Agosto en Tucumán

Mercedes Sosa's song 'Agosto en Tucumán' paints a vivid and poignant picture of the sugarcane harvest season in Tucumán, Argentina. The lyrics describe the intense heat of August, with the sun blazing down on the workers and the fields. The imagery of the sun setting over the burning fields sets a somber tone, highlighting the grueling conditions faced by the laborers.

The song delves into the harsh realities of the sugarcane workers, known as 'peladores,' who tirelessly cut the cane with their machetes. The metaphor of the workers 'bleeding like the cane' underscores the physical toll and exploitation they endure. The 'ingenio,' or sugar mill, is depicted as a relentless machine that grinds the workers' efforts into alcohol, which is then consumed in the local bars, symbolizing a cycle of labor and consumption that offers little respite or reward for the workers.

Sosa also touches on the environmental impact of the sugarcane industry, with 'chimeneas' (chimneys) that 'florecen' (bloom) with smoke, and the sun setting on the 'incendiado de los lapachos' (burning lapacho trees). This imagery conveys a sense of destruction and loss, both of the natural landscape and the workers' well-being. As the day ends, the workers return home, 'tristes, desmemoriados' (sad, forgetful), their spirits crushed by the relentless grind of their labor. The 'callejón' (alley) that 'borrando' (erases) them symbolizes their fading presence and the erasure of their struggles from public consciousness.

Through 'Agosto en Tucumán,' Mercedes Sosa not only highlights the physical and emotional hardships of the sugarcane workers but also critiques the broader socio-economic system that perpetuates their exploitation. Her powerful lyrics and evocative imagery serve as a call to recognize and address the injustices faced by these laborers.