El Avestruz

Nacha Guevara's song "El Avestruz" is a satirical commentary on societal ignorance and the tendency to avoid confronting uncomfortable truths. The song uses the metaphor of an ostrich, a bird often (though inaccurately) said to bury its head in the sand to avoid danger, to represent people who choose to ignore pressing issues. The lyrics describe a festival organized by the Society for the Protection of Animals, where the song was not chosen, hinting at favoritism and injustice, setting the stage for the broader theme of willful ignorance.

The recurring refrain, "Tralalá, yo no lo veo no debe ser tan feo," translates to "Tralalá, I don't see it, it must not be so bad," encapsulating the ostrich's—and by extension, society's—attitude towards unpleasant realities. The ostrich's actions, such as hiding its head in the sand and covering its ears with its wings, symbolize a refusal to acknowledge or engage with critical issues. This behavior is criticized as the song's narrator pleads with the ostrich to consider the world's problems, only to be met with indifference.

The song reaches a poignant climax when the narrator observes the ostrich in a nuclear test field, a powerful metaphor for the catastrophic consequences of ignorance. The final lines, "Avestruz en un campo de pruebas nucleares, No tendrías... que esconder... la cabeza," translate to "Ostrich in a nuclear test field, you shouldn't... hide your head," driving home the message that ignoring problems can lead to disastrous outcomes. Through this vivid imagery and biting satire, Nacha Guevara critiques the human tendency to avoid facing difficult truths, urging listeners to confront and address the issues that threaten our world.