“I’m a Nicaraguan migrant”, song by Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy

Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy and Nicas Migrantes, from Confidencial, premiered the song “Nicamigrante Soy” (I am a Nicaraguan migrant), written by the Nicaraguan singer-songwriter, this Sunday, September 11^th.

The video of the song appeared Sunday night on the online program Esta Semana. A TV report that tells the story of how the song was created was also featured, which was shared with our audience on the same day, which was the first anniversary of the microsite devoted to a diverse, quality and in-depth coverage of the increasing Nicaraguan migrant population.

The idea for the song came out of concern for the country’s current situation and the reality of migration, which has become more common in Nicaraguan homes, explains the artist. Among those realities is his own, since he emigrated for the first time in the 1970s and, after more than forty years, he had to leave his homeland again and go into exile in Costa Rica, where he currently resides. “When I saw the Nica Migrantes program it sparked my imagination.”

“The song is for Nicaraguans, where migrants are the protagonists,” says Mejia, who supported the launching of Nicas Migrantes on September 19, 2021, when it aired. On that occasion, the singer-songwriter told his own story as a migrant: Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy and his three homelands: Nicaragua, Costa Rica and music.

To write the lyrics, he reviewed the different migration songs that exist in Latin America, which, together with his experience as composer and migrant, facilitated his inspiration to capture the feelings of Nicaraguan migrants in each of the seven verses of the song.

“Nicamigrante Soy” deals with nationalism and love for identity, and also the challenges faced by Nicaraguans when emigrating, and integrating into a new society and culture. Furthermore, it highlights the economic contribution given by Nicaraguan migrants from abroad, through family remittances that represent more than 2 billion dollars annually, equivalent to 18% of Nicaragua’s gross domestic product.

As happens in poetry, in music and in literature, Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy turns two words into one: “nicamigrante,” to give it greater rhythm and assertion. “Because I am who is telling the story. “I am a Nicaraguan migrant, proud of my country and wherever I go, I am a Nicaraguan by God’s grace,” sings Mejia in a song refrain.

In the interpretation, he is accompanied by a female vocalist. She is Costa Rican singer Fabiola Ocampo, who sings part of the chorus. “She has been my guest in a couple of concerts, and I proposed to her to do the female voice and she did it gladly,” he added.

A music video hand in hand with Nicas Migrantes

Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy and Confidencial team also created the music video that accompanies the song.

Produced by the audiovisual team, it consists of a collection of images and scenes that show the Nicaraguan migrant population in Costa Rica, Spain and the United States in their diverse tasks and circumstances.

The scenes are part of Confidencial’s archive, documented over three years of our migration coverage in different cities, and also with images courtesy of Nicaraguan groups abroad, Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica and audiovisual producers inside and outside Nicaragua. The editing of this video was under the supervision of Elmer Rivas, producer of Esta Semana and Esta Noche; and also, by audiovisual producer Xavier Sanchez Merlo, who is in exile in the United States.

Carlos Fernando Chamorro, director of Confidencial, said this collaboration of Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy with Nicas Migrantes represents a “virtuous initiative, to put it some music and poetry to what we have been trying to tell from journalism.”

“Confidencial is celebrating a year of Nicas Migrantes journalism, covering the difficulties of Nicaraguan around the world, their rights as migrants, the complex process of their integration in the countries of destination, and above all, highlighting the link they maintain with Nicaragua and their right to an opinion and to participate in the future destiny of the country,” said Chamorro.

“We have told many stories of pain and sacrifice, but also stressed the examples of hope and inspiration of those Nicaraguans who with their work and talent stand out and succeed in the world,” he commented.

“Nicamigrante soy” in the Canto de Esperanza Concert

Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy has been back in Costa Rica for more than three years, the country that saw his beginning as an artist and from which he has received a warm welcome. He has performed multiple concerts, virtual and in-person, in several restaurants in San Jose, the Costa Rican capital.

The next concert will be on Sunday, September 18, at 7:00 p.m. in Jazz Café Escazu, which he calls “Canto de Esperanza” (Song of Hope) and where he will perform “Nicamigrante Soy” for the first time before an audience. He will be accompanied by musicians Jonathan Delgado, Jose Obando and Carlos Flores, as well as other surprise guests. Tickets can be reserved at jazzcafecostarica.com. For further information, please call +505 84291818.

Lyrics of “Nicamigrante Soy”

I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
Crossing mountains, rivers, and borders.
I left my family behind,
my home, my neighborhood, my beautiful land.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant,
proud of my roots,
and anywhere I go
I take my country in my soul.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
With my homeland tattooed in my heart,
and a river of brothers fleeing,
because there’s no work and much pain.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant
and in spite of so much sorrow:
if our nation is small
one dreams of it big.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
With my head held high and with dignity,
cooking, caring for children,
and tilling the soil anywhere.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
Erasing borders, making a life
with my effort, sweat and integrity
I contribute to my homeland and my family.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
And wherever I go,
I am a Nicaraguan by the grace of God.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
Blue and white is my flag
and united we stand strong
the Nicaraguans inside and the Nicaraguans outside.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant,
and I shall never relinquish [the dream]
to see my Nicaragua free,
to see my land sowed with peace and wellbeing.

I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
I am a Nicaraguan migrant.
And wherever I go,
I am a Nicaraguan by the grace of God.
I am a Nicaraguan migrant.

This article was originally published in Spanish in Confidencial and translated by Havana Times