 139 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 7: seven they exiled them to Central America, hoping they might 140 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 7: become a headache for the Spanish. The Garufina spread out 141 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 7: all along the then sparsely populated Caribbean coast of Central 142 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 7: America and maintained their mixed African and Indigenous culture and 143 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 7: language for centuries, but nobody bothering them very much. Aurelia 144 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 7: was born and raised in the least bothered of all 145 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 7: the Garrifina towns, Plaplaya. It's far off the road system 146 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 7: and beyond electric light in the Moskitia rainforest. I had 147 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,719 Speaker 7: the privilege of visiting Plaplaya with Arelio. Just getting there 148 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 7: is totally an adventure. Boats and trucks driving on the 149 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 7: sand and floated down rivers on rafts. The town is 150 00:09:57,040 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 7: filled with traditional homes built on a whisper of land 151 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 7: between lagoon in the sea, and indeed the town is everywhere. 152 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 7: In Aurelio's poetry, he has a song called Landini about 153 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 7: being a boy waiting at the river bank for the 154 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 7: adults to come back from work and listening to the 155 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 7: loud silence of the rainforest. Money guanoia landing. Aurelio was 156 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 7: the youngest of a family of nine. When he was 157 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 7: a small child, his father left the home to try 158 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 7: to make money in the United States. Later Aurelio would 159 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 7: sing about that wound of family separation. His father wrote 160 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 7: songs and played guitar and would send home cassettes that 161 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 7: Aurelio would listen to and study. His mom sang and 162 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 7: compose as well. As a boy, Aurellio crafted his own 163 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 7: makeshift guitar out of scrapwood and fishing lines. If you 164 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 7: saw them from a western lens, told me you could 165 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 7: say that they were poor, but they were rich in 166 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 7: other ways. Yeah, it is alta forma. Nature provided what 167 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 7: they needed. For example, in those years, an expensive delegacy 168 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 7: like crab was plentiful and commonplace for them in Canasta 169 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 7: wherever he went. In later years, Plaplia remained. His inspiration 170 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 7: is centro on the yomen nut Pa. It's the center 171 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 7: that feeds me. It gives me my words. It's the 172 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 7: closeness to nature, to the mother, to the traditions, La la. 173 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 5: Latras. 174 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 7: But soon young Arelio would leave Plaplaia and go farther 175 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 7: than that boy waiting at the river landing might ever 176 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 7: have imagined. 177 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 4: Coming up a Latino Usa Alredio Martinez the artist is born. 178 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 4: Stay with us. 179 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 3: There's a lot going on right now. Mounting economic inequality, 180 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 3: threats to democracy, environmental disaster, the sour stench of chaos 181 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 3: in the air. I'm Brook Gladstone, host of w NYC's 182 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 3: On the Media. Want to understand the reasons and the 183 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,439 Speaker 3: meanings of the narratives that let us hear and maybe 184 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 3: how to head them off at the pass. That's on 185 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 3: the media's specialty. Take a listen wherever you get your podcasts. 186 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 4: Hey, we're back and today we're paying tribute to the 187 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 4: legacy of Garifuna leader and recording artist Aurelio Martinez, who 188 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 4: died in a plane crashing on Duras last year. Before 189 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 4: the break, we heard about how Aurelio Martin has grew 190 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 4: up in a traditional Garifuna town surrounded by music. Now 191 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 4: let's get into how Aurelio became a Garifuna superstar. Here's 192 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 4: Marlon Bishop once again. 193 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 7: Aurelia was clearly a gifted child and when the time came, 194 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 7: his mother arranged for him to leave the rainforest and 195 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 7: attend high school in the city of las Aba, and 196 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 7: soon after high school. 197 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,199 Speaker 5: He was already a rising star. 198 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 7: This is Evan Duran, Aurelio's longtime producer and the owner 199 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 7: of Stonetree Records and believes. 200 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 5: This was early nineties. That time, Punta rock was kind 201 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 5: of like picking up and punto rock is a kind 202 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 5: of like the popular Garifuna genre for the dance floor. 203 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 5: It's kind of like a modern version of punta, which 204 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 5: is a traditional rhythm of what goes along with a 205 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 5: fertility dance, and became a popular punto rock artist. 206 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,559 Speaker 7: Aurelio sang with several punta bands, putting los gatos bravos. 207 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 7: But what got him noticed actually was not his singing, 208 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 7: but his dancing. 