Juan Gabriel, a tricky translation
Jun 02nd 2010 08:44
I read an article yesterday titled "Against the Idea of Mexico" which in one part argues that Mexico should learn from the example of the Mexican singer Juan Gabriel.
I will translate that part, but I must warn you. It is written in a very difficult style, so you will have to excuse me if I make too many mistakes.
"(...) Mas no son sus canciones la postrera lección “Juan Gabriel” para renovar la idea “México”. Es lo que el Divo representó durante décadas en la cultura popular mexicana: cursilería pero también talento y afortunados hallazgos; comercialismo barato, sí, también tenerlos bien plantados para ser no sólo un gay que sobrevive en una sociedad macha, sino el ídolo del país de reprimidos que rendía culto a José Alfredo, y no es poca cosa, ¡cómo va a serlo!
Piénsese: un personaje conspicuamente afeminado que se planta con todo su garbo, que se entrega en toda su persona, para hacer llorar por su mamá a rotos y catrines en una sociedad de machos, de enclosetados, de mujeres sumisas y matonas, de narcos y clasemedieros agringados. No es que lo que tenga que venir sea un Juan Gabriel de consumo internacional, sino una idea de México con los cojones de Juan Gabriel para presentarse tal cual es y ser no sólo tolerada sino admirada. Esta enjundia, creo, es muy de los países de supervivientes, como México, que requiere de una imagen universal, sí, mexicana pero tanto da, les guste o no."
"(...) But his songs are not the ultimate "Juan Gabriel" lesson to renovate the idea of Mexico. It is what Juan Gabriel meant during decades for the Mexican pop culture: affectation, but also talent and fortunate findings; cheap commercial interest, yes, but also having enough (balls) to be not only a surviving gay in a macho society, but also the idol of a country of repressed people that payed tribute to José Alfredo. That is no small thing, ¡how could it be!
Think about it: a conspicuously effeminate character that stands with all his elegance, that gives himself completely, to make both licentious and refined men cry for their moms in a society of machos and closeted men, of submissive and bully women, of narcos and gringoish middle class people. It's not that what is needed is a Juan Gabriel for international consumption, but an idea of Mexico with as much cojones as Juan Gabriel to present itself just as it is and to be not only tolerated, but admitted. This drive, I believe, belongs very much to surviving countries like Mexico, which requires a universal image, yes, Mexican, but that it wouldn't matter if anybody likes it or not"
The article goes on and on with criticisms and things that deliberately offend some of my susceptibilities or that make me laugh in agreement (no deja títere con cabeza). But I think I will stop there.
I didn't agree with the conclusion. However, even I had a hard time to understand it, so I recommend you to read the rest of the article to improve your reading skill in Spanish, just follow this link:
http://www.nexos.com.mx/?P=leerarticulo&Article=73228
I will translate that part, but I must warn you. It is written in a very difficult style, so you will have to excuse me if I make too many mistakes.
"(...) Mas no son sus canciones la postrera lección “Juan Gabriel” para renovar la idea “México”. Es lo que el Divo representó durante décadas en la cultura popular mexicana: cursilería pero también talento y afortunados hallazgos; comercialismo barato, sí, también tenerlos bien plantados para ser no sólo un gay que sobrevive en una sociedad macha, sino el ídolo del país de reprimidos que rendía culto a José Alfredo, y no es poca cosa, ¡cómo va a serlo!
Piénsese: un personaje conspicuamente afeminado que se planta con todo su garbo, que se entrega en toda su persona, para hacer llorar por su mamá a rotos y catrines en una sociedad de machos, de enclosetados, de mujeres sumisas y matonas, de narcos y clasemedieros agringados. No es que lo que tenga que venir sea un Juan Gabriel de consumo internacional, sino una idea de México con los cojones de Juan Gabriel para presentarse tal cual es y ser no sólo tolerada sino admirada. Esta enjundia, creo, es muy de los países de supervivientes, como México, que requiere de una imagen universal, sí, mexicana pero tanto da, les guste o no."
"(...) But his songs are not the ultimate "Juan Gabriel" lesson to renovate the idea of Mexico. It is what Juan Gabriel meant during decades for the Mexican pop culture: affectation, but also talent and fortunate findings; cheap commercial interest, yes, but also having enough (balls) to be not only a surviving gay in a macho society, but also the idol of a country of repressed people that payed tribute to José Alfredo. That is no small thing, ¡how could it be!
Think about it: a conspicuously effeminate character that stands with all his elegance, that gives himself completely, to make both licentious and refined men cry for their moms in a society of machos and closeted men, of submissive and bully women, of narcos and gringoish middle class people. It's not that what is needed is a Juan Gabriel for international consumption, but an idea of Mexico with as much cojones as Juan Gabriel to present itself just as it is and to be not only tolerated, but admitted. This drive, I believe, belongs very much to surviving countries like Mexico, which requires a universal image, yes, Mexican, but that it wouldn't matter if anybody likes it or not"
The article goes on and on with criticisms and things that deliberately offend some of my susceptibilities or that make me laugh in agreement (no deja títere con cabeza). But I think I will stop there.
I didn't agree with the conclusion. However, even I had a hard time to understand it, so I recommend you to read the rest of the article to improve your reading skill in Spanish, just follow this link:
http://www.nexos.com.mx/?P=leerarticulo&Article=73228
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It is what Juan Gabriel meant to Mexican pop culture for decades: affectation, but also talent and serendipity; cheap commercial interest, yes, but also having the stones to not only make it as a gay in a macho society but to also be the idol of a country of repressed people that paid tribute to José Alfredo.
That is no small thing: How could it be?!
Think about it: a conspicuously effeminate character that stands with all his elegance, that gives himself completely to make both fops and dandies cry for their mothers in a society of machos and closet cases, of submissive and butch women, of dealers and the gringo-fied middle class.
I probably wouldn't use 'narcos' because that sounds like 'narcs' (that's a narcotics *officer* instead of a drug dealer).
It's not that what is needed is a Juan Gabriel for international consumption, but an idea of Mexico with the cojones of Juan Gabriel to present itself just as it is and to be not only tolerated, but admired.
This drive, I believe, belongs very much to countries of survivors like Mexico, which requires a universal image: yes, Mexican, but one where it doesn't matter if anybody likes it or not"
I think dandy is a good translation for catrín and butch for matona, but a roto is more like a person who is always in saloons and bars, spending his money in all kinds of vices, and who doesn't care about what people think about him. That's the contrast the author is trying to make with catrines.
I would leave the word narco, because it is the name of a whole subculture of northern Mexico (which is deeply condemned by the americanized middle class). They are not just drug dealers, they have their own music, bars, cars, fashion, slang, and showy way of life.
That's interesting about 'narco'. I didn't find that definition when I was looking it up. Do you know if there's any Spanish equivalent of Urban Dictionary?