Nicomedes Santa Cruz Gamarra was born on the 4 June in Lima, Peru, in the district of Nuestra Senora de las Victorias (popularly known as "La Victoria"). He is the ninth of ten children. His parents were the playwright Nicomedes Santa Cruz Aparicio (1871) and Victoria Gamarra Ramirez (1886). He was a little black child, twice the age of Nicomedes, that used to look for him at night, and would recite decimas to him that he learned from his father. This first contact with the decima would continue with el panalivio, festejos, habanera, vals antiguo, and the decimas that his mother sang during the day while she worked washing clothes. He meets Porfirio Vasquez (1902), decimista and folklorist. Thanks to this encounter, he becomes reacquainted with the oral traditions he learned from his mother. In these past years, Nicomedes had composed silvas, sonnets, and formal verses, but he was not satisfied with these poetic forms.
1956, he abandons his blacksmith shop and travels throughout Peru and other Latin American countries reciting his decimas. He himself considers this act a search for his destiny. Upon his return, he acts as a commentator in the performances of the Pancho Fierro musical company. Later, its name would be change to "Ritmos Negros del Peru" (Black Rhythms of Peru)
At age 67, after a few years of battling lung cancer, as well as a surgical intervention in the Clinical Hospital of Madrid, he passes away on February 5. His ashes were spread by his family over the mountains of Madrid (Spain)
1956, he abandons his blacksmith shop and travels throughout Peru and other Latin American countries reciting his decimas. He himself considers this act a search for his destiny. Upon his return, he acts as a commentator in the performances of the Pancho Fierro musical company. Later, its name would be change to "Ritmos Negros del Peru" (Black Rhythms of Peru)
At age 67, after a few years of battling lung cancer, as well as a surgical intervention in the Clinical Hospital of Madrid, he passes away on February 5. His ashes were spread by his family over the mountains of Madrid (Spain)
Nicomedes Santa Cruz Gamarra was born on the 4 June in Lima, Peru, in the district of Nuestra Senora de las Victorias (popularly known as "La Victoria"). He is the ninth of ten children. His parents were the playwright Nicomedes Santa Cruz Aparicio (1871) and Victoria Gamarra Ramirez (1886). He was a little black child, twice the age of Nicomedes, that used to look for him at night, and would recite decimas to him that he learned from his father. This first contact with the decima would continue with el panalivio, festejos, habanera, vals antiguo, and the decimas that his mother sang during the day while she worked washing clothes. He meets Porfirio Vasquez (1902), decimista and folklorist. Thanks to this encounter, he becomes reacquainted with the oral traditions he learned from his mother. In these past years, Nicomedes had composed silvas, sonnets, and formal verses, but he was not satisfied with these poetic forms.
1956, he abandons his blacksmith shop and travels throughout Peru and other Latin American countries reciting his decimas. He himself considers this act a search for his destiny. Upon his return, he acts as a commentator in the performances of the Pancho Fierro musical company. Later, its name would be change to "Ritmos Negros del Peru" (Black Rhythms of Peru)
At age 67, after a few years of battling lung cancer, as well as a surgical intervention in the Clinical Hospital of Madrid, he passes away on February 5. His ashes were spread by his family over the mountains of Madrid (Spain)
1956, he abandons his blacksmith shop and travels throughout Peru and other Latin American countries reciting his decimas. He himself considers this act a search for his destiny. Upon his return, he acts as a commentator in the performances of the Pancho Fierro musical company. Later, its name would be change to "Ritmos Negros del Peru" (Black Rhythms of Peru)
At age 67, after a few years of battling lung cancer, as well as a surgical intervention in the Clinical Hospital of Madrid, he passes away on February 5. His ashes were spread by his family over the mountains of Madrid (Spain)
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