209 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 5: Everybody was crazy. Every time bounced. Nobody could bounce like him. 210 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 5: But in between that he formed a group called Lita. 211 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 7: Meaning Rooster's blood in Garifuna. AliOS group Lita Ridan was 212 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 7: something new, a band of young Gyfuna musicians playing a 213 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 7: stripped down but fresh take on traditional music with acoustic 214 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 7: guitars and drums. 215 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 5: That's the first recording I heard from him. I'm a 216 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 5: I was amazed. 217 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 7: From there, Aurelio's music went in two directions. He started 218 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 7: his own pop band are with local hits like Pumpys 219 00:14:55,960 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 7: com Pumpis. 220 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 5: And then there's the cultural work that's how he used 221 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 5: to call it, and trabajo cultural, which for him was 222 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 5: all about love, tradition and that true expression of the culture, 223 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 5: and that for him was sacred. 224 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 7: That cultural work really took off once Aurelio met Ivan. 225 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 7: Ivan was a young music producer working on a compilation 226 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 7: of Garifna Paranda music and Paranda. The Garifna guitar music 227 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 7: would become Aurelio's great passion. 228 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 5: It's very soulful music, right, It's like the Troubadors music. 229 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,119 Speaker 5: It's like music that tells stories. 230 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 7: Ivano was recording the elder legends of Paranda, hoping to 231 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 7: preserve the sound of a dying generation, and young Aurelio 232 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 7: was invited to participate what. 233 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 5: He transformed the album. 234 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 7: The compilation was a huge success, partially thanks to Aurelio, 235 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 7: and in two thousand and four, Yvan produced Aurelio's firstlo 236 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 7: album titled Guna Soul. This was the album that in 237 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 7: two thousand and seven brought me to Honduras. 238 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 5: It was a huge success. Everybody immediately learned all the 239 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 5: songs and you could hear them on the radio, non stuff. 240 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 7: It was a masterpiece. I would say that would be 241 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 7: his best. Nob Betty's most cultural activist, Pablo Blanco was 242 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 7: discovering himself as a university student in Buffalo when the 243 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 7: album came out, and he remembers playing it on repeat 244 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 7: to feel connected to his Garriffina family back home in 245 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 7: the Bronx. I mean, Howdio was our jay z. He 246 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 7: was our fiancy. 247 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 8: He was He was the person that really carried the 248 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 8: people's music to an international careery, you know, because he 249 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 8: had like elements of Can funk, jazz and blues and 250 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:15,959 Speaker 8: his very unique voice. 251 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 7: With Garifunasoul, Aurelio became a known international artist. Musician and 252 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 7: recording engineer Victor Arzu was a frequent collaborator. 253 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 1: Well. 254 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 6: Aureli was a good hearted person and very friendly. He 255 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 6: was always laughing, you know, smiling, joking. 256 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 7: Aurelia was incredibly disciplined. He rarely drank or smoked and 257 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 7: just had this incredible font of energy, like he never 258 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 7: stopped moving. 259 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 6: Sometimes we'll be working up to like you know, three am, 260 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 6: and then we'll go to the linias in Sava where 261 00:17:56,240 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 6: they sell the baliadas, and then will be there three am, 262 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 6: four am, five am looking for food and then go 263 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 6: back to the studio and keep working. 264 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 7: In two thousand and six, Aurelio was ready for a 265 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,960 Speaker 7: new place to direct all that energy, and so he 266 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 7: turned to politics. Only he sa political. He didn't choose 267 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 7: to be a politician. He once told me. His art 268 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 7: and the position that came with it pushed him towards 269 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:30,360 Speaker 7: it il il poerlarte. Aralio was elected as the first 270 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 7: Garivna representative from the Atlantida province where he lived, and 271 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,920 Speaker 7: one of the first black legislators in the nation's history. 272 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 7: He was serving in Congress while I was staying with 273 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 7: him in two thousand and seven. Every week he'd get 274 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:43,920 Speaker 7: in his black pickup truck and drive half a day 275 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 7: to his office into Gusi Galpa. His presence in politics 276 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 7: was a true victory for Garifuna everywhere the motter a 277 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 7: Minorias del pais ca. 278 00:18:55,440 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 6: Politicos para cam pueblos. 