One Hundred Years of Solitude: the Colombian work that inspires around the world
Do you remember Macondo, the magical village from One Hundred Years of Solitude, where the Buendía family lived? This place and this work, considered one of the most important in Colombian literature, have been inexhaustible sources of inspiration for various artistic expressions around the world.
And indeed, One Hundred Years of Solitude is, without a doubt, a source of pride in the country of beauty; as it has left an indelible mark on the mind of each of its readers. That's why we present to you how the work has inspired songs, comics, video games, a restaurant in New York, and even a play. Discover some of these creations and immerse yourself in a world where literature and the extraordinary come together to create great things.
Courtesy, Unimagdalena
Courtesy Rockol.itMusic that sounds like One Hundred Years of Solitude
Various performers from Europe and America found in the passages of the novel the perfect inspiration to create melodies. The Colombian work has not only inspired the most important exponents of literature, but also different musicians around the world who have based songs on the book One Hundred Years of Solitude.
The Italian band Modena City Ramblers recorded the album Terra E Libertà and wrote four songs in honor of the book: Macondo Express, II ballo di Aureliano, Remedios la Bella and Cent'anni di solitudine. Here are some of the phrases from their melodies inspired by the Colombian work:
Macondo Express
"Arcadio and Pablo Márquez are lined up with tattoos
And little Buendía is in the ice cart
There are magicians. There are acrobats. There are young rebels" Remedios la Bella "Time passed lost among the filters.
And the ointments of Melquíades the gypsy
In the square full of bird cages
Of pancakes and iguana eggs" Other artists who took inspiration from the work were Rodolfo Aicardi, from Los Hispanos, with the song Me Voy Pa' Macondo, in homage to the book. And lastly, Rafael Orozco mentions the yellow butterflies, the golden fish, Mauricio Babilonia and Macondo in his vallenato Cien años de Macondo. So, we bring you a fragment of this song that will take you back in time, do you remember it? "The one hundred years of Macondo
dream, dream in the air
and Gabriel's years
trumpets, trumpets announce them chained to Macondo
dreams, don José Arcadio
and before him, life passes
being whirlwinds of memory Aureliano's sadness, the cuatro
Remedios' beauty, violins
Amaranta's passions, guitars Melquíades' spell, oboe Úrsula, one hundred years
solitude, Macondo
Úrsula, one hundred years
solitude, Macondo"
Courtesy, Te Creo BookstoreGabo among comic strips
The Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez also made history in the world of comics, not as an author, but as a character. The Colombian publishing house Rey Naranjo published in 2012 a biographical comic of the author called "Memories of a Magical Life", describing him as "a man who can be shipwrecked without drowning". The center of the story revolves around the creation of One Hundred Years of Solitude sharing the epic that turned the boy from Aracataca into a true living myth of literature.
With yellow as the most important color in the comic's inking, "Memories of a Magical Life" will captivate you with expressive and realistic style illustrations. So, if you're a fan of comics, this copy will take you into a world where the writer's childhood, his life as a student, memories, stories, and some episodes of his literary work intertwine to paint a complete and moving portrait of the Colombian literary icon.
Courtesy, Especiales SemanaOne of the world's most popular video games was inspired by Macondo
Did you ever think that Macondo would be the inspiration for a video game that millions of people play online? Well, this magical village served as a reference to create the mission Ever so Lonely from World of Warcraft, which incorporates several elements from the book. In fact, the aquatic creatures of the Warcraft world bear a resemblance to Colonel Aureliano Buendía's golden fish.
Blizzard Entertainment, the game's developer, aims to make users identify with their cultures through these types of experiences. For this reason, the Buendías and other characters, such as Don Quixote and El Chavo del Ocho, are the chosen ones. In the case of Gabriel García Márquez, they consider him an icon for Latin America.
Join Ever so Lonely and delve into the amazing world inspired by Gabo. Discover how the magic of magical realism comes to life on the screen, with an experience full of mystery and how Colombian talent has been an inspiration even in video games.
Macondo in the city that never sleeps: New York
Can you imagine enjoying authentic Latin food in a restaurant that pays homage to the Colombian work One Hundred Years of Solitude? Well, this happens at Macondo New York, a place inspired by the work. This space captures the magical essence of Macondo and leverages the legacy of Gabo's work to offer dishes such as ceviche, empanadas, tacos, arepas, among others.
The restaurant's concept seeks to elevate Latin street food to a gourmet level. So, if you're in the city of skyscrapers, or planning to go, and want to enjoy a space where gastronomy merges with literature, the restaurant in New York Macondo is the ideal place.
Courtesy, Instagram Macondo NY
Courtesy, El TiempoGabo in the land of the rising sun
The filmmaker Shuri Terayama made an adaptation in the Japanese film Saraba Hakobune, inspired by the Colombian work One Hundred Years of Solitude. The main plot of the film revolves around a love story between two cousins in which details of the work are perceived, such as Úrsula's chastity belt, the ghost of Prudencio Aguilar tormenting José Arcadio, the gypsies, and the circuses.
And although Gabo did not consent to any film adaptation of his masterpiece, the film was re-edited and screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984. It is even said that the Colombian writer left a profound legacy in Japanese literature and cinema, present in the animated films of Studio Ghibli.
Courtesy, Indie HoyOne Hundred Years of Solitude: the pride of the country of beauty
One Hundred Years of Solitude is a milestone in world literature and is the epic of a people, a region, and a country. Furthermore, it has been translated into numerous languages and has won prestigious awards. From the legendary name of Macondo, to the sierra and characters like Colonel Aureliano Buendía or the Vallenato Francisco el Hombre; they live year after year in the memory and cultural imagination of the country, representing a pride that remains intact with the passage of time.
Now that you know about these incredible adaptations, we invite you to keep alive the legend of the Colombian writer and his book. The immortal Gabo and his masterpiece, One Hundred Years of Solitude, remain intact, carrying the pride of our literature to every corner of the world.
