Santa Bárbara (also known as Nel Pozu Maria Luisa and Santa Bárbara Bendita) is a traditional song of the Asturian

coal miners People have worked as coal miners for centuries, but they became increasingly important during the Industrial revolution when coal was burnt on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings. Owing to coal's strategic ro ...

The song

The deeply emotional lyrics and the sorrowful and

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, usually sung

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by a male choir, turned the song into a symbol of Asturian

coal mining Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

and of

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic via ...

in general. Sometimes used as a

working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...

anthem, the hymn was widely used during the Asturian miners uprising of 1934 and during the

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. The lyrics (usually sung in Asturian, Spanish or a mixture between both languages) describe the painful returning home of a miner, covered in the blood of his fellow miners, who tells his wife (''Maruxina'') of a

mining accident A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals or metals. Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially from underground coal mining, although accidents also occur in hard rock mining. C ...

in the famous Asturian mine known as ''Pozu Maria Luisa'' (located in Ciañu, Langreo).

Coal mining Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

, which is present in Asturias since the 18th century having a pivotal role in the historical economic activity of the region, is known as a very dangerous activity. Historically, hundreds of miners have died in the mines of Asturias and deadly

mining accidents A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals or metals. Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially from underground coal mining, although accidents also occur in hard rock mining. ...

were sadly common in the miner population. Santa Bárbara is nowadays considered to be an important piece of Asturian traditional music and is included prominently in the Asturian folk music repertoire. The song is also often used in funerals,

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and

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Original Asturian version

:Nel pozu María Luisa :Trailarai larai, trailarai :Nel pozu María Luisa :Trailarai larai, trailarai :Morrieron cuatro mineros :mirái, mirái Maruxina, mirái :mirái como vengo yo :Traigo la camisa roxa :Trailarai larai, trailarai :Traigo la camisa roxa :Trailarai larai, trailarai :De sangre d'un compañeru :Mirái, mirái Maruxina, mirái :mirái como vengo yo :Traigo la cabeza rota :Trailarai larai, trailarai :Traigo la cabeza rota :Trailarai larai, trailarai :Que me la rompió un barrenu :Mirái, mirái Maruxiña, mirái :mirái como vengo yo :Santa Bárbara bendita :Trailarai larai, trailarai :Santa Bárbara bendita :Trailarai larai, trailarai :patrona de los mineros :Mirái, mirái Maruxina, mirái :mirái como vengo yo :Patrona de los mineros :Mirái, mirái Maruxiña, mirái :mirái como vengo yo

English translation

:In the María Luisa pit // :''Trailarai larai, trailarai'' :In the María Luisa mine :''Trailarai larai, trailarai'' :Four miners have died :Look, look Maruxina, look :look how I'm coming home :My shirt has turned red :''Trailarai larai, trailarai'' :My shirt has turned red :''Trailarai larai, trailarai'' :Stained with the blood of a fellow miner :Look, look Maruxina, look :look how I'm coming home :My head has broken :''Trailarai larai, trailarai'' :My head has broken :''Trailarai larai, trailarai'' :It was broken in a blast :Look, look Maruxiña, look :look how I'm coming home :Blessed Saint Barbara, :''Trailarai larai, trailarai'' :Blessed Saint Barbara :''Trailarai larai, trailarai'' :Patron saint of the miners :Look, look Maruxina, look :look how I'm coming home :

Patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of the miners :Look, look Maruxina, look :look how I'm coming home A last couplet, sometimes omitted because of non politically correct

profanity Profanity, also known as cursing, cussing, swearing, bad language, foul language, obscenities, expletives or vulgarism, is a socially offensive use of language. Accordingly, profanity is language use that is sometimes deemed impolite, rud ...

runs likewise Cago en los capataces Arrivistas y esquiroles (Variant) Accionistas y esquiroles I Crap on the foremen (they're all) hustlers and union scabs (variant) And the shareholders and unions scabs too

External links

Cover by folk band

Nuberu The Nuberu ( Asturian and Cantabrian), Nubero ( Castilian) or Nubeiro ( Galician) -literally "''The Clouder''"- is a character of Asturian, Cantabrian, Galician and northern Castilian mythology. According to Asturian mythology, the ''Nuberu'' ( ...

at youtube.com (fanvid)
Spanish language version sung by male choir
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Barbara bendita Asturian culture Asturian music Langreo