279 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 7: He was able to show that the country's minority populations 280 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:05,719 Speaker 7: could be part of the political process and change their 281 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 7: own destinies. But quickly he became frustrated with politics. Years 282 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 7: later he told me about it is Prieste. Aurelio had 283 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,959 Speaker 7: hoped to achieve big things, but he ended up unable 284 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 7: to make progress. He wrote up a bill to protect 285 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 7: indigenous land from being overrun by squatters and business interests basically, 286 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 7: but he could barely get Congress to discuss a single 287 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 7: paragraph of the law. And then, in the middle of 288 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 7: his final term in government, the Belizian Garufna artist Andy 289 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 7: Palacio passed away. 290 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 4: We're going to take a break and when we come back. 291 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 4: How the death of a peer changed our Elio's future. 292 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 6: Is libertad statura not to. 293 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:10,439 Speaker 4: Stay with us? Hey, we're back, Let's finish the story 294 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:13,360 Speaker 4: about Elio Martinez. Here's Marlin Bishop again. 295 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 7: Lou bound. 296 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 6: Outdoor. 297 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 7: Andy was the voice of the Garifuna. Intuitively, Aurelio understood 298 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 7: that his people needed him as a leader now, but 299 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 7: not in government. On stage, his friend Vaughan remembers that 300 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 7: moment he. 301 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 5: Took the decision to go back into music one hundred percent, 302 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 5: where he wasn't making enough, Like Congress was his salary. 303 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 5: He just didn't care. 304 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 7: In the years to come, Aurelio toward the US, Europe, Japan. 305 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 7: He won a mentorship program with Rolex and was inducted 306 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 7: into the Afropop Hall of Fame. Sometimes he wrote songs 307 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 7: about poetic everyday things, like the song Narrigolu, about a 308 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 7: woman navigating two lovers He also wrote songs about how 309 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 7: gei fun NGOs should represent their people instead of lining 310 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 7: their pockets, or how father should take responsibility for their children. 311 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 5: He always spoke from their heart. He would immediately find 312 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 5: a way how to communicate this struggle. 313 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 7: As big of an artist as he was, Aurelio was 314 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 7: generous with his time and his music. Once we were 315 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 7: on this road trip through Honduras and we stopped to 316 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 7: stay the night at a small gay from a town 317 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 7: that hadn't yet been electrified, Aurelio spontaneously decided to fire 318 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:50,360 Speaker 7: up a generator, set up speakers, and perform a concert. 319 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 7: As a news spread, people from all over the countryside 320 00:21:53,760 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 7: arrived by flashlight, and we all danced into the night. 321 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 7: In the last decade, Aurelio spent more time in Brooklyn, 322 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 7: where his mother lived. A few times we got together 323 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 7: at their apartment. He'd greet me with that big Aurelio 324 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 7: laugh while his mom made fresh flower tortillas on the stovetop. 325 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 7: I interviewed him several times as a journalist, and I 326 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 7: wrote the liner notes to his last album. Now I 327 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:28,120 Speaker 7: wish I had made more of an effort to spend 328 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 7: time with him in New York. He always seemed to 329 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 7: bit out of water in the city hemmed In. He 330 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 7: was a long way from plaplaya. Listening back now to 331 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 7: past interviews with Arelio, what stands out to me is 332 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 7: the fire inside of him to fight to preserve his culture, 333 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 7: the guy u from the language, the music, the ways 334 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 7: of being. The last time we spoke, I asked him 335 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 7: why it was so important to him. Culture. He told 336 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 7: me is freedom cultures, libertad. Culture frees us from negativity 337 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 7: and from angerific interestduda not to get In the last years, 338 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,919 Speaker 7: Evan says Aurelio had something of a writing block and 339 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 7: they couldn't find a way to get back into the studio. 340 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 5: I always used to joke with him, like, oh, really, 341 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:21,360 Speaker 5: what do you worry about. We can make another Paranda 342 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 5: album when you're eighty years old and I am seventy 343 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 5: eight and even gonna get more gals. And we laughed 344 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 5: about that, and he would go like, oh, man, you're right, 345 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 5: you're right, you're right. And that's my only regret because 346 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,159 Speaker 5: I was hoping to grow old with him in the 347 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 5: studio and now we're not. 348 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 7: And then on the evening of March seventeenth, I started 349 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:51,919 Speaker 7: getting the text messages. Did you hear about Aurelio? I hadn't, 350 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 7: But when you get a text like that, you know 351 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 7: what it means. News had come. A small airplane crashed 352 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 7: near Roatan Island seconds after takeoff. Twelve of the seventeen 353 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 7: passengers and crew were dead. Rumors were spreading that Aurelio 354 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 7: was among them, and. 355 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 6: I was like, oh, it's only rumors, It's only rumors. 