Guatemala
Himno Nacional de Guatemala
National Anthem of Guatemala
1896
1897
Jose Joaquin Palma
Rafael Alvarez Ovalle
🕊 Freedom 🗽 Independence 🌿 Nature ⚔ Battle / War |
Context
The lyrics were written by Cuban poet Jose Joaquin Palma, who was living in exile in Guatemala, and the music was composed by Rafael Alvarez Ovalle. The anthem was adopted in 1897 after a national competition. Palma initially kept his authorship secret, and it was only revealed years later that the Cuban exile had penned Guatemala's most patriotic verses.
Lyrics
Guatemala feliz...! que tus aras
No profane jamas el verdugo;
Ni haya esclavos que laman el yugo
Ni tiranos que escupan tu faz.
Si manana tu suelo sagrado
Lo amenaza invasion extranjera,
Libre al viento tu hermosa bandera
A vencer o a morir llamara.
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Interesting facts
- • The lyrics were written by a Cuban exile, Jose Joaquin Palma, who kept his authorship anonymous for years because he felt it would be inappropriate for a foreigner to write a national anthem
- • The anthem won a national competition in 1897 and has remained unchanged since its adoption
- • Rafael Alvarez Ovalle, the composer, is honored on the Guatemalan one-quetzal banknote