Pronounced ve-nə-ˈzwā-lə

Serenata Guayanesa sings “Papagayo”, a traditional Venezuelan children’s song. This is one of our oldest traditional folk groups, and a big part of many our infancy. This is a song dedicated both to a traditional toy —the kite (we call it “cometa” or, you guessed it, “papagayo”)— and our flag, with the yellow, blue and red. Lyrics in Spanish follow, lyrics in English next.

Quiero hacer un papagayo, volador multicolor

Para remontar las nubes y llegar donde esta Dios

Para remontar las nubes y llegar donde esta Dios (bis)

Tres franjas tiene mi papagayo

Una amarilla cual sol de Mayo, una amarilla cual sol de Mayo

La franja azul, el mar y el cielo con 8 garzas, 8 luceros

Con 8 garzas, 8 luceros

Y el rojo fuego del cardenal, sangre de héroe sin libertad

Sangre de héroe sin libertad

Quiero hacer un papagayo para aprender a volar y que juegue con el viento la bandera nacional (repite)

Quiero hacer un papagayo para aprender a volar y que juegue con el viento la bandera nacional (x4)

English version

I want to make a kite, a multicolored flyer

To reach up to the clouds and get to where God is (bis)

Three bands my kite has One as yellow as the May Sun

Yellow as the May sun

The blue band, the sea, the sky, with 8 herons, 8 shining stars

8 herons, 8 shining stars

And the cardinal’s fire red, blood of the hero without freedom

Blood of the hero without freedom

I want to make a kite so I can learn how to fly And let the wind play with the national flag (x4)