356 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 6: But then the media confirmed it. 357 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,919 Speaker 5: And then two minutes later, bling bling, bling bling, my 358 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 5: phone starts and I said, oh, man, I just fucking 359 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 5: run out of the parking lot, and I started screaming 360 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 5: because I was just a mess. 361 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 6: And still I woke up, and then I still couldn't 362 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 6: believe it. I still can't believe. You know that he's gone. 363 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 7: The police called the crash an apparent mechanical failure. Arelio 364 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 7: Martinez Gary Fin, a superstar, was dead at age fifty five. 365 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 7: The burial was held in Las Eba, the city Aralio 366 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,679 Speaker 7: called home for most of his life. Ivan Duran traveled 367 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 7: from Belize to be there. 368 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 5: The first thing we encountered was hundreds of people outside 369 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 5: in the street, drumming and singing all his songs. It 370 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:27,880 Speaker 5: was such a beautiful thing that you always think like, Man, 371 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 5: I really must be freaking smiling right now. We all 372 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 5: grieve in different ways, and I wish I could grief 373 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 5: like the getty fun of people, which is almost like 374 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 5: a celebration of life and death. 375 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 7: Wherever Getifuna live. A celebration was held for Aralia from 376 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 7: New York to Houston, New Orleans to belize how is 377 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 7: the community in general feeling right now? 378 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 6: Yeah? 379 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 7: Devastating, I asked Victor Arzu, can anyone fill our radio's shoes? 380 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 6: There is no one to replace Aurelio because Orelio was unique. 381 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 6: He believed on his talent, besides the fact that we're 382 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:26,159 Speaker 6: coming from these small towns from Honduras, that we have 383 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 6: been discriminated against that we now taken into account. He 384 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:37,640 Speaker 6: strongly believed that he can perform on the biggest stage 385 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:39,679 Speaker 6: all over the world. 386 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 7: And then he made it. You're go the way I 387 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 7: Radio believe that Garifuna culture had much to teach the world, Okay, 388 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 7: how to live in harmony with one another and with nature, 389 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,440 Speaker 7: and how to value our ancestors and our elders. Coulture 390 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 7: to us is everything that's activist Pablo Blanco. Blanco told 391 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 7: me about the heart of what the Garryuuna have to 392 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 7: teach the world. 393 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 8: We only have one senate as a community called out 394 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:20,439 Speaker 8: of bone Mononi, Hi for you, You're for me. 395 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 7: I am for you, and you are for me. That 396 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:31,400 Speaker 7: is how Aurelio lived his life. May we all learn 397 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 7: from his example. 398 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 4: Get his consimpass in signor Alreadia Martinis. He was born 399 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 4: in nineteen sixty nine and died in twenty twenty five. 400 00:27:51,119 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 4: And you heard from producer Marlon Bishop. That's it for 401 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:21,200 Speaker 4: today's show. I'm Fernando Chavarri in for our host Marino Josa. 402 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 4: This episode, which originally aired in twenty twenty five, was 403 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 4: produced by Marlon Bishop with production assistants from Monica Morele Garcia. 404 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 4: It was edited by Pennile Ramirez and mixed by Stephanilobau. 405 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 4: Nancy Trujuillo is our production manager. The Latino USA team 406 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 4: also includes Roxanna Guire, Julia Caruso, Reggae Vara, Renaldo Leanez, Junior, 407 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 4: Luis Luna Blri, mar Marquez, Julieta Martinelli, Paloma Perees, j 408 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 4: j Carubin, Annello Reggues and Adriana Rodriguez. Penile Ramirez and 409 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 4: Marino Josa are the executive producers. Latino USA is part 410 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 4: of IHEARTSMA Kumtura podcast network. Executive producers at iHeart are 411 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 4: Leo Gomez and Arleme Santana. Join us again next time 412 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 4: and in the meantime, you can find us on social 413 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 4: media and don't forget if you want to listen at 414 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 4: free Join Futura plus. 415 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 2: Latino USA is made possible in part by California Endowment, 416 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 2: building a strong state by improving the health of all Californians, 417 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 2: the Ford Foundation, working with visionaries on the front lines 418 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 2: of social change worldwide, and the John D. And Catherine T. 419 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 2: MacArthur Foundation.