Not as widely known Colon also had its martyrs.
We insist that the youngsters who were martyred on January 9, 1964 were not delinquents, nor rabble rousers nor vagabonds as many would have the world believe in an effort to blot out their memory.
The brave young institutores, both girls and boys, and other innocent victims were unarmed Panamanian citizens and patriots who were expressing their deepest nationalist sentiments. In honor of their great sacrifice we are posting a beautiful memorial in the form of a poem by Samuel Prado Franco. For those of you who know no Spanish please feel free to use the translator on the sidebar.
Poesía-Homenaje a los Mártires del 9 de Enero de 1964.
Ascanio Arosemena Vigía de la Nacionalidad.
Por: Samuel Prado Franco
Ascanio Vigía de la Nacionalidad
hoy no vengo a colocar una flor sobre tu tumba
sino una corona que retumba
en el corazón dolido
de la patria
por que tu nombre y tu memoria se manchan
con robos y codicias
ni los días de lucha fraternos
en que un gringo asesino
perforo tu pecho lleno de sueños, flores y amores
cada pétalo de amarga rabia
por ver la bandera imperial ondeando
en la entraña de la patria herida
Ascanio Vigía de la Realidad
tu nombre no quedará en la fría entrada
de centros de capacitaciones
sino en las caras idealistas
de institutores y estudiantes luchadores
grabada con la tinta sangre mártir
que no se borra con el tiempo
ahí esta el Templo del Saber de Morales, Pereira y Moscote
desafiante frente a los vendidos y represores
y en sus aulas se respira y mezcla
la voz de Floyd y Ascanio
esperando que las esfinges con sus labios de bronce
la palabra luchemos dirán
con el corazón puro de Ascanio
con el pecho rebelde y patriota
de ser Vigía de la Nacionalidad.
In addition, we wanted to list the names of these individuals and nacional heroes in keeping with our profound belief in the power of the Word and, above all, the power in names.
Maritza Ávila Alabarca (una niña inocente víctima), Ascanio Arosemena, Luis Bonilla, José Del Cid Cobos, Teófilo Belisario De La Torre, Gonzalo A. France, Víctor M. Garibaldo, José Enrique Gil, Ezequiel Meneses González, Víctor M. Iglesias, Rosa Elena Landecho, Carlos Renato Lara, Evilio Lara, Gustavo Lara, Ricardo Murgas Villamonte, Alberto Nichols Constance, Estanislao Orobio W., Jacinto Palacios Cobos, Ovidio L. Saldaña, Rodolfo Sanchez Benítez, Alberto Oriol Tejada y Celestino Villareta.
This story continues.
I watched the video and listened to the Decima by Pille Collado and felt very sad, but proud at the same time.
Panama’s young was so responsible and patriotic in those days to take the Panamanian flag and izar it very high, where it rightfully belonged.
Only cowards would gunned down people who are doing the right thing.
Yes, my beloved Colon has her heroes too.
Todos sabemos que Colon es una ciudad rebelde.
Coloneneses are never afraid to take the torch in their hands and clamor for justice.
When I attended Abel Bravo, we used to celebrate the memory of our heroes by marching along the streets near our beloved Alma Mater, screaming out their names in unison and then saying, presente.
And the sweet lovely waters of that part of the Atlantic Ocean near the Colegio Abel Bravo always appeared to be in solidarity with us and our heroes too.
Saludos,
Anita