The Woman from Huillinco (La Huillincana)

Music piece by:
Liborio Bórquez Guzmán, popularised by Héctor Pavez
Testimony by:
Rubén Torres Ávila
Experience in:
Cárcel de Menores Blas Cañas / Centro de Reinserción Abierto Manuel Rodríguez, 1976

When I was in the last year of secondary school at the Liceo 8 in Santiago, I suggested to a teacher to do an interview with a prisoner of the youth detention centre Blas Cañas. After the interview, I offered the prison’s governor to take the school’s folk group to present a show to the inmates.

The group played the cuecaMusic genre (usually for voice and accompaniment) and partner dance, found in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. The cueca chilota comes from Chiloé Island, in southern Chile. ‘La Huillincana’ from Chiloé Island, a periconaPopular dance of the island of Chiloé in which two couples dance interdependently. and a waltz fromChiloé Island. The imprisoned boys surrounded the folk group and they themselves were surrounded by the guards.

After the show, one of the prisoners offered to sing the cumbia ‘Cortando caña’ a cappella: ‘Cutting cane, buddy, I spend my life.’

From the group of students, Susana, who was my girlfriend, danced with an inmate. This act was transgressive.

Years late, as a political prisoner in the Cárcel Pública de Santiago, I listened to the pitiful and religious chant of the evangelicals.


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Published on: 18 June 2022

Oh boy, how I like
the women from Huillinco
oh boy, how I like
the women from Huillinco.

Who kiss in the afternoons
and in the mornings
who kiss in the afternoons
and in the mornings.

And in the mornings, my soul
and very early
and in the mornings, my soul
and very early.

And when I find them
the best of the best
and when I find them
the best of the best.

The best of the best, my soul
her little boat
the best of the best, my soul
her little boat.

They kiss the boys
in the shade
they kiss the boys
in the shade.

And let’s go to Chindo’s
it’ll be a bliss.

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