El Apellido Nicolas Guillen English Translation Jun 2026

Among his most referenced and studied works is the poem (translated as "The Last Name" or "The Surname" ). For students, scholars, and poetry lovers searching for the "el apellido nicolas guillen english translation," this article provides a complete, side-by-side translation, a breakdown of its historical context, and an analysis of why this poem remains a cornerstone of post-colonial literature.

You have given me your name,the name of your ancestors,the name of your kings,the name of your judges and executioners.But what about my name?The name that belonged to my blood,the name that belonged to my skin,the name that my mother spoke in her cradle,the name that my father carried like a shield?

por Nicolás Guillén

Nicolás Guillén was born on July 10, 1902, in Yaguajay, Cuba. He began his literary career in the 1920s, publishing his first poems in various Cuban magazines and journals. Guillén's poetry is characterized by its exploration of Afro-Cuban culture, social justice, and the struggle against racism.

Guillén is a distinctively Spanish surname with deep roots in medieval Europe. It is a patronymic name, meaning it was originally derived from the name of a father or male ancestor. English Translation el apellido nicolas guillen english translation

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The voice quickly turns to a series of forceful, almost accusatory questions. Is this European lineage everything? Do others know his "navigable blood" and "geography full of dark mountains"? The speaker challenges those who might try to define him by his Spanish surname only, asking if they see the "drums in my eyes".

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¿Mi apellido? Me lo dieron los españoles. (Ellos fueron los primeros que me lo dieron.) Pero yo no se lo pido a nadie, ni se lo quiero a nadie. Mi apellido es mío, mío, mío; pero no me lo dieron mis abuelos sino los conquistadores. Lo tengo como quien tiene una cicatriz. Y si alguien me pregunta por mi apellido, yo le digo: —Tengo un apellido, pero no sé de dónde viene. ¿Será de algún negro de mi sangre? ¿Será de algún congo, algún bantú? No sé. Yo solo sé que me apellido ahora como los que me robaron la patria. ¿Mi apellido? ¿Mi verdadero apellido? ¿Aquél que me quitó el amo junto con la cadena y el látigo? Lo perdí. Lo perdí como se pierde un anillo en el mar. Lo perdí como se pierde la voz. Lo perdí como se pierde la tierra. Lo perdí. ¡Ay, mi apellido perdido, mi apellido robado por el verdugo, mi apellido! ¿Volverá? ¿Volverá un día? ¿Volverá de la raíz de los árboles caídos? ¿Volverá de la entraña de los minerales? ¿Volverá del fondo de los ríos? ¿Volverá de la noche? ¿Volverá del silencio? ¿Volverá de la nada? ¿Volverá de este mismo odio que me late y que me quema las entrañas? ¡Ay, mi apellido! ¡Mi apellido! Among his most referenced and studied works is

My surname is the wave that crashes,The wind that blows from Africa,The cry of freedom.That is my true name,Written in the air, written in the sea,A name that you could never take away. Literary Analysis and Key Themes 1. The Erasure of African Identity

Guillén was deeply political. He faced exile for his communist beliefs during the Fulgencio Batista regime but returned after the 1959 Cuban Revolution. He co-founded the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) and served as its president for over two decades, cementing his surname as a symbol of cultural leadership. Summary of Key Meanings

Despite the lament, "El Apellido" is not a poem of defeat. It is a poem of resistance. By writing the poem in the first place, Guillén reclaims his narrative. He refuses to be ashamed. He declares that although the African surname is lost to history, the African blood, the "baobab," and the African soul are alive within him. The poem ends not with the name, but with the voice—a bright, polished voice that speaks against the silence. This act of speaking is the ultimate reclamation of identity.

Because Guillén’s poetry often relies on Afro-Cuban vernacular and the musicality of the Spanish language, translations can sometimes diminish these rhythmic elements. por Nicolás Guillén Nicolás Guillén was born on

"Since school / haven't they called me Nicolás Guillén? / ...But is that my name? Do you have all my blood? / Does my entire lineage come from that Galician or Biscayan grandfather?"

The poem is a profound meditation on the loss of ancestral identity. Guillén looks at his Spanish surname, "Guillén," and recognizes it as a badge of colonialism. It is not his true name, but rather the name of the Spanish masters who enslaved his ancestors.

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