| Víctor Heredia | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Víctor Ramón Cournou Heredia |
| Born | January 24, 1947 |
| Origin | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Genres | Folk music |
| Occupations | Singer, Activist |
| Years active | 1968–present |
Víctor Heredia (Buenos Aires, on January 24, 1947) is an Argentine singer songwriter. Author of Taki Ongoy, a symphonic work about Taki Unquy, a millenarian movement against the Spanish conquest.
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He was born in the neighborhood of Monserrat, in the city of Buenos Aires, though he grew up in Paso del Rey a city in the Moreno area of Greater Buenos Aires. His paternal family is of French origin, whereas his maternal grandmother was of Capayán ethnic origin, born in the Calchaquí Valleys, in the province of Catamarca.[1] When he was very young, he won the revelation prize in the Cosquín Festival.
His concern for the social problems in Latin America and human rights is evident in his work. He has recorded with renowned artists such as Joan Manuel Serrat, Mercedes Sosa, León Gieco, Milton Nascimento, el Cuarteto Zupay [the Zupay Quartet] , Silvio Rodríguez and Pablo Milanés amongst others.
He was banned during the military Argentine dictatorship, which started in 1976. This dictatorship left thousands of missing persons including his sister, Maria Cristina. Heredia collaborates closely with organizations that denounce the crimes of the dictatorship, such as the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo and the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, and also with organizations of indigenous peoples.
His works include Todavía Cantamos [Still We Sing], Sobreviviendo [Surviving], El viejo Matías [The old man Matías], Dulce Daniela [Sweet Daniela], and the well-known Razón de vivir [Reason to live]. His albums include Taki Ongoy, a conceptual work composed in 1986 in homage to Taki Ongoy, an indigenous movement that arose in the sixteenth century (1560 - 1572) in opposition to the Spanish invasion. The album remembers this movement and the fight of the American peoples for their freedom.
Winner of the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in 1994 .