Sounds | Mawiza - Wingkawnoam

Met een drumbeat die wegheeft van rituele percussie en die exact gevolgd wordt door de gitaar, bas en vocals, dat is Wingkawnoam, de track die het nieuwe Mawiza album ÜLzal openen. Het is ook een statement waarin deze Chileense band volop de kaart trekt van hun Mapuche heritage. Ze verwerken hun culturele elementen bijzonder vernuftig in hun sound en combineren die met extreme metal. Muziek als eerbetoon aan hun erfgoed

Wingkawnoam is in hun taal het woord voor dekolonizatie en het verhaaltje van de videoclip doet wat aan The Mission en Conquest of Paradise denken. Vreselijke geschiedenis werd toen geschreven en laat ons hopen dat muziek onze culturen wel op een correcte en respectvolle manier kan verenigen.

Het nieuwe album zal op 18 juli verschijnen via Season of Mist.

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While they've shared the stage with metal's most influential acts, Mawiza draw from their indigenous roots. Even the lighting strikes of distortion on the lead single from ÜL are conducted through the natural wood of Toki guitars. "Wingkawnoam" marches to an industrial beat, but it's pounded out on a Mapuche ceremonial drum. "Kultxung is a sacred instrument for Mapuche people", says drummer Txalkan. "When a shaman plays this drum, they take the energy of the sky and pass it down to the earth".

ÜL calls for the protection of Mapuche territory. "Milla milla milla rayen Txemfulu pelom lolen püle / Golden flower, You used to grow on the illuminated side of the ravine", Awka chants in his native language Mapuzungen. Despite developers encroaching on Wallmapu territory, Mawiza continue to honor their ancestor's unwavering resistance. In English, "Wingkawnoam" means "To Decolonize". The song's bounding rhythm mirrors the way a deer dances while eluding its predators.

"When a wemul (deer) is running, it makes a false step to distract what's chasing it", Awka says. "We chose a more progressive rhythm for this song as a way to confuse the colonizer".

Mawiza are a force of nature on ÜL. With sky-scraping riffs and earthshaking grooves, the album's nine chants awaken the fiery spirits of their homeland. But like their ancestors, the band look to the spirit world for guidance. "Mapuche people believe that dreams are messages from our ancestors", says Awka. "Wingkawnoam" recounts three separate nocturnal visions - of a mysterious tree, a cemetery-guarding cougar and a bloodthirsty hummingbird - all of which long for reconnection with the natural world.