Today is Peru’s 190th Independence Day. On July 28th, 1821 Jose de San Martin declared Peruvian independence from Spain. Below is a link to hear Peru’s National Anthem with nice pictures from various places throughout the country. The anthem is sung by Juan Diego Florez, a world-known Peruvian tenor.
Before the link you will find a loose translation of the words of the National Anthem. You will notice it speaks strongly of the oppression suffered by Peruvians, first by the Inca emperors followed by the Spanish empire.
We are free! May we always be so!
Let the rays of the sun be denied to us
before we ever break the solemn vow
the Fatherland elevated to the Eternal One.
For a long time the oppressed Peruvian
a despicable chain he dragged.
Condemned to a cruel servitude
for a long time he quietly whimpered.
But then the sacred shout was heard,
Liberty! in its coasts was heard.
The slave’s indolence was shaken off,
his humiliated neck he raised.
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