Today, Saturday, December 16, 2023, Nicaragua celebrates the 105th Anniversary of the National Anthem “Salve a Ti Nicaragua” being sung for the very first time on this date in 1918.
“Salve a ti, Nicaragua” (Hail to You, Nicaragua)
Words by: Salomón Ibarra Mayorga
Music by: Traditional (arranged by Luis Abraham Delgadillo) Adopted: 1918 (music), 1939 (lyrics)
The melody of the National Anthem is from a 300 year old liturgical (public worship) anthem popular in Spain. It has been changed three times since it was used as the first official anthem between 1835 and 1837.
In 1918 the original anthem was bought back and Luis Abraham Delgadillo (a Nicaraguan composer) was chosen to arrange the anthem.
A government contest was held to decide on the new words for the anthem. The only requirements for the lyrics were that they would be contained in two verses and they would be about peace and work. The government awarded the prize to Salomon Ibarra Mayorga, a Nicaraguan teacher and poet.
Nicaragua has the shortest National Anthem in Central America at one minute and three seconds. “Tu Glorioso Pendón bicolor” refers to the National Flag of Nicaragua and “honor es tu enseña triunfal!” refers to the insignia of Nicaraguans being one who “knows about Struggles and Honor”.
Spanish
Salve a ti, Nicaragua
Salve a ti, Nicaragua! En tu suelo
Ya no ruge la voz del cañón,
ni se tiñe con sangre de hermanos
tu glorioso pendón bicolor.
Brille hermosa la paz en tu cielo,
nada empañe tu gloria inmortal,
¡Que el trabajo es tu digno laurel
y el honor es tu enseña triunfal!
English translation
Hail to thee Hail to thee, Nicaragua! On thy land
roars the voice of the cannon no more,
nor does the blood of brothers now stain
thy glorious bicolor banner.
Let peace shine beautiful in thy sky,
and nothing dim thine immortal glory,
for work is thy well earned laurel
and honor is thy triumphal emblem!
