‘It Was Like a Space of Resistance’

Functions of Music for Female Political Prisoners During the Pinochet Dictatorship

Abstract

This article examines the function of music for female political prisoners during the Pinochet Dictatorship in Chile. The discussion draws on a thematic analysis of testimonies about music by female prisoners from the platform Cantos Cautivos (“Captive Songs”). The article discusses musical happenings, genres of music being performed (e.g., Nueva Canción), and the ways in which music-making was organised. In particular, the article highlights the importance of communal singing. This article also addresses cultural and collective memory and the role that they play in these recollections.