La Poma
Eulogia Tapia's town
The entrance to the town of La Poma, through a rocky path between adobe walls, evokes a trip to the past.
The old town, destroyed by an earthquake in 1930, still has some houses standing, ragged by the winds, the abandonment and time, which in these latitudes passes slowly, very slowly.
The new village is simple, with the church of Santa Barbara standing out in the square with an unusual bright pink tone.
The surrounding landscape is distinctive. The black pumice stones scattered across the plains are outstanding, which were once arbitrarily thrown into the valley by the volcanoes.
Near La Poma are the Inca granaries, where the corn grains harvested in the area were stored. It could not be accessed due to the poor condition of the road. The Devil's Bridge, a tunnel over the river with colorful stalactites that was a millenary cattle crossing, also highlights.
La Poma is almost at the end of the Calchaquí River; perhaps the remoteness of its location or its history of misfortune is the reason why it does not rise; or perhaps it is due to the fact that its first cousin Cachi, was fortunate enough to get all the attention. Although no one can boast of boasting La Pomeña, the story of Eulogia Tapia, the famous native who inspired Manuel Castilla for his zamba musicalized by Cuchi Leguizamón, a popular and glorious piece of folklore.
Here its originals lyrics in Spanish...
Eulogia Tapia en La Poma
al aire da su ternura
si pasa sobre la arena
y va pisando la luna,
si pasa sobre la arena
y va pisando la luna.
El trigo que va cortando
madura por su cintura.
Mirando flores de alfalfa
sus ojos negros se azulan,
mirando flores de alfalfa
sus ojos negros se azulan.
El sauce de tu casa
te está llorando
porque te roban Eulogia
carnavaleando…
porque te roban Eulogia
carnavaleando…
La cara se le enharina,
la sombra se le enarena,
cantando y desencantando
se le entreveran las penas,
cantando y desencantando
se le entreveran las penas.
Viene en un caballo blanco,
la caja en sus manos tiembla,
y cuando se hunde la noche
es una dalia morena,
y cuando se hunde la noche
es una dalia morena.
El sauce de tu casa
te está llorando
porque te roban Eulogia
carnavaleando…
porque te roban Eulogia
carnavaleando…
