Chilean Street Festival Gathers 600 Stage Actors in Commemoration of Pablo Neruda’s Life, Works
A 65-feet balloon that portrayed the image of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda can be seen from afar during the street carnival that flooded the streets of Santiago with color. "Neruda Comes Flying" commemorates the works and achievement of the Nobel Prize for Literature winner Pablo Neruda. As per Fox News Latinos, the three-day street festival ended last Sunday.
Participants walked the streets and some of them have been reciting poems by Neruda. More than 600 stage actors participated in the event. Neruda passed away in 1973. "Neruda Comes Flying" took 15 stops all though out the parade. Each stop represents the landmarks in Neruda's life, giving the public a glimpse of the poet's life from his infancy in the southern part of the country up to the significant events that he underwent while growing up including his romances and relationships.
The whole street carnival showcased the poet's images on the La Moneda Palace, the government headquarters, and also at the Plaza de Constitucion.
On Saturday's part of the parade, it ended at the Plaza de la Paz. Sunday's parade on the other hand ended with the huge balloon continuously going around the area near the Mapocho Stadium. The stadium then honored and commemorated the vessel "Valparaiso" which was built back in 1939.
The poet provided an area for the victims for 2,200 Spanish refugees who escaped their homeland during the civil war. They were then given an area to live freely in the South American country.
Back in 2014, Neruda was featured in BBC's travel story wherein they featured Chile through Pablo Neruda's eyes. Though he passed away 40 years ago, the beauty of his poetry and his works continued to resonate all throughout the Chilean culture.
BBC featured Neruda's Isla Negra wherein his favorite home overlooked the Pacific in the south of Valparaiso. It was also reported that Neruda carved the names of his friends and the people close to his heart that already passed away in the beams above his Isla Negra bar. This being said, he carved their names so that he could still continue drinking with them. Years after the poet's passing, the names can still be found on the beams.
In addition to Isla Negra that was featured, the international airport of Santiago is also being petitioned to be named as Poet Pablo Neruda Airport. BBC then reported that Neruda's lost poems that were recently discovered will soon be published